Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak today described Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) as an institution that has successfully changed the socioeconomic landscape of the country, especially the fate of the Malays and Bumiputeras.

This follows the many changes constituted by UiTM, formerly known as Institut Teknologi Mara (ITM), as a successful educational institution.

"Today, changes take place and if we want to identify a body, an institution which has become the actual contributor, it is none other than UiTM.

"That's why, to me, as the UMNO President, I have never failed to mention UiTM in my president's policy speech, due to the significance that UiTM was born because of UMNO's struggle," he said today.

He said this when launching the university's 60th anniversary celebration ceremony at the Dewan Agung Tuanku Canselor, UiTM here.

The Prime Minister said the birth of UiTM was close to his heart.

"The founder was none other than my late father, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, who envisoned it as a step in producing intellectuals from among the Malays and bumiputeras."

He added that he was the minister in charge at that time when it was decided that ITM will be transformed into a university.

"On my part, when I was the Education minister, I presented the Mara Act 1999, which was one very meaningful transformation because we lifted ITM up to become a university."

As the government, Najib added, he will continue to support the development of UiTM.