'Graduates forced to abandon aspirations, work independently or join gig economy'

SHAH ALAM - Students want two main issues to be resolved promptly in the 2024 Budget: employment opportunities and the discontinuation of discounts on repayments of loans from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN).

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Mahasiswa Watan driver and founder Muhammad Iman Azhar said the government should restructure the skills of students from public higher education institutions (IPTA) to ensure the employability of local workers in professional industries.

He added that graduates are often forced to abandon their aspirations in their respective fields and choose to work independently or join the gig economy, in addition to being burdened with loan repayments.

"The government should empower students with soft skills to enhance their self-potential so that they can compete and be more competent, unafraid of future challenges.

"We would feel somewhat disappointed if the government no longer continues the incentive of a 20 per cent discount on PTPTN loan repayments in the 2024 Budget presentation, as it would affect recent graduates," he told Sinar recently.

Meanwhile, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Student Representative Council (MPP) chairman Yusuf Hassan said employers should allocate more than 30 per cent of the total graduates in all sectors of the industry to create job opportunities for them.

He added that cooperation from government and private agencies could reduce reliance on foreign workers while increasing the minimum wage.

"Graduates always expect policies that promote job creation and provide opportunities for them to enter the job market to enhance their skills.

"The government needs to expand opportunities for students to become skilled workers in their fields so that the country's development can continue to advance without relying entirely on foreign workers," he said.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) MPP secretary-general Muhammad Fateh Hazali said that the lack of exposure in building an industrial network has caused graduates to miss out on job opportunities in their respective fields.

He added that job market competition has led students to unemployment or to work for inadequate salaries, in addition to bearing the burden of education loans.

"The lack of opportunities to improve in new fields has led to an increase in unemployment rates, combined with the burden of debt, resulting in some being unable to repay their loans and ultimately being blacklisted," he said.