We call on the Malaysian Government to
ensure that the National Higher Education Fund Corporation follows fair
criteria in approving and expediting loans and that repayment is collected
efficiently
Press Statement
by Loke Siew Fook
(Kuala Lumpur,
Sunday): Giving
loans for deserving students irrespective of race or religion is essential
in making sure that more Malaysians have tertiary education. The setting up
of the corporation in 1997 was a start. According to its chairman Datuk
Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah, 40% of the total number of tertiary students receive
loans.
For many decades, our pubic institutes of higher learning are enshrined with
quotas and restrictions based on race. If the corporation abides by merits
not race, then it is a step in the right direction. However, we hope that
there are fair criteria in allocating loans to applicants. It should
expedite the processing of these loans so that successful students will not
have to wait unnecessarily.
Topping up the loans with RM2 billion may mean that more students will
receive them. Provided that there are no abuses, this will be money
well-spent.
On the other hand, many loan-takers have graduated. Within six months, they
have to start paying back between 10 to 20 years. We do not know how many
have begun to repay. We hope that the corporation takes effective steps to
ensure repayment and that there will not be defaulters who slip through the
net.
Other countries such as Australia offer loans to students. They device
various methods of collecting repayment. One is through the loan-takers’
income tax. Then, we should also be thinking of the days when some students
may not want these loans because they have to spend years paying back.
(2/3/2003)
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Loke Siew Fook, DAPSY National Secretary
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