Loan fiasco a clash between progressives and old guards

As students step off the political chess board sighing in relief - a game they inadvertently found themselves in for enrolling in Selangor-owned higher education institutions - the last few days have exposed the bipolar struggle within the ruling coalition.

Students of Universiti Selangor (Unisel) and Kolej Islam Antarabangsa Selangor (Kuis) had earlier found themselves deprived of student loans as the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) imposed a freeze on the two institutions.

The story was firstbroken byMalaysiakini on June 5 and two days later, the cyberspace and political sphere was abuzz with a flurry of activities as bigwigs weighed in on the move.

According to PTPTN, the freeze was intended to "test" Pakatan Rakyat's commitment to providing free education in Selangor in keeping with its manifesto.

This attracted tacit endorsement from the BN old guard dominating government ministries with Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin - also education minister, describing the move which has led students to contemplate dropping out as a "fair" test of the opposition's policies.

Similarly, Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Noh Omar echoed Muhyiddin's stance, stating that the loan will resume if Pakatan admits its mistake for advocating free education in place of the PTPTN.

Progressives take to ‘Twitterjaya'

In contrast, junior BN leaders had criticised the move, with Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin (right) describing it on Twitter as morally wrong and called for an end to the freeze.

"Enough. Must stop. Morally wrong and bad politics," he said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Wee Ka Siong, too, called for a reversal of the decision.

"PTPTN should not impose sanction on Unisel students. Loan freeze should be revoked!" he said in a Twitter posting today.

Similarly, Deputy Sports and Youth Minister Gan Ping Sieu described the move as akin to punishing the children for the actions of an "irresponsible father", taken as a sly reference to Pakatan.

"All mums will tell, when a father is irresponsible, don't starve the children," he tweeted in reference to the freeze.

Also on the same page was Kedah Gerakan Youth chief Tan Keng Liang, who stated on the micro-blogging site: "Should not freeze PTPTN loan at Unisel - clearly Pakatan won't give free education and is merely one of their empty promises - end victims are students".

Widely viewed as more progressive than their party elders, these young turks largely comprise second rung BN leadership.

Their statements were in contrast to the BN old guard including Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin (left) - a MP since 1990 - whose ministry oversees PTPTN.

Mohamed Khaled had confirmedthe freeze, stating: "We believe the seriousness of the Selangor government controlled by PKR to implement free education hence the PTPTN loan is not needed".

His deputy Saifuddin Abdullah, another perceived progressive, when queried by the media - apparently not wanting to appear as mutinying against his boss - had declined to comment, merely asking that the matter be referred to Mohamed Khaled.

The only hint of his stance was in a Twitter posting today, which read: "I have contacted the minister to request that the PTPTN freeze be withdrawn."

'Balancing act for Najib'

While Najib Abdul Razak's senior and junior lieutenants were engaging in the issue, the premier - in what appeared to be a calculated move or mere coincidence - issued a statement on PTPTN the same day through his official blog, but without any mention of raging fiasco.

In the posting, the premier reiterated the government's commitment to affordable education and took great pains to explain the high cost should PTPTN be abolished in favour of free education.

The following day, PTPTN issued letters to the Selangor-owned institutions, informing them that the freeze will be lifted with immediate effect and loan applications for its students' will resume tonight.

Najib has in the past proven cautious in not showing any signs of rift between him and his deputy or lieutenants, and it appears unlikely that the premier will reveal whether he had a hand in getting the freeze reversed.

However, the three-day PTPTN episode is an example of the arduous task which the premier has to undertake in striking a balance between the progressives and the old guards within the ruling coalition and more specifically, Umno.