Pakatan on verge of offering PTPTN waivers, says Guan Eng

Updated 4 years ago · Published on 5 Mar 2020 11:55AM · 5 Comments

The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan scheme was one sticking point among ministers from the former Pakatan Harapan government, says its CEO. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, March 5, 2020.

PAKATAN Harapan was on the verge of announcing waivers to PTPTN loans but collapsed before it could fulfil a key election promise, said Lim Guan Eng.

The former finance minister said PH agreed to implement a major election pledge to allow National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers to repay loans only when their monthly salaries exceed RM4,000.

“This formula by PTPTN and approved by the then Ministry of Finance will result in the government having to bear additional loans to finance the PTPTN loans.

“Unfortunately, the PH government fell before this formal announcement could be made,” he said in a statement today.

Lim said he hoped the new federal government would fulfil this pledge to help PTPTN borrowers.

Yesterday, PTPTN chairman Wan Saiful Wan Jan said the corporation faced problems under the previous government due to conflicting statements on policy issues.

Wan Saiful was reported as saying that his job at PTPTN was made difficult by leaders giving differing views, adding that it showed the government had no direction.

“Ministers were at each other’s throats, parties were fighting with each other,” he said.

“There were those who wanted to comment on everything under the sun, speaking to the media or posting on social media before discussing the issues within their party and with coalition members.”

Lim also listed PH’s achievements in the past 21 months.

These included lowering living costs, restructuring of PLUS Highway, resulting in RM42 billion in savings for the government and consumers, stabilising fuel prices, RM2.5 billion MySalam health insurance and enhancing transparency in public finance.

PH also institutionalised the open-tender process and introduced more transparent fiscal reporting through the full disclosure of government debt and liabilities, he said.

The PH government collapsed last week following Bersatu’s decision to leave the pact. Bersatu had then joined forces with Umno and PAS to form a new federal government, with Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin being appointed as the eighth prime minister. – March 5, 2020.

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Comments

  • Poodah LGE ! Only now you want to talk about it.

    Posted 4 years ago by Mohammad Badry · Reply

  • You could have done this earlier. You have no excuse.You ignored the electorate when they asked about this pledge you made in your manifesto; Instead you were more interested in ECRL, LRT3 and buying the highways from Gamuda. Where was your concern for the common man.

    Posted 4 years ago by Michael Raj · Reply

  • Add always the Braggart now starts his behaviour of being a P*** when it does not count...

    Posted 4 years ago by Zeferino Raymond · Reply

  • Even if you are telling the truth, it shows bad planning to leave policies most directly affecting daily lives last.

    Posted 4 years ago by A Subscriber · Reply

  • In Chinese we call this firing the cannon after the cavalry has charged (). All these talks means nothing as you're not in Government anymore. How I wish you fellas had found a way to work together instead of doubting each others. As much as you like to blame others, you need to admit that lack of cooperation is pretty much part of the major problem too.

    Posted 4 years ago by Alex Lim · Reply