KOTA KINABALU: The government is committed to transforming public higher learning institutions (IPTAs) in its effort to develop the education sector in the country, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman.
He said this included allowing IPTAs to have more freedom in managing their operations so that they can be more competitive both in terms of academic performance and resource management.
“The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak has been working very hard to empower IPTAs by giving them more autonomy managing their own finance, human resources, administration, student intake and income,” Musa said in his speech for the launching of Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Seminar on Najib Leadership here yesterday.
He added that the government was prepared to loosen regulations that prevent IPTAs from generating profit.
The text of his speech was read by Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister cum Sabah education exco Datuk Masidi Manjun who also officiated at the launch on behalf of the Chief Minister.
“With enhanced autonomy, IPTAs, for example, would be allowed to generate their own income by setting up subsidiary companies.
“For this purpose the government is willing to ease rules and regulations that prevent IPTAs from generating profit. However, the government will make sure that the effort to generate income would not adversely affect the role and objective of IPTAs,” he said.
Musa commended UiTM for organising the seminar, saying that leadership is a key component in nation-building and the event would provide a useful academic platform for students and academicians to examine and discuss the country’s leadership.
He added that the Prime Minister in his tenure over the last three years had introduced various programmes and policies aimed at strengthening unity, improving quality of life and addressing the welfare of the people at all levels towards achieving a developed and high income status.
Among these programmes, he noted, included Gagasan 1Malaysia and the various transformation plans under it, education assistance schemes, Klinik 1Malaysia, Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia and many other initiatives all aimed at improving the livelihood of the people and propelling the country forward.