KUALA LUMPUR – Former education minister Maszlee Malik today mooted a tax exemption for private higher education institutions that have been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Simpang Renggam MP told a virtual press conference in the Parliament building that these institutions should be given a tax holiday for two years.
He said they should be granted a tax exemption based on the number of scholarships they offer to students in need and fee reductions given to local students.
“These measures are imperative after taking into consideration the importance of this industry as one of the major contributors to the country’s gross domestic product. They are expected to play a bigger role in the country’s economic growth in the future.
“The pandemic has been tough on private education institutions due to a lack of new student admissions in this period, especially the enrolment of international students, who are a (major) source of income for these institutions.
“An unconventional approach is needed to ensure the education process is not disrupted and the people’s access to quality education at the tertiary level continues despite the pandemic.”
He urged the Higher Education Ministry to provide fee subsidies to students from B40 and M40 families.
“We know that the fees for private institutions are more expensive than public ones. Many families are affected by the pandemic, especially those from the B40 and M40 groups.
“The subsidy should be given per head to students from the B40 and M40 groups to reduce their school fees.”
He proposed that public and private universities collaborate and share sources.
“Grants for resource development must be given at this time, especially to public and private institutions that have the infrastructure and experts for open and distance learning.
“On top of that, visa exemptions should be given to Education Malaysia Global Services for international students who have registered online and are studying online at any education institutions, whether public or private, until these students come to Malaysia.” – The Vibes, July 27, 2021
