Sabah Higher Education Boost: Community College Hostels, UMS Law Faculty Approved

KOTA KINABALU, Nov 22 (Bernama) -- The government continues to place importance on Sabah's higher education development, including the need to provide hostels at community colleges and establish a Faculty of Law at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said Sabah has distinct needs compared with other states, especially involving students from interior areas who require hostel facilities to pursue their studies at community colleges.

"I see the need for us to establish hostels for students coming from various parts of Sabah. So we will proceed with that.

"Under the community college policy, hostels are generally not provided, but in the context of Sabah, Sarawak and certain remote areas in Peninsular Malaysia, such facilities are critical," he told reporters here today.

Zambry said this need became evident following his visits to several community colleges in Sabah, including Tambunan and Beaufort, which serve students from rural and hard-to-reach areas.

He added that the government has also taken a significant step in strengthening the higher education ecosystem in Sabah by approving the establishment of a Faculty of Law at UMS.

"The Cabinet has approved the establishment of a new faculty, and we are allowing UMS to proceed if they wish to form a Faculty of Law.

"The Bar Council has no objection to Sabah and Sarawak having their own law faculties," he said.

He also said that the move is crucial for providing Sabah's youth with opportunities to enter the legal profession without depending entirely on universities in Peninsular Malaysia.

Zambry said the timeline for establishing the faculty will depend on UMS's readiness.

"We hope they can expedite it, but I believe it may take between six months and a year from now," he said.

-- BERNAMA