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Minister mocks Anwar over Unisel's bind

 

Higher Education Minister Khaled Nordin has admonished opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim's call to students who had taken loans with the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) not to make repayments.

Replying in a tweet response to Selangor Higher Education exco member Halimah Ali, who noted the PTPTN loans were formed to assist the group of students needing financing, Khaled (left) responded "tell Anuar (sic) who had asked borrowers not to repay their PTPTN loan".

"It was the Pakatan Rakyat and PKR which resulted in student defaulting on their loans as it urged students not to repay their PTPTN loans," said the higher education minister in his other tweet last night.

"Universiti Selangor can abolish its fees and this would in turn fulfill 'its (Selangor) objective' of giving free education and the end of PTPTN which Anuar (sic) and Pakatan are seeking," said Khaled in another tweet.

Halimah had responded to this following PTPTN's move not to give Unisel students loans since April.

Anwar, had over the weekend urged students who had taken the loan not to repay them if it is abolished when the general election is called this year and Pakatan Rakyat conquers Putrajaya.

PTPTN can loan if others repay

Khaled in further tweets last night said PTPTN can afford to give loan to students if all repay their loans.

"Students must reject calls or suggestions to stop paying loans," said the minister in another tweet.

The minister who is also Pasir Gudang MP, added without PTPTN it would affect future students seeking higher education.

The PTPTN loan issue has become a hot topic in recent months with university students on April 14 rally calling for it to be abolished and calling for free education and criticising premier Najib Abdul Razak's wife Rosmah Mansor's lavish lifestyle.

The rally turn into a two week sit-in protest at Dataran Merdeka.

Pakatan had on April 18 announced its mechanism of providing free tertiary education for the poor and middle income, and the abolishment of the PTPTN scheme.

The PTPTN was also a keenly debated topic in a live broadcast which pits PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli, and also Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin last month.