LABUAN: Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) will do its part to meet the shortage of medical doctors aroundSabah, said its vice-chancellor, Professor Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Kamaruzaman Hj Ampon here, yesterday.
“We know about the problemSabahis facing right now but we will do our part gradually as the fifth batch of our medical students will graduate soon.
“Currently, our medical students are undergoing their training at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and we do hope to have our own hospital, even a small one, to further enhance their training,” said Dr Kamaruzaman at the UMS-KAL town gown parade programme held at the Financial Park yesterday.
When asked about the possibility to open the medical school at UMS, Labuan International Campus (UMS-KAL) here to help LabuanHospital, he replied that there was no plan so far to do it, plus the high cost to open such a programme here.
“To open a medical school involves a huge some of money, but UMS main campus does offer it,” he said.
He added that UMS medical students probably could undergo training atLabuanHospital.
Dr Kamaruzaman said this after he was asked about the possibility of a medical school to be offered here at UMS-KAL due to the lack of medical doctors and the unavailability of medical specialist here.
He said further that this year, UMS had signed many memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with foreign universities for its academic development.
“This year alone we had signed a lot of MoUs with foreign universities academically. Recently, we signed MoUs withJapanand South Korean universities.
“A university fromTaiwanis also interested and going to sign a MoU with us soon,” Dr Kamaruzaman said, adding that over 600 students would graduate from UMS-KAL this year,
Dr Kamaruzaman said the parade was held to ask for blessings and to acknowledge the graduates to become part of the island’s community.
“It is a symbolic event ‘to hand over’ the graduates to the local community.
“As a gesture, the acknowledgement keys from Labuan Corporation will be given to graduate representatives of UMS-KAL to become this island’s citizen.
“I hope our soon-to-be graduate students will benefit from the knowledge obtained and serve the people better,” he said, adding that they should continually practise the culture of knowledge while sharing them with the community.
“To future graduates, when you are in your career life, be principled persons, enrich yourselves with knowledge, practise the right moral values, be positive and be someone who is favoured by God,” he said.
Meanwhile, UMS-KAL director Professor Dr Shariff AK Omang Al-Haj said this year an allocation totalling RM25 million had been allocated to upgrade the campus here.
“We will build lecture and examination hall centres and some other buildings, including new hostels to cater to the increasing number of students, including international students studying at UMS-KAL,” he said.
Also present were Senator Datuk Yunus Kurus, Labuan Corporation chief executive officer Zainul Abidin Abdullah, UMS board of directors chairman Tan Sri Datuk Abdul Hamid Egoh and UMS-KAL director Professor Dr Shariff Omang Al-Haj.