Opposition leaders slam Nga's remark on PTPTN defaulters

Malaysian Indian People’s Party (MIPP) information chief Suthan Mookaiah accused Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming of being removed from the economic struggles faced by youths.

Suthan said this in response to a report by Nanyang Siang Pau on Oct 6, where the minister said the government may take away passports of those who defaulted on their loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).

“It is shocking that a senior leader like Nga dares to scold a young boy and his peers for defaulting on their PTPTN loan.

“Is Nga so far removed from the economic struggles our youths are facing, which includes stagnant salary, that he has to resort to blame games and cheap shots?” he asked when contacted by Malaysiakini.

On Sunday, Nga reportedly told attendees at a Dialogue with Youth event at the “2024 World Habitat Day National Celebration” that those who default on loans from PTPTN may be “banned from leaving the country”.

Stating that overdue loans amount to RM9 billion, Nga said non-payment was an irresponsible act and is almost tantamount to “taking away” the opportunity for future young people to further their studies.

“Next year we will 'take away' your passports so that you can’t leave the country.

“Defaulting on loans is bad behaviour. If you cannot change your behaviour, there is no point in talking about changing the country. Everything starts with repaying the PTPTN loan,” Nga was reported as saying.

Remember your promise?

Taking Nga to task, Suthan reminded the former that Pakatan Harapan had promised to defer repayments for graduates earning less than RM4,000 and to not blacklist defaulters, once they attained federal power.

“Today, this senior Harapan figure has simply forgotten his manifesto promise and chose to lecture and humiliate, and also threaten to blacklist these youths from travelling abroad.

“Is this leadership? No, it’s hypocrisy at its finest from Nga, as usual.

“Let me be crystal clear. If you can’t keep your promises, don’t you dare do a U-turn on the people by playing the blame game. We are watching and your tone-deaf insensitivity won’t be forgotten,” he said.

‘Sheer hypocrisy’

Echoing Suthan’s sentiments, United for the Rights of Malaysians Party (Urimai) interim secretary Satees Muniandy said such remarks show how the DAP leadership can change its stance to suit their political survival.

“What baffles me is the hypocrisy of the people like Nga, who once vouched for PTPTN abolishment are calling for a travel ban. Sheer hypocrisy!

“The call to reintroduce travel ban on PTPTN defaulters is a betrayal of the young voters, who supported Harapan in the past elections.

“The young people, who are just starting their careers, now have to deal with two-faced politicians’ fake promises,” said the former DAP assemblyperson.

Satees then reminisced the time when in 2013, the then-Pakatan Rakyat coalition, which DAP was part of, promised to abolish PTPTN.

Soon after former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak introduced reforms to the PTPTN payment scheme, several Harapan leaders criticised and demanded the writing off of the education loan schemes.

“The travel ban on PTPTN defaulters was lifted during the first Harapan term as government in 2018.

“In fact, Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s government even introduced a scheme where the CTOS, CCRIS blacklisting won’t affect those who are earning less than RM4,000 after their first certification.

“With Malaysian youngsters still having difficulty earning a decent starting salary, reintroducing the travel ban will definitely affect them. The current CTOS and CCRIS black listing are sufficient,” Satees said.

Rising underemployment

According to the Malaysia Economic Monitor report published earlier this week by the World Bank, more than a quarter of degree holders in Malaysia are doing jobs which do not require such a qualification, while high-skilled jobs are harder to come by for graduates.

It said that 26.9 percent of degree holders in 2022 were underemployed, a big jump from just 8.6 percent in 2010.

“This is significant as degree holders represented 48.6 percent of the tertiary educated workforce in 2022,” the report indicated.

It should be noted that on Nov 10, 2018, then-PTPTN chairperson Wan Saiful Wan Jan apologised for not being able to follow through with the scheme to postpone the repayment of PTPTN loans for those who earn below RM4,000 a month.

“I was among those who penned Pakatan Harapan’s manifesto promises. I was responsible for the matter, including the pledge to postpone the repayment of PTPTN loans for those who earn below RM4,000 a month.

“I apologise to the people. At the time (when writing the manifesto), I was not aware of (the extent of) the national debt as well as the debt bore by PTPTN.

“PTPTN’s debt (at the time) was almost RM40 billion. If this promise was carried through, PTPTN’s debt would place a massive burden on the country’s finances,” the New Straits Times reported him as saying.

The following year, then-student activist Adam Adli Abdul Halim lashed out at Wan Saiful over a proposal to reimpose a travel ban on its loan defaulters.

Adam accused Wan Saiful of “bastardising” the student loan body and becoming too big for his britches by making decisions which contradict the stance taken by the Harapan government concerning PTPTN loan repayments.

His comments came despite clarification that the proposal for the reinstatement of the travel blacklist did not originate from PTPTN.

Adam is serving as deputy youth and sports minister.

Minister tells public universities to defer fees of poor students

PTPTN launches loan restructuring drive with minimum payment of RM300

PTPTN invites stakeholders to collaborate in new scheme

Defence Ministry introduces PTPTN savings for kids of military personnel

PTPTN loan repayment via ICL method practical - PM

COMMENT | Wan Saiful should act pro bono for PTPTN