1. I had often wondered why university towns like Cambridge and Oxford do not develop in Malaysia after we build universities in places far from the towns.
2. After much study and thinking things over I have concluded that it is because universities, particularly Government universities, build all the shops within the campus and probably operate them as well. The residences for the students and staff are all built by the University.
3. Developers find no opportunity for developing the surrounding land through building shops and residences for staff and students. There will only be university campuses and no university towns.
4. Universities can be catalysts for new growth areas. That was how Cambridge and Oxford towns were founded. With clever planning these university towns can be very attractive and can attract visitors, especially relatives of the students coming to visit them.
5. Maybe those in charge of university funding and development should think about this.
Dear Tun,
We should look at Putra Nilai, especially the area around INTI International University. The place are booming around this area, which was previously known only for Palm Oil plantation…
Salam Tun,
What I can see on Cambridge are the uni manage to attract some of very influent companies to open their base there, escpecially or offcourse high end engineering & IT companies. I believed this is happen because the uni itself have thier own valuable asset which is bright student and bright idea that can be comercialized. I have to admit that thier culture is totally different to ours in term of how to use the knowledge for the development of community surround.
Hi Tun,
I had witnessed how easily people could gather around some landmark places in Oxford, for peaceful demonstrations, sometimes not even for their own sake, but for the sake of others.
Perhaps it is time for us to look into this matter, and to introduce an additional channel for the young people in Malaysia to voice out their opinions. The young people, when they grow up, know only one channel to express their frustration: the votes.
So, if we are unfair in our educational system, where do you think they will show their “appreciation” later, when they grow up?
Dear Tun,
Even the air in Oxford IS different. I breathe an air of freedom, in term of expression, creativity and even the surroundings.
One simple thing to point out: FENCES and SECURITY.
I went to UM, feeling like going to prison. Went to USM, they even asked for student card to be hanged on the neck.
Can a town be developed when there’s fences to separate those who feel superior to the surrounding people of kampung pakcik and makcik?
Salam Tun.
This is a great topic to discuss because the central issue is not about academia or academic administration; it is about urban design, specifically, place making principles in urban design. The academia is a major occupant but, when urban planning principles come to mind, they are merely incidental.
College town grows not because of the college per se, it’s because the urban designer has taken to task to build a township first; and that means designing around streets and squares, pathways and parkways to be filled with blocks of commercial and residential buildings of various grain WITH the college acting as the ‘anchor’.
In Malaysia, for obvious reasons of security, the land code and common town planning practices PLUS a general insensitivities and indifference to fundamentals of urban design, the powers-that-be insist on doing the easy way out:- and that is to demand for a gated campus. When academia is ‘compounded’inside a fenced surrounding, thanks to these insensibilities, it is only common sense that the whole outcome will result in a sterile surrounding of only a single-use building zone. It’s pretty obvious no VC would entertain a Marks and Spencer (or for that matter, a Mydin) to set up shop in campus, let alone for Mydin to come and set up shop in a compounded fenced area. There is just not enough consumer catchment area.
It will take a while for the brains behind academia to figure out and adhere and subsequently implement urban planning principles into the building of campus towns. They need to deconstruct the very notion of ‘compound’ and get architects and urban designers (NOT TOWN PLANNERS!!) to factor in the place making principles in the design.
If you want a college town, you don’t design a college; you design a town.
Zaf
nie berita dalam metro hari ini
59 IPTS sudah henti operasi
Oleh Yusliza Yakimir Abd Talib
[email protected] TIDAK berdaya maju antara punca 59 Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Swasta (IPTS) dibatalkan kelulusan penubuhan manakala 29 dibatalkan pendaftaran oleh Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi dalam tempoh 2009 hingga 2010.
Timbalan Menterinya, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (gambar) berkata, tindakan itu diambil berikutan IPTS berkenaan tidak mampu menyediakan perkhidmatan berkualiti dalam aspek kawalan seperti kualiti program, premis, pengurusan dan governan, tenaga pengajar dan kemudahan pengajaran dan pembelajaran.
âApabila dibatalkan penubuhan bermakna IPTS tidak lagi boleh beroperasi sama sekali manakala dibatalkan pendaftaran masih boleh beroperasi tapi ada beberapa hukuman atau pembetulan yang perlu dilaksanakan.
âBagaimanapun, ini adalah tindakan yang dikenakan kepada kolej yang bukan berstatus universiti, kolej universiti dan kampus cawangan universiti luar negara,â katanya di sesi soal jawab di Dewan Rakyat, semalam.
Beliau berkata demikian menjawab soalan Mohd Nasir Zakaria (PAS-Padang Terap) mengenai bilangan universiti dan kolej swasta selain peruntukan geran kepada IPTS.
Saifuddin berkata, sebanyak 485 IPTS termasuk 49 bertaraf universiti, kolej universiti serta kampus cawangan luar negara dengan 541,629 pelajar yang berdaftar sehingga 31 Januari lalu.
Mengenai permohonan pembiayaan di bawah Skim Geran Penyelidikan Asas (FRGS) dari Kementerian Pengajian Tinggi, beliau berkata sebanyak 254 projek penyelidikan yang membabitkan keseluruhan peruntukan sebanyak RM11.5 juta diluluskan kepada 22 universiti swasta, kolej universiti swasta serta universiti cawangan luar negara hingga tahun lalu.
Katanya, tiga universiti swasta berstatus syarikat berkaitan kerajaan (GLC) iaitu Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten), Universiti Multimedia (MMU) dan Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) mendapat peruntukan FRGS sebanyak RM1.4 juta untuk membiayai 30 projek penyelidikan.
Menurutnya, sebanyak 224 projek penyelidikan diluluskan pada tahun lalu kepada 22 universiti swasta, kolej universiti swasta serta universiti cawangan luar negara dengan membabitkan keseluruhan peruntukan sebanyak RM10.1 juta.
Mengulas lanjut, Saifuddin berkata, kerajaan merancang untuk menambah bilangan pengambilan penuntut luar negara dengan memberi keutamaan kepada mereka yang mendapat tajaan dan biasiswa
Dear Sir and fellow Che Det bloggers,
We should not compare ourselves apple to apple with those in UK and USA, where walking within campus is fun (try to do that in UPM), library is so inviting, and the whole university is learning conducive. I canât imagine UMâs VC office located next to the barber or the library on top of a supermarket. When the MU students have another demonstration the barber has to close his shop and library will have to clean up from the mess with drinks and foods and what have you. Give another100 years or so when the Malaysian student mindset has matured then maybe the barber can has his shop next to the VC office.
Face it, the situation here is far from intellectually stable to allow good mixing like in Europe and North America. The UKM students had demonstrated over the issue of parking their motorcycles, and in spite of the security at all points of entry, there are cases of thefts of cars and properties, robberies at the banks, and staff caught tangkap basah, some of which involved the security people themselves.
I for one had been against the high security at university gates. To me itâs just plain ugly. But the moment you open up, then the ice cream peddler will go in singing âmat koolâ¦..mat koolâ¦.â, the kacang puteh fellow will go in, not to mention the nasi lemak, satay, yong tau foo, surat khabar lama, credit card credit card, and all the Malay girl students will run away to Bangladesh and Lombok with their âjejaka idamanâ contractor workers in no time, and Chinese male students all will get stuck with the China dolls from the many university urut houses. Well, you get the idea.
On the serious side however, many campus-based universities had seen growth of their surrounding areas, and I think UKM Bangi is a good example, albeit late by 35 years, and Nilai is now springing up with shopping zones along with the many private institutions of higher learning.
Whatâs obviously missing here is the âintellectual-businessâ. What has surfaced around MIT and Harvard at Boston, or UC Berkeley or Stanford in California and U of London, Oxford and Cambridge are all kinds of business premises that were started by their students and graduates â from softwares to hardwares, ITs, engineering and architectural firms, law firms, and even production houses, designs, fashions, publishing houses etc. That has not happened to a worthwhile mention in Bangi, Nilai, Sintok or anywhere in Malaysia where there are universities.
Yes time is a factor, but the local authorities have to open their mindset to encourage and harbour these âintellectual-basedâ businesses. We cannot judge the growth of university towns by the number of 24-hour mamak stalls and 7-Eleven shops.
That means town planning in these university places cannot be based 100% on the so called market forces, leaving new shops to be bought over by speculators and âsell anything you wantâ. As far as I know, even JPBD (Jabatan Perancang Bandar dan Desa) doesnot even have specific guidelines for the development of university towns. Even Shah Alam just âgrewâ and âgrewâ, with no authority-driven designated âintellectual businessâ premises to cater to the ITM graduates to open up businesses . So you will find a professional Consultantsâ office in Shah Alam is on top of a mamak 24-hour stall. In many other places the law firms spring out like mushrooms on top of any shop â hardware, cuci kereta, repair kereta, kedai ikan basah, kedai urut etc. But where is the new incubator techno-lab? Research companies? Design houses? Music/theatre studies? Go to Perth and Adelaide and see how these graduate conceived companies grew from the universities there.
Obviously the government has to come in and provide the political will and strict guidelines to promote, enhance and support the growth of knowledge-based productions or intellectual businesses which can be started by our own university graduates, and gradually over time build up the business centres where the university and private sector can do business together.
Which brings me up to another troubling matter, namely the openness and readiness of the university academic and admin community to the business world. Somehow, based on my own experience, these people are not up to it yet. Very often they are not pro-business, but anti-business. That, I am afraid, is a long long story, too long for this blog. Give them another 100 years.
Salam Tun.
A huge wall or barrier exists within the confines of most higher institutions in Malaysia. When decisions to move forward were the order, not all of the officers seem to instill full-hearted & coordinated effort towards achieving their end results. Case of too many cooks spoil the broth.
Whenever a senior post is up for grabs, office politicking and back stabbing activities will be the order of the day. Finally when the dust has settled, the vanquished don’t feel any guilt and still maintains his rebellious conduct.
Many Malay lecturers think they belong to the elite highly qualified and smart group, the narrow minded ‘know all & all correct’ attitude reminiscent of the PAS tok guru(?). They’ll never listen and/or agree to reasoning that they are the product of NEP’s quota system!
When that MU law faculty moron Azmi Sharom made the most uncalled-for sweeping statement about Dr. M, he inadvertently invites others to include the word moron when referring to him! MU only said “no comment”. Later when this Azmi moron was caught in the company of Barry ‘the teetotaller’ Wine (oops Wain) during a ‘morons only’ seminar at MU, the MU administration politely remarked “we’ll ADVISE them not to do it again”!!!
I dearly hope DPM Muhyiddin has zero tolerance on indiscpline at tertiary level institutions of learning. Maybe Dr. M’s utopia on Malaysian university townships can be realised.
Dearest YAB Tun,
I studied for my bachelorâs degree at a university in US, and itâs a TRUE UNIVERSITY TOWN (College Town). Itâs one of the oldest and largest state universities in the US â built in the 18th century; old buildings (Federal, Classical & Antebellum architectures), but well-maintained & look amazing.
I like shopping (& window shopping); so in between my classes, I would go to the downtown, which is situated just across the road from one of the entrances (arch â North Campus) to the university.
In fact, I used to stay in an apartment building (walking distance to the University), and I was shocked (saya berasal dari kampong) to find a nightclub/bar next to the apartment building (could hear the music/noise, especially during weekends). Nasib baik saya tidak terkena KEJUTAN BUDAYA sebab ada pelajar-pelajar Malaysia yang datang dari kampong (tiba-tiba berada di US) yang terpengaruh dengan budaya di sana & jadi lupa diri.
Thanks Tun for bringing up this topic â very interesting.
** May Allah SWT bless Tun & family **
Assalamualaikum Tun,
Cadangan Tun tu memang bijak dan terbaek…..
Tapi mungkin kita lupa dewasa ini universiti dan kolej tumbuh melacak seperti cendawan yang tumbuh selepas ari hujan.
Pernah kan kita memantau universiti atau kolej ini, kemana tahap pendidikan nya atau lebih bermotifkan wang atau keuntungan.
Kalau kita lihat Mat – mat Negro, niger yang datang untuk belajar ke negara kita betul ke depa ni nak belajar atau saja nak buat black money ataupun nak berniaga dadah…..
Saya rasa kalau kita lihat mereka nie lebih berminat untuk membuat jenayah daripada belajar, pernah tak kita lihat siapa di belakang mereka ini, adakah mereka nie betul – betul ada wang untuk belajar….
contoh di kepong, cheras, chow kit dah penuh dengan mat negro nie dahlah tak hormat orang, biadap pulak tu…..
pernah tak kerajaan kita kaji jangan sampai dah penuh mat negro dan banyak jenayah baru kita nak buka mata…………apa kehenya…..
Renung – renungkan alah
Dear Tun,
I want to repeat what I commented in your blog a few months ago which I think is still relevent in this new article of yours :
If I were the Prime Minister I would convert Langkawi as an international centre for higher learning to cater for students in the Far East. The govt. should invite a well known foreign university to set up branch campus in Langkawi. Langkawi could be the Oxford or Cambridge of the East having conducive place for study with good infrastructure for outdoor recreation and sports facilities for students. You just imagine if the universty could enroll 10000 student population, the amount of spin off economic activities generated by these students would be enormous indeed. Just take RM1000 per student spending for lodging, food, clothig etc. it would generate 10 million ringgit of sales turnover for Langkawi island each month. In addition, you could expect at least 10% of their parents coming to visit their children every term break for holidays.
Tahniah Tun ini adalah satu idea yang bagus dan patut dibuat di Negara ini demi untuk RAKYAT Malaysia. Sepatutnya setiap institusi pengajian yang ingin dibangunkan perlu dibuat kajian yang terperinci tetapi apa yang berlaku sekarang ternyata TIDAK dibuat kajian dengan teliti. Contohnya Institusi Kemahiran disekitar Utara Johor dan Melaka (ILP Ledang, ILP Melaka, ADETC Melaka, IKBN Chembong, Kolej Komuniti dan banyak lagi)dibangunkan dengan terlalu banyak institusi disatu satu kawasan sehingga institusi tersebut menghadapi masalah kekurangan pelajar. Bukankah baik jika inya dibangun di satu kawasan baru dan dalam masa yang sama bandar baru boleh diwujudkan. Buangkanlah kepentingan politik demi kemajuan bangsa MALAYSIA
Thanks
Dear Tun,
Bukan tak ada lansung Tun. Beberapa Univ telah menjadi catalyst kepada pertumbuhan beberapa tempat – UKM & Bangi, UPM & Serdang, UiTM & Shah Alam. Kemungkinan identiti univ. town telah hilang apabila bandar2 tersebut telah berkembang lebih pesat dari pertambahan warga univ., dan ekonomi setempat telah kurang bergantung kepada permintaan dan perbelanjaan dari univ.
We can go a step ahead by building transportation networks linking the universities. As a start the proposed lrt/commuter train from Kajang to Sg Buloh could be extended to link UKM & UPM with UIA & UiTM. That could facilitate the sharing of academic staff(besides through the electronics media)and encourage cross-registration between universities.
bijaksana Tun..jom teroka idea ini
dulu,ada mcD nak masuk meniaga dalam UM,malangnya dibantah, kena tuduh bawa anasir penjajah,maka akhirnya UM terselamatlah dari dijajah!!
Assalamualaikum Tun,
1. I think what we have is a different type of town. Township like those of Parit Raja of UTHM is the kind of town growing symbiosisly with the local university/institution. Comparing on an equal scale, fifteen years ago I could even say that Parit Sulong is much more hip than Parit Raja, but now Parit Raja is definitely in a different/better league than Parit Sulong. Let say if UTHM was built in a different location, then I would assume that Parit Raja would not be as vibrant as it is now.
2. This type of Malaysian town universities does catalyse the local economy growth termendeously but the path they lead is not similar to that iconic type of township of universities such as Cambridge and Oxford.
3. It is quite odd when universities such as UUM and UIA Gombak donât have the same effects. Why? As i am not familiar with those institutions, that is also a question that I would like to know the answer.
4. I had my undergraduate study at one local RU university, and during that time the community around the campus university prosper with the students renting their houses, eat and socialise at local junctions such as mamak stalls, restaurants, etc. But, few years ago the university decided to build their own hostels and has been fencing and walling the campus area with security guards and check points. Penalties are given to the students on the case of many occasions (not bringing their matric card, returning late to the campus, etc). While they seem to be good security/âmoralâ measures, they have dampened the local businesses sales thus in the end you can see much of the surrounding places are not as vibrant as before. Not to mention the deflating house prices and empty âto letâ houses.
5. Back to your suggestion, I agree that the thought of self sustain campus approach by our local universities has created gaps between learning institution, local community, and a real knowledge society.
6. Last weekend, distancely i followed the 157th boat race. Even though it was a race of the Oxbridges, you can see people from other institutions such as IC proudly showing their legion with the apparels on their skins. The culture of knowledge and the pride of belonging to a knowledge institution in the society could be seen. This is the thing that we lack of.
7. The university buildings of Oxford and Cambridge are built scattered around their city which can be categorised as city universities. Since our universities are not city universities but were built on as a campus style universities, (as you said) we need to bring the community/business into the campus.
8. To strengthen that, the key knowledge generation in the campus need to be strong to be proud of. This responsibility should be put on the shoulders of the academicians within the institution. To achieve what Oxbridges achieved in centuries is farfetch but those recognitions are not so distance as it has been proved by the neighboured NUS.
9. Another factor in achieving that is by bringing businesses research facilities into the campus (literally). This has been known successful in institutions such as the MIT and Nottingham Univ. What I mean is a proper research center such as the Boots pharmaceutical center within the Nottingham university campus, not just spin-off companies generated by the university itself (which is the current culture of Malaysian universities).
10. Retail businesses in the campus should be liberated. Condusive informal discussion cum drinks hotspots should be encouraged. Oxbridges do have their bars and coffee shops (which now being americanised with starbucks); on different settings, tailoring that to our society, we could have mamak stalls and kopitiam with those environment (and as I can see McD/starbucks might be our version of americanisation).
11. We (Malaysian) have been nurtured in a âfactoryâ settings and Malaysians mindset has been squared to prioritise fast output (capital gains). You earn your degree as fast as possible; by 21 you should find a good job and follow the money trails (only readmitting yourself into the education stream if it will be benefiting your capital gains). To remould the square to different type of shapes is quite difficult as it should have been addressed from the earliest education foundations. The proposition of removing PMR and UPSR is a good start in generating a knowledge society rather than a capitalistic society. Once individuals are supported to mould themselves by their interests and what they are best at rather than what they are told to do/where the money leads, the achievement bars can be diverted (insyaAllah) from the scale of ringgits gain to the scale of satisfaction (This do gain more capitals in the long run).
12. There is no doubt that there are national targets of number of engineers, doctors, and professionals required by the nation, but while achieving those targets, parallelly these new breeds of different shapes of squares, circles and different-angles could be the individuals that would fill up the top education institutions and generate the knowledge society.
13. These are just some of my thoughts in achieving an ideal university town and its society, by those thoughts I am absolutely agree that the people incharge should look into this matter thoroughly.
Hello Tun,
John Mansfield here. What a good idea. Using education as a tool for growth!
As adviser to both Lotus and Petronas you have the influence to make this kind of thing happen.
The quality of education is not a problem. I bet both local Universities and foreign would jump at the chance to participate in a joint venture between Lotus/Proton Motorsports, and Petronas sponsorship of the project, with educational support from their educational (University) arm.
Most CEO’s seem to be empowered to say NO to radical yet sustainable ideas. Some are good at losing money consistently in their area of expertise, and feel uncomfortable venturing into a new area and lose money there as well.
Please throw your support behind MOTORSPORT UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA It needs a visionary with the testicular fortitude to follow through and secure the deep pockets required to make it happen.
Your the Man Tun. Make it happen!
Assalamualaikum wr wb,
Dear Malaysians,
There is a new book just published last month titled, Islam’s Quantum Question by Nidhal Guessoum who is a Professor of Astrophysics in the UAE. It is an excellent book that deals with the issue of Islam and Modern Science. I strongly encourage all Malaysian Muslims to read that book. The book shows that there is NO conflict between Islam and Modern Science. The author is even able to show that Darwinian Evolution is consistent with Islam. Finally the book strongly urges Muslims to excel in Science. Please read it to understand what I have always been urging for regarding Science in Malaysia.
Wassalam and Best Regards
Dr Syed Alwi Bin Ahmad (Alsree)
salam Tun,
Saya dah baca serba sedikit buku Tun yg baru and saya juga telah postkan dlm wall FB agar semua rumah ada satu buku ini.
Saya mintak Tun tulis di dlm chedet ini ruangan berkenaan Anwar Ibrahim.
Sukar bagi ramai lagi nak percaya, saya tak faham dengan pendedahan video seks terbaru ni pun masih ramai yg sibuk suruh tangkap Rahim tambicik, wal hal mereka yg mahukkan kebenaran mahu di siasat,
Apakah mereka mereka ini masih taksub dengan Anwar? Kalau nak di fikirkan kenapa Tun yg nak menganiya Anwar sedangkan Tun dah tua and dah tentu seorang yg usianya dah menjangkau atau mendekati alam kubur tidak mahu berbuat dosa dgn memfitnah orang,
Kenapa masih ramai lagi, ok, katalah Tun mengenakan dia, Takkan Najib pun sama, Habis orang ini gunakkan senjata yg sama dari dulu, semua orang tak betul dia seorang je betul.
Sepatutnya Saiful pun rakam semua perbuatan Anwar,
Bila dah ada rakaman pun ada yg tukar cerita kononnya salah merakam, tangkap org tu la.
Pelik tapi hakikatnya inilah dia manusia, tak mahu berfikir dan jadikkan diri tu neutral and buat keputusan.
salam 1malayia Tun.
1. Isu ini, saya amat setuju dengan pandangan TUN. Saya lihat dari pandangan saya, kebanyakan universiti di Malaysia tidak mempunyai “town’ mcm di luar negara kerana kat luar universiti banyak gerai dah TUN.
2. Ada juga pembinaan universiti telah membangunan bandar yang sedia ada contoh muazam shah pahang, lumut adan sebagainya. Tapi bukan la sepesat pembangunan di luar negara TUN
3. Prof-prof yang ada dekat universiti hanya mengajar bukan untuk berfikir tentang pembangunan. Pembangunan dilakukan oleh perangcang bandar.
4. Tun saya ingin bertanya tentang Isu pentadbiran negara yang diterajui oleh golongan PTD. Banyak saya lihat di kementerian atau PBT yang PTD berjawatan besar (sekarang org muda= amat bagus) tapi tidak mempunyai ilmu. Banyak tak tahu dari tahu. Mohon Tun kalau boleh kupaskan isu ini
Ribuan terima kasih
-khalid-
/// By ampangsnoop on March 29, 2011 10:39 AM
In Cambridge and Oxford, they say, “Town and Gown Meet.”
In those days, students had to wear gown whenever they attend a lecture or any important University function. You could see students in gowns all over the town, because the lecture halls were scattered around the town.
I can still remember Cambridge, during my time as a student there, about forty years ago, where you could not distinguish Cambridge as a town from Cambridge as a university campus. The two are mixed and intertwined.
I remember a lecture hall that was situated above a pub. My favourite barber shop was besides a geology lab. The Student Record Office was above Marks & Spencer. ///
Hi ampangsnoop – yes, indeed. I was a student there about thirty years ago. By then, it was more of a “town versus gown” rather than “town and gown meet”. The town folks, especially the young punks, were beginning to be envious of the lifestyle of the students. There were sporadic clashes. Students wearing gowns were beginning to look like waving red capes at the bulls – so much so that the wearing of gowns was only required during important university functions, exams and formal dinners.
Assalamualaikum WBT YABhg Tun,
1. Masih tiada komen walau entry ini dipost semalam. Kerana komen masih dimoderatekah? atau memang tiada siapa yang menghantar komenkah? Mungkinkah pembaca blog Tun majoritinya terdiri daripada mereka yang minat dalam politik sahaja? Apapun, saya suka topik ini.
2. Saya tidak pasti, apa yang tidak kena dan di mana silapnya atau mungkin tiada apa-apa yang silap kerana begitulah sepatutnya sesuatu keaddan itu pada masa tertentu dan di dalam keadaan tertentu. Pada pendapat saya, pada masa ini Kerajaan Malaysia terlalu terlibat di dalam pembangunan sesuatu perkara yang pada hakikatnya peranan tersebut boleh dimainkan oleh pihak swasta atau NGO.
3. Contoh yang Tun berikan merupakan contoh klasik. Kalau dahulu mungkin tiada masalah untuk Kerajaan membangunkan sebuah universiti dan segala infranya kerana isu kurang/tiada kapasiti dan kurang/tiada pihak yang bersedia menjalankan kerja-kerja pembangunan tersebut. Kini, keadaan jelas telah berubah. Pihak swasta dan NGO telah mempunyai kapasiti. Biarkan mereka yang mengambil peranan untuk membangunkan infrastruktur sokongan kepada sebuah universiti. Di pihak Kerajaan,tumpukan kepada pembangunan infrastruktur utama sebuah universiti dan penggubalan serta kawal selia polisi dan dan dasar yang baik. Hasilnya, duit Kerajaan yang dijimatkan boleh disalurkan untuk perkara-perkara yang lebih utama dan diperlukan.
4. Yang menjadi kepelikan pada diri saya adalah apabila saya tidak melihat ini berlaku. Samada kerana pihak Kerajaan terlepas pandangkah akan isu ini atau kerana ada pihak teretntu dalam Kerajaan yang suka keadaan sebegini kerana ingin mengawal peruntukan dan perolehan bagi tujuan pembangunan tersebutkah atau memang itulah cara terbaik sesuatu pembangunan dilaksanakan?
5. Sekiranya Kerajaan berhasrat melihat pihak swasta mahupun rakyat lebih berdaya maju, kreatif dan berdaya saing, bolehlah dikaji semula penglibatan Kerajaan dalam sesuatu pembangunan.
6. Contoh lain yang saya ingin kongsikan adalah penubuhan makmal komputer oleh Kerajaan termasuk tenaga pengajarnya. Dengan bilangan graduan dalam bidang ICT yang melambak di pasaran dan geran usahawan yang sedia ada, tidak bolehkah Kerajaan menyerahkan penubuhan makmal komputer dan pengoperasiannya kepada pihak swasta baik individu mahupun NGO? Kenapa perlu Kerajaan berhabis-habisan duit melaksanakan perkara ini? Hakikatnya telah ada pihak swasta yang telah menubuhkan makmal komputer di sekolah dengan perbelanjaan sendiri sebelum Kerajaan memutuskan untuk mempunyai makmal sendiri atas perbelanjaan Kerajaan.
7. Dalam keadaan kewangan negara yang tidaklah sekukuh mana ditambah pula kedudukan sosio-ekonomi rakyat yang semakin tertekan, dapatlah kiranya Kerajaan mengkaji mengenai perkara ini dan gunakan pendekatan pelaksanaan yang lebih mesra rakyat dan jangan pula semua perkara apabila melibatkan pihak swasta di economy of scale kan kepada glc dan kroni tertentu.
Sekian.
Dear Tun,
This is a brilliant reminder to ponder. I will start throwing this in AFRICA namely Kenya, Sudan and and South Sudan
Dear Tun,
This is a brilliant reminder to ponder. I will start throwing this in AFRICA namely Kenya, Sudan and and South Sudan
Interesting!!!!….
Askm Tun,
Pihak yg berkuasa ini semua kena ketok baru jalan. Tak suka nak pening2 kepala. Kalau Tun tak tubuhkan Proton dulu, tak pasti yg kita dapat perhati hasil yg tercapai sekarang. Semuanya bergantung kpd kualiti kepimpinan. Ahli politik sibuk berpolitik dan pegawai2 kerajaan tunggu arahan..terima arahan baru nak buat. Slogan “Yang menurut perentah” patut dibuang terus ke dalam bakul sampah. Slogan ” Malaysia Bolih” juga positif dan telah nampaknya hasil. Slogan ” 1Malaysia” ni pula bagus juga tapi dah nampak timbul banyak masalah. Kalau tak diuruskan dgn bijaksana, rakyat akan berpecah belah. DSN is walking on thin ice. Kita semua doakanlah semuga Allah memberi beliau pentunjuk, kekuatan fikiran yg bijaksana dlm mentadbir negara….ameeen
Dearest Tun
1-Sintok did not become the kind of township you expect it to be, right?
2-And I think there are many other things you have done in Kedah that have disappointed you.Lake Pedu is a disaster.Langkawi too for the kind of federal money and federal effort(you belong to the federal as you are not the Kedah MB)that have been invested is actually a failure.You know that it is a failure because even during school holidays you can get rooms easily.
2-You have made Kedah look like an oil-rich state when you know padi planting is more an expense than it is an income.Aluq Setaq has a feel of a big city because of its overly big roads esp the highway linking Aloq Setaq with the airport that is not compatible with the traffic using it.Perhaps Tun you were only preparing for the vision of the future of this beloved city of yours.I think even the progress of Aloq Setaq dissappointed you too.This was the reason you suddenly decided to suggest the shifting of the capital to Langkawi instead?
3-But of course the greatest of your disappointment would definitely be the fact for all you have done for this otherwise poor state,the erecting of that world standard Menara Aloq Setaq,starting the highway linking Gurun and Penang first ,all the things on the legenda island etc,etc,etc,etc the people of Kedah did not appreciate them at all.The Kedah people conveniently chose the opposition instead!You have given the Kedah people too much that they have taken all the things you have given them for granted!
4-So Tun you better make sure the BN will win back the state of Kedah so that we outsiders don’t feel so angry after you have invested billions of our money there.
Thanks Tun
Assalamualaikum Tun.
Walau di universiti mana sekalipun,ada juga terdapat pengetahuan yang tak dapat kita pelajari.Termasuk Oxford atau Cambridge.
Sementelah akhir-akhir ini hebohnya tentang skandal video tak senonoh.
Bila bercerita tentang perkara ini,sebenarnya tak lama dulu saya amat marah kerana dihalang memperihalkan tentang video-video lucah di dalam negara kita.Dihalang kerana salah faham.
Tetapi kemarahan saya itu telah dipadamkan dengan wujudnya Sekolah Harapan.Dengan mengambil kata putus yang tegas terhadap kritikan yang dilemparkan oleh orang ramai.
Sudah tentu bila kita menjadi pemimpin kita tertakluk kepada membuat keputusan berdasarkan maslahah masyarakat dan negara.
Oleh sebab itu,pengajaran yang diperolehi,bila kita terlewat (dengan mengikut hukum) menjadi makmum dalam sembahyang jumaat,kita perlu bersembahyang jumaat dengan 4 rakaat walaupun niat sembahyang jumaat kita adalah 2 rakaat.
Sekarang anda boleh bercakap dengan menggunakan mulut sahaja tanpa menggunakan mata.Wan Azizah pun kata haram tengok video lucah.
Walaubagaimanapun,satu alasan tetap diperlukan untuk diperkatakan lagi tentang video lucah.Agaknya begitulah orang berpolitik.Tiap satu kebaikan perlu dibalas dengan satu kebaikan.
Terima kasih Tun.
Salam
Maybe we should privatize all public universities for development for the campus can be performed easily.
TUN
IT IS MOST APPROPRIATE TO BUILD MALAYSIA OWN UNIVERSITY,
WITH QUALIFIED PEOPLE.OUR WAY,OUR STYLE,OUR LIVES.
MOST IMPORTANT INVITE,PROVIDE SPECIAL BENEFITS FOREIGN QUALIFIED LECTURER,REGARDLESS OF ORIGIN,TO POOL KNOWLEDGE INTO MALAYSIA.
WE NEEN NOT HAVE TO SENT OUR KIDS OUT OF MALAYSIA.
THEY WILL BE CORRUPTED WITH THE UNHYGEINIC VIRUS FROM OUTSIDE,
THAT THEY WILL BRING BACK TO MALAYSIA.
AT HOME THEY WILL BE GUIDED BY FAMILIES,BY MINISTRY,BY OUR VALUED CULTURE.
GET OUTSIDE TALENTS,FROM ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD
TO EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN,KNOWLEDEGE WHICH WE DON,T HAVE.
PROBABALY WE CAN ALSO INVITE,THE SINGAPORE MALAYS,AS THEY ARE MUCH WELL VERSE,IN EDUCATIONS,AND MUCH COORDINATE WITH OUR MALAYS.
OFF ALL THEY ARE SUFFERINGS IN SILENCE THERE.
WE CAN STARTS IN JOHORE,FOR A DIFFERENCE.
TUN,LETS DO IT.
Salam YAB Tun,
Perkara yang diperkatakan ini telah lama diperbincangkan oleh graduan-graduan lepasan oversea terutamanya US graduates pada awal 90’an.
Malah ada yang berpendapat harus diadakan kampus yang terbesar berlokasi di antara sempadan negeri-negeri di Malaysia dan tidak perlulah kolej-kolej dan universiti-universiti berterabur disana-sini.
Malang sekali pada masa itu sesuatu idea amatlah susah untuk dikemukakan kepada pemimpin-pemimpin atasan termasuk PM ketika itu.
Kalau ada sesiapa yang masih berminat untuk mengetahui proposal mengenai UNIVERSITY TOWN seperti apa yang diperkatakan oleh Tun, pergilah cari ‘penghulu’ Taman Melati dan tanyalah pendapat beliau.
Satu daripada kelemahan kita di Malaysia ini pada masa itu adalah susahnya untuk menyampaikan idea-idea untuk diketengahkan dan dipertimbangkan oleh pihak pemerintah dengan berbagai birokrasi.
Wassalam.
Salam Tun
Good morning to you. I am disappointed at MCA willing to haul PAS State Government to court for implementing a state wide ban on the sale of lottery tickets on all races living in the state of Kelantan. Their reasoning is that PAS is arrogant and that PAS must put the Federal law above State law. They also said that PAS should implement to Muslims only and should not implement the ban to non-Muslims. The MCA has been visibly protesting the hudud laws that PAS will implement. So this is the ally that UMNO so very proudly team up with. May I say a few points to both of you, UMNO and MCA:-
1. The state lottery amounts to some sort of “gambling” or “false hope” in that they spend a few ringgit to buy the lottery tickets hoping to become millionaires when the lottery numbers are announced. No one should live like that and any responsible Govt should educate the people on this. You have to work to earn your money and learn to save and budget. Not just throw money away or gamble. It is better for all decent-minded human beings, whether they be Chinese or Malays, PAS members or MCA members, to refrain from gambling and playing this state lottery. Better ban it once and for all. To do this you need a strong-minded, “stubborn” govt like PAS. UMNO will not do it. MCA will not do it. PKR will not do it and DAP will not do it. It is even more disapppointing to have a party like UMNO putting this state lottery under Federal Law. Don’t try to waste rakyat’s time playing lottery or Sports Toto or Magnum 4D. Better for husbands and fathers to save their hard-earned money for the family and for their children’s education in the future. Islam asks us to do this. Islam asks us to stay away from gambling. Gambling will cause misery and misfortune to human beings of any race, not just Malays but to Chinese and Indians too. Not just to Muslims but to non-Muslims too. Any responsibly Govt will consider this and should have banned all this state lottery, Magnum 4D, Sports Toto, Genting. Unfortunately, UMNO and BN is not one of them.
They allow the Chinese to continue gambling because they want their votes. A Chinese who gambles will also lose money and risk family harmony. Why doesn’t UMNO and BN care about this? I support PAS on this one. Ban state lottery from the people of the state of Kelantan. It is just a waste of time and money. There are better ways to spend money for the family then to waste on buying lottery tickets. Hopefully the PAS state government and the state of Kelantan will show a good example for the UMNO and BN government and other non-PAS states to follow, including the PKR and DAP as well!
Tun, you are missing one vital component in your analysis: quality of education. It is the sheer quality of education provided by “university towns” that are a catalyst for change and development. If the universities are of a mediocre quality and international standing, there is little incentive for private developers and others to partake in the expansion of these campuses into fully fledged towns.
Even in Oxbridge, spin-offs from the high calibre academia these places offer can be seen through the number and quality of venture capitalist firms that are based there and working with students/graduates and departments alike. I do not think Malaysia is currently at the stage (at the moment) where its educational can claim such level of pedigree.
I hope this will change with new policies, political will and foresight from visionary leaders.
In Cambridge and Oxford, they say, “Town and Gown Meet.”
In those days, students had to wear gown whenever they attend a lecture or any important University function. You could see students in gowns all over the town, because the lecture halls were scattered around the town.
I can still remember Cambridge, during my time as a student there, about forty years ago, where you could not distinguish Cambridge as a town from Cambridge as a university campus. The two are mixed and intertwined.
I remember a lecture hall that was situated above a pub. My favourite barber shop was besides a geology lab. The Student Record Office was above Marks & Spencer.
When the Government was planning to set up Universiti Kebangsaan, Tun Razak wanted it to be modelled on Cambridge and Oxford’s town and gown meet.
The first site proposed was somewhere in Kuala Kubu Baru. In fact Tun Razak and a large party of officials visited the place and identified a site there. I was on the staff then and was in the party.
Tun Razak made it clear about the policy of Town and Gown Meet.
Later, Datuk Harun Idris, the Mentri Besar of Selangor then, proposed Bangi instead of Kuala Kubu for the site of the Universiti Kebangsaan. Bangi was a new township planned by the Selangor Government then.
Somehow, along the way, the idea of Town and Gown Meet inexplicably disappeared.
I think, it has to do with Malaysian mindset. We always picture, say a Post Office, Clinic, or Police Station as one isolated building, within a fence, away from the public, although the building is supposed to serve the public.
We can never imagine a Post Office to be within a shophouse or shopping complex.
This is the way we think of a university campus: standing alone, isolated from the rest of other development.
Perhaps, because of this mindset that we missed the point in developing Universiti Utara, or even Putrajaya.
I presumed Universiti Utara, was originally intended to be developed within the virgin jungle, the way the British opened up Cameron Highlands and Fraser Hill, in those days.
Sadly, in order to set up the Universiti campus, they flatten the whole jungle.
It was with the same mentality that they planned Putrajaya – each Government Office building, isolated, within a fenced wall, far from everybody.
Putrajaya town is made up of these individual buildings.
As a result, Putrajaya is a ghost town because everybody is in the buildings doing work, and a ghost town at night because everybody has gone home.
If only we had applied the policy of Town and Gown meet for Putrajaya, can we imagine how vibrant the city would be – perhaps the ministry of education is above Marks & Spencer; a barber shop is beside a post office, Trade office above Starbuck and so on.
Alright, the Prime Minister’s office ought to be isolated somewhere. but could be planned in such a way that it is on a side street somewhere like No 10 Downing Street, but within walking distance from the main part of the city.
Ampangsnoop
29.3.2011
The Star March 20, 2011: Ban on lottery within legal rights of the state, says adviser.
Even though a lot of things we do not agree with Kelantan Government. But this time as Muslim we should support them. Put a side all the differences in political ideologies and for the sake of Islam there is no compromise and we must unite. The stand of MCA and DAP should be taken as good example.
Mazai
Assalammualaikum Tun, another big and bright idea again.
Sangat setuju,
cuba juga baca artikel ini
http://shahabudeenjalil.com/2011/03/tun-dr-mahathir-akan-dibunuh-jika/
Pendidikan adalah satu ‘perniagaan’ yang turun temurun dan tidak akan putus sampai bila-bila.
yeah, studying in oxford makes me realise the same thing.. i love the environment here and it will be great if there is such thing in my homeland…
Dearest Tun,
I am glad that you bring out this topic. Besides Oxford and Cambridge, American universities have no fence or gates between campus and the city proper. We can find McDonald restaurants besides the main library. Even the students union facilities are accessible by non-students from the city. If universities are allowed to develop a township in cooperation with developers, it could be the university source of income through rental and sales of houses and shops. In that case the university will slowly become more independent financially without having to depend on the government for its full operational costs. The land-grant universities in the US more or less generate their income through investment of its assets. Maybe high time our government and universities ponder on this issue.
salam,
Dearest Tun,
I am glad that you bring out this topic. Besides Oxford and Cambridge, American universities have no bountries or gates between campus and the city proper. We can find McDonald restaurants besides the main library. Even the students union facilities are accessible by non-students from the city. If universities are allowed to develop a township in cooperation with developers, it could be the university source of income through rental and sales of houses and shops. In that case the university will slowly become more independent fincially without having to depend on the government for its full operational costs. The land-grant universities in the US more or less generate their income through investment of its assets. Maybe high time our government and universities ponder on this issue.
salam,
Salam,
You were once the education minister, then you had 22 long years as Premier of this nation. Why didn’t you think of it then and did something about it. Instead, you were busy doing other mega projects which never benefited the nation in any way. Time to blame someone for it I believe.
Salam bahagia Tun.
I see your point in this. But unfortunately, local universities are not that popular or glamorous like those of the UK or US. Most of our once-legend universities are already in a saturated area. Living cost surrounding the universities were expensive and shop lots are way more expensive comparatively with those of say, Oxford.
To have such a university township, you need to have a housing estate nearby that univ students could take a walk to their rented homes or rooms. It has to be secure as well which is important, as we have heard many horrid stories of TAR students being robbed, hurt, and a student killed.
Like in Oxford univ., the university is aged old and the surrounding towny have become its satelite that provide anything from books to public houses etc. We can see a lot of cosy homes turned dorm that houses univ students., bicycle-way and others.
It is like a neighborhood more than a university park.
Malaysia can do it, if the university is popular enough, and is quite isolated from other major city. Preferably somewhere in the Highlands, where the cool environment is conducive for learning, plus the isolation is good for building up a community.
If the university is located to near a town, the area where is it located will not prosper, and will turn to “death valley” during the semester holidays..
salam bahagia Tun.
UiTM Langkawi
Salam yang dikasihi dan dihormati Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad,
1) I am a UiTM student currently pursuing my masters degree in Computer Science.
2) What I want to share to you is my ambition. The ambition is to turn Langkawi into a university island. I hope UiTM will be the focal point of this.
3) I have been to Langkawi only once, it was in early 2010 and I keep thinking about it ever since. I fell in Love. I love many things about Langkawi. The sun, the beach, the nature and the people.
However, what I think the most is what benefits we will have if UiTM (we) are located there?
4) To answer that question I have arrived to a conclusion that we must look into the socio-political ideals, socio-economics benefits and the prospect of scientific achievements that we will gain if UiTM Langkawi to be realized.
5) If we read the history of the Malay Archipelago, we will find that its people are seafarers. We, especially the Malays, somehow have lost this identity. I think a UiTM in Langkawi will at least make the Malays being experts of the sea and realize your dream to make Malaysia a maritime nation. A maritime nation needs a lot of people with good skills about the sea and currently we don’t have enough institutions to produce such people. A UiTM in Langkawi will certainly help.
6) Geographically, Langkawi is an Island with a size more or less of the size of Singapore and Penang. The only thing lacking is the people to make it prosper. Hence, I believe UiTM could play an important role by being the driving force of the economy in Langkawi along with the tourism industry.
7) I think it is fair to say that many people in Malaysia who live in areas where UiTM have a campus could testify to this. If we look in Shah Alam or perhaps Segamat, we could see positive effects in the local economy directly or indirectly attributed to the presences of UiTM in those areas.
8) The ocean is a mystery and will always be. When we have a constant mysteries that we need to solve, then we need to constantly produce people that could solved the mysteries. We need a lot of them constantly. Being a country with vast areas are the sea and have very long maritime borders make it crucial for Malaysia to have this kind of people. We need a lot of marine biologists, marine engineers, shipping moguls, marine technicians, and even mathematicians who are experts on the sea. If more Malaysians can relate themselves to the sea, it will be better. I think we will be able to do this if UiTM are given the chance to produce them in such relevant place like Langkawi.
9) There are many mysteries of the sea that we must solve. One of them is about the tsunami, Langkawi being an island close to the area that was hit by tsunami not so long ago can be an ideal place to study that particular act of nature and its effects. I know a mathematician in my faculty who has been studying the pattern of water movement of the tsunami who will gladly help to do this. UiTM in Langkawi could also be a place where the pristine nature of the island being studied and the steps to conserve it is being formulated without having to sacrifice the development of the Island.
10) Since I am a Computer Science graduate I believe that in the era of cloud computing, Langkawi could be part of the cloud. Langkawi have the potential since it is a landing site to submarine cables. Hence, it has the potential to be a data recovery center that complements data centers that we already have throughout the Nation. Langkawi could be a potential location to world class data centers and part of high-end content delivery network. Isle of Man could be an example.
11) Computer Scientists are needed in Langkawi not only to cater the potential ideas of having data centers in Langkawi but also to play parts in research. I do believe that every quality researches need to have the assistance of a computer scientist. This may due to the formulation of models and analysis of data. UiTM, especially the faculty where I am from could play part by assisting the researches on the Island. There are no parts in Malaysia that is so pristine and natural yet so accessible other than Langkawi, therefore Langkawi is an ideal subject of research and an ideal place for researchers to stay. UiTM must be there.
12) The next question that we must ask ourselves is what kind of UiTM campus that we want to have on the island and how to build it. I think UiTM must break-away from its policy of having a traditional campus built-up. This is because one of the points of having UiTM in Langkawi is to make the people of UiTM blend with the island and the islanders. Therefore, Tun’s proposal to build a university town is just perfect.
13) We must study how other university town around the world were designed and built. Apart from Oxford and Cambridge, I suggest we also look at St Andrews since it is located by the sea.
14) UiTM Langkawi should be developed not by one big contractor but by small and medium size contractors. What the government should do is to provide land to UiTM and let UiTM partitioned the area to numerous local (Langkawi) contractors. Different contractors for different jobs. Hence one contractor will build the hall, while others will build other facilities.
15) However, ultimately the whole project must be managed by UiTM since this will be a challenging task to do logistically and UiTM must ensure that the environment will not be harmed. I am sure we have many people from many related faculties in UiTM itching to be part of the development process and I am sure many papers will be published due to this.
16) The location requires alterations. We must add a few things, we must remove a few things and we must also preserve good qualities that we have. Such addition would be the creation of the Faculty of Marine. The purpose of this faculty is to binds all the knowledge required to create skillful people of the sea. We could emulate Akedemi Laut Malaysia (ALAM) but have added values in the curriculum. We must also make sure that every UiTM Langkawi student fell in love with the island and be responsible to it. To do that each program such as computer science or any other programs like Medic or Engineering must have at least one paper relating to the skills of the sea and the environment each semester. It would be pointless if these kind of courses not being taught to UiTM Langkawi students.
17) What we must remove in UiTM Langkawi is any bit of indifference in our heart, which we the members of UiTM have towards the public. I am not saying that UiTM is not caring enough, but what I am saying is that we must care more than any other institutions. We must bind to the society so close so that in whatever we do, the benefits of the public will be number one.
18) One of the things that we must preserve is the fact that UiTM is a multidisciplinary institution. Hence we must have many faculties in UiTM Langkawi. Knowledge is a band of one. But we human need to dissect it because it is too large to comprehend. If we only have a marine faculty there, it will be pointless in the spirit of knowledge and less type of people will be enlightened by the charms of Langkawi. We also need many kinds of expertise in order to give back to Langkawi.
19) UiTM must also have its own facilities such as UiTM Hotel, hospital, aviation center, theaters, shopping malls and other facilities that will benefit the students and the public. A UiTM hotel in Langkawi like those we have in Dungun and Shah Alam will boost the standard of UiTM hotel, catering and tourism students since it will be located at a world class tourism destination and therefore they will have to provide world class services to international guests. A Mosque should be number One.
20) In return of UiTM Langkawi, UiTM must always be thankful by providing the public with some kind of beneficial services like providing courses to young kids about the skills needed on the sea, or perhaps how to navigate small wind-powered vessels. UiTM could also maintain a cheap public marina or jetty so that the people of this nation will have cheaper means to appreciate the sea. UiTM students will also benefit by this since it will be maintained by them.
21) The development of UiTM Langkawi will not be cheap. The location is very challenging. Therefore careful planning must be done and the best process must be used. As I have mentioned before the best project leader should be UiTM. This is because UiTM do not have any financial benefits if this project comes to life. Therefore UiTM will ensure that the project will be done at the lowest possible cost.
22) Contractors may resort to Private Finance Initiative (PFI) to finance this project. Small contractors may require government or financial institutions assistance. With the current economic growth and the birth rate, this project is feasible and eminent at the first instance.
23) Lastly I must say that I must say I am not a spoke-person of UiTM. I am just a tiny computer science graduate student. Maybe this idea has been considered or this suggestion has outdated facts. I don’t know. However, I do believe that I must present this idea here since I think it is a good idea. I may be wrong. There is no person better to forward this idea but to you since I believe you are the patron of Langkawi. The Federal and State Government must seriously consider this idea and I think we in UiTM must be prepared to embark in very serious and challenging adventures which are not only to build UiTM in Langkawi but also to create new cultures and technologies to our future generations.
Wassalam
Ahmad Farihan Bin Azman
SETUJU!!
…dalam zaman ekonomi mencabar nie, setiap lapisan masyarakat wajar lebih creative dalam aspek penjanaan sumber ekonomi baru.. termasuk pembukaan bandar2 baru… supaya pembangunan lebih adil & bukan hanya tertumpu pada satu kawasan sahaja…
Contohnya, dalam buku memoir Tun, ada menyebut justification untuk pembangunan system rel keretapi dari utara & selatan. Jika difikirkan, projek rel keretapi nie lebih berdaya maju dr system MRT yg dirancang oleh pihak kerajaan. System MRT hanya tertumpu di kawasan KL, tp projek rel keretapi menjalar ke seluruh malaysia. Maka, sudah pasti lebih untung. Kos MRT yg mencecah 50 Billion seperti tidak munasabah, saya fikir lebih baik buka bandar baru with system pengangkutan yg canggih, dari melengkapkan Kl with new transport system.
…Maybe those in charge of MRT & Greater KL projects should think about this tooo… =)))
SEMOGA MALAYSIA terus MAJU JAYA!!!
Ameen!
SETUJU!!
…dalam zaman ekonomi mencabar nie, setiap lapisan masyarakat wajar lebih creative dalam aspek penjanaan sumber ekonomi baru.. termasuk pembukaan bandar2 baru… supaya pembangunan lebih adil & bukan hanya tertumpu pada satu kawasan sahaja…
Contohnya, dalam buku memoir Tun, ada menyebut justification untuk pembangunan system rel keretapi dari utara & selatan. Jika difikirkan, projek rel keretapi nie lebih berdaya maju dr system MRT yg dirancang oleh pihak kerajaan. System MRT hanya tertumpu di kawasan KL, tp projek rel keretapi menjalar ke seluruh malaysia. Maka, sudah pasti lebih untung. Kos MRT yg mencecah 50 Billion seperti tidak munasabah, saya fikir lebih baik buka bandar baru with system pengangkutan yg canggih, dari melengkapkan Kl with new transport system.
…Maybe those in charge of MRT & Greater KL projects should think about this tooo… =)))
SEMOGA MALAYSIA terus MAJU JAYA!!!
Ameen!
Universiti kita dah macam pusat pemulihan @ penjara. Bukan universiti sahaja, kolej waima sekolah pun begitu juga. Sayang…banyak kerajaan belanja, hasilnya dan kegunaannya ta dapat di maksimakan. Macam mana masyarakat kita nak cintakan Ilmu dan menghormati Ilmu kalau menara gading ni dijadikan tempat yg eksklusive. Biarlah community nak guna library, sports centre, pitch, hall etc2. untuk aktiviti masyarakat.
These are world class universities that attract students from all over the world!Any similarity in malaysia?
Hi Tun,
I propose that the universities right in the city area, such as UM,
be required to:
1) open up their campuses, or
2) relocate.
If they choose (1), make it compulsory for them to build new buildings with void deck high enough that allow highways to pass underneath them, better than those found in Monaco.
This is because:
1) too much time of the people has been lost traveling around those areas, for the useless traffic jams, not only during peak hours, but off peak hours too. (KL, unlike places like Sg, usually experiences traffic jams even during off-peak hours)
2) The jams costs GDP, and people lose their petrol and money.
3) Quality of life decreases over time, as jam increases in severity, causing air pollution.
E.g.
The UM campus sits right in the centre of some busiest areas. Solution: either relocate it, or, force them to open up and let JKR build multi-level fly-overs in the campus to join the surrounding roads to ease traffic jams.
Nowadays, sound proof technologies are so cheap. Lecture halls and other buildings can be built using sound-proof materials.
Or, better still, just relocate the universities in the cities to somewhere else.
Another point I wish to voice out is, we have advantage that other countries don’t. We should turn the disadvantage into advantage.
The disadvantage is we have temperature above 30deg cel. in the day.
The advantage is in the mountain areas, such as near Genting Awana, the cool weather stays constant throughout the year.
This means no need to use airconds and save electricity bills.
Creativity and study mood of the student will be boosted by the cool weather. Yes, this is important to increase the intellectual population.
So, why not establish a new U in cameron highland, and move UM to somewhere such as Genting. Since Genting may lose if PKR take over, then this may give them some healthy and stable population, who always think of “shu” and not “yING”.
Then, take back the UM campus to build multi-level fly-over for the good of the people. People come first!
Also, build some campuses near the beautiful beaches like Redang and Tioman and Langkawi, to provide a stable population there too, and attract mat salleh to come study here.
We can’t attract the mat salleh to come except using the beaches as carrots. What else do we have that they need?
Whereas for the universities in the mountains, well, i think local students will find them cool.
Just leave the cities to the business people.
Thanks Tun.
Growing up in Shah Alam, I can certainly say that it is pretty close to being a University town on its own. Its existence thrives with UiTM campus students. And many smaller private colleges. However this also attracted many mat rempits to the city.
In the UK there are many university concepts.
2 of them;
1) Uni which has many small college campuses (Oxford & Cambridge)
2) Campus Uni (Uni of Warwick. Equivalent to USM UKM)
So oxford and cambridge have many colleges. The colleges which act as economic centers spread out across the town. With more economic centers, the area grows more rapidly. In malaysia, we built university campuses. One uni campus per area. There is only one economic center, thus would take longer to expand the area into a university town as you pointed out.
Probably just add more small colleges campuses around the central campus that we now have. Create more economic centers per area, to accelerate economic activity and growth.
SALAM KASIH DAN SAYANG
AYAHANDA RAKYAT TUN
Izinkan,
Kami berserta allahyarham Sutan Shahril dengan Syt WargaMAS (Melayu Anak Selangor) pernah suatu ketika membuat cadangan seperti yang diutarakan ayahanda Tun tetapi terkandas disebabkan oleh mainan politik…
Univerity Malaya properties and the surrounding sections of P.Jaya had the synergy for a University Town…so we planned…BUT…sigh?
Manusia merancang, Allah swt Menentukan (kun faya kun)
Alfatihah, Amin.
ps. University towers (condominium) was part of the synergy..
Dear Tun,
It is also provides a good opportunity for the faculty to apply what is being taught in term of town planning and development. The university can jointly develop these areas as well provides a platform for their students to participate as part of practical studies.
It would give them hands on experience as thedevelopment would involve concept,, planning, engineering, account and a lot more.
Assalamualaikum wr wb,
Dear Tun,
This is regarding a separate issue that requires some thought. I want you to know that I believe – very strongly – that Singapore’s PAP and its GLC’s are NOT yet ready to invest in the Iskandar Development Region. The Singapore style of business management is Confucian based and with pretences of meritocracy. In that situation and if NEP objectives are not adhered to – the Malaysian Malays will NOT benefit from the participation of Singapore GLC’s in the Iskandar Development Region. In fact – although you were a bit too dramatic – the Malaysian Malays will end up vacating Southern Johore as you once said.
Singapore’s PAP must first learn to operate a business under specific affirmative action guidelines. In particular I have suggested that Singapore adopt a race-blind, affirmative action – for the lower income bracket. But it seems that the PAP will never want to help the weak. They prefer their so-called meritocracy. They prefer a Malaysian-Malaysia. Can Malaysia afford to allow Singapore GLC’s with a Malaysian-Malaysia attitude to operate freely in Southern Johore ? You tell me………
As you said in 1964 when debating with LKY in the then Malayan Parliament – the PAP is made up of the insular types who are unaccustomed to Malay-Muslim rule. Today 50 years later – your words back then ring so true. They ARE unaccustomed to Malay-Muslim rule.
Therefore UMNO should make ALL investors in the Iskandar Development Region to observe NEP guidelines. In the final analysis – I put it to you that in the interest of ASEAN stability – Singapore GLC’s should NOT be welcomed unless the PAP drops its Malaysian Malaysia stand and agrees to support the NEP when actively doing business in Malaysia.
I say these things as a Malay-Muslim SINGAPOREAN who believes in FAIR TRADE and who believes in ASEAN camarederie. I say these things as a Malay Singaporean who has first hand experience in living under the PAP Governance. When one has understood what it means to live under the PAP rule – then one begins to appreciate UMNO’s early struggles. Perhaps Malaysia’s younger generation does not know what it means to live under PAP rule.
Wassalam and Best Regards
Dr Syed Alwi Bin Ahmad (Alsree)
Salam Tun & fellow bloggers,
Why…why…why. Because most us want everything fast, instant and automatic. For example: Why need to crack one’s brain to think about setting-up of proton, have money just go & buy and have many choices. When they develop township, the same mindset is at work. Look at the recent issue of UiTM campus proposed at Serendah, Selangor. Even Bangi which supposed to be a centre of learning where UKM is the core, had not achieved the desired result. All rojak. UiTM project rejected because of politic and they will come with many reasons mainly for self-interest. In many instances the town planners will not able to plan the township the best they would like to because pressure from the political or business interest will come first. That is the Malaysian mind-set so entranged that we need superhero to remove it….
SALAM BUAT TUN BERDUA MOGA DIRAHMATI ALLAH S.W.T
1) BETUL TUN SEBAGAI BEKAS BAPA PEMBANGUNAN AKAN DATANG IDEA BAGAIMANA MEMAKMURKAN KAWASAN UNIVERSITI DARI ASPEK TEMPAT KAWASAN YANG DIPILIH.
2) UNIVERSITY MALAYA DAN USM SEAKAN-AKAN BOLEH DIBANDINGKAN DENGAN KEDUA-DUA UNUVERSITI INI KERANA GEOGARAFI KAWASANNYA BERADA DIBANDAR. CUMA BEZA KEDUA-DUA UNIVERSITY INI MEMBANGUN DENGAN NAMA DIMAHSURKAN PADA KAWASAN SEKELILING IAITU ADA PENGEKALAN PADA NAMANYA ‘OXFORD’ JUGA ‘CAMBRIDGE’.
3) MUNGKIN BOLEH JUGA (SELIDIK) ‘TOWN PLANNING’ TELAH DIBUAT AGAR NAMA YANG DIKATAKAN ANTARA UNIVERSITY TERBAIK DIDUNIA MENARIK PEMAJU-PEMAJU MENGUNAKAN NAMA INI SEBAGAI TEMPAT TUMPUAN DUNIA.
4) SOALNYA ADAKAH NAMA SAHAJA JAWAPAN PADA ILMU YANG BERGUNA UNTUK KEHIDUPAN KITA.
5) TUN SENDIRI PERNAH MEMPERSOAL SEORANG ANAK MALAYSIA KELUARAN ‘OXFORD’ TELAH TIDAK MENGUNAKAN KEBIJAKAN DAN KETINGGIAN ILMU YANG DIMILIKI DALAM SOAL MENDAPATKAN KUASA, WANG DAN PANGKAT DI NEGARA KITA.
6) DI SINI ADA SEDIKIT KEKELIRUAN BAHAWA TIDAK ADA KESEIMBANGAN CONTOH YANG HENDAK DIAMBIL DENGAN SEPATUTNYA DI BUAT DAHULU.
7) DARI SEGI PEMBANGUNANNYA CUKUP BAIK TETAPI PERLU JUGA KEJUTAN BUDAYA BANDAR DAN LUAR BANDAR PERLU DI AMBIL KIRA JIKA DI AMBIL SEBAGAI SATU PERUBAHAN.
8) SUDAHLAH NAMA INI HANYA DI UNTUKKAN PADA GOLONGAN CERDIK PANDAI TETAPI BUKAN SATU MONOPOLI SEBALIKNYA BOLEH JUGA MEMBERI PELUANG BUKAN WARGANEGARA UNIVERSITY INI MENJALANKAN AMALAN ILMU YANG DIIKTIRAF OLEH ALLAH S.W.T DI AKHIRAT NANTI.
9) JAMINAN DI DUNIA OLEH PIHAK UNIVERSITY ITU TIDAK MUNGKIN SAMA DI NILAI OLEH ALLAH S.W.T.YANG KITA TAHU KEBENARANNYA PADA HARI AKHIRAT NANTI.
WALLAHUA’LAM
Assalamualaikum wr wb,
Dear Tun Mahathir, Tun Daim Zainuddin and my Malaysian friends,
Yes I agree with Tun Mahathir on the need for University Towns. That is one way where you can make an infusion of scientific thinking into Malay culture. Membudayakan cara berfikir secara saintifik.
Singapore’s NUS and NTU have already started on such projects. I think the time has come for the Malays of ASEAN to absorb scientific thinking into their daily lives. Notice how Hollywood spends billions in promoting science fiction. Do you honestly think that this is for fun ? For nothing ? No – it is to encourage scientific entrepreneurialism. To encourage the Bill Gates, the Steve Jobs and so on. To dream and to INVENT ! On the other hand – our Malay Film Industry dare NOT venture into sci-fi etc. The Malays are too bound by dogma. Its time science comes into the lives of the ordinary Mat Rempit.
Secondly I want to say that I whole-heartedly agree with Tun Daim Zainuddin’s views regarding the economy. Investments are pouring into Brazil, Russia, India, China etc (BRICS). Why ? These are technologically advanced countries and they offer cheap labour. For Singapore and Malaysia – the way forward lies in high-technology. Singapore has already been making inroads into this direction. True – as JB_FROM commented – Singapoere is not yet ready to compete with Japan. But thats besides the point. The issue here is that Malaysia has NO CHOICE but to move into the high-technology arena.
Thirdly – there is another reason why the Malays need to “membudayakan cara berfikir secara saintifik”. And that is because the Overseas Chinese in ASEAN are very impressed with Western and Japanese technological prowess. For the Malays of South East Asia (Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei etc) to integrate the Overseas Chinese – the Malays must therefore be scientifically advanced.
And finally – yes I also very much agree with Tun Daim Zainuddin regarding corruption. The Malay saying goes like this – “Kalau sayang anak – tangan tangan kan. Kalau sayang isteri – tinggal tinggalkan.” Letm me add one more “Kalau sayang UMNO dan Bangsa – tegur tegurkan !”
The Malaysian Malays still love UMNO and they still have NOT changed ideologically. BUT THEY ARE FED-UP WITH CORRUPTION AND ABUSE OF THE NEP ! Tun – kalau UMNO bersih – saya guarantee dengan nyawa saya sendiri – that the Malays will return into the loving arms of UMNO in droves once again. PAS lingkup terus !
The 21st century brings with it new challenges for the Malays. We either rise to the occassion – or else – we shall sink as we will eventually lose political autonomy when the giant corporations of the West dominate ASEAN’s economy via FTA’s.
I just want you to know that I believe in FAIR Trade and NOT necessarily FREE Trade. Arbitrarily opening of ASEAN’s markets prematurely will destroy our political economy.
The Malays cannot go on selling Tongkat Ali coffee-powder and makjun pahit. The 21st century needs Malay Einsteins, Malay Bill Gates, Malay technological corporations that can compare to Raytheon, AT&T, Quantum, Boeing, General Dynamics and so on.
On that note – I finally wish to say to JB_FROM – To excel in Science does NOT mean that the Malays have to give up Islam. You can still be a good Muslim at the same time as being a good scientist. But your way of thinking must change. Your mind must operate scientifically. The West took 300 years from the Renaissance to the Industrial Revolution. But we Malays do NOT have the luxury of time.
So to all Malaysian Malays – I urge all of you to start this mental quantum leap immediately.
Wassalam and Best Regards from Singapore,
Dr Syed Alwi Bin Ahmad (Alsree)
salam Tun,
I think what you said to have University Town needed but not for those who are already near a town,
I see there are many development at the place where Universities are build,such as tesco and other town ship and even housing development on this areas.
For example in Nilai, there are many college and university and so the development here is improving drastically.
At the same time crime and gangsterism is also getting very high,
with many Gangs such as 77,18, 36 and much more that i am not aware,some are registered as persatuan just to cover up their crime.This people are now targetting secondery school students as well into the crime, this is some thing the government must look into,
I am concern about this as the teen age now and than are behaving more rude to elderly just because they are thinking that there are people behind them.Parents are now far from realising the impact , as they are busy with their duties.
I came to know that many police personel are also involve in this gang and if you report on them they will get the info first and we will be in trouble, How we want to assure that we are safe?
I strongly believe we must eliminate this first to have a develop people in Malaysia.
Assalamualaikum Tun Mahathir.
Indeed most if not all government universities in Malaysia is built (almost) complete within their campuses. Universities will have boundary fences built around their campuses.
Students can actually live within these boundaries without having to go out.
This is totally different from universities in the UK (I say UK since I studied there – on government loan, gratefully!) where university buildings are scattered around other public and private buildings.
Students are expected to fend for themselves (life wise) while attending classes at the universities.
So, no wonder, towns here do not grow around universities or colleges.
But maybe our students here need to have everything within a campus. Otherwise, we may hear a lot more groans about how ‘difficult’ their lives are.
Terima kasih Tun Mahathir.
Assalam Tun,
I used to stay in Cambridge for a while when I was a lot younger. Wonderful place, wonderful experience. The academic atmosphere of the town is felt to the bone, yet its alive and full of vitality. Every other person could be a prof or a student. Summer punting on the river Cam through the scenic Backs really make your day. The town center, simply cute and small is surrounded by the colleges. You can find university buildings, museums, cricket grounds, libraries, lecture rooms, theatres etc. all over the place.
When I came back to Malaysia, I used to suggest to certain quite influential people that such and such district could benefit from the siting of universities or places of higher learnings, with Cambridge in mind. Of course who would listen to me: years passed, no tertiary institutions turned up in those districts except perhaps one or two MRSMs and some other boarding-type schools. So, no local Cambridge would spring up after all.
And I agree with Tun. Those remote places having universities: UUM, UIA, for example, wheres the towns? So, just do away with the walled up campus. Plan it such that the university is built into the town (or is it the other way round?).
Salam Tun M dan semua,
YEMENIS ADMIRE DR. M AND MALAYSIA
Sunday March 27, 2011
Yemenis admire Dr M and Malaysia
Story by SHAHANAAZ HABIB
Photos by GLENN GUAN
SANA’A: It was Mohamed Ahmad’s first day to Tahrir Square to join the anti-government protesters.
And the 28-year-old tailor outdid himself. He stuck a number of small Yemeni flags on his head and wore a protest bandana as a tie.
The tailoring business has been a bit slow of late because people are uncertain of what would happen in the future so they have been holding on to their money.
Anti-government protesters chanting slogans and holding up placards during a demonstration at Tahrir Square demanding the resignation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in Sana’a, Yemen, yesterday. – Glenn Guan/The Star
So Mohamed decided to come to the square and sell anti-government bandanas, caps, stickers and the country’s flags.
âThe protests are outpourings coming from the heart. So people are buying all these things as keepsakes to remember the moment,â he said.
One of those with anti-government protest souvenirs is 29-year-old Marwan Amery.
âIt is a youth revolution. We want to make Yemen just like Malaysia.
âIn just 10 years, we have seen how Malaysia has developed rapidly economically, in education, finance, tourism, and industries.
âMalaysians have gone all over the world to study and have come to their country with good thinking and good ideas’ to contribute.
âWe have watched Malaysia blossom and we want that for our own future. Is that too much to ask,â he said.
Marwan believed Malaysians owed it to all Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who during his 22-year tenure as Prime Minister, transformed Malaysia to the position it is today.
âAre Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s ancestors from Yemen by any chance? Could they have come from Hadramont (in Yemen)? A lot of Malaysians have blood ties there,â asked a hopeful Marwan.
Yemenis as a whole have high regard for Malaysia and in particular Dr Mahathir.
Marwan wishes his own president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, who ruled Yemen for 32 years, would have done half as much for his country.
âSaleh has done nothing for us,â he said.
For him, Saleh and Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi are two sides of the same coin.
âBut at least Gaddafi is consistent so his people know what they are dealing with.
âBut Saleh is sly. He says one thing and does something else and he changes his word all the time.
âI think if Saleh is left to continue, in the future he can be as brutal as Gaddafi has been to his people. That is why we must get him out now,â he said.
It has been seven weeks now since the anti-government protesters have camped out at the square with the aim of kicking their president out.
And they seem to be closer to reaching their goal as ministers, ambassadors, and key army figures have now backed their protest, after the March 18 deadly attack when snipers on rooftops, loyal to the regime, shot at unarmed protesters, killing 56 and injuring hundreds of others.
Amar Attam is also keen on seeing the end of Saleh.
He said all the concessions Saleh was trying to make now including an early exit, early elections, offers of a dialogue, making sure he hands over power to âsafe handsâ were pointless.
âHe didn’t do good in his younger years and ruling the country for 32 years … So I don’t expect him to change and do good now in his later years.
âHe is a liar and a murderer. Why couldn’t we have a president like Dr Mahathir Mohamad?â
When pointed out that Dr Mahathir had little tolerance for anti-government street protests, Amar retorted: âIf we had a democratic country and a leader like Dr Mahathir who cared for his people and made sure the country and its people prospered, then we would have no need for street protests!â
HIDUP TUN DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMED !!!
HIDUP TUN DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMED !!!
HIDUP TUN DR. MAHATHIR BIN MOHAMED !!!
i agree!
but is this in any relation to cyberjaya tun?
because cyberjaya’s growing .. that’s for sure.
Not sure Tun,
But I think Sintok has flourished from a village to a somewhat developing area, with new highway, lots of houses, and Changlun is getting the tempias as well.
Salam Tun ,
it’s been a while since my last comment on your blog. Happy reading all your ideas but do you think all politicians in Malaysia nowadays
really concern about people’s development. Reading any newspaper nowadays will trigger your sorrow and angriness. Since few years ago we’ve been pushing to the limit with the issue of liwat, liwat and liwat and now Carcossa Seri Negara had become place to watch and spread porno movie. Tun… advise them.. dahlah, marhaen like us have no place to rest our soul…in this place call”Home”.
Dearest Tun
1-I think a university town should also double up as a resort town so it should be located either in the mountains and in the rainforest(like in Frasers Hill), by the lakeside (like Bukit Merah) or maybe by the beautiful beaches somewhere near Lumut places that has yet to be developed but not too far away from civization.
2-The town management should be handled by the University itself after all the university is suppose to produce these administrators so they should be qualified enough.Give them KPIs to solicit for business to develop the township.
3-Of course they should be well motivated by receiving lucrative bonuses if they could achieve or otherwise risk being sacked.The business faculty heads should show their expertise to do marketing real life so that their students can believe and emulate.
4-There should be a botanical gardens to be totally managed by the Agriculture faculty.A fruit farm shall be another attraction to be handled by these students.How about specializing in orchid culturing or whatever that is unique and commercially viable.
5-The sports complex should be made the central focus of these townships for use of all the townfolks students and non students alike.I would recommend that these sports complexes to be made an integral part of the town administrative centre which is to centred at the town main mosque.Islam is official religion of the country ma..Management of the mosque and the sports complex should be the baby of the Islamic studies faculty.This mosque should emulate the Masjidil Nabawi where it is center of all activities of Medina during the time of the Prophet including recreation.
6-By the side of this town center should be a central park the likes of the Hide Park where students and others may engage in lively debates of all issues under the sky on a daily basis usually in the afternoons or in the morning during weekends.The University may also organize meaningful ceramahs for all townfolks here.
7-All the faculties will be broken up scattered all over the town to support business at these commercial properties.There will be no hostel facilities so students must share the rentals of the houses in the town of course this is to promote residential property development.
8-There will be at least a nine hole golf course.The more challenging the better.
9-A regular uptown street market for students to sell their original inventions produced from their faculty workshop or whatever merchandise to enable them to seek income and business experience.
10-Or maybe this town should have at least one/two big factories to use the students as their temporary workforce to help them finance their studies.
11-Likewise the commercial centres could also use the students to work for them as their temporary staff.So may be the prime study time of the university is at night instead.
12-Make sure there are no nuisances from the foreign students esp those aggressive and always intoxicated and noisy Africans or else these townships would surely be deserted.The lepak places usually the mamak and Tomyam shops will definitely be the most profitable of businesses in these university towns so the authorities may need to ensure they are not being abused by these unwanted elements.
13-Provide pioneer status benefits to all business located here.Broadband facilities for these university towns may be free altogether.
Thanks Tun.
very true, many IPTA are located in dull areas with no entertainment/activities.
Dear Sir
Almost 10 years ago your goodself launched University Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) in Kampar, Perak.
UTAR focused on developing only the academic facilities into a beautiful campus with scenic lakes and left the other housing and commercial development to private developers.
Now Kampar is a striving and vibrant township.
UTAR is now planning to develop a University Township to compliment its growth and hopefully in the lights of Cambridge or Oxford.
Sir,if you have the time, you should pay a visit to UTAR in Kampar.
Best wishes.
Dear Tun,
I have a comment to make on this matter, which I hope can be useful in one way or another.
2. I was a Cambridge student about 40 years ago. Yes, Cambridge and Oxford are University towns. We say, “town and gown must meet”. In those days, we had to wear gowns when we attended lectures and most university functions.
3. In Cambridge (Oxford as well), town and gown meet, literally. I remember a lecture hall was above a pub. The student Record Office was above Mark & Spencer. My favourite barber had his shop besides a geology lab, if I am not mistaken. I remember an estate agent office was within the same building as other university outfits. The lady who was manning the office was excited when she found out that I was from Malaysia, and asked, “Do you know Rahman?”
I asked, “Rahman who?”
“Your Prime Minister”
She must have been one of our Tunku’s dates in in his days in Cambridge.
4. For your information, Tun, when Tun Razak was considering the setting up of a campus for Universiti Kebangsaan, he asked that one of its policies was that Town and Gown must meet, like Cambridge and Oxford. (I know because I was his staff, then)
5. The first site considered was Kuala Kubu Baru. Tun Razak and large party went there to have a look. I was there. He envisioned a town, not a campus, a mixture of normal town and university buildings.
6. Later Datuk Harun Idris, the Mentri Besar of Selangor proposed Bangi, instead. He had grand plan for Bangi then. Eventually Bangi was selected.
7. By then the idea of Town and Gown must meet had disappeared.
8. I supposed the planners of Bangi had no idea whatsoever about the Town and Gown must meet.
9. Next, when they developed Sintok into Universiti Utara, I presumed they meant that the university campus would be interspersed within the jungle, the way the British developed Cameron Highlands and Fraser’s Hill in the early days. (I am not sure, because I was not involved). Anyway, what they did was to flatten the jungle and replaced it with concrete jungle. After that they began to plant selected trees. This is one of “most unkindest cut” for environmentalists.
10. We have been brought up with the mentality that a post office or a police station must be a building by itself, fenced, and away from everybody. It is hard to imagine that a post office can be set up in any shophouse or within a shopping complex.
11. I suppose the same mentality guided the planners of Putrajaya. we can see that as a town, Putrajaya has failed miserably. At night, the main street is dead. Even in day time the street or town is deserted because everybody is in the office buildings doing his work. If Purtajaya was built on the policy of Gown and Town must meet, we would have shops and stores everywhere on the ground floor, and shoppers, strollers, tourists and so on filling up the streets.
ampangsnoop
Dear Mahathir
I completely agree with you that Malaysia should have university towns or villages. In fact, these universities could also cater for students from Asia Pacific countries.
I think a good candidate is Kampar in Perak. There is already a university there. All the government needs to do now is to build on the present town. There is already a supermarket and shops there. They only need to be spruced up.
Kampar is isolated enough and yet easily accessible to K.L. and Ipoh.
On the other hand, the bigger towns like KL or JB are just too open to be good candidates as university towns.
In my opinion, there is university town in Malaysia although the town name may not be called same like university.
The definition of a college town or university town is a community (often literally a town, but possibly a small or medium sized city, or in some cases a neighborhood or a district of a city) which is dominated by its university population.
For an example, Muadzam Shah town in Pahang where Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) located.
In the centre of the town, there is Kampus Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah (administration centre of UNITEN. Student campus, university hall, students apartment & all university facilities scattered around the town.
UNITEN can be said as catalysts for growth in Muadzam Shah.
Any developers can find opportunity for developing the surrounding land through building shops and residences for staff and students as Muadzam Shah is not belong to Tenaga Nasional.
Feel free to visit Muadzam Shah.
but Tun, weren’t Shah Alam and Bangi catalyst by universities?
Salam Tun,
I think Cyberjaya is good example of University Towns…
if i am not mistaken there already 3 universities operating in Cyberjaya MMU, Lim Kok Wing and Cyberjaya Medical University.
Good job Tun for coming up with the idea of Cyberjaya.
Malaysia must explore quality people,with Islamic Foundations
to develop,to a Islamic Way Progress.
Malaysia must also explore Military Foundations as much
We can see Islamic World have have been threaten By UNITED STATES.
Regardless of them being right,proven innocents.
Amecia look,good,look right,because they are strong,with Allies taking a Ride,UNITED NATIONS their instrument.
NOT because they are Right.
United States owe World Money,for Human Destructions.
They are the breeder of the Terrorists.
These Terrorist are not to be blame.
None Human want to be born a Terrorists.
One provoke one will be.
Whilst we import talent,We msut also protect the Bumi,s ownership.
IT WILL BE SMART IF WE FOCUS OF BUILDING IT IN JOHOR,
TO ROLL THE BALL.
Tun, I think you got it back to front.
Oxford and Cambridge started out as towns. The respective universities then started to develop over the centuries, with new colleges added over the years.
If you were to start a new university in town (say in KL or Penang), you will instantly get a university town. Then, over the years, the businesses around the university will evolve to cater to the needs of the students and lecturers.
Salam Tun Dr Mahathir, i wish i have and many more Malaysians have the passions , determination, vision, discipline, in depth analysis like you do. You really optimize your brain power , your strenghts and your personal time for the development of this nation. I am yet to get your book as it merely out of stock at my area. (probably because The nearest book stores are own by the opposition parties.)
Back to the main topic about university town. I have never been Cambridge or Oxford, cant really imagine how it looks like, but surely i can surf the web later. But I do agree that a town ship should be created out of a university. If the university is big enough to cater many students, it should also have the economic of scales to the surroundings, but it very much depend on the management, facilities, infrastructures and a good town planning strategy and skills. The integration part might be ethe most challenging, to integrate the university management, developers, opportunist and also the locals. All 4 have a diferrent mindset and goals. When it comes too money and profit, these gaps are broaden up. Speculation and curiosity may eventually diverge the focus on the initial intention of township development.
I was from local university , Universiti Utara Malaysia. When you initiated this topoic, it brought back my memories when i first entered the university back in 1992. Last time i used to ask why on earth governent chose Sintok as a strategic loacation to build a university. few years earlier when i was in secondary skills, i had a trip to visit UUM. The place was so remote and something like ‘end of the world’, or perhaps end of “country” , boarder to Thailand.
I remember during the orientation week, someone mentioned that Dr Mahathir was one of the person that influence the built of UUM at that area. On contrary, when that someone mentioned about Dr Mahathir , all my complaints and curiosity have resided, and i put my faith on believing, that end of the world place was a best choice. I do see development from year to year, perhaps not in a large scales but from an isolated area transformed to be an academic centre with world class facilities, the local should be thankful to the government led by Tun during the decision making process. UUM so call Township area may not be as great as Cambridge or Oxford, but at least it serves as an eye opener to the locals and perhaps the students, ex students, the staffs and perhaps the family members who know the university influence towards creating a mini township.
Lastly, wish you the best of health and happiness. You are the man of the generation. We owe you so much that we have to ensure continuity in your visions and thinking process, and of course execution and progress. Thanks for the opportunity given to share the thoughts here, with you, Malaysian and the rest of the world.
camna nak boleh ada university towns, semua kroni dan suku sakat dok nganga nak tunggu kontrak, mana ada lubang untuk org lain lagi…
Bandar Baru Nilai was meant to be a City of Knowledge, whereby a few University, Collage,Study centre and housing estate but instead industry such as bio-oil processing centre was built there.
The Government of the day should stay on the original plan to develop BBN into city of Knowledge rather to bring other industry. BBN is near Putrajaya, Ceberjaya, KLIA, LCCT, Sepang F1 circuit and also sandwich in within KL and Seremban.
Asalamualaiku Y. Bhg. Tun:
Saya setuju dengan pandangan Tun tu. Hairan juga macam mana profesor yang begitu ramai berkhidmat di universiti, yang dah botak-botak kepala mereka dan menerima gaji ribu-ribu ringgit sebulan, tak terfikirkan perkara ini? Mungkin bagi mereka idea seperti ini tidak akan memanfaatkan mereka secara langsung… Oleh itu tidaklah menghairankan jika para perancang yang terdiri daripada pegawai kerajaan yang dihasilkan oleh para profesor itu juga tidak mampu berfikir dan merancang macam yang Tun fikirkan…