The party’s Youth wing secretary, Kesavan PS, said the government had collected as much as RM36 billion since the tax was implemented. Some of the money could be used to implement free education from pre-school to university.

He said the receipts last year were RM36 billion, and the amount is expected to rise this year.

“Why not use the GST to give free education,” he said. “The government has no reason not to implement free education because there is enough money collected through the GST.”

Speaking at a press conference today, Kesavan said he had raised the issue of free education because of controversy about the failure of 1.25 million borrowers of student loans to repay their loans.

Higher Education Fund chairman Shamsul Anuar Nasarah was quoted last week as saying those to be listed were not only those in default of loans from the fund, but also defaulters of other financial institutions.

Another PSM Youth leader, Nik Aziz Afiq Abdul, criticised the Minister of Youth and Sports, Khairy Jamaluddin, for failing to defend the fate of those listed in the CCRIS.

He said Khairy should submit a proposal to allow for the repayment of the loans.

“We know that the current economy is not very good and that many factories have closed down and many businesses have been affected which resulted in university graduates losing their jobs or failing to get jobs. The cost of living is also expensive. How are the youths going to pay their PTPTN loans? Khairy should be defending them,” he said.

He said the money collected from the GST is the government’s best chance to help the youth and at the same time implement the free education system.