We study hard so that we can get a job that helps us pay that dreaded student loan.



Sounds familiar?



Alas, a fresh graduate needs a job to bring food to the table, to pay off the monthly bills, to settle that rent, transportation costs, entertainment expenses...

You get my drift.

Oh, and did we mention that Malaysians are also severely underpaid?

For the average graduate who just recently got in the workforce, finding a good company that understands the challenges you face can be pretty tough.



However, if you're an intern with this Malaysian company, Vector Infotech Sdn Bhd, you're in luck.

The owner and managing director of the industrial network company, Hii Ding Sin, said to Malay Mail that he helps his employees repay their education loan to prevent his competitors from hiring them.

Plus, a happy worker equals good results. Go figure.

Malaysian fresh graduates are bogged down with many responsibilities upon their graduation. IMAGE: Malay Mail

“It is not easy to train employees. Even more so if you get good ones. After the completion of their internship, they will be offered employment at my company and judging from their immediate superior’s feedback, the company will help them to repay their PTPTN loans,” Hii explains to the Malay Mail.



The PTPTN aka the The National Higher Education Fund Corporation is the education loan that Malaysians usually take to further their studies. Since its inception in 1997, some 1.95 million students have benefited from the loans which totals to US$12.08 billion.



However, some 16% of graduates are yet to refinance their loan which totals up to US$67 million.

So dire is the situation that the corporation is now considering working with relevant Malaysian government agencies to ensure the loans are repaid. In short, defaulters might soon find PTPTN digging into their retirement funds to repay their loans.

Some 16% are yet to refinance their student loans. IMAGE: Youth United

Employees such as Hii are certainly a breath of fresh air. The business owner has set out instructions to his company's leaders to pick out quality candidates who meet his criteria.

“At the moment, we have helped three employees to repay their loans,” he said, revealing that the company is looking to help 12 more employees based on its financial capacity.

Is there a catch to what he is doing? Nope, according to Hii. His employees are free to leave whenever they get a better offer as they're not tied down contract-wise.



Hii's company is also set to receive a tax relief since its assisting its employees by paying their student loans.

Cover image sourced from The New Straits Times.