‘PTPTN DEFAULTERS HAVE NO SHAME’
They owe govt RM36 billion, says PM
PRIME Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has rebuked National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers for refusing to repay their loans.
He said the government was owed some RM36 billion in unpaid student loans.
He said the government had spent a large amount of money on PTPTN loans so that Malaysians could pursue their tertiary education locally or abroad.
He said many refused to repay their loans, thus depriving others of the opportunity to get student loans.
“We have RM36 billion worth of unpaid PTPTN study loans. I am ashamed but they (borrowers) are not. It’s not like they can’t afford it.
“They are earning RM2,000 and only have to pay back RM100 a month, but they don’t feel like paying.
“Sometimes, there are people who go to jail and don’t even feel shame. They can still smile.
“Some Malaysians are not trustworthy, especially when it comes to repaying loans or money borrowed,” he said in a lecture at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Kuala Lumpur here yesterday.
Present were Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik and UTM Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Wahid Omar.
The lecture centred on the rejuvenation of Malaysia’s Look East Policy by creating greater collaborations with Japan in education, training and investment.
Dr Mahathir said Malaysians should emulate Japanese values and culture if they wanted to succeed in life.
He said Malaysians should have a sense of shame, be trustworthy and hardworking.
“I have lent to my friends and family members. But they never repay me.
“When they see me, (they) smile only,” he said.
He said Malaysians should not be too laid back or lazy.
“When I did my Senior Cambridge (examinations), I only had 3As, unlike others who had 5 or 6As.
“So I decided to read my books three to 10 times to memorise and this made it easier for me when I sat my exams.”
He said success would come naturally if one was hardworking.
He said it was important for Malaysians to inculcate good values when it came to acquiring knowledge.
He suggested the setting up of a Japanese university in Malaysia.
“It is costly for us to go to Japan to study as the cost of living is high. If we build a university here, it will be cheaper and students from other poor countries can come and study here.”