KUALA LUMPUR, June 5 -- Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) will continue taking loan defaulters to court as the agency grapples with RM893 million in unpaid loans, nearly half of its total loan portfolio.

MARA chairman Datuk Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said the agency recorded a non-performing loan (NPL) rate of 49.6 per cent last year, prompting tougher enforcement measures against borrowers who fail to repay their loans.

"Sorry, but some people are questioning why MARA is taking defaulters to court. A loan is a loan, which means it must be repaid. MARA will never compromise with borrowers who deliberately default. This is not personal money, but the people's money," he said on his Facebook page.

Asyraf said recovering overdue loans had been one of ...