The Higher Education Ministry’s proposal to take up to one year to review the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan repayment exemption for first-class graduates from private higher learning institutions (IPTS) has been deemed unnecessary and excessively slow.
Petaling Jaya Member of Parliament Lee Chean Chung said the prolonged review may create the perception that the government is intentionally delaying the reinstatement of a policy that previously recognised the academic excellence of outstanding students.
He said the first-class exemption mechanism is not new and both PTPTN and the ministry already have a clear framework based on previous implementation.
Lee stressed that students graduating under financially challenging circumstances cannot afford to wait in uncertainty for up to a year just to know whether they qualify for the exemption or related incentives.
“A one-year delay risks giving the impression that the government is searching for reasons not to reinstate the incentive. While efforts to strengthen the scheme, including turning it into a scholarship or a more structured incentive, are welcomed, such improvements should not be used as a reason to delay its reintroduction,” he said in a statement.
Lee said he has submitted an official letter to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir urging the ministry to promptly reinstate the exemption or provide an equivalent incentive, accompanied by reasonable service conditions.
As a balanced model, he suggested that recipients could be required to work in Malaysia for at least three years upon completing their studies to ensure that local talent continues contributing to national development.
He said such an approach would not only ease the financial burden of students but also support the country’s efforts to address talent shortages.
“It is a win-win situation for the nation and its youth. If the government aims to rebuild young Malaysians’ trust, the true spirit of MADANI must be reflected through policies that uphold justice, equity and equal opportunity.
“Leaving outstanding students in prolonged uncertainty contradicts those fundamental principles,” he said.
-EDUCATION TVET ASIA