Ex-Student barred from going abroad after loan mess

Source: www.malaysianmirror.com
Chris Reubens Sunday, 04 April 2010 23:46
KUCHING – The Pending state assemblywoman alleged that a former college student was unfairly barred from going overseas by the National Higher Education Fund Corporation. Violet Yong said the former student applied for a RM15,000 loan from the corporation in 2001 when she was studying Computer Science at Chermai College here. Lai (right) discussing with Yong the next course of action to take. Applied but never received loan The Sibu lass, who wish to be identified only as Lai, however did not receive the approved loan during her two years of studies. Her education was funded by an elder sister. In 2003, Lai completed the course and was shocked to find a letter from the corporation the next year asking her to settle her loan. Lai, 28, and her sister then approached the college which admitted it had received the loan of RM15,000 from the corporation. The college agreed to pay back the corporation by instalment. Infuriating letters Yong said Lai thought that was the end of the matter but each year, the lender would send her a letter, telling her to settle the loan. Yong then helped Lai by getting the college and the lender to agree to update their records in the hope such letters would stop being issued.. It didn't and Lai chose to ignore the reminders. On Feb 19 this year, she received a letter from the legal department of the corporation informing her that she has been barred from travelling overseas. Lai said she had to travel overseas in two months time. Yong said the college has since closed in 2008. Lender blamed Yong slammed the corporation for its inefficiency despite every attempt to straighten the problem. She said the corporation's delay in approving loans was hampering poor students who wish to further their studies. “Not everyone has a sister who is willing or capable of helping out." Yong said on Friday that she would write to the corporation again to tell it to rescind the blacklisting order, failing which she would raise the matter in Parliament.