A youth NGO has dismissed Warisan’s pledge to write off outstanding student loans for Sabahans if it forms the government after the state election to come, describing it as mere rhetoric.
The Sabah Youth Council said even if Warisan kept its promise, the financial implications would be huge, and would impact other sectors in terms of funding.
Council president Abqaree Fawwaz Abekan said it would be more practical for the party, led by former chief minister Shafie Apdal, to subsidise the loans by 50%, especially for the needy.
“It is impossible to just write off the loans,” he told FMT, adding that it would be a better use of state government funds to resolve water woes and repair the roads instead.
“To spend on students who borrowed from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation means that only a small percentage would benefit.”
Speaking to FMT, meanwhile, Kunak assemblyman Norazlinah Arif said Warisan had a tendency of making grand promises to secure political power.
“Such a promise is highly unrealistic. What about individuals who have already repaid their loans, or those who’ve borrowed from other agencies like Mara?” she asked.
“The public needs to recognise that Warisan, in its bid for power, often resorts to making lofty pledges and exploiting public concerns for its advantage.”
Shafie pledged to write off the loans at an event in Sabah on Saturday. He also promised free education for the people of Sabah.
His pledge was also criticised by Parti Gagasan Rakyat Sabah information chief Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan, who urged people not to be taken in by such rhetoric.
Nizam was reported by The Star as saying that such promises were unrealistic and populist.
He also said that no education-based policies beneficial to the people were put in place during Shafie’s time in the state government.
“The fact remains that not a single education debt was written off when he was chief minister,” he was quoted as saying.
