KUCHING, Feb 25: Federation of Chinese Associations of Sarawak urges the Sarawak government to pursue and persuade China top rank universities to set up branch campuses in Sarawak.
Its president Dato Richard Wee said if these universities set up branch campuses in Sarawak, it will elevate the standard of tertiary education.
“It will definitely be an excellent addition to the current two Australian universities, Curtin and Swinburne (Curtin Malaysia and Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus), from which all Sarawakians have benefited immensely,” he said during the Federation of Chinese Associations of Kuching, Samarahan, Serian Divisions’ Chinese New Year dinner held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today.
Wee noted the media reported recently that Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim has invited Tsinghua University to set up a branch campus in Malaysia.
“We have been reliably informed that Shanghai Fudan University, a top 5 university in China, has also been approached and contact has already been made as another possible choice,” he added.
Wee said the federation also calls for the authorities to improve efforts to publicise the Kenyalang Gold Card initiative to ensure its benefits reach the target group.
He also suggested the relevant authorities make it easier to apply for the card, especially online, including easier ways to access benefits, particularly services for medical and elderly care.
“They should adopt a more aggressive marketing approach to attract more merchants and to offer more products and services through this channel,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wee also conveyed the federation’s gratitude to Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg for his kind assistance in allocating a piece of land together with a pledge of matching funds on a one-to-one basis for the construction of the federation’s new building.
“We are also thankful to Premier Abang Johari for responding positively and promptly to many of the memorandums and proposals we submitted to the government every year,” he said. — DayakDaily
