PTPTN justifies its pay deduction scheme; cops set conditions for Saturday's rally

KINI ROUNDUP | Here are the key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

PTPTN justifies controversial pay deduction scheme

The National Higher Education Fund Corporation's (PTPTN) salary deduction scheme announced yesterday is to benefit the future generation of students, PTPTN chairperson Wan Saiful Wan Jan said.

 This follows Wan Saiful's revealing of the scheme to be implemented from yesterday, that will see borrowers' salaries deducted by a percentage of their salaries, with the higher salaried borrowers having to fork out up to RM1,200 and above monthly.

Following backlash against the scheme, PKR president Anwar Ibrahim said he will speak directly to Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad on the deduction scheme.

The MTUC said PTPTN has to obtain consent from both borrowers and their employers before the scheme can be implemented.

Former prime minister Najib Abdul Razak took another potshot at Education Minister Maszlee Malik over the latter's rating of himself as "9.95 out of 10" as a learner, not a minister, in an interview with Malaysiakini.

Cops set conditions for tomorrow's rally

Kuala Lumpur police chief Mazlan Lazim warned against provocations and seditious speeches, and the bringing of children to the rally against the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (Icerd), which is to be held tomorrow, Dec 8.

A group of "silat" practitioners is also expected to hand over a memorandum against Icerd to Istana Negara on the same day, Mazlan also announced.

The event's coordinator, Kamaruzaman Mohamad, said some 120 lawyers have registered to attend the gathering to ensure it proceeds within the confines of the law.

 PAS MP Khairuddin Aman Razali said Pakatan Harapan fears that the union between PAS and Umno in the anti-Icerd rally will result in the coalition losing power in the next general election.

Three government sources told Malaysiakini that despite the 500,000-strong crowd touted for Saturday's rally, Putrajaya is unperturbed by the gathering and will not make attempts to stop it.

Other Kinibites

Entrepreneur Development Minister Mohd Redzuan Yusof said the government would be channelling funds for the research and development (R&D) of the third national car project envisioned by the prime minister.

Singapore's Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan said Malaysian government vessels have been continually intruding into the republic's territorial waters off Tuas, with 14 intrusions recorded so far.

 Deputy Defence Minister Liew Chin Tong revealed that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had advised against Malaysia’s involvement in the Saudi-led intervention in the Yemeni civil war in 2015.

Johor Crown Prince Tengku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim chastised those who politicise the de-gazetting of Pulau Kukup’s national park status, saying land matters are the exclusive right of the state government.

BN lawmakers staged a walkout after Dewan Rakyat speaker Mohamad Ariff Mohd Yusof refused to retract his decision to evict MIC vice-president C Sivarraajh pending clarification on his status as an MP.

Looking ahead

The Women's Ministry will hold a forum on sexual harassment.

Suhakam will hold the final day of hearing on the disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh.

DAP veteran Lim Kit Siang will speak at Universiti Malaya.