Wednesday August 20, 2003

Utar’s Setapak campus to be ready by November

By IZATUN SHARI

KUALA LUMPUR: The Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman mini campus in Setapak will be ready by the end of November in time for the start of the December/January academic session, Utar council chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ling Liong Sik said.

He said the RM30mil campus, which could accommodate 5,000 students, would have a large lecture theatre, library, administration block, laboratories and canteen.

“I am very happy with the progress of the project.

“I've been assured that the job will be completed on time,” he told reporters after visiting the 2.42ha site here yesterday.

He said the contractors had overcome the initial labour problem when the Government sent back Indonesian workers.

“The only part which is a little bit slow in progress is the lecture theatre.

“Once the roof is up, the contractors can work for 24 hours, rain or shine,” Dr Ling said, adding that later Utar would pay attention to landscaping work.

Utar has a current enrolment of 3,788 students, studying at its temporary campus in Petaling Jaya.

It expects to have 10,000 students next year, a 25-fold jump over its pioneer batch of 400 students last year.

On the new condition set by the Government that students wanting to pursue degree courses, both locally and abroad, must have five credits in the relevant subjects, Dr Ling said: “We will meet that requirement.”

He said Utar would allow those with Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM) or equivalent qualifications to pursue their degrees at the university.

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