'Fair' for PTPTN to test PKR policy, says DPM

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin today said it is "fair" for the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) to freeze loans for Universiti Selangor students as it is only responding to PKR's policy proposal.

"(PTPTN) did not cancel all loans, but temporarily halted it so they can review it first. That's fair.

"If the (Selangor) MB says there's no need for students to take the loans, then PTPTN need not give out the loans," he told reporters.

Asked if he felt it was responsible for the agency to do so without informing the Selangor government-owned university, he said: "Your question is very malicious. I think all the other media here know it's not what I mean."

Pressed on the matter further, Muhyiddin brushed the question aside, saying: "Never mind, they are studying it."

He added that the opposition is playing “too much politics” when it says that higher education is under federal jurisdiction and that it cannot implement this at state level.

“They must be responsible, don’t play with too much politics as the rakyat will be confused and attracted by promises which in reality ruin the country,” he said at SK Taman Melawati.

On the affected students’ welfare, he said that he believes that Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin is “smart enough to weigh the situation”.

“It’s a matter of education and the students’ future, so I believe Khaled is smart enough to weigh the situation. After he is satisfied, maybe...,” he said, without ending his sentence.

Echoing Muhyiddin, Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Noh Omar said that he is “confident” that PTPTN will disburse loans to the students if the Selangor government “declares that it cannot walk the talk”.

Noh: The students won't suffer
“The federal government is not cruel... The students won’t suffer. Why should they if the state government can give them free education?”

Asked if this means that taxpayers in Selangor can now demand that the federal government return tax paid by the state so it can support Unisel students, he said: “It’s not a question of returning or not returning but a chance for PKR to prove they can provide free education.”

He also denied that the move was due to political rivalry between Pakatan and BN.

The duo were grilled by media on the matter after Muhyiddin launched Puncak, a project by NGOs Yayasan Kepimpinan dan Strategi Malaysia (KYSM) and Permuafakatan Badan Ilmiah Nasional (Pembina) to equip youths with employable skills.

The project is backed by government agencies and DRB Hicom, which provides 200 jobs for project participants and RM50,000 in funding.