KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (BERSATU) welcomed and fully support the Education Minister’s decision to appoint Prof Dr Taufiq Yap Yun Hin as the new Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Vice Chancellor.
Sabah BERSATU also thinks that meritocracy should be the main factor to be considered when filling important posts in the public universities.
Sabah BERSATU’s Angkatan Bersatu Anak Muda (Armada) Chief, Mohd Isquzawan Israq Datuk Arsit, said besides “merit”, the quality of candidate is also another most important consideration.
“We are confident the Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik has taken into consideration these criteria when he made the decision.
“Sabah BERSATU welcomed and fully support the decision to appoint Prof. Dr Tawfiq Yap Yun Hin as the new UMS VC, ” he said in a statement today.
Isquzawan was commenting on the appointment of Dr.Taufiq as the UMS VC effective July 30, 2019 to July 29, 2022.
The Education Minister, in a statement yesterday, said Dr Taufiq would succeed Datuk Prof Dr D Kamarudin D Mudin whose tenure has ended
today.
“This appointment was based on his expertise and high academic qualification, at both national or international level.
“The Ministry believe his appointment will be able to steer UMS towards greater higher level of excellence,” he said in the statement.
Prof Taufiq, 51, who hails from Kota Kinabalu, is a professor at the Science Faculty, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).
He obtained his doctorate degree in Heterogeneous Catalysis from Manchester Institute of Science and Technology University, United Kingdom in 1997.
He had served as UPM’s hostel campus head and Catalysis Science and Technology research centre head in the past. He had been appointed as Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, UK in 2008 and visiting researcher/professor at several renowned universities overseas.
He had received several awards in UPM, and was also the recipient of the national Maulidur Rasul award for his contribution in promoting Islamic harmony as well as his contribution to research and higher education.
Isquzawan said Dr Taufiq is a Sabahan who possessed excellent academic
qualification and management skills and he has achieved recognitions locally and also internationally.
“He is the most suitable to head UMS. Sabah BERSATU will give full collaboration to Dr.Taufik in the continuous effort to bring UMS further up the excellence level.
“He would require support from the whole people of Sabah in the effort to achieve the noble objective.
“Sabah BERSATU wishes all the best to Prof Dr Taufiq Yap,” said Isquzawan.-pr/BNN
