A total RM909,250 in loans was written off from the overall loans issued by the Negri Sembilan Islamic Religious Council (Mains) to students studying in universities in Middle Eastern countries.

Mains secretary Kamal Amran Kamarudin said students who completed their studies with excellent results would have their loans written off – which include two students who obtained "mumtaz" and "jayid jiddin," whose study loans were converted to scholarships totalling RM142,000.

“13 students who scored ‘jayyid’ results were given a 75 percent discount, involving RM696,937.50, while RM47,375 in loans were deducted for six students who achieved ‘jayyid’, ‘maqbul’ and ‘mustahsan’ results, as they were given a 50 percent discount.

“A reduction of 25 percent was also given to five students who obtained the ‘maqbul’ results, involving RM22,937.50,” he said in his speech at the closing of the 2017 Middle East Intensive Programme by Deputy Menteri Besar Mohamad Hasan in Seremban today.

He said Mains would only collect the balance of RM346,500 in loan repayments, and hoped students who completed their studies make their loan repayments to enable the council to sponsor more students.

Meanwhile, Mohamad, who is also Mains chairperson, advised students as recipients of the study loans to be honest in using the fund, which is obtained from tithe collections.

- Bernama