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New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Over 10,000 Bumiputera engineering graduates in 2024
KUALA LUMPUR: More than 10,000 Bumiputera engineering graduates were produced by public universities last year, the Dewan Rakyat was told today. Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud said a total of 10,342 Bumiputera students graduated with first degrees in engineering in 2024, compared with 10,274 in 2023. In the field of architecture, 3,781 Bumiputera graduates were recorded in 2024, up from 3,327 the previous year. "The ministry always prioritises the production of professional graduates in strategic sectors such as engineering, architecture, education, law and accountancy, in line with national development goals," he said in reply to a question from Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (PN–Indera Mahkota). On professional certification, Mustapha said titles such as Ir. (Professional Engineer) and Ar. (Professional Architect) are overseen by their respective regulatory bodies, the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM) and the Board of Architects Malaysia (LAM). "These certifications are optional and pursued individually through professional training, industrial assessments, examinations and qualifying periods following graduation," he said. As of 2024, 16,223 Bumiputera engineers held the Ir. title, out of 35,760 certified professionals nationwide. In 2023, there were 15,668 Bumiputera engineers among 34,384 professionals, he said. For the field of architecture, LAM data showed 1,056 Bumiputera professionals out of 2,062 certified architects this year. In 2023, there were 1,036 Bumiputera professionals out of 2,545. He said Bumiputera professionals are also represented in various high-impact fields, including medicine, dentistry, law, accountancy, pharmacy, chemistry, actuarial science, quantity surveying, psychology, digital technology, education, nursing, counselling, and occupational safety and health.
The Star
30-07-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Calls for legislation to tackle rise in bullying cases in schools
KUALA LUMPUR: Establish legislation on anti-bullying to tackle bullying effectively, says a government backbencher. Datuk Siti Aminah Aching (BN-Beaufort) stated that this was crucial in eradicating thug culture in schools. According to her, the number of bullying cases increased from 3,887 in 2022 to 4994 in 2023 and 6,208 cases last year. Acknowledging that there are existing Education Ministry guidelines to address this, she, however, said it was high time for dedicated legislation. 'We need to control and eradicate bullying which has been spread in our education system,' she said when debating the Education (Amendment) Bill 2025 on Wednesday (July 30). This comes as lawmakers called for action over the recent death of a Form One female student at a dormitory building in a religious school in Papar, Sabah. During debates, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota) also asked for clarity on what caused the girl's death. 'Were there criminal elements? If it was an accident, what possible factors contributed to this?' he said. The victim had died a day after she allegedly fell from the third floor of her school's dormitory building on July 16. Her death had sparked various allegations, including that she was a victim of bullying at the school.
Malaysiakini
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
MPs demand answers over schoolgirl's death amid bullying, VVIP link claims
PARLIAMENT | Lawmakers have pressed authorities to address questions surrounding the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir, a Form One student in Papar, Sabah, who is said to have been a victim of bullying. Saifuddin Abdullah (PN-Indera Mahkota) highlighted the case in the Dewan Rakyat today while debating the Education (Amendment) Bill 2025, which seeks to make secondary education compulsory.
Malaysiakini
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Malaysiakini
Saifuddin: PM should not belittle students' concerns on SST, tariff hikes
Perikatan Nasional education portfolio head Saifuddin Abdullah has criticised Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim's remarks about university students' grievances on the increased sales and services tax (SST) and electricity tariff hikes. In a statement, Saifuddin described the comments as dismissive and belittling of the genuine concerns raised by the students. The SST and tariff hikes, effective today, received...
Free Malaysia Today
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Bersatu's centrist shift questioned after backing Dr M's ‘Malay unity' effort
Bersatu leaders such as Hamzah Zainudin and Saifuddin Abdullah have been seen to be pushing 'rather moderate' views and actions of late. PETALING JAYA : An analyst has questioned Bersatu's sincerity in pivoting towards a more moderate and centrist political position, after lending its support to Dr Mahathir Mohamad's latest effort to supposedly restore Malay political power. Mazlan Ali of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia said opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin and others like Saifuddin Abdullah have been pushing 'rather moderate' views and actions of late, following Hamzah's election as Bersatu deputy president late last year. This included Hamzah's vision of a 'new national consensus' that goes beyond one race or religion and serves to close the gap between political and societal divisions in the country. Mazlan said this apparent shift for Bersatu was apt given Malaysia's multiracial environment, adding that it could even pose a threat to Pakatan Harapan, which has enjoyed the bulk of non-Malay support in recent general elections. However, he said non-Malay voters would stay away and not support PN after it lent support to Mahathir's new platform. 'People will now question whether Bersatu is sincere about bringing national reconciliation,' he told FMT. Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid of Universiti Sains Malaysia said it was typical of politicians to use almost contradictory tones and themes in speaking to different audiences. As PN and Bersatu cannot afford to sacrifice its core support of Malay-Muslim voters, they would support Mahathir's new endeavour to unite the Malays, he said. 'To a Singaporean audience, and more so a reputable think tank like ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute where Bersatu's Wan Saiful Wan Jan was a visiting fellow in 2016, we would expect PN delegates to speak in quasi-liberal language, and in English to boot, making it less accessible to Malay kampung folk. 'But to a Malay-oriented audience, PN doesn't want to sacrifice its core support and will continue to support initiatives of venerable figures like Mahathir, notwithstanding the contradictions it poses,' he said. Fauzi added that this was not dissimilar to DAP, which would have certain leaders appealing to Chinese sentiments while others who may be more Western-educated take a more centrist tone in their rhetoric. 'In short, it's simply political doublespeak characteristic of identity-driven politicians.' Speaking at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute last month, Hamzah had unveiled PN's 'new national consensus' vision which he said must unite all Malaysians, from the political class to religious leaders and civil society. His party colleague, Bersatu Supreme Council member Saifuddin Abdullah, had also called for political parties to shift towards a centrist approach and avoid extreme political ideologies given Malaysia's diverse society. Saifuddin said moderation lay at the heart of Bersatu's new ideology premised on inclusivity, democracy, moderation, integrity, and compassion, adding that it reflected the party's commitment to serving all Malaysians. Fauzi said it was important to note that Bersatu's leaders had more than one school of thought driving their ideologies, describing the likes of Saifuddin and Wan Saiful as more inclusive with 'a flair in English'. On the other hand, he said Bersatu president Muhyiddin Yassin and those aligned with the former prime minister were more inclined towards ethno-religious-centric politics. 'Hamzah, as front runner to succeed Muhyiddin at the helm of PN and Bersatu, treads both paths, knowing that at this juncture PN cannot afford to lose either school of thought. PN needs to appear inclusive without alienating grassroots Malay support.'
