Take children’s education seriously, Awg Tengah tells Malay parents
KUCHING: Malay parents are urged to take their children’s education seriously.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said they have to realise that education is not only the foundation for the development of ummah but also the mother of all successes.
He noted that education will guarantee the Malays a brighter future and make them always relevant as it opens up space for them to improve themselves, their families and communities.
“It is worrying to see the decreasing number of Malay children in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education nowadays.
“The achievement of Malay students in the public examinations also is not satisfactory while at institutions of higher learning, Malay children are more likely to take up courses that are not in demand in the current job market,” he said at the opening ceremony of the 7th Sarawak Malay Culture seminar here yesterday.
The seminar was organised by Amanah Khairat Yayasan Budaya Melayu Sarawak (AKYBMS).
Awang Tengah, who is also Second Minister of Urban Development and Natural Resources, believes that parents’ role is crucial in ensuring their children have a solid foundation in education, starting from primary school to higher level.
He said Malay parents should cultivate in their children a strong sense of courage to take up courses that are related to STEM, adding this would ensure more qualified Malays in professional and technical fields which are in great demand.
On the other hand, he said Malay students should not master Malay only but also other languages, especially English, which is the language of knowledge, technology and commerce.
Awang Tengah also lamented that the achievement of the Malays in the field of small and medium industries ( SMIs) was unsatisfactory although he acknowledged that some had already succeeded in penetrating local and international markets.
He said the Sarawak government had implemented several initiatives to encourage Bumiputera companies to engage in various economic activities such as construction, manufacturing, services, tourism and modern agriculture.
He noted that the government also provided assistance to small and medium enterprises not only in terms of financial assistance but also in capacity building through training, marketing and provision of business premises as well as incubator programme.
“In addition to that, the government is focusing on the development of industrial estates in the urban and rural areas in order to provide employment opportunities to all, including the Malay community, he said.
The Minister of Industrial and Entrepreneur Development also urged the Malays to explore the broader global market, utilising the digital platform in line with the digital economic policy pioneered by the Chief Minister.
He said the community must enhance creativity and innovation as this is the foundation for them to succeed in Industrial Revolution 4.0.