Almost 800,000 or 77 pct of PTPTN borrowers have paid up their loans - Noraini

KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 77.75 per cent or almost 800,000 National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers have paid up their loans, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad.

She said so far, 2.4 million of the borrowers have completed their studies and by right, PTPTN should receive almost RM24.6 billion in loan repayments.

"Some 400,000 borrowers have been paying consistently while 700,000 others do make repayments but inconsistently," she said in response to a supplementary question from Lukanisman Awang Sauni (GPS-Sibuti) who wanted to know the latest on PTPTN loan arrears in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Noraini added that until last September, PTPTN had collected RM15.5 billion in loan repayments.

She said the ministry found that the provision of incentives such as payment discounts had succeeded in getting borrowers to pay up their loans.

"Among the initiatives taken by PTPTN as announced by Finance Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz recently, were the 15 per cent discount for full settlement of outstanding loans, 12 per cent discount for partial payment of outstanding loans and 10 per cent discount for payments via salary deduction," she said.

Meanwhile, she said the Sarawak state government should be commended for introducing the PTPTN Anak Sarawak repayment incentive through the Sarawak Foundation and settling at least 30 per cent of the borrowers' loans.

"Through the Sarawak government's proactive move, 30 per cent of the amount still owing has been deducted and this has helped eased the burden on borrowers and encouraged them to repay their loans," she said adding that 9,321 borrowers in Sarawak had enjoyed this benefit when it was first introduced in 2020.

Noraini said this in reply to Lukanisman's original question on the status of the PTPTN Anak Sarawak repayment incentive and the number who have benefited from the scheme.

-- BERNAMA