Kedah MB Admits Kuin’s Tution Fee Rise Starting July

Kedah Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Azizan Abdul Razak has admitted that the state-owned Kolej Universiti Insaniah (Kuin) would be increasing its tuition fees beginning July.

Azizan, who is also Kuin chairman, said he did not know the quantum of increase, but asserted that it was necessary to meet rising administrative costs as Kuin would be moving to a new campus at the end of the year.

He said the revised fees would be imposed on new students, who would be registering in July, while current students would not be affected although Kuin was running at a loss.

“We have informed the new intake about the tuition fee increase,” he told reporters after attending the state government’s monthly assembly at Wisma Darulaman here today.

He was commenting on state opposition leader Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid’s claim that Kuin would be increasing its tuition fees from RM60 to RM200 per credit hour to tide over a financial crisis.

Azizan said Kuin was among universities reprimanded by the Higher Education Ministry for charging low tuition fees as it could affect its administration.

Denying that Kuin’s Medical Faculty was in financial quandary as it has only nine students, Azizan said 19 more students would register on May 20.

“We will be enrolling 50 medical students for the first intake although the ministry and the Malaysian Medical Council have allowed us to take up to 100 students. This is aimed at ensuring quality although we have received 300 applications for the faculty,” he added.

He said Kuin would also be enrolling medical students submitted by several public institutions of higher learning through collaborative arrangements.

On salary adjustment for Kuin employees, Azizan said as a private entity, Kuin was not subjected to the recent civil servants salary adjustment.

“However, it is up to Kuin board of directors to adopt it or not,” he said.

Refuting a claim that Kuin has failed to remit Social Security Organisation and Employees Provident Fund contributions on time, he said the payments were made just before the required date.