PTPTN borrowers can expect 20% discount if they pay up by March 31

National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loan borrowers can expect a 20% discount if they repay their loans in full by March 31 next year.

Those who are unable to do so can still get a 10% off their loans if they make continuous payments for 12 months until Dec 31, 2015.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the discounts were meant to encourage repayment, and some 174,000 borrowers had not made any payments since 2010.

“Since the establishment of PTPTN in 1997 to date, 2.1 million borrowers have taken loans worth RM47.8bil.


“However, as at Aug 31 this year, only RM5.36bil or 46% of RM11.76bil has been collected,” he said when tabling the Budget 2015 in Parlia­ment.

Najib said the minimum English proficiency requirement for entering public tertiary institutions would be raised according to field of study from next year onwards.

For example, Arts and Social Science courses will require a Band 2 in the Malaysian University English Test (Muet), while Law and Medical courses will require at least a Band 4.

Currently students only need a minimum of Band 1 in Muet to enter local universities.

Najib also announced a RM1.2bil allocation to upgrade and increase student intake to vocational and community colleges.

“Currently, applications for entry into Technical and Vocational Training (TEVT) programmes re­­ceived by the Education Ministry far exceed the capacity of 20,000 pla­ces.

Source: The Star

‘3-month grace period for PTPTN defaulters’

PUTRAJAYA: National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) defaulters will be given the chance to discuss with the corporation on how to repay their outstanding study loans before their names are included in Bank Negara’s Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS).

Second Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said a three-month grace period would be given to allow defaulters to come forward to PTPTN. Some 170,000 PTPTN borrowers, aged between 26 and 38, had yet to repay RM1.2 billion worth of study loans between 1998 and 2010.

Idris said the PTPTN had been flexible, but there were those who took advantage by failing to make any payment at all.

“When we implement the system (link-up with CCRIS), we will give three months for the borrowers to discuss and make payments before their names are listed in the CCRIS.”

He said PTPTN had the borrowers’ details and know that some of them were well-paid, but had not make any attempts to repay their debts.

Source: NST (posted on 10 October 14)

50,000 students might miss PTPTN loans this year

ABOUT 50,000 students may be deprived of their National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans when they enrol for varsity courses between July and December this year, reported Berita Harian.

This was because 183,000 people had defaulted on their PTPTN loans, involving a loss of funds involving RM1.3bil.

“Their failure to pay is serious as they represent 19% of the total number of PTPTN borrowers so the fund is losing RM1.3bil in future loans,” a source told the Malay daily.


He said while the Finance Ministry had granted PTPTN a RM4bil allocation for this year, the amount could only cover 75% of the new and existing borrowers.

About 25% would not get the loans.

PTPTN, said the source, had suggested for defaulters to be blacklisted under Bank Negara’s Central Credit Reference Information System (CCRIS) but this idea was rejected by the Cabinet.

“However, PTPTN may tighten the requirements for new borrowers to ensure that more people can get the loans,” said the source.

(Source: The Star, 21 June 2014)