Hand-in-hand: Zambry (sixth from left) with other Asean Higher Education Ministers joining hands for a photo shoot before the start of the meeting in Langkawi. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star.
LANGKAWI: Malaysia has proposed establishing a dedicated Asean Institute for members of the region, says Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
The Higher Education Minister said while some countries already have Asean-related research centres at the university level, there is currently no comprehensive institute that brings together the expertise of all Asean member states across various fields.
“Malaysia has offered to host this proposed Asean Institute.
“The rationale is that Malaysia possesses the necessary expertise, with institutions such as Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), particularly through the Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, already conducting studies on Asean and international affairs,” he said during a press conference after the Asean Higher Education Ministers’ Roundtable: Envisioning the Next Decade and Beyond here yesterday.
Zambry said following the discussions with the vice-chancellor of UKM, the proposal has been positively received.
He said Malaysia will prepare a concept note to be shared with all Asean members, and the proposal will be submitted to the Asean Secretariat for consideration during the leaders’ meeting scheduled for October in Kuala Lumpur.
Zambry said another key development during the roundtable is the adoption of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Higher Education.
He said the matter is highly significant for Asean’s long-term vision toward 2045.
“The previous Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Higher Education was adopted in 2015, also in Kuala Lumpur.
“With that declaration reaching its 10-year term, a new framework is required to guide the future direction of Asean higher education,” he said, adding that all member states have officially adopted the declaration during the meeting.
He said the new declaration, which covers 2025 to 2045, aligns with the broader Asean vision in 2045.
In another development, Zambry said the Higher Education Ministry is working closely with the Foreign Ministry on the whereabouts of seven Malaysian students in Iran.
“During my recent visit to Iran few weeks ago, I was informed that there are about seven Malaysian students there.
“Although some of them may not be officially registered with our embassy, but as Malaysian citizens, we still have a responsibility to look after their well-being,” he said.
He added that the ministry will continue to monitor their status and provide assistance as necessary.
On Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry issued an advisory for all Malaysians in Iran to leave the country immediately due to the increasingly tense security situation following Israel’s aggressive actions against Iran.
In a statement, the ministry said the situation in Iran remains volatile and could deteriorate without prior warning.
Tensions between Iran and Israel have escalated since last Friday following an unprovoked airstrike by Israel on Iranian territory, reportedly killing several senior military officials and scientists.
