Govt urged to fully recognise Taiwanese degrees

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Teo (fourth left) gracing the Taiwan Alumni Association of Sabah Mandarin Night cum 48th anniversary of the association in Tenom.

TENOM: The Chinese communities look forward to seeing full recognition of Taiwanese university degrees by the Malaysian government and the Public Services Department (JPA), which will allow Malaysian graduates with Taiwanese degrees to work in the government sector.

Minister of Special Tasks Datuk Teo Chee Kang said although the Malaysian government has yet to fully recognize degrees conferred by Taiwanese universities, it was hoped that the government and the JPA could expand the recognition of degrees obtained in Taiwan in the near future.

“This will not only enable more Malaysians who graduated from Taiwanese universities to work in the public services sector, but also draw our talent back to the country,” he said at the Taiwan Alumni Association of Sabah Mandarin Night cum 48th anniversary of the association at Tenom community hall on Saturday.

Nevertheless, Teo said many corporate organizations regarded Taiwanese graduates as valuable human resource and recruited them for various leadership positions in their companies.

“Many teachers in Chinese independent schools are also Taiwan alumni,” he said, adding that Taiwanese graduates have recorded high achievements in other industries as well.

During his speech, Teo said the Higher Education Evaluation & Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT) and the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA) have reached an agreement to expand the recognition of degrees conferred by Taiwanese universities and vice versa early this year.

“Taiwanese graduates can finally see light at the end of the tunnel, in terms of their prospects in Malaysia.

“It has also reignited the hope of many Chinese independent school students and Chinese students to further their studies in Taiwan.”

Teo said the agreement achieved between HEEACT and MQA was a historical moment as it has solved a long-standing problem.

“Although both sides do not have a diplomatic relationship, the issue was resolved purely on academic grounds.”

Teo said the Taiwan Alumni Association of Sabah was established by Datuk Yong Loi Thiam and a few other Taiwan alumni in 1965.

Back then, Malaysia and Taiwan did not recognize academic qualifications obtained from either side, causing employment issues for Malaysian students who graduated from Taiwanese universities.

Hence, the Taiwan Alumni Association of Sabah was established with the primary objective to provide assistance to Taiwan alumni in terms of employment and commerce.

Teo said the association, now led by Lawrence Ting Siew Haw, was concerned about students who were unable to further their tertiary studies due to various reasons.

Hence, the association organizes recruitment drives and arranges for students to undergo training courses in Taiwan annually, he said.

For the past two years, the association’s members have flown to Taiwan numerous times to study courses that are suitable for Sabahan students.

Furthermore, Teo said the Taiwan Alumni Association of Sabah strived to obtain more quotas for Sabahan students in agriculture and livestock farming courses as their Taiwanese counterparts were very successful and technologically advanced in these areas.

“The agricultural and livestock farming industries in Sabah are booming, but we lack local talents in these fields.

“Apart from learning in Taiwan, I hope we can also bring back the technology and expertise from Taiwan to assist in the development of agricultural and livestock farming industries in the State.”

Teo commended the association for the efforts done for Sabahan students and Taiwan alumni, and urged more Malaysians to return to the country upon graduating from Taiwan to contribute to the nation’s development.