Malaysia must achieve developed nation status with own formula - Muhyiddin

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin wants Malaysia to achieve developed nation status through its own 'mould' and not become a "follower" of a model adopted by nations that are already developed.

To become a developed nation, Malaysia need graduates who are well equipped with knowledge, skills and noble values so as to achieve the target of having people who would be able to scale new horizons to face the present and future challenges.

Muhyiddin, who is also the Education Minister said being brave enough to venture into new fields will produce graduates who can contribute new innovative ideas that will be needed to propel the country's aspiration of becoming a developed nation.

"We not only need to produce highly knowledgeable human capital, but also useful and good citizens who can contribute something beneficial to society and the country," he said after meeting Student Representative Council (MPP) at University Putra Malaysia (UPM) Serdang, here Monday.

The meeting was attended by about 1,500 representatives from public and private universities, Institut Pendidikan Guru, Polytechnic and Community Colleges throughout the country.

Muhyiddin said after 58 years of Independence, the socio-economic landscape of the country has changed dramatically and to keep up with the rapid changes, Malaysia need to produce highly knowledgeable human capital

"We have already invested heavily on the development of human capital through the education system right from schools to higher learning institutions.

"Recognizing the need to develop the country's education sector in line with global development of education, the ministry is committed to implement international cooperation network in research, training for pre-and in-service trainers, benchmarking programme and mobility of students.

"We cannot depend foreign expertise through experts and expatriates who are in the country to assist in the growth of the country's economy," he said.

He said Malaysia would continue to play an important role in leading the commercialization development, particularly in lifelong learning, entrepreneurship education as well as research and innovation, as a collaborative effort to become a developed nation.

During the meeting, Muhyiddin also handed a RM325 million mock cheque for 1Malaysia Book Vouchers, allocated for 1.3 million students at higher learning institutions throughout the country.