Former National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) chief Wan Saiful Wan Jan mocked the government today for re-introducing a repayment scheme that he once proposed.
However, he said that when he proposed salary deductions to repay PTPTN loans in December 2018, it was opposed by Anwar Ibrahim and then PKR Youth chief Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir.
"Anwar and Akmal opposed and pressured me because they didn't agree with Income Contingent Loan Repayment (ICLR)," he said during a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
Anwar - who is now prime minister - had announced that ICLR would be implemented for PTPTN repayment when unveiling Budget 2024.
Exact details have not been disclosed as of yet, but the premier assured that it would not be burdensome.
In December 2018, Wan Saiful - as the then PTPTN chairperson - announced an ICLR plan that would see those earning more than RM2,000 per month have their wages garnished to repay their study loans.
Under the plan, deductions would have ranged from two percent (around RM40 per month) for those who are earning below RM2,500, and 15 percent for those earning RM8,000 or higher.
However, this triggered backlash.
Anwar said his constituents - from Port Dickson at the time - found the measure unpopular, and would send a note to then prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad to review the ICLR.
Meanwhile, Akmal said that the deductions are too high.
Wan Saiful in his presser today, said that Akmal - who is now the deputy local government and housing minister - has gone quiet on the matter.
"His protests have disappeared," he said.
He added that throughout his four-year tenure as PTPTN chief, Anwar's note protesting the ICLR never arrived.
"In fact, I myself asked to see him (Anwar) to explain the proposal several months later and he still objected on the grounds that it was unpopular.
"Today they themselves have brought back the idea that I proposed five years ago," he said.
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