KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 23 — The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers have welcomed the repayment relief measures announced under Budget 2027, saying the deferment and lower monthly payments will help ease financial pressures, particularly among fresh graduates.
Under the measures, borrowers earning less than RM2,500 a month will be allowed to defer repayments, while those earning between RM2,500 and RM3,000 will only need to pay a minimum of RM50 a month. Borrowers with no arrears who make regular repayments will also receive a 10 per cent discount.
For Jeremiah Abraham Selvaraj, 43, a cyber security consultant, the education loan was instrumental in helping him complete his bachelor’s degree in mechatronics engineering at Monash University Malaysia and improve his family’s socioeconomic circumstances.
“Without this financial assistance, it would have been impossible for me to complete my higher education. The loan has helped those from lower and middle-income families improve their living standards,” he said.
He described the new repayment measures, including the RM50 monthly minimum, as a considerate move that would help ease the financial burden on fresh graduates.
Jeremiah, who has maintained a consistent repayment record without arrears, also said the 10 per cent discount for regular repayments served as an incentive to maintain financial discipline.
Customer service officer Carol Chan, 24, who is also a PTPTN borrower, welcomed the repayment deferment for those earning less than RM2,500 a month, saying it would give fresh graduates more time to stabilise their finances as they entered the workforce.
“The initiative helps ease our financial burden as we establish ourselves in our careers, allowing us to stabilise our daily expenses and strengthen our finances first,” she said.
Meanwhile, marketing executive Fatin Yusoff, 36, viewed the 10 per cent discount for borrowers without arrears who make regular repayments as recognition of their commitment.
Having maintained her repayments consistently over the past four years, she said the incentive would encourage borrowers to remain disciplined in meeting their obligations.
“When there are incentives like this, it feels as though our efforts are appreciated. The savings from the discount can be channelled into an emergency fund or other essential expenses,” she said.
Hafizul Fiqri Mazlan, 41, a graphic designer at the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) who fully repaid his PTPTN loan in 2019, said borrowers should make full use of the repayment incentives.
He said the deferment for borrowers earning less than RM2,500 a month and the RM50 minimum monthly repayment for those earning below RM3,000 would be particularly helpful to those who had just started working.
Hafizul, a former student of Kolej Antarabangsa Yayasan Melaka (KAYM), also welcomed the 10 per cent discount, noting that previously, he had only been able to obtain a discount by settling his loan in full.
He stressed that borrowers had a responsibility to repay their loans so that the funds could continue helping other students pursue higher education.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the repayment measures when tabling Budget 2027 on Oct 9. — Bernama