KUALA LUMPUR: TAR UMT should set up its own university press as the next milestone in its academic journey, says TAR UMT board of governors chairman Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy.
Chan said the proposed TAR UMT Press would be a “defining step” in the institution’s academic maturity and reflect its confidence in the strength of its scholarship.
“It reflects confidence in our scholarly capabilities and our commitment to knowledge dissemination,” he said at the launch of Associate Professor Dr Monna Ong’s book, Engaging a Generation: Voting Intention and Political Participation Among Malaysian Millennials at Bangunan Tun Tan Siew Sin on Monday (May 4).
Through TAR UMT Press, he said, the university could document local insights, elevate Malaysian scholarship and contribute more actively to the global academic community.
“It will also serve as a vital platform for our academics to publish high-quality research, ensuring that their work reaches a broader audience and creates meaningful impact,” he added.
Chan said TAR UMT, which attained full university status in 2022, has been placing strong emphasis on research excellence, academic rigour and engagement with industry, community and society.
“We are actively cultivating a research-driven culture, where both lecturers and students are encouraged not only to acquire knowledge but also to generate new knowledge, challenge existing paradigms and contribute meaningfully to national and global discourse,” he said.
He said the launch of Dr Monna's book was an example of the scholarly output the university hopes to see more of.
Chan congratulated her for turning her doctoral thesis into a published academic book within just a year of completing her PhD in Psychology in 2024, noting that she is among TAR UMT’s pioneering PhD graduates.
“This publication is a remarkable achievement. It reflects not only her academic excellence and intellectual depth but also her commitment to advancing knowledge that is relevant and impactful to society,” he said.
The book, published by Universiti Malaya Press in 2025, examines voting intention and political participation among Malaysian millennials against the backdrop of Undi18 and the expansion of the youth electorate.
Calling the subject “timely and highly significant,” Chan said the inclusion of younger voters had reshaped the country’s political landscape and placed millennials and youth at the centre of democratic participation.
“Political participation today extends far beyond the act of voting. Among millennials, it increasingly manifests through digital engagement, issue-based advocacy and active discourse across social media platforms,” he said.
At the same time, he added, younger voters were more exposed to misinformation, political polarisation and emotionally driven narratives online, making political education and responsible civic engagement even more important.
Chan said Dr Monna’s work, which is grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour, offers useful insights into how young Malaysians form political opinions, how they are influenced and what motivates them to participate politically in both urban and rural settings.
He also recorded his appreciation to UM Press director Prof Ir Dr Nahrizul and his team for supporting the publication and helping to bring the work to a wider audience.
Chan further thanked the experts who reviewed the book, including Universiti Malaya’s Prof Datuk Dr Danny Wong, senior academic Prof Ananda Kumar Palaniappan and political commentator Shahril Sufian Hamdan from the Keluar Sekejap podcast.
