“Our willingness to invest in human capital development has put Malaysia in good stead as a nation”

Saturday September 10, 2011

PM: Priority to nurture talent

By JOSEPH KAOS Jr

joekaosjr@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: Developing and nurturing a solid, local talent base is top on the Government's agenda, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said yesterday.

The Prime Minister stressed the importance of human capital development stating that it is “the most important investment a country can make” as it is the core of innovation and leads to a productive high-income economy.

“Our willingness to invest in human capital development has put Malaysia in good stead as a nation.

“In just one generation, we have successfully transformed from a low-income agriculture economy into an upper middle income modern industrial economy,” said Najib at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman's 13th convocation at Dewan San Choon, Wisma MCA, yesterday.

“No economy can succeed without a highly-skilled talent base that responds creatively to economic changes, and is centred on creating, developing and utilising knowledge.

“For this reason, we are widening access to our education system at all levels, from pre-school to higher education, to ensure that every Malaysian can realise his or her potential,” he told the graduates.

The premier also said the Government had made the “right decision” to liberalise higher education as the Private Higher Educational Institutions Act in 1996 had enabled more Malaysians to pursue their education locally.

“Looking back, I would like to state that it was the right decision. It was a blue ocean strategy before the term was even coined and became popular in providing more places for Malaysians as local institutions cannot accommodate all the qualified students and not every Malaysian can afford the cost of an overseas education,” said Najib.

He congratulated the graduates and told them it was their responsibility to help propel the nation to greater heights.

Also present at the ceremony were MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek, Utar Council chairman Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik, Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Dr Hou Kok Chung and university president Datuk Dr Chuah Hean Teik.

Najib presented scrolls to 60 of the 2,773 graduates at the ceremony.





________________________________________

© 1995-2011 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)