Dr Annuar Rapaee
SIBU: A total of 13,349 National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) and Yayasan Sarawak borrowers in the state will stand to benefit from the Sarawak government’s initiative to repay 30 per cent of their remaining loan, said Dr Annuar Rapaee.
The Education, Science and Technological Research Assistant Minister revealed that from these total borrowers, 9,634 are PTPTN borrowers and 3,715 are Yayasan Sarawak borrowers.
He explained that the state government is working together with PTPTN and Yayasan Sarawak to implement the initiative to reduce the burden of borrowers especially those affected by the pandemic.
“For PTPTN borrowers, the state government has set aside RM30 million to help repay 30 per cent of their remaining loan amount, whereas Yayasan Sarawak has its own budget for such purpose.
“For borrowers, they would need to pay 30 per cent of their loan in order for them to enjoy this initiative.
“In Sarawak, there are 56,798 borrowers who are still paying their PTPTN loan. In other words, they have completed their studies and are in the process of repaying their PTPTN loan,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
Dr Annuar, who was entrusted by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg to work out a formula for this initiative with Yayasan Sarawak last year, recalled that several discussions were held with PTPTN in Kuala Lumpur to work out the best repayment solution using the RM30 million allocation, adding that a proposal for the repayment method was submitted to the chief minister last October.
He believes more PTPTN and Yayasan Sarawak borrowers will now make the effort to ensure they have repaid 30 per cent of their loan in order for them to qualify and benefit from this initiative.
Dr Annuar also said that unlike certain quarters, the Sarawak government had never promised to abolish the repayment of PTPTN loans.
He said such a move was not feasible as it would deprive would-be borrowers who need such financing to further their studies.