Labuan set to become ‘student town’ – MP

LABUAN: Labuan member of parliament Datuk Rozman Isli wants not only students from this country to study here but from other countries in Asia, to realize his vision to turn this island into an education hub.

Labuan had the potential to be an education hub, he said before officiating at the Visual Arts and STPM Pre-University Exhibition yesterday at SMK Labuan.

“The peaceful environment of this island is very conducive for students to study. It can be an attraction for students from outside to come to this island.

“We have applied for a full-fledge university, but we are yet to get it. I will voice out the matter so that public universities in this country will open up their branch campuses here.

“With the opening of the branch campuses, this island will become a student town,” he said, while proposing that this island be recognized as an education hub.

Rozman, who was an education exco under the Education Ministry, said Labuan had the potential to be a centre for national integration.

“Our population is only around 100,000 where we need more students from Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular to come to study here to realize our vision to be a role-model in national integration nationwide,” he said.

Earlier, he said arts was something that was highly appreciated in developed countries.

“Our leadership aspires this country to be a developed nation by 2020. The effort for arts survival that started in schools is timely to produce students who can appreciate arts.

“This effort can contribute to the students’ development spiritually and physically where in the end they will become creative and balanced students. This is important for them to contribute towards the country’s development.

“Labuan needs a strong branding where one of them is in arts development. This island can be a Mecca for arts someday,” he said.

Also present were the director of Labuan Education Department, Mistirine Radin and the principal of SMK Labuan, Ismail Abdullah.