Proposal that only Malays not repay PTPTN loans

Perkasa-led NGOs says students of other races should pay up in full so as not to anger Malay students.

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Unity Memorandum, drafted by a coalition of 300 Malay rights groups led by Perkasa, wants Putrajaya to consider allowing only Malay students to be exempted from repaying their National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) loans.

The Memorandum also wants the Federal Government to study the poorer academic performance of Malay students compared with their non-Malay counterparts.

Further, noting that many non-Malay students secured first class degrees, the Memorandum wants the authorities concerned to probe whether private institutions have more lenient marking systems, as part of a “hidden agenda”, to ensure that their students do well.

The fee exemption demand is ostensibly based on the first prong of Article 153 of the Federal Constitution and the observation that at present the majority of students exempted were Chinese and “this could anger the Malays while endangering national unity”.

“The Malaysian government must take immediate action over the phenomenon of many non-Malays being exempted 100 per cent from PTPTN, compared with Malay students,” reads the memorandum drafted by a committee headed by Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali.

“If this issue is not handled wisely, it could result in Malay students getting angry with PTPTN and upset with the Malaysian government.”

At the same time, he added, the issue could potentially create anger among Malay students towards non-Malay students.

The memorandum claimed that 8,818 Chinese and 456 Indian students were exempted from repaying the PTPTN loans in 2011, compared with 2,347 Malays.

The memorandum, which expressed surprise that the cream of the Malay students could not compete with non-Malay students, would be sent to the Federal Government, the Yang Di Pertuan Agong and the Council of Rulers.

The memorandum was debated at the National Unity Convention in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday and approved.

The first prong of Article 153 holds that the Orang Asal in Sabah and Sarawak, the Orang Asli in the peninsula and the Malays would have a special position by way of having a reasonable proportion of intake into the civil service, intake into government-owned institutions of higher learning and training opportunities, government scholarships, and opportunities to do business with the government reserved for them.

The second prong holds that the non-Malays have legitimate interests.