Tun Abdullah's Vision Centred On Human Capital, Not Just Infrastructure
Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi Legacy Organisation chairman, Datuk Jefridin Atan, said the late leader's contributions to human capital development are a legacy that must be recognised and continued.
'Tun Abdullah often stressed that the nation needs citizens who are not only literate, but also thoughtful, technologically aware, and compassionate. It's not just about obtaining academic qualifications, but about how knowledge is applied for the well-being of society and the advancement of the nation.
'Today, we see the positive impact of his focus on human capital. A culture of learning and lifelong education has become widespread, while his emphasis on integrity has raised awareness of the importance of good governance in both the public and private sectors,' he said.
Jefridin was delivering the keynote address at the Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi: Menelusuri Denai Kepimpinan Berjiwa Terbilang seminar organised by the Institute of Islam Hadhari, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), here today.
Jefridin said that to truly understand Tun Abdullah's emphasis on human capital development, one must consider the national context in the early 2000s, when he assumed the role of Prime Minister in October 2003.
At the time, Malaysia was recovering from the 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis and facing strong global economic competition, particularly from China and India.
'The global economy was shifting towards a knowledge-based model. Tun Abdullah recognised that Malaysia could no longer rely solely on low labour costs or natural resources alone.
'Instead, the country's competitiveness had to be built on knowledge, creativity, and innovation - achievable only through quality human capital development,' said Jefridin, who also served as Tun Abdullah's special officer.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
3 hours ago
- The Star
Philippines, US and Japan push to advance trilateral economic ties
MANILA (Bernama-PNA): The Philippines, the United States, and Japan are focused on developing their trilateral economic partnership to complement their growing security ties, the US State Department has announced. According to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), the foreign ministers of the three states - Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi - discussed the plan and the need to unlock more private sector investments in their flagship Luzon Economic Corridor. They met on the sidelines of the ASEAN-related foreign ministers' meeting in Malaysia on Thursday (July 10), the statement said. The State Department said Rubio highlighted Manila's wealth in critical minerals and stressed the need to diversify critical mineral supply chains. The officials proposed advancing trilateral cooperation in the Philippines on cyber security, energy (including civil nuclear energy), and investments in reliable and secure telecommunications networks. They concluded with an agreement to hold sectoral trilateral discussions at the senior officials' level in the coming months to advance their shared desire for peace and security in the region. In the same meeting, the officials reaffirmed their interest in advancing a free and open Indo-Pacific and agreed to coordinate cooperation on maritime security, including through Maritime Cooperative Activities, trilateral military exercises, and capacity building and assistance for the Philippine Coast Guard and other Philippine maritime authorities. -- Bernama-PNA
New Straits Times
5 hours ago
- New Straits Times
Federal govt allocates RM8.79b to roll out 86 projects under 12MP in Sabah
KOTA KINABALU: The federal government, through the Energy Transition and Water Transformation Ministry, has allocated RM8.79 billion until June 2025 to implement 86 development projects in Sabah. Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof, who is also the energy transition and water transformation minister, said the total allocation will be disbursed under the Fifth Rolling Plan (RP5) of the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP). "Sabah has received a fairly large allocation from the federal government, it is our commitment to resolve two key issues in Sabah, namely, water and energy. "Because without energy and water, there can be no economic growth in Sabah," he said when speaking at the ministry Engagement Session with Sabah Media in 2025 here tonight. He said the Madani government is always striving to ensure that Sabah continues to prosper together as a big Malaysian family. Therefore, Sabah's progress is not only the responsibility of this state, but of the entire nation. "With strong federal-state relations, we can build a more prosperous, just as well as sustainable state and country, with the support of a free and trustworthy media and a united people," he said. Meanwhile, Fadillah also said the engagement session was intended as a platform for the media to better understand the role of ministry and agencies under its auspices. "We organised this session to foster closer ties and strengthen the relationship between the media and ministry's top management," he added. – Bernama
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Malaysia hosts largest ever higher education fair in Indonesia
JAKARTA, July 13 (Bernama): Malaysia is holding the largest-ever higher education fair in Indonesia, aiming to attract more Indonesian students and boost regional academic cooperation under its 2025 Asean Chairmanship. The Mega Ayo Kuliah di Malaysia 2025 fair organised by Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) is taking place in Central Jakarta from July 12 to 13 and in Bekasi, West Java on July 15. The fair features 21 Malaysian universities and showcases the country's close geographical proximity, affordable tuition fees, and globally recognised institutions. The fair is expected to attract some 2,000 visitors. Prospective students have the opportunity to get advice and conditional offer letters. Established in 2012, EMGS operates under Malaysia's Higher Education Ministry to promote the country as a global education hub. A total of seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed between Malaysian and Indonesian universities, including Universiti Utara Malaysia with Universitas Airlangga, Asia e University with Universitas Hasanuddin, and Lincoln University College with Universitas Borneo Lestari. "Malaysia continues to strengthen regional academic mobility through initiatives such as the Graduate Pass, which offers a one-year post-study visa for graduates from 32 countries, including Indonesia,' said Higher Education Ministry secretary-general Datuk Dr Anesee Ibrahim at the fair. He also highlighted the Asean Global Exchange Mobility and Scholarship (ASEAN GEMS) platform, which connects students with over 300 scholarship providers across Asean, offering total commitments of more than RM19 million. Also present at the event was Minister Counsellor (Education) at the Malaysian Embassy Dr Hasnul Faizal Hushin Amri. "Malaysia offers internationally recognised institutions, a reasonable cost of living, and strong cultural ties with Indonesia, making it an ideal and comfortable destination for Indonesian students,' said EMGS chief executive officer Novie Tajuddin. He pointed out that several Malaysian universities feature in the QS World University Rankings 2026, Kuala Lumpur ranks among the top 25 student cities globally, and Malaysia is 13th in the 2025 Global Peace Index, underscoring its safety and appeal as a study destination. Indonesia remains one of the top sources of international student applications to Malaysia, with around 11,445 Indonesian students currently enrolled, he added. -- Bernama
