KOTA KINABALU: Introducing new types of courses are among efforts needed to fill the total capacity of the Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) Sabah branch, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The TARC Education Foundation board of trustees chairman said there must be a diversified selection of courses to provide more options for students.
He said for now, the university college, which has now achieved a full-fledged university status, only has a few hundred students enrolled in the Sabah branch.
"We have a capacity of up to 3,000 students and there are 10 courses available to choose from," said the MCA president when visiting the campus in Alamesra near here on Sunday (Aug 20).
Dr Wee said the management could look at ways to increase programmes, scholarships and funding schemes to attract more students from poor family backgrounds to further their tertiary education in the university.
He said that TAR UMT also tried to ensure that anyone with qualifications, got the chance at furthering their studies despite their financial constraints.
"Currently, we have some 30% non-Chinese from hard to do families studying here," said Dr Wee.
He said poverty or difficult family circumstances should not be a reason to stop someone from furthering their education if they were qualified and were very much interested in learning.
On the planned launching of the university, Dr Wee said he had met with Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor to invite him to grace the opening ceremony, at a time Hajiji was able to schedule.
"So will we wait for his response," he added.
