Terengganu MB responds to medical student's plight

When medical student Siti Hajar Rasid, 21, stood up to question on the high medical school fees she had to bear during a question-and-answer session at Dr Zakir Naik's recent lecture, many thought it was not a clever move as it was not the right forum.

However there was a silver lining to her brave effort as Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman heard her plight as well as that of other medical students who have not been able to convert their study loans into scholarships.

"It is possible to convert study loans into scholarships for other courses if you achieve excellent results, but not for medical students as there is no one criterion to allow its implementation.

"I have requested that Yayasan Terengganu discuss with the Health Ministry if medical students who have completed their studies could serve at state-owned hospitals.

"If this is possible, the students may undergo their housemanship at Terengganu-owned hospitals, namely Kuala Terengganu Specialist, Kuantan Medical Centre, Kelana Jaya Hospital and I-Heal Medical Centre," said Ahmad Razif during a meeting with Siti Hajar and her parents Atikah Ahmad, 53 and Rasid Ngah, 60, in Setiu today.

He said that outstanding medical students would be offered to undergo their housemanship and continue to serve at these hospitals in line with the government's aspiration to produce more doctors.

In the meeting, the menteri besar also shared the government's plan in helping students and providing them information on the functions of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) which had adopted the 'maqasid syariah' principles in its governance.

Meanwhile, Siti Hajar, a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery student at the Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia Kuantan campus said she was overwhelmed and grateful to Ahmad Razif for his kind gesture.

Siti Hajar was strongly criticised by various parties, especially netizens, when she raised the PTPTN loan issue during Dr Zakir's public lecture at Gong Badak recently.

- Bernama