Congratulations: Sultan Abdullah presenting an award to a student during the UPNM convocation ceremony in KL. — Bernama
KUALA LUMPUR: The country should continue to strive to produce local graduates to fill high-value professions in the increasingly dynamic field of defence and security strategy, says Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.
His Majesty said relevant parties such as Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) must continue to explore the latest fields of knowledge to ensure that Malaysia always has a line of thinkers and scholars able to formulate long-term plans to protect the country’s strategic interests.
“All UPNM’s strategic partners, especially the Defence Ministry, the Armed Forces and the defence industry, must continue to strengthen the synergies that have been established to elevate UPNM to a higher level,” said His Majesty in conjunction with the university’s 11th Convocation Ceremony at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur here yesterday.
Also present were Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad and UPNM vice-chancellor Lt Gen Datuk Hasagaya Abdullah.
Bernama quoted Sultan Abdullah, who is also UPNM chancellor, as saying that the country needed to be equipped with modern and high-tech defence and security assets to face challenges in the security landscape which had evolved and were increasingly complex as they involved new forms of cyber and electronic threats.
“An integrated strategy should be formulated to ensure that Malaysia has a strong digital ecosystem to remain competitive in facing digital transformation,” he said.
Congratulating the graduates, Sultan Abdullah also expressed his pride in UPNM’s achievements, which continued to dominate the graduate marketability chart among public universities.
“This clearly proves that this university has been producing quality graduates with ideal personalities.”
A total of 2,229 students successfully completed their studies for 2020 and 2021 during the convocation, including 32 recipients who received their doctorate degree; master’s degree (118); bachelor’s degree (1,518) and diploma (561).
UPNM also conferred the Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy on three national defence figures.
UPNM pro-chancellor Admiral (Rtd) Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor, who was also the 13th Chief of Defence Force, received the Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Maritime Technology.
General (Rtd) Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal who was also the 14th Chief of Defence Force, received the Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Strategy and International Relations.
UPNM board chairman and Weststar group managing director, Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim received the Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy in Aeronautical Engineering.
