KUALA LUMPUR: The National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) has launched the LESTARIPendidikan campaign to assist borrowers in repaying their loans more effectively.
The LESTARIPendidikan campaign is a strategic initiative aimed at ensuring that higher education remains accessible, sustainable and relevant for future generations.
Chairman Norliza Abdul Rahim said the main message of the campaign is to empower the people through higher education while supporting borrowers in meeting their PTPTN loan repayment obligations.
“Higher education is a platform to improve living standards, which can only be realised if education funds remain sustainable,” she said during the campaign launch event at Menara PTPTN.
She said each repayment is an investment in the future of education, enabling PTPTN to support 450,000 existing borrowers and 150,000 new borrowers every year.
Norliza said the campaign introduces two initiatives, with the first one being #PTPTNBolehBincang.
“This initiative allows borrowers to negotiate or discuss a flexible payment plan, restructuring loan repayments according to their financial capabilities,” she said.
The second initiative is #PTPTNSediaBantu, which she said “aims to make it easier for borrowers by providing service and repayment channels that are more accessible, faster, and secure”.
Norliza said the LESTARIPendidikan campaign is built on four key pillars: transformation, aspiration, realisation, and innovation.
“Transformation to raise awareness of PTPTN’s role in access to higher education; aspiration to support students in achieving their educational dreams; and realisation to ensure continued educational opportunities through responsible loan repayment.
“Meanwhile, innovation involves introducing applications such as myPTPTN and myWaqafPTPTN to streamline loan repayment and management,” she said.
Norliza said PTPTN has been empathetic in providing borrowers with adequate opportunities to repay their debts.
However, she said this effort requires cooperation from all parties and hopes that PTPTN borrowers will take the opportunity to contact them and discuss how they can resolve their loan repayments.
As of September, Norliza reported that PTPTN’s loan arrears stood at RM11.32 billion, with over 1.25 million defaulting borrowers.
“PTPTN has taken several steps to address this issue, including sending reminder letters, official demand notices, and introducing various repayment mechanisms.
“These include low ujrah rates, a 12-month grace period before repayments begin, and flexible repayment plans that allow for the restructuring of loans,” she said.
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