Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin has confirmed that the decision of National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) to halt giving loans to Universiti Selangor (Unisel) students is to challenge the Selangor government's ability to provide free tertiary education.

NONE He told Umno-owned Malay daily Utusan Malaysia that the loan freeze aims to provide an opportunity for the opposition to prove that they can provide free education in their state.

“We believe the seriousness of the Selangor government controlled by PKR to implement free education, hence the PTPTN loan is not needed.

“Therefore PTPTN has temporarily halted the loan to Unisel’s new students. However it does not include existing students because (PTPTN) is still bound by the agreement (signed with the students),” he was quoted as saying.

Malaysiakini had reported that students enrolling at the Selangor government-owned university in April found that they could not apply for PTPTN loans due to a “temporary halt”.

NONE This has sparked an outcry among Pakatan Rakyat leaders and the Selangor government.

Following that, Khaled, through his Twitter , admonished opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim’s call to students who had taken loans with PTPTN not to make repayments .

The minister also said that if students cannot pay fees due to absence of the loans, then Unisel should waive the fees and fulfill Pakatan Rakyat’s free education proposal.

This morning PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli, who has been defending Pakatan's proposal to provide free tertiary education, tweeted that the party is considering legal action against the loan freeze.

NONE Meanwhile, Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim explained that Pakatan’s plan to offer free education was contingent on it forming the next government so it could manage the nation’s budget properly.

The PTPTN issue gained prominence after 500 students marched through the streets of Kuala Lumpur demanding its abolition.

The rally ended with a group of students occupying Dataran Merdeka over the following weeks to press home the point.

The occupation has lasted over two months with a small group still camped out at the city square as of last weekend.

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