Tax the rich to give free education, PAS tells Harapan

PAS president Abdul Hahi Awang has urged the Pakatan Harapan government to tax the rich in order to provide free education.

"In Islam, education is free, it is a pillar of life. It can be (made) free, as some countries do it.

"The way to do it (free education) is by taxing the wealthy, the corporate figures and by combatting corruption. If all these are implemented, then free education can be made possible," the Marang MP said at a forum last night that was broadcast live on his Facebook page.

Hadi cited Harapan's failure to abolish the Higher National Education Fund (PTPTN).

In November last year, PTPTN chairperson Wan Saiful Wan Jan apologised to Malaysians for failing to deliver on Harapan's promise to defer repayments from borrowers earning less than RM4,000 a month.

Wan Saiful said they were unable to do so because of the country's debt situation and because funds were needed to provide loans to new students.

The PTPTN deferment promise was the sixth of the 10 promises Harapan pledged to fulfil in its first 100 days in office, a timeline that ended on Aug 17 last year.

Hadi also "reminded" Harapan to stop finding fault with the previous government and to concentrate instead on keeping the promises it made in its 14th general election manifesto.

He said the Harapan government has failed thus far to fulfil the rakyat's agenda.

"Harapan, after winning, we see that it is struggling with many weaknesses of not being able to deliver (its promises) to the rakyat.

"Perhaps it (Harapan) should stop bringing up the faults of the previous administration and try to rectify its own wrongs," Hadi said. - Mkini