PUTRAJAYA: To date, there are 1.3 million National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) borrowers who are in the process of settling their study loans.
PTPTN deputy chief executive Mastura Mohd Khalid revealed that the outstanding loan amount from these "good" borrowers currently stands at RM10.9 billion.
"Their commitment to payback their loans should be highlighted and lauded.
"Their actions allow others after them to enjoy the same facility," she said after a round-table meeting with the National Professors Council (MPN) to deliberate on higher education sustainable financing, its issues and challenges.
Also present were MPN chief executive officer Professor Datuk Dr Radhuan Che Rose and several other MPN members.
She reiterated that PTPTN had to deal with about 600,000 loan defaulters as reported before by the media, involving loans worth RM7.9 billion.
Since PTPTN's inception 20 years ago, Mastura said loans worth RM18.8 billion have been given out.
Earlier, Radhuan told reporters that the council would conduct a study on what needs to be done for PTPTN to be financially sustainable in the years to come, including a review on existing policies such as waiving the loan for borrowers who have secured first class degree in their studies.
Perhaps, he said, there was a need to have holistic criteria to qualify a borrower to be exempted from paying back their loans instead of focusing solely on academic performance.