Kota Kinabalu: Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) Kota Kinabalu is now known as MRSM Tan Sri Musa Aman, in recognition of the services of the former Chief Minister, said Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.
He said Musa, as the Sabah Chief Minister, had contributed a lot to the state. In fact, Musa was one of the important individuals in the efforts to establish MRSM Kota Kinabalu 21 years ago.
In this regard, Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Minister of Rural and Regional Development, reminded the current generation to always remember and respect the efforts of previous generations in providing the comfort they presently enjoyed, which is a commendable attitude and culture of the community in this country.
“Although he (Musa) is no longer the Chief Minister, as his friend I must recognise him as the former Chief Minister, so I would like to announce that MRSM Kota Kinabalu will now be known as MRSM Tan Sri Musa Aman.”
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Musa, who is also a former Sungai Sibuga Assemblyman, was Sabah’s 14th Chief Minister, who served between March 27, 2003, and May 11, 2018.
Ahmad Zahid said various measures had been planned to meet the high demand for admission to MRSM; recently 90,000 admission applications were received, compared with the intake of only 9,200 students.
He said one of the measures was the establishment of three more MRSM, which had been approved but had to be postponed for now due to certain constraints, and the matter would be revisited in next year’s national budget.
“We will request that the three more MRSM be built, so that later we will have a total of 58 MRSM (from the existing 55 MRSM nationwide) and to meet demand which exceeds supply,” he said.
Meanwhile, a total of RM50 million has been allocated for the upgrade and repair of Mara institutions (IPMA) this year.
Ahmad Zahid said of the total, RM25 million will be provided for Mara Junior Science College (MRSM), Mara Skills Institute (IKM) and Mara Higher Skills College (KKTM) (RM17 million) while Mara College (KM) and Mara Professional College (KPM) (RM8 million).
He said RM2.347 million has been allocated for Sabah IPMA and MRSM Kota Kinabalu, now renamed MRSM Tan Sri Musa Aman, would be getting RM250,000.
“The KKDW leadership has also been instructed to treat problems faced by MRSM and other institutions under the ministry seriously, as I was informed that some MRSM schools have problems of no water supply and cracks on buildings.”
With the allocation, KKDW is expected to ensure that all the upgrading and repair works are implemented this year, in addition to seeing that all its agencies are working effectively.
“Ensure good governance in executing transformation, reforms and game changers so as not to remain obsolete. We do not want Mara to have several but ineffective agencies. Always think of low cost high impact initiatives in our work, “ he said.
He also announced an allocation of RM500,000 for MRSM Ex-Students Association (Ansara) which has over 200,000 members.
“Although Ansara did not request any allocation, I want Ansara to work in full force with me to develop the country further through MRSM and KKDW agencies,” he said.
He said some 80 per cent of the 225,000 MRSM graduates are in the high-income group, thus proving the effectiveness of the teaching and learning implemented in MRSM education system.
During the visit, he also presented aid contributions from the Mara Education Foundation (YPM) and the Malaysian MRSM Ex-Students Association (Ansara) to MRSM students from the B40 group.
He also presented “Surat Arahan Pelaksanaan” to build new Hardcore Poor Housing Project (PPRT) homes to trainers from Pusat Giat Mara Beaufort, who were fire victims.
For the record, Sabah Mara has a total of 701 employees from 51 Mara Centres, consisting of State and District Mara Offices, MRSM, IKM, KPM up to GiatMara.
Mara has four MRSMs in the state, namely MRSM Kota Kinabalu, MRSM Tun Mohammad Fuad Stephens Sandakan, MRSM Tun Datu Mustapha Tawau and MRSM Semporna.
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