MORE than 64,000 borrowers from households earning above RM8,000 a month owe the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) a combined RM257.56 million in overdue repayments as of 31 October, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said a further 196,115 borrowers from non-STR households earning below RM8,000 a month had accumulated RM539.35 million in arrears.
By far the largest sum, he noted, was owed by 967,796 borrowers from families receiving Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR), whose outstanding repayments amounted to RM10.23 billion.
He was responding to Tan Kar Hing (PH–Gopeng), who requested a breakdown of PTPTN repayment performance by borrower income group, including the B40, M40 and T20 categories.
Despite the sizeable arrears, Mustapha said many borrowers have fully settled their loans. A total of 911,788 borrowers from STR households had repaid RM13.89 billion in full.
Another 58,921 borrowers from non-STR households earning below RM8,000 had cleared RM703.45 million, while 136,196 borrowers from households earning above RM8,000 had settled RM1.54 billion.
On consistent repayments, he said 450,522 active borrowers from STR households were servicing loans amounting to RM4.17 billion.
Another 131,396 from non-STR households earning under RM8,000 were repaying RM697.79 million, while 35,324 borrowers from households with incomes exceeding RM8,000 were maintaining repayments on loans totalling RM362.36 million.
When pressed by Tan on whether PTPTN loan waivers for first-class degree holders would be extended to graduates of private higher-education institutions, Mustapha said the ministry was open to reviewing the policy.
At present, he said, exemptions apply only to B40 and M40 graduates of public universities.
“Previously, the exemption model also covered students from private higher education institutions (IPTS), but this time it applies only to public institutions (IPTA) for the B40 and M40 categories. There is merit in reassessing the IPTS policy, but the mechanism needs to be refined,” he said. - December 1, 2025
