Kota Kinabalu: The future of Sabah’s children is on the line if Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is left to battle financial pressures alone, warned UMS Board of Directors chairman Datuk Seri Panglima Abdul Rahman Dahlan in a hard-hitting speech.
Speaking at the Karisma Pemikir Madani Leadership Programme, Rahman said UMS is more than just an institution of higher learning, it is a strategic lifeline for Sabah that cannot be allowed to crumble.
“Over 60 per cent of UMS students are Sabahans. If this university falters, it is the future of our own children that will pay the price,” he declared, drawing murmurs of agreement from the audience.
While public universities fall under federal jurisdiction, Rahman stressed that the Sabah state government cannot stay silent when UMS faces what he described as “real and undeniable financial pressures.”He called for proactive measures, proposing that UMS be allowed to venture into low-risk businesses such as gas distribution, industries with existing suppliers and ready markets that could generate sustainable income without burdening the government.
Rahman went further, urging that subsidiaries of UMS be given a role in state mega projects worth RM30 - 40 billion, insisting that even a fraction of these contracts would significantly ease the university’s financial dependency.
“This is not about Sabah taking over Putrajaya’s responsibility. This is about shared responsibility. UMS educates Sabahans, and if UMS suffers, Sabah suffers,” he said.
The former federal minister also urged UMS to adapt by offering micro-credentials and online learning, which he argued could cut infrastructure costs while expanding student access across the region.
Corporate giants in Sabah were also put on notice. Rahman demanded that CSR funds from major companies be channelled strategically to support UMS, not only for scholarships but also for research and operational sustainability.
“Universities cannot run on goodwill alone. They need real investment, and Sabah’s corporate sector must step up if they claim to care about the state’s future,” he said.
Calling UMS an “asset that must be defended at all costs,” Rahman reminded that the university is not just classrooms and lecture halls but the engine of knowledge and progress in Borneo.
“Let me be crystal clear, UMS must not stumble. If UMS falls, Sabah’s future falls with it,” Rahman thundered, ending his speech with a dramatic call for unity between state leaders, federal authorities, and the private sector.
