PUTRAJAYA, Dec 14 — Newly-minted Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir will focus on three main components — students, teaching staff and administrators — to propel institutions of higher learning in the country.
He said he and the Higher Education Ministry (KPT) team will, at the same time, continue every existing policy that have been outlined by his predecessor, Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.
“I will be together with the students (and) lecturers because the component in universities is not just one core group but the three, namely students, teaching staff and administrators,” he told reporters after clocking in to symbolise starting his official duty at the KPT, here, today.
His deputy, Datuk Mustapha Sakmud, who has been redesignated from the Human Resources Ministry, also began his first day of official duty today.
On Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s message during the first ministerial meeting yesterday following the Cabinet reshuffle, Zambry said Anwar wanted the ministers to work as a team to develop the country.
“We work as a team not only in the context of ministries but also between ministries, there are matters related to certain assignments that require togetherness in the context between ministries.
“This is very important, especially in the context of education. The concept of higher education is vast, namely in public and private universities, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), polytechnics and so on,” he said.
On Tuesday, Anwar announced the reshuffling of the Cabinet for the first time since the formation of the Unity Government.
It saw an increased number of Cabinet ministers, one minister being dropped, the appearance of corporate and academic figures as new faces and the reemergence of five former ministers.
The reshuffle also witnessed the exchange of portfolios of existing ministers and deputy ministers, including Zambry, who was formerly the foreign minister.
This position is now assumed by Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, while Khaled has been appointed as defence minister.
— Bernama
