Samy Vellu: Why MIED limits study loans
K PragalathPublished: Jul 13, 2009 9:22 AM | Updated: Jul 13, 2009 2:32 PM
More than 30 Indian Malaysian medical students met MIC president S Samy Vellu in Kuala Lumpur today, to raise issues related to their studies in Russia.
More than 30 Indian Malaysian medical students met MIC president S Samy Vellu in Kuala Lumpur today, to raise issues related to their studies in Russia.
The meeting, organised by Putera MIC, centred on problems associated with financial aid to the students, all studying in Kursk, Moscow and Volgograd.
Putera MIC’s Russian chapter, formed on April 16 this year, now comprises 43 members. It is a platform to unite Indian Malaysian students and to raise matters affecting their interests.
Chapter head R Senthilraj said some students now get financial aid from MIC education arm, the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED).
“MIED is providing us with RM7,000 biennially. Some receive RM10,000 for the same period,” he said, in asking for more money and less interest.
Samy Vellu said that, in the past, MIED used to give RM20,000 to students and in extremely needy cases, RM25,000.
“The problem is with repayment. Students go missing for five years after completing their course and we are unable to recover the money. Hence the loans are now limited to RM7,000 and in extreme cases students receive RM10,000,” he said.
“We’d have RM50 million if they had all paid up. We only have RM3 million to RM4 million now. If you don’t want to pay interest, don’t take a loan.”
He also attributed the reduction of funds to the larger number of students in foreign universities today.
Talks with Health Ministry
In response to a question, he said that it would be possible for MIED to provide the money at the beginning of the semester in September instead of in January.
Over the issue of recognition of medical degrees, he revealed that there have been talks with the Health Ministry to do away with the qualifying examination.
However, he was less sympathetic to complaints that medical students from Russia are “treated differently”.
“Take that as a challenge and prove your capability,” he retorted.
He then quipped in Tamil: “You have to go through this mother-in- law, daughter-in-law problem for a short period of time.”
Human Resources Minister and MIC secretary-general S Subramaniam and Putera MIC coordinator P Kamalanathan were also present.
The meeting, organised by Putera MIC, centred on problems associated with financial aid to the students, all studying in Kursk, Moscow and Volgograd.Putera MIC’s Russian chapter, formed on April 16 this year, now comprises 43 members. It is a platform to unite Indian Malaysian students and to raise matters affecting their interests.
Chapter head R Senthilraj said some students now get financial aid from MIC education arm, the Maju Institute of Educational Development (MIED).
“MIED is providing us with RM7,000 biennially. Some receive RM10,000 for the same period,” he said, in asking for more money and less interest.Samy Vellu said that, in the past, MIED used to give RM20,000 to students and in extremely needy cases, RM25,000.
“The problem is with repayment. Students go missing for five years after completing their course and we are unable to recover the money. Hence the loans are now limited to RM7,000 and in extreme cases students receive RM10,000,” he said.
“We’d have RM50 million if they had all paid up. We only have RM3 million to RM4 million now. If you don’t want to pay interest, don’t take a loan.”
He also attributed the reduction of funds to the larger number of students in foreign universities today.
Talks with Health Ministry
In response to a question, he said that it would be possible for MIED to provide the money at the beginning of the semester in September instead of in January.
Over the issue of recognition of medical degrees, he revealed that there have been talks with the Health Ministry to do away with the qualifying examination.However, he was less sympathetic to complaints that medical students from Russia are “treated differently”.
“Take that as a challenge and prove your capability,” he retorted.
He then quipped in Tamil: “You have to go through this mother-in- law, daughter-in-law problem for a short period of time.”
Human Resources Minister and MIC secretary-general S Subramaniam and Putera MIC coordinator P Kamalanathan were also present.
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