(Miri, 4th) Miri Member of Parliament Chiew Choon Man stated in the parliament that higher education is key to societal development. Although major cities in Sarawak such as Kuching, Sibu, and Bintulu already have public higher education institutions (IPTA), Miri, as the main city in northern Sarawak, still lacks an IPTA campus.
He said that if the government could establish an IPTA campus in Miri, it would benefit not only Miri residents but also those in Limbang, Lawas, Baram, and Sibuti. The presence of an IPTA campus in Miri would open the door to education for thousands of students in northern Sarawak who are currently forced to migrate to other cities at high costs.
"I suggest that the Ministry of Higher Education establishes a strategic partnership between IPTA and existing private institutions in Miri. By leveraging the existing infrastructure and faculty, we can lay the foundation for opening an IPTA campus in Miri at a lower cost."
He also mentioned that Miri has the potential to attract international students from neighboring countries such as Indonesia, China, and India. Through this strategy, not only could higher education be strengthened, but the financial impact of hosting an IPTA in Miri could also be reduced.
"Apart from IPTA, I also want to emphasize the need to establish a polytechnic institute in Miri. Currently, Sarawak has three main polytechnic institutes: Kuching Polytechnic, Mukah Polytechnic, and MetrO Betong Polytechnic. However, residents of northern Sarawak still do not have equal access to vocational and technical education and training opportunities."
He noted that Miri already has a successful and well-performing community college. Upgrading this community college to a polytechnic institute would provide more TVET education opportunities for youth, especially those interested in technical and vocational fields. This initiative would not only improve educational opportunities but also have a significant impact on local economic development through a highly skilled workforce.
"It is reported that Sarawak had 35,885 SPM graduates in 2023. Based on population ratio estimates, there are nearly 10,000 SPM graduates in the northern Sarawak region from Lawas to Bintulu. In fact, we need to provide higher education opportunities to residents in this region through the academic stream of IPTA or the TVET stream of polytechnic institutes."
He also said that with the presence of IPTA and polytechnic institutes in Miri, students from rural and inland areas would not need to travel far, thus making higher education more accessible. Higher education and vocational technical education and training would cultivate a generation of highly skilled individuals to meet the needs of local industries and attract new investments to the area.
"Miri has great potential to become a higher education hub for the people of Sarawak. With the existence of another public political university, Miri could not only become the focus for Sarawak students but also for students from all over Malaysia and neighboring countries."
He continued by saying that with cooperation and commitment from all parties, he is confident that this dream can be realized. For a better future for Miri and the whole of Sarawak, he urges the Ministry of Higher Education to fully support this initiative.
"I suggest that the Ministry of Higher Education establishes a strategic partnership between IPTA and existing private institutions in Miri. By leveraging the existing infrastructure and faculty, we can lay the foundation for opening an IPTA campus in Miri at a lower cost."
He also mentioned that Miri has the potential to attract international students from neighboring countries such as Indonesia, China, and India. Through this strategy, not only could higher education be strengthened, but the financial impact of hosting an IPTA in Miri could also be reduced.
"Apart from IPTA, I also want to emphasize the need to establish a polytechnic institute in Miri. Currently, Sarawak has three main polytechnic institutes: Kuching Polytechnic, Mukah Polytechnic, and MetrO Betong Polytechnic. However, residents of northern Sarawak still do not have equal access to vocational and technical education and training opportunities."
He noted that Miri already has a successful and well-performing community college. Upgrading this community college to a polytechnic institute would provide more TVET education opportunities for youth, especially those interested in technical and vocational fields. This initiative would not only improve educational opportunities but also have a significant impact on local economic development through a highly skilled workforce.
"It is reported that Sarawak had 35,885 SPM graduates in 2023. Based on population ratio estimates, there are nearly 10,000 SPM graduates in the northern Sarawak region from Lawas to Bintulu. In fact, we need to provide higher education opportunities to residents in this region through the academic stream of IPTA or the TVET stream of polytechnic institutes."
He also said that with the presence of IPTA and polytechnic institutes in Miri, students from rural and inland areas would not need to travel far, thus making higher education more accessible. Higher education and vocational technical education and training would cultivate a generation of highly skilled individuals to meet the needs of local industries and attract new investments to the area.
"Miri has great potential to become a higher education hub for the people of Sarawak. With the existence of another public political university, Miri could not only become the focus for Sarawak students but also for students from all over Malaysia and neighboring countries."
He continued by saying that with cooperation and commitment from all parties, he is confident that this dream can be realized. For a better future for Miri and the whole of Sarawak, he urges the Ministry of Higher Education to fully support this initiative.