BATU PAHAT: A total of 79,873 students are eligible for loan repayment exemption from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) involving an allocation of RM2.06 billion nationwide as at Jan 31 this year.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said of the total, 11,287 borrowers were from Johor which involved a total allocation of RM294 million.

She said PTPTN provides loan repayment exemption to borrowers from the B40 and M40 family categories who obtain a First Class Bachelor's Degree.

"With this initiative, eligible PTPTN borrowers do not have to repay their loans.

"Through this initiative, it also clearly shows the government's concern in helping Malaysian families from the B40 and M40 groups to gain access to higher education and ease their finances during the COVID-19 pandemic," she said in a statement today.

Earlier, she presented the PTPTN Loan Repayment Exemption Approval Letter for borrowers who obtained a First Class Bachelor's Degree to two recipients at their respective residences in Batu Pahat.

The two recipients are former Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Shah Alam student Sayyida Aisya Azira Hady Purnama who received a refund exemption of RM9,980.

Former International Islamic University Malaysia (Kuantan Campus, Pahang) student Aishah Hanis Abdul Majid received a refund exemption of RM19,960.

-- BERNAMA