KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 – A total of 97,866 or 49 per cent of the total 197,348 active borrowers have been blacklisted by Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA).
Deputy Minister of Rural and Regional Development Datuk Rubiah Wang said the move is imposed on borrowers who have not paid their loans for three months and is only applicable within MARA’s management without involving other agencies and ecosystems.
“For students applying for MARA assistance, the process is relatively easy, even if the parents are blacklisted, as negotiations can be carried out. The amount and instalments can be reduced as long as payment is made.
“To ensure student loans are approved, parents don’t have to pay the full amount; they just have to settle the arrears. What is important is that the financing process can be implemented more effectively,” she said during a Q&A session in Dewan Rakyat today.
In response to a supplementary question from Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PN-Kuala Krai) on the number of MARA loan recipients who are granted exemption from repaying their loans, Rubiah said no MARA borrower is exempt from repayment.
“There is no concept of scholarships; however, the repayment rate is reduced based on their CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average). Some pay only 50 per cent, 30 per cent, or a minimum of 10 per cent of the loan amount, but there is no scenario where 100 per cent is waived. Our concept is loans,” she said.
