31 March 2015 - The tuition fees and cost of accommodation in all 20 public institutions of higher learning (IPTA) in the country will remain unchanged even after the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on April 1.

The Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) quoted this assurance made by the chairman of the IPTA Vice-Chancellors and Rectors (JKNC/R) Committee, Brig Gen Datuk Professor Dr Kamarudin Hussin, who dismissed the news circulated on the issue of increased tuition fees and accommodation cost, which he said was baseless, unsubstantiated and was done to create panic and confusion among the students.

He urged students not to be easily influenced with this false information, and to check with their respective university student affairs and finance department for clarification.

According to Kamarudin, the increase in fees was not logical as students were already in the middle of the semester and tuition fees and accommodation cost had already been deducted from their loans or scholarships.

He said the government had clearly stated that all academic programmes given accreditation by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) and all matters directly involved with teaching and learning activities would not be subjected to GST.

"Since almost all academic programmes offered at the university are recognised by MQA, then GST will not be applied on fees, as well as other matters directly concerned with the offering of these programmes.

"However, tuition and other related fees for executive learning programmes offered to postgraduate students will have to be increased as the courses offered are profit-motivated, so GST will be imposed," he said as reported by Bernama.