Brunei-Malaysia training programme alumni urged to strengthen relations

Speaking at an alumni night for former participants of Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme (MTCP) yesterday, Dato Ku Jaafar Ku Shaari said that, "the alumni night is held every year and is not only held to bring back feelings of nostalgia or memories while studying but to strengthen the relationships between us."

An estimated 100 government personnel who took various short courses in Malaysia were present at the event.

Present as the guest of honour at the event was the Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, Dato Paduka Hj Mustappa Hj Sirat.

The Malaysian Technical Cooperation Programme can be traced back to 1978, at the First Commonwealth Heads of States meeting in Sydney, where the idea was first conceived.

The MTCP was officially launched on September 7, 1980 at the Commonwealth Heads of State meeting in New Delhi, India, to signify Malaysia's commitment to South-South cooperation.

Over 2,000 participants from 137 member countries come to Malaysia to participate in the programme annually.

To date the programme has a membership of about 17,234 alumni all over the world.

They participated in about 150 short-term specialised courses at 43 MTCP training institutions aimed at building human capital in developing countries.

"This course is offered to government personnel with the aim of developing human resource and help by educating and sharing knowledge, because sharing is the best way to help our neighbouring countries prosper," said Mohd Shahir Shaari, the Second Secretary at the Malaysian High Commission.

This "prosper thy neighbour" philosophy is the underlying basis for the MTCP, where the programme was first formulated based on the belief that the development of a country depends on the quality of its human resources.

The programme was first introduced to Brunei Darussalam in the early 1980s and since 2002 some 203 have participated in the programme. Sixty participants are selected to attend the various courses of higher education annually.

courtesy The Brunei Times