KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — The Skills Development Fund Corporation (PTPK) has not halted funding for any student, including those from low-income (B40) families, said Human Resources Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad.
He said that allegations of PTPK repeatedly stopping aid to B40 students are baseless, adding that the corporation had issued a statement on September 11 to address and clarify the claims.
As of August 2025, PTPK had approved loans and held active financing commitments totalling RM524 million, benefiting 52,098 students across 306 training centres.
“Of this total, 21,947 students had their loans approved in 2025. All approved students continue to receive financing and living allowances as usual
“The living allowance has also been increased from RM400 to RM800 per student,”Abdul Rahman said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to Maran MP Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib's query on the claims that PTPK’s living allowances had been discontinued for several years, causing financial strain on B40 students.
The deputy minister noted that 2025 financing prioritises skills programmes, particularly for high-growth, high-value (HGHV) sectors and industries, aligning with the priority areas of the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 (NIMP 2030), including maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), electric vehicles (EV), aerospace, and artificial intelligence (AI).
Looking ahead, Abdul Rahman said PTPK’s funding allocations will be prioritised based on high-impact programmes, loan repayment performance, adherence to application requirements (including appeals), and post-training employment placement.
On employability, he said that nearly 100 per cent of students who completed training under PTPK have secured jobs, while a small minority remain unemployed by choice, seeking positions better suited to their qualifications.
