Unisel ‘sorry over protest’

(The Star) – Universiti Selangor (Unisel) has expressed its disappointment with some of its students for taking part in a demonstration in Dataran Merdeka calling for the abolishment of National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

 

He said the disappointment was expressed in an appeal letter by its vice-chancellor Prof Dr Anuar Ahmad for the loans to be re-instated for Unisel students following a temporary freeze.

“The letter also stated that Unisel was not in agreement with the views of these students who might have been influenced by other students to act in that manner.

“It also pleaded for the freeze to be lifted as its students needed the loans,” he said after attending an agricultural motivational course here yesterday.

The temporary freeze on new loans to both Unisel and Kolej Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Selangor students was lifted on Friday.

Unisel’s appeal, said Mohamed Khaled, proved that the loans were still relevant and necessary. He added that the temporary freeze was in order to determine if Selangor could provide free education for students in its state-owned university.

“Groups of students, including those from Unisel, have been insisting on the abolishment of PTPTN loans and have even taken to the streets.

“Abolishing PTPTN and providing free tertiary education is not that easy” he said, adding that encouraging people not to settle their loans would result in some 400,000 new students not having access to the facility.

“The Opposition claim that they want to provide free tertiary education but until today, Selangor does not even provide subsidised fees for those studying in Unisel,” he said.

Asked whether PTPTN would freeze more loans for students in Opposition state-owned universities should there be more demonstrations against the loans, Mohamed Khaled said: “It would depend on the circumstance”.