Malaysian Students Urged To Play Role In Nation Building

 AUCKLAND, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen has urged Malaysian students in New Zealand to help the government in its transformation plan for a prosperous and developed country.

"You are valued citizens of our young nation and we want you to play your part to move Malaysia forward to a high-income country," Dr Ng said.

The minister was addressing about 130 students who gathered at a hotel here last night to break fast.

"We are moving from manufacturing to a services industry where millions of jobs would be created and where there will be opportunities for you to be creative, innovative and productive in the transformation of Malaysia," she said.

Dr Ng said every student in Malaysia would be judged on their merit and scholarships would be offered to all Malaysians if they achieved good grades.

She said students from disadvantaged backgrounds would be given special help to achieve higher education.

The government was spending billions of ringgit to ensure Malaysia had a highly educated workforce, she said.

The minister, who is on a seven-day visit to New Zealand and Australia to promote tourism, cautioned the students on the dangers new media can pose.

"They often tell you 50 per cent of the truth or 50 per cent half-truth and make wild and unfounded allegations against (prominent) people," she said.

Dr Ng delighted the students with her humour and received a standing ovation for her entertaining talk.

The Malaysian High Commission to New Zealand Datuk Hasnudin Hamzah said there were 2,318 Malaysian students in Kiwiland and they were all well-behaved, studied hard "and I have no headache looking after them."

Hasnudin said there was a strong bond of friendship between Malaysia and New Zealand and Malaysian students felt welcomed in this country.

-- BERNAMA