Cover image via FacebookChances are if you are reading this, then you may have never gone hungry or run out of money for food.
However, unlike us, three out of four Malaysian students in tertiary education have indeed gone hungry or ran out of money to feed themselves.
Image via Yeong Ji Hou/Malaysiakini
Fortunately, some good have come out of this news as more people are starting various initiatives to feed these students in need
Image via IIUM/Youth Events
The news came as a surprise but could it be that our students are forced to starve to pay their tuition fees?
Well, not really — apparently, tuition fees in Malaysia's public universities are "amongst the lowest in the world".
Aside from low tuition fees, students in public universities usually have the advantage of being able to stay on-campus, which allows them to save more money
Moreover, the Higher Education Ministry Secretary-General added that the PTPTN loans should be sufficient to aid students in paying their tuition fees and living expenses
Image via Astro Awani
So, if tuition fees and living expenses are taken on behalf of the students, then what's the reason behind them to be so broke that they do not even have enough money to feed themselves?
There are three possible reasons:
1. Bad spending habits
Image via Giphy
University students may be spending unnecessarily without proper financial planning, thus leaving them with little to no savings to the point were they cannot even afford to fork out some money to eat.
Even if the students have relatively low income, they would rely on scholarship and student loans such as PTPTN to fund their travelling activities, according to a study on young Malaysians.
**Besides that, a survey by the Asian Institute of Finance (AIF) revealed that some 40 percent of Malaysians aged between 20 and 33 are spending more than they can afford.**
2. Low financial literacy
It is possible that Malaysian students, both in public and private universities, have low financial literacy. As a result, they are not able to make good decisions when it comes to managing their own finances, which may lead to them not having enough money because they overspent and have no savings.
Image via Kemal Taner/Shutterstock
3. Malaysia's strained economy
Students would usually rely on their parents for financial support. With the rising inflation and also [depreciating currency](http://says.com/my/lifestyle/4-ways-to-take-advantage-of-the-weak-ringgit), students whose parents are with limited income will be tried if they do not spend their money wisely.
Image via Silver in Malaysia
The Ministry of Higher Education should take proactive measures to tackle this issue as it is really more than just starving students.
The issue could even alleviate the chances of bankruptcy in the future and more people relying on government assistance.
