Special advisor to the education minister Wan Saiful Wan Jan has been appointed the new chairperson of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).

“PTPTN gladly announces that Wan Saiful Wan Jan has been appointed as the new chairperson for two years effective June 18.

“He replaces Lenggong MP Shamsul Anuar Nasarah,” the corporation said in a statement today.

In his first day on the job, Wan Saiful announced that 429,945 PTPTN defaulters had been struck off the immigration blacklist.

He also said that PTPTN will continue to study ways to allow applicants to only begin loan repayments when they earn salaries of over RM4,000 a month, as pledged by Pakatan Harapan in its election manifesto.

Prior to joining Bersatu in the lead up to the 14th general election, Wan Saiful had been a prominent academic and the former CEO of thinktank Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (Ideas).

He later contested the Pendang state seat in Kedah, but lost in the four-cornered contest to PAS’ Awang Hashim.

Wan Saiful had since joined the Education Ministry, which is helmed by Bersatu Simpang Renggam MP Maszlee Malik.

He continues to serve as Bersatu’s strategy and policy bureau deputy chief.