Wong (third left) receives a memento from the alumni representative Tang Sieu Hung, while Abdul Hakim (second left) and others look on.
SIBU: Graduates of University College of Technology Sarawak (UCTS) have been told to continually upgrade their skills and knowledge to keep pace with the evolving environment.
Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh said this is because in today’s world, knowledge, in particular technological knowledge becomes obsolete very fast.
“You are graduates of UCTS and you were once under the guidance of professors and lecturers in UCTS. Remember who you are.
“Make sure whatever you do, you must do your best, particularly in upgrading your skills and knowledge from time to time because in this fast changing world knowledge becomes obsolete in no time, particularly technological knowledge,” he said when officiating at UCTS Graduation Night 2017 here on Saturday.
Wong, who is also Second Finance Minister, was stressing the importance of living by faith, reminding the graduates to be confident in life so that they could face challenges as “without confidence, you cannot do anything”.
Wong, who is chairman of UCTS board of directors, also told the graduates to have a mission to live for, pointing out that in life one must have an aim, a destination, a purpose, a direction.
“You must have determination, dedication and total involvement in whatever you do so that you will achieve what you set out to do. Your journey has just begun and I hope all of you will remember this,” he added.
The Bawang Assan assemblyman further reminded the second batch of UCTS graduates that they are the proud products of the university.
“So, wherever you go, please make it known that you are from UCTS to promote UCTS and hope many others will come and join us here,” Wong said.
On another matter, he commended the university’s vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Abdul Hakim Juri for turning UCTS into what it is today.
“I must take this opportunity to thank the vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Abdul Hakim for his dedication and commitment in the past five years to bring UCTS from scratch to where it is now. We are now offering 21 undergraduate and post-graduate programmes,” he said.
He added that come January next year, Abdul Hakim and his wife Professor Datin Dr Napsiah Ismail will be leaving UCTS after their five-year contract.
Wong said although they would like them to stay back to help UCTS, the couple will be going back to Universiti Kuala Lumpur for personal reasons.
“I hope the vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Abdul Hakim and Datin (Napsiah) will continue to help us by offering advice and hopefully, to do some networking so that we can link to the best people and the best organisations for UCTS to move forward,” he said.
At the same function, Wong announced a grant of RM10,000 to the alumni association.
Both Abdul Hakim and president of Student Council Jong Lung Sin also spoke at the function.
Wong (second left) presents the Chancellor Award to Ngian, while (from left) Abdul Hakim and Sabarudin Mohamad look on.
Earlier, recipients of Chancellor, LEAd, Best Student Award 1 and 2, BEM Award 1 and 2, Industry Excellence Award and University Book Award were announced.
Ngian Ek Tee, a Bachelor of Business Administration graduate, was named the recipient for Chancellor Award.
LEAd Award recipients were (Platinum) Yek Chu Ang, Ngian Ek Tee; (Gold) Jesseca Henry Nuga, Evenie Dwin, Veronica Bija Abell, Karen Ling Wen Qian, Stephanie Goh; (Silver) Jim Oui, Kevan Ngu Leh Khing, Wong Huong Mee, (Bronze) Ng Boon Tien and Marianna Chan Wei Mun.
Best Student Award 1 and 2 went to Lim Yong Tat and Amy Natasha Atahar respectively, while the recipient for BEM Award 1 and 2 were Danson Tan Tzet Lung and Jason Vong Wui Loong.
Recipients of Industry Excellence Award were Ngang Kiu Kiong, Ting Hua Huong, Gareth Khoo Huang Chin, Lau Wen Sing, Yek Chu Ang, Vincent Chin Wei Shen and Karen Ling Wen Qian.
A total of 30 students received the University Book Award.
Currently, UCTS has a student population of 1,813.
Also present were Wong’s wife Datin Sri Pauline Leong, UCTS deputy vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Sabarudin Mohamad and UCTS head of Human Capital Jimmy De Rozario.