Are you one of the the people who took a loan from National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN)? Have you started paying back your loans yet? If you haven’t then you should know that currently there are a grand total of 663,000 people in the same boat as you.
But don’t think that you can get away with defaulting on your PTPTN loans, as PTPTN chairman Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said they have decided to blacklist loan defaulters. Are you scared yet?
Paying back your loans is actually your responsibility, and if you are not doing so, this could actually affect the younger generation who needs the money to pursue their higher education.
Shamsul said, “Since PTPTN was established in 1997, as of Jan 31, we have disbursed RM48.7 billion in student loans. By now, we should have collected RM18.8 billion back but we have managed to collect only RM10.8 billion, meaning many borrowers are in arrears. According to our records, 663,000 students owing a total of RM4.7 billion have not repaid their loans at all.”
But PTPTN mentions that they have only blacklisted 19% of the 663,000 students as they are owing too much money. So, you better check are you one of the lucky ones!
In an effort to help students who may not have the means or do not know how to pay back their loans, Shamsul launched the #BolehBincang campaign to encourage defaulters to approach PTPTN with their problems and negotiate on repayment terms.
He also said, “The borrowers can talk to PTPTN easily and quickly through various channels to work out how they can settle the debt, including by converting the conventional loans into ‘ujrah’ loans for repayment. We realise there are those who wish to settle their debts but are afraid there is no way to do it. But we are always open to negotiations.”
Also, you may find yourself inexplicably barred from leaving the country for your overseas travel if you do not pay up.
But don’t fret, as PTPTN has 24-hour counters at KLIA2 to quickly settle your loans so that you can continue on your travels.
If you indeed are still owing your PTPTN loans, here’s something you should know:
1. Apply for loan repayment in any PTPTN office
2. Until 31 December 2017, there’s a 15% discount if you pay back your loan amount in full and a 10% discount if you settle 50% of your loan.
3. You can get a 10% discount when you apply for a deduction from your salary or for Direct Debit from your account.
Don’t wait anymore, better settle your loans before you get blacklisted!
Also read: Malaysian Lady Consistently Repays PTPTN Loan, Discovers RM9,000 Outstanding Amount