King Urges UiTM Graduates To Seize Opportunities, Avoid 'Honorary Unemployed' Status

SHAH ALAM, Nov 13 (Bernama) -- His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, the King of Malaysia, urged graduates not to be overly selective when seeking jobs and to seize available opportunities, especially given the intense competition from foreign workers.

He noted that an excessively picky attitude not only hinders the graduates themselves but also poses a setback to national development.

"If you are too particular about jobs, you risk becoming the ‘honorary unemployed,’ leaving opportunities to foreign workers. Ultimately, both you and the country will lose out," said His Majesty at the 100th Convocation ceremony of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Dewan Agung Tuanku Canselor at the main campus today.

Sultan Ibrahim also advised graduates against relying solely on government support, cautioning that such dependence leads to a passive and weakened generation.

"As the emerging leaders of this country, you must reject this detrimental mindset. A culture of dependency erodes self-confidence and the ambition to advance, undermining national progress," His Majesty said.

Sultan Ibrahim stressed that every individual - including young people, government officials, and politicians - must be courageous enough to initiate personal change to achieve greater progress for the future of the nation.

In closing, His Majesty expressed appreciation for UiTM’s efforts in nurturing a competent generation of graduates, and he encouraged the university to continue its role as a centre of knowledge driving national advancement.

"I extend my congratulations and say well done to all the graduates on successfully completing their studies," said Sultan Ibrahim.

During the ceremony, Sultan Ibrahim was officially installed as the seventh Chancellor of UiTM.

Also present at the ceremony were UiTM pro-chancellor Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, Tengku Ampuan of Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, and UiTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Shahrin Sahib.

-- BERNAMA