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Education fund may
face RM46b deficit
PUTRAJAYA: The fund that most stu-
dents tap for a study loan seems to be
over-extending itself, it was revealed
yesterday.
The National Higher Education
Fund (PTPTN) may be saddled with
a whopping RM46 billion deficit by
2020, said Higher Education Minister
Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
He said a study was being carried
out by the ministry to address the
situation and would be handed to the
government when it was ready.
“The government will decide on
the new format needed for PTPTN to
‘Nizar cater to the needs of students,” he told
removed reporters here.
due to PTPTN started operations in July
1997 and indirectly helps keep the
lack of education industry afloat. Since then,
confidence’ it has approved loans totalling RM25.9
pg 6 billion and had disbursed RM16.7 bil-
lion until 2008.
However, one of the chief problems
it faces is the high default rate among
borrowers. As of October last year,
18,532 loan defaulters were taken to
court.
This year, 78,000 PTPTN loan
defaulters were barred from going
overseas for not settling loans.
Director charged with making false pledge
PETALING JAYA: A company director was
charged in the sessions court here yesterday
with making a false pledge regarding the supply
of “Petronas diesel”.
Datuk M. Khairil Anwar Ismail, 46, of Oriental
Petroleum Sdn Bhd, was alleged to have made
the pledge to Cito Marketing (M) Sdn Bhd in a “full
corporate offer” dated June 5, 2007 to induce Cito
Marketing to deposit RM10,320,750 into Oriental
Petroleum’s account.
He faces three other charges of using
RM3,894,908 from his company for personal pur-
PCAM-MPSJ dispute decision
on Tuesday
by Tan Yi Liang
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
SHAH ALAM: The High Court yesterday post-
poned to Tuesday its decision on the dispute
between the Pest Control Association of Malaysia
(PCAM) and the Subang Jaya Municipal Council
(MPSJ) to allow both parties to decide whether to
agree to withdraw the case or ask for a consent
judgment.
“We have come to an agreement. Both par-
ties had certain terms, but we have met halfway.
However, there was one last issue, which was
whether we should enter a consent judgment
or just withdraw the case,” said PCAM counsel
T. Vijayandran.
Vijayandran, who spoke to reporters after a
hearing in the judge’s chambers, said the case
had been postponed as the MPSJ legal depart-
ment had to deliberate whether to agree to a
consent judgment.
“We do not want to withdraw the case, we
want to enter a consent judgment and that is the
issue which has to be deliberated by MPSJ’s legal
department,” said Vijayandran.
He said he and his clients objected to any
move to withdraw the case.
“We feel that we have come this far and there-
fore we should enter a consent judgment laying
out the terms agreed upon by the parties.
“This would put it in stone as opposed to just
having the case withdrawn because another
government could come along and say that there
was no record (of any agreement). We need it to
theSun | WEDNESDAY MAY 6 2009
Borrowers have up to 20 years to
repay their loans depending on the
amount. Until last year, only 419,815
graduates had repaid their loans
Meanwhile, Khaled urged private
institutions of higher learning (IPTS)
to submit their performance records
to be evaluated by the Malaysian
Qualifications Agency (MQA) starting
August.
“This rating exercise is important
as IPTS complements efforts to turn
Malaysia into an education hub in the
region,” he said.
“Although their participation is
not compulsory, why should they be
afraid of being evaluated if they are
confident of their standing?”
He said that so far 20 public insti-
tutions of higher learning (IPTA) and
49 IPTS had agreed to take part in the
exercise.
Khaled said the key performance
indicator (KPI) would be used to
monitor the performance of vice-
chancellors to determine whether
their services should be extended.
He also urged private colleges with
low student enrolment to emulate
Universiti Kuala Lumpur by merging
smaller colleges. – Bernama
poses, abetting his chief operating officer, Noorizan
Shukor, 59, in making the false pledge, and abetting
Noorizan in cheating Cito Marketing.
The offences contrary to sections 132(1),
366(1)(a) and 366(3) of the Companies Act 1965
were allegedly committed at the premises of Cito
Marketing in Subang Jaya between May 28 and
June 22, 2007.
Khairil pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Judge Aslam Zainuddin fixed bail at RM100,000
and set June 17 for re-mention of the case. – Ber-
nama
be etched in stone.”
Vijayandran said he hoped for an amicable
solution to the almost two-year-long dispute,
“I believe that this matter will be resolved
amicably because this was a decision taken by
the previous government, and I think the present
government has decided to reconsider that deci-
sion and to withdraw the conditions imposed,”
he said.
He said the case had been deliberated since
2007.
In 2007, PCAM filed a suit in the Shah Alam
High Court challenging a MPSJ ruling that all pest
control companies operating in the municipality
must be on its panel. The suit sought a declaration
that MPSJ’s condition for a RM3,000 deposit from
all exterminators was out of its legal jurisdiction.
“This case was filed on Dec 19, 2007, and we
have had several meetings with the MPSJ with the
latter agreeing to withdraw certain conditions,”
said Vijayandran.
PCAM president Ang Tan Loong said he was
disappointed with yesterday’s event as he was
hoping for an end to the dispute with MPSJ.
“I am, of course, a little bit disappointed as we
thought today would be the final judgment as the
dispute has gone on for too long. We are losing
business every day,” he said.
Ang said PCAM members were “losing be-
tween RM30,000 and RM40,000 a day because
of MPSJ’s ruling”.
“We are hoping that this would be settled
in a win-win situation without any unnecessary
grudges against the government,” he said.