Sarawak Plans To Add 40 Medical Study Places At UNIMAS
KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Sarawak Government plans to increase the number of medical study places reserved for Sarawakians at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) from 40 to 80, in order to produce more local doctors to meet the state's healthcare service needs.
Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri (Dr) Abang Abdul Rahman Zohari Tun Datuk Abang Openg said the plan involves an additional 40 places proposed to be funded through Yayasan Sarawak.
According to him, the matter was discussed with UNIMAS recently as part of the government's strategic efforts to strengthen the development of local healthcare professionals.
"That is why I recently held discussions with UNIMAS to increase the medical places reserved for Sarawakians from 40 to 80, through an additional 40 places planned with study funding from Yayasan Sarawak.
"I want this effort to be seen as a strategic investment in developing local healthcare professionals. We do not merely want to increase the number of medical graduates, but to ensure that Sarawak has sufficient, quality doctors and specialists who are ready to serve the people throughout this region," he said.
He said this in his speech at the 30th UNIMAS Convocation Ceremony, Session 3, at Arena Gemilang, Dewan Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra (DeTAR PUTRA), here on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, he said the UNIMAS Medical Programme Special Scholarship implemented through Yayasan Sarawak since 2017 has produced 200 Sarawakian medical graduates who were fully sponsored by the state government.
He said scholarship recipients who successfully complete their studies are also bound by a 10-year service bond in Sarawak under the terms of the agreement.
The approach is aimed at ensuring that the investment in medical education delivers long-term benefits, particularly to rural and interior communities that need access to healthcare services.
At the ceremony, 41 medical students sponsored by Yayasan Sarawak were among the graduates who received their degrees, reflecting the effectiveness of the government's investment in human capital development.
Of that number, two graduates, Jasnita Anak Kent from Rumah Anding, Sungai Melinau, Kapit, and Nur Hafizah Auda from Kampung Baru Tatau, drew the Sarawak Premier's attention for their success in completing their medical studies.
Both received full funding for tuition fees, accommodation at residential colleges and an annual living allowance through Yayasan Sarawak sponsorship.
Meanwhile, the Sarawak Premier also stressed the importance of strengthening local health research and expertise in line with the development of the Sarawak Infectious Diseases Centre (SIDC) and efforts to establish the Sarawak Cancer Centre.
He expressed hope that UNIMAS will continue to play an important role in producing professionals and strengthening clinical and public health research to improve the quality of healthcare services for the people. -UKASnews
