PM: Place your trust in us
University students greeting Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak at the launch of the Volunteer Student Foundation at Dewan Agong Tuanku Canselor Universiti Teknologi Mara in Shah Alam yesterday. Pic by Roslin Mat Tahir
PRIME Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has advised students not to be swayed by seditious statements and sweet promises but to place their trust in the government to create a better future for the country.
Speaking to 10,000 students from universities nationwide at Dewan Agong Tuanku Canselor Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) here last night, Najib said a real change was taking place in Malay-sia and the government would continue to develop the education system to prepare students to face future employment demands.
"People can promise you the sun, the moon and the galaxy, but I want to tell you that they can only make promises, but the government can deliver on them to Malaysians today.
"This is not political rhetoric. We guarantee that under the government, tomorrow will be better than today," he said in launching the Volunteer Student Foundation (Yayasan Sukarelawan Siswa or YSS).
Najib said the government had come up with a long-term plan in line with Vision 2020 to secure the future of graduating students by ensuring that the country attained developed country status and became a high-income nation.
"I often ask myself what is wanted by students in public and private universities and what are their expectations for the country's future.
"One of the expectations is for the leaders to prepare for them a country that has a better tomorrow than today.
"We do not know what the future will bring.
"About 70 to 80 per cent of the jobs in the future do not exist but we have to prepare them for the youths."
Najib said he knew that the coming generation wanted employment which will commensurate with their qualifications and gave them job satisfaction.
This was why the government initiated mega projects, including the RM60 billion Petronas project in Pengerang, Johor, to provide jobs for future graduates.
On the country's transformation plan, Najib said the country planned to create 3.3 million jobs by 2020.
"This is our plan for you and if the country's transformation plan goes well, God-willing, what we have planned will become a reality."
On a related matter, Najib said the government had proven that it did not restrict the students' minds with the proposed amendment to the Universities and University Colleges Act.
"We believe that the students can think maturely. What we want to stress is freedom with responsibility.
"You can obtain information from any corner, but please use sound judgment as you chart the course of your own future."
On YSS, Najib said he supported the idea to establish the foundation to prepare university students not only with knowledge, but also to equip them with universal values so that they could be more sensitive and aware of the needs of the community and contribute in a more meaningful way.
Among the major sponsors of the foundation are the National Higher Educational Fund, Lim Kok Wing University of Creative Technology, Sunway Group Berhad, Prestariang Systems Sdn Bhd and Permodalan Nasional Berhad.
Present were Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Agriculture and Agro-based Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar and UiTM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Sahol Hamid Abu Bakar.
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