THE Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) has emphasised that timely repayment of student loans is crucial to ensure the continued availability of funding for future generations of students.
Its chairperson, Datuk Seri Norliza Abdul Rahim, highlighted that the government must allocate RM3 billion annually to support some 600,000 current and incoming students through the national education financing programme.
“Initiatives such as #PTPTNBolehBincang and #PTPTNSediaBantu are PTPTN’s efforts to help borrowers make repayments according to their financial capacity.
“We hope borrowers will come forward and discuss their repayment plans to settle their loans, thereby avoiding enforcement actions,” she said during her address at the 2026 PTPTN Ramadan Imarah Programme (IMRAN) at Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO) in Ipoh yesterday.
Norliza also reiterated PTPTN’s commitment to fostering a culture of savings, particularly among parents, through the National Education Savings Scheme (Simpan SSPN), enabling families to prepare early for their children’s higher education expenses.
“Through Simpan SSPN Prime, a variety of benefits are offered, including individual income tax relief of up to RM8,000 annually on savings, free takaful protection for depositors, matching grants, competitive dividend rates, government-guaranteed savings, and Shariah compliance.
“The scheme also provides matching grants of up to RM10,000 per eligible family, particularly for parents with monthly incomes not exceeding RM4,000,” she explained.
Under Budget 2025, the government expanded the eligibility for matching grants to families earning between RM4,000 and RM6,000 for a two-year period under the Compassionate Matching Grant Initiative (GAPAI), allowing qualifying depositors to apply for up to RM5,000 in matching grants per family.
This initiative aims to benefit a wider portion of the M40 income group.
Norliza noted that Politeknik Ungku Omar is the second venue for the 2026 IMRAN Programme, PTPTN’s flagship corporate social responsibility initiative that has been running since 2021, reflecting the organisation’s dedication to education support and community engagement. - February 28, 2026
