///Tuition fees can be as low as RM2,000 to RM3,000 a year for public universities, RM30,000 to RM40,000 (non-medical courses) for private universities.

If they go to a government university, 90 per cent of the expenses have already been absorbed by the government (from taxpayers’ pockets to be exact). The remaining 10 per cent can be settled with PTPTN loans (which many use to acquire the latest smartphones).

With populism raging across the country’s political front, some call for free tertiary education: RM700 million to first get public universities free, and then an astronomical RM43 billion to render the PTPTN irrelevant.///–Tay Tian Yan,

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/sideviews/article/populist-policies-will-hit-us-hard-tay-tian-yan/

The RM 43 billion in PTPTN has mostly been incurred by students sent overseas by BN government, which got the students incurred huge debt in the first place. It costs a student 30,000 pounds a year studying in the United Kingdom. A three year first degree course has a student owe PTPTN 90,000 pounds or RM 450,000. A fresh graduate earns RM 2,800 a month. It will take the student 160 months to earn RM 450,000 RM. If he allots 10% of his income to repay the loan, interest free, he will take 133 years. No student can ever repay the loan, unless he became UMNOputras, in which case, he needs not pay.

The students were sent overseas by the government which gave the students false hope that they could repay the loan. The government might have indeed not thought through the consequence, thinking first of all that overseas scholarship to Malay students would encourage other Malays in the area to vote for BN. They might not have wanted the loan back, as many have defaulted with impunity. Some first class degree holders have their loans converted to scholarships, as it should be to reward hard work.

The government sent tens of thousands of students overseas on PTPTN, mainly from one race, to pursue undergraduate studies. This should stop. Even for scholarship holders, they should be limited to perhaps a fraction of what are sent now, say 500 of exceptional talents, a year. Other excellent students should remain in the country to help make local universities raise their standards with their questions and discussions among fellow students.

Since most of the loan under PTPTN cannot be recovered anyway, it might be better to spare those who conscientiously making repayment at pains of starving, for having been misled on the garden path by BN government. If Pakatan Rakyat government cannot pursue the return of money lost through corruption, it makes sense to forgive those who are honest in making repayment, and spare them the agony of not following the defaulters.

It is certainly hoped that people who had been misled to take the PTPTN would support Pakatan Rakyat to form the next government, and to support its proposal to end NEP, and hence unfair practice of racial discrimination.

Malaysia needs a new start. Ending PTPTN when it is clear that the scheme had been mismanaged and loan repayment was not possible is the right decision.

///Considering the rational distribution of resources, do we really need to exempt the 10 per cent tuition fees already at super low interest rates, now that 90 per cent have been subsidised in the case of public universities?///–the author

Since the tuition fees account for only 10% of the cost of education, it should not be a huge burden when loans are offered on tuition fees. However having forgiven the bulk of PTPTN loans, the scheme should stop. Some students might still face difficulties to raise the tuition fees. It should thus be better to waive the tuition fees of RM 700 million which is less that BR1M.

Over the years BN government has discriminately encouraged unsuitable students for university education resulting in a large number of unemployable graduates. That is bad for the morale of the graduates, a pain for the families and a burden for the government to absolve them into the bloated government service. Pakatan Rakyat government should stream those who are less inclined academically for vocation training to spare them the pain of the stigma of unemployables. They should be able to excel in the career suitable to their aptitude.

///Will such fully paid for, zero input, absolutely burden-free offerings help our students learn to stand on their own feet and instil in them a deep sense of responsibility?///–the author

They should be taught that one harvests what he sows, and to think what they can repay the society for what the society had helped them. If they acquire the thought that they have to be responsible for their life, and not ask only what the government can do for them, the society will benefit.

///From the fairness point of view, given such a disparity between the tuition fees of public and private universities, many families, including the majority of non-Bumiputera families, have to work extra hard to pay their children’s tuition fees in private universities while also paying taxes to justify free government education for other people’s children.

Do you call that fair?///–the author

The system has been most unfair, especially after the advent of NEP. In pre-NEP days, Malays were accepted into the only university, Malaya University, as long as they met the minimum entry qualifications, but they met the same standards of examination markings on leaving. There was no quota.

NEP changed all that. It is hoped that Pakatan Rakyat would pursue the pre-NEP policies on education. There will be huge savings in foreign exchange if non-Malays can pursue their first choice of first degree in the country.

When UMNO politicians claim that students from young should study under one roof, ignoring the right of citizens to retain their culture and language, they choose to make university education segregated. UiTM has a student population of 170,000; all of them Malays. Other 10 government universities have a combined student enrolment of 170,000 too, 60 per cent are Malays. Worse non-Malays are discouraged to enrol in the course of their choice. A study on government universities shows that more than 95% of the students of any one race do not associate or interact with students of other races. Non-Malay students know their grievances, and most Malay students are sheepish that the UMNO government is racist.

Pakatan Rakyat would be another BN if it pursues the same race-based policies.