Malaysian King calls for academic cooperation
Malaysian King calls for academic cooperation
SEMARANG (JP): Visiting Malaysian King Ja'afar Abdul Rahman
expressed hope Saturday that his country and Indonesia could
further enhance cooperation in the academic field.
In a speech he delivered after receiving an honorary doctorate
degree from the Diponegoro University here Saturday, the king
said he was pleased with the existing cooperation between
Indonesia and Malaysia in the field of education and intellectual
development.
He said three decades ago when the Kebangsaan Malaysia
University was founded, many higher learning institutes in
Indonesia sent personnel to the Malaysian university to help
develop it.
The king said the Kebangsaan Malaysia University had made
progress and still maintained cooperation with universities in
Indonesia.
He said he believed closer cooperation between Malaysian and
Indonesian universities could be developed.
Countries in the world have become more open to each other in
the face of globalization, he said, adding that people should be
sensitive to the world's new system and maintain their footing by
developing sciences.
Although the development of higher learning institutes in
Indonesia and Malaysia is considered new compared with those in
developed nations, the two neighboring countries should be proud
of their efforts to develop sciences and apply technology to meet
peoples' needs, he said.
He said it was undeniable that progress in modern education
had helped the two countries reach rapid economic and social
development as sciences were the source of human power in the
current era, particularly the upcoming 21st century.
The ceremony to confer the degree was presided over by Rector
Muladi and attended by several high-ranking officials, including
Minister of Education and Culture Wardiman Djojonegoro, Minister
of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher and Coordinating Minister for
People's Welfare Azwar Anas.
The king arrived in Jakarta Thursday for a six-day visit.
Earlier Saturday, the king visited the grave of the late First
Lady Tien Soeharto at Astana Giri Bangun in Karanganyar, Central
Java. He was received by President Soeharto's children -- Sigit
Harjojudanto, Hutomo Mandala Putra and Siti Hediati Prabowo.
After the presentation, the king and his wife, Queen Najihah,
and his entourage flew to Surabaya where a banquet was held in
his honor by East Java Governor Basofi Soedirman.
The king flew to Bali yesterday for a three-day stay.
(har/swe)