The Malaysian Insight

EXCEPT for a nominal fee for tertiary studies, Malaysian education was “almost free”, said minister Maszlee Malik. 

He said primary and secondary education were provided free by the government and students need pay only 10% of the operating costs of public universities via their fees, which made education practically free. 

“Primary and secondary government education is completely free. Tertiary education is also almost free where the students only need to pay 10% of the operating costs. 

“This means all the public university students are receiving a 90% subsidy from the government,” Maszlee said in a written reply in Parliament. 

He was responding to Umno’s Jempol MP Salim Sharif who asked for a plan to make education free to help offset the rise in living costs. 

Maszlee said the government also helped university students with scholarships and loans from the National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN).

“The 10% cost is also borne by the government through scholarships and indirectly via PTPTN. The repayment may also be negotiated to suit what the borrower can afford to pay.”

The Simpang Renggam lawmaker said scholarships were also given out by bodies such as Mara, Petronas, Bank Negara Malaysia and Khazanah Malaysia. 

Maszlee said the government did not plan to increase the university fees in the immediate future.

In its election manifesto , the then opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan had promised to make education free.

It has not abolished the fees nor has it written off PTPTN student loans as promised. – October 29, 2018.