UM is planned to offer a cardiothoracic specialist course in October, says higher education minister

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat was informed today that Universiti Malaya (UM) is anticipated to offer a cardiothoracic specialist training course in October.

The move will allow anyone who choose to pursue this specialism to do so at UM, according to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abdul Kadir, and additional schools are anticipated to follow suit in the future.

“We are actively looking for the best solution to address this issue at the Ministry of Higher Education level. We want to address comparable problems as quickly as we can, insya-Allah.

During the Q&A period, he stated, “We expect the cardiothoracic issues to be resolved by October, meaning there will be other pathways besides UiTM and other universities will also offer the course.”

In response to a query from Ramkarpal Singh (PH-Bukit Gelugor) regarding the government’s intentions to permit other educational institutions to provide cardiothoracic specialist courses, he made this statement in an attempt to alleviate the nation’s lack of cardiothoracic experts.

In response to Ramkarpal’s initial inquiry about whether the government intended to amend the UiTM Act 1976 to permit non-Bumiputera students to enrol at UiTM, Zambry emphasised the significance of upholding UiTM’s policy to provide special services to Malays, Bumiputera, Orang Asli, and the indigenous population of Sabah and Sarawak.

According to him, this endeavour aims to achieve the government’s objective of reducing racial gaps, especially in socioeconomic domains.

The Bumiputera Economic Congress 2024 study, released by the Ministry of Economy, revealed economic differences amongst Bumiputera in terms of company equity ownership, average monthly income, poverty rates, output of skilled labour, and professional degrees, he continued.

The lack of qualified professionals, especially among Bumiputera, who at the time (in the past) tended to work in unskilled occupations, prompted the founding of UiTM.

Since UiTM was founded, more Bumiputera students have had the chance to pursue postsecondary education and training, equipping them to fill a variety of positions in the public and private sectors. He declared, “This initiative is essential for improving their quality of life and changing their futures.” – Bernama