YBR offers financing for ethnic language students at UPSI

1 February 2024

By Wartawan Nabalu News

TANJUNG MALIM: Yayasan Bank Rakyat (YBR) is offering flexible education financing to students at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) who are pursuing studies in ethnic languages at the university.

Through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between YBR and UPSI, a total of RM7.5 million will be provided over a period of five years, targeting 30 students each year who will benefit from this funding.

The MoU was signed by UPSI, represented by Vice-Chancellor Dato' Dr. Md Amin Md. Taff, and YBR, represented by Chairman of the Board of Trustees Datuk Philip Lasimbang.

UPSI offers major studies in the Kadazandusun, Iban, and Semai languages, which are ethnic languages included in the national education curriculum.

Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Datuk Ewon Benedick, who witnessed the signing ceremony of the MoU today, described it as a step forward in recognising and empowering the role of mother tongue languages in our country.

"I am proud that the minor studies in the Kadazandusun language introduced at UPSI in 2010 are now being strengthened through the offer of education financing. To me, this is a form of honour and recognition for our mother tongue languages in our country."

In the entrepreneurial context, ethnic languages can be influential. For example, marketing and promoting a product or service in an ethnic language, in addition to the national language and major global languages, can attract the interest of that ethnic group.

"At the same time, we should promote the mastery of at least three languages among the people of Malaysia, namely the national language, mother tongue, and at least one major international language," he said.

Ewon made ths in his speech at the signing ceremony of the MoU at UPSI, here, today.

Also present was former Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, who launched the minor studies in Kadazandusun at UPSI in 2010.