Dad blacklisted, son denied MARA loan

A medical foundation student in Kolej MARA Seremban had his study aid application rejected because his father failed to settle bank loans.

PETALING JAYA: A student accepted into Kolej MARA Seremban cannot get a study loan because his father has been blacklisted by banks for defaulting on payments.

Faziah Pandak Ibrahim, 51, said her son Muhammad Faiz Haslam Mohd Akram obtained 9As in the SPM examination last year and was accepted into Kolej MARA Seremban on July 3 this year to pursue the International Baccalaureate in Medicine Foundation programme.

The cleaner said she could not afford to pay for Faiz’s tuition fees and thus applied for a MARA loan.

However, she received a rude shock when MARA rejected Faiz’s application citing that his father was blacklisted for non-payment of bank loans.

“We approached the MARA office twice to appeal against the decision but were told to do so online. When we appealed online, the system keeps rejecting our applications.

“I don’t understand this at all. I have divorced my husband in 2007. The father no longer stays with us but my son’s education is at stake because of my ex-husband’s fault,” said Faziah.

She said it was strange for MARA to reject Faiz’s application as the government college usually offered financial assistance to top performers, poor families and single parents.

“My eldest son had no problems getting a loan from MARA two years ago to pursue his medical degree in Indonesia before the online system was introduced,” said Faziah.

She said she had approached Kota Damansara state assemblyman Halimaton Saadiah Borhan who gave a letter to support Faiz’s application.

“But until now nothing has changed. It’s unfair to punish my son for the financial mismanagement of my ex-husband…Faiz has not seen his father for the last six years.

“I cannot afford to pay for Faiz’s education and my son is now thinking of stopping his studies,” said Faziah.

When contacted, the college’s deputy director, Rohana Abdul Halim, said she had no knowledge of the issue and believed that Faziah had met someone else from the administration.

“Every application goes through an online process. However, if there are matters such as this, we will meet the parents and discuss matter further,” she said.

Rohana said the college would try to find a solution and not turn down a top student due to financial problems.