PETALING JAYA: An apology yesterday by the chairman of the government’s study loan fund for failing to fulfil a promise to ease borrowers’ burdens of repaying their loans has earned praise and criticism from prominent civil society activists.
Prominent thinker Chandra Muzaffar said the apology by Wan Saiful Wan Jan, who is the chairman of the National Higher Education Fund Corporation that has been saddled with debts worth billions of ringgit from defaulting borrowers, was praiseworthy as he is someone in power.
“When people in power admit their shortcomings, they not only help to strengthen humility as a characteristic of the nation’s political culture, but also enhance public trust in the wielders of authority,” Chandra, who has written extensively on Malaysian society and politics, told FMT.
Wan Saiful’s apology yesterday came in the wake of an announcement in the 2019 Budget telling employees to make salary deductions on borrowers who earn at least RM1,000 monthly.
This was in contrast to the pledge in PH’s manifesto during the last general election, that borrowers earning less than RM4,000 a month could defer their loan repayments. Instead, the pledge now only applies to those aged 60 and above, where only 350 out of tens of thousands of borrowers will have their debts written off.
Wan Saiful said he was taking full responsibility as he was the one who drafted proposals concerning PTPTN.
“I seek forgiveness from you, and promise to work hard, at the very least to implement the core principle not to burden youths with low income,” the former think tank head said in a frank speech to members of the Federation of Peninsular Malaysia Malay Students (GPMS).
He also urged other leaders in the government to admit to their failings before they could move forward.
Bersih 2.0 chairman Thomas Fann found Wan Saiful’s statement “refreshing”.
“This is much better than trying to make excuses or just blame the previous administration,” he said, although he added that it was disappointing that PH was unable to fulfil many of its election pledges.
“I hope the government will still try to find ways to assist PTPTN borrowers in future when the economy improves.”
Former PTPTN chairman Shamsul Anuar Nasarah was less forgiving despite Wan Saiful’s apology and plea to government leaders to be humble.
Shamsul said PH’s pledge is difficult to implement and is a foregone conclusion.
“Promise. Fail to deliver. Then apologise. It’s easy to rule this way. Then blame Barisan Nasional for their failure when they are weak,” the Umno leader said.
He said while it was good to apologise, those who voted for the present government had been cheated.
Political analyst Awang Azman Awang Pawi of Universiti Malaya welcomed Wan Saiful’s remarks, but warns that PH’s credibility could take a beating years from now when the country goes to the polls again.
He said in Japan and South Korea, those who failed to keep their promises would not only apologise, but also resign.
“This should serve as a lesson to those responsible in drafting manifestos, to be more sensitive and realistic.
“Unfulfilled promises can lead to unhappiness and trust deficits among the voters,” he said. - FMT
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