Khabar Pahang

Bread and butter issues are rakyat’s top concerns, not 1MDB, says Pahang MB

SPEAKING HIS MIND... Dato' Sri DiRaja Adnan is seen behind the rostrum, delivering his 21-minute keynote address entitled, The Role of Higher Education in Sustainable Development - Poverty Alleviation Programmes. 

                                             

PUTRA WORLD TRADE CENTRE (PWTC), KUALA LUMPUR – Bread and butter issues like the rising cost of living, unemployment among graduates and affordable housing remain top concerns of the rakyat, said Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan Yaakob.

“The 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) issue and the issue of the RM2.6 billion mean nothing to them,” he said during a press conference after delivering his keynote address at the OIC Higher Education Conference 2017 here, Wednesday, September 20.

The Pahang Menteri Besar, as reported by a local daily – the Star, also said that he was aware that the Opposition was exploiting the 1MDB issue and the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

“I once suggested to the Prime Minister that the GST should be lowered to four (4) percent. However, he said the decision to impose the six (6) percent was done after taking into account the results of studies held and feedback received prior to its implementation,” he said.

Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan added that the revenue collected from GST was used to provide 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) while helping the Government cushion the impact of the loss of revenue due to a sharp drop in global oil prices.

REVIEWING EDUCATION POLICY

On education, Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan said, the Education policy should be reviewed to ensure degree courses offered are more marketable to reduce the rising number of unemployed graduates.

He also said the lack of inculcating good values and civic consciousness in education was among the reasons for youths committing crimes, as shown from the recent fire at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah Tahfiz which claimed 23 lives.

He said he would raise these suggestions at the appropriate forums, including at the upcoming Umno supreme council meeting.

Akhbar Berita Harian pula melaporkan, Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan turut berkata, tawaran kursus di Institut Pengajian Tinggi (IPT) perlu selari dengan keperluan tenaga kerja di pasaran demi memastikan graduan mendapat kerja mengikut bidang kebolehan mereka.

Menurutnya, perkara itu perlu diambil kira dalam usaha melahirkan tenaga kerja mahir yang melangkaui semua bidang tidak kira ekonomi, sains, pertanian atau perladangan.

SIKAP SIVIK YANG PERLU DIPERBETULKAN

“Sebab itu sistem pendidikan tinggi kita mesti diperhalusi supaya bidang pengajian yang ada di universiti perlu memenuhi kriteria dan selari dengan peluang pekerjaan yang ditawarkan di pasaran,” katanya.

Beliau juga berkata, kualiti kurikulum termasuk pendidikan agama mesti diperhalusi semula dengan memberi penekanan lebih kepada aspek membentuk sahsiah diri berkualiti serta memiliki nilai sivik tinggi.

“Contoh dalam insiden (kebakaran) di pusat tahfiz baru-baru ini, ia membangkitkan persoalan mengenai bagaimana sistem pendidikan kita berperanan. Apakah pelajar kita sekarang mempunyai sikap (sivik) tinggi untuk menghormati guru atau orang yang lebih dewasa, seperti mana diajar orang-orang tua kita dulu.

“Saya akan bawa perkara ini untuk dibincangkan dalam mesyuarat Majlis Tertinggi UMNO akan datang supaya ia diperhalusi,” katanya.

Mengenai penganjuran persidangan ini, Dato’ Sri DiRaja Adnan berkata, ia penting bagi membolehkan kerangka pendidikan tinggi dalam dunia Islam atau OIC, dapat disatukan.

‘PLATFORM’ PENYATUAN/KERJASAMA

Beliau berkata, kerjasama dijalin bukan sahaja meliputi program pertukaran pelajar dan pensyarah, namun lebih luas lagi termasuk berkaitan perkongsian teknologi dan kemajuan serta hasil kajian.

“Persidangan ini menjadi ‘platform’ bagaimana universiti dalam dunia Islam boleh bersatu dan bekerjasama. Di sinilah tempatnya mereka berkongsi idea dan kepakaran bagaimana jalinan kerjasama akademik itu dapat dirangka, yang akhirnya akan memberi manfaat bukan sahaja kepada universiti, malah negara itu,” katanya. 

Yang turut hadir ialah Setiausaha Agung Persatuan Universiti Arab (AArU), Jordan, Prof Dr Sultan T.Abu Orabi; Pengarah Urusan Pertubuhan Pendidikan Islam, Saintifik dan Budaya (ISESCO), Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri;

Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif, Pusat Perniagaan Antarabangsa OIC yang juga Pengerusi Muslim World BIZ Ke-8, Encik Muhammad Raja Talib Raja Mohamad Abdullah; serta, Ahli-ahli Exco Kerajaan Negeri – Dato’ Shafik Fauzan Sharif dan Dato’ Norol Azali Sulaiman. – Khabar