The Finance Ministry was not involved in the planned implementation of scheduled salary deductions for National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) study loans, Lim Guan Eng said today.

Instead, the finance minister stressed, the decision was made by the Education Ministry.

"I think the education minister has spoken about this matter. It was not decided by the Finance Ministry, it was decided by Education Ministry," he told reporters at the Selangor DAP convention in Petaling Jaya today.

Lim declined to state his stance on the Income-Contingent Loan Repayment (ICLR) scheme, however. 

"It was a cabinet decision, it was all decided by the cabinet," he said.

After the ICLR scheme was announced by PTPTN chairperson Wan Saiful Wan Jan, it came under fire from PTPTN borrowers as well as politicians from both sides of the divide.

The scheme would have seen PTPTN borrowers earning more than RM2,000 monthly having between two and 15 percent of their salaries deducted for loan repayments. 

Following the widespread uproar, Education Minister Maszlee Malik announced that the ICLR, which was slated to begin in January 2019, next year would be postponed. 

Anti-hopping

Lim also declined to comment on Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's remarks on a law to prevent lawmakers from switching parties after being elected.

"I have to check with Mahathir first. I have not read the newspaper yet (about his statement).

"I think what I have said (in my speech) just now was enough," he said.

Mahathir, who also chairs Bersatu, stated that Putrajaya would not enact a law to prevent party-hopping, as elected representatives had the right to do so in a democracy.