Tenfold Enrolment Expected

      Tenfold Enrolment Expected - Enrolment at the Tunku Abdul Rahman Univer­sity College (TAR UC) permanent campus here is expected to increase almost tenfold after it is completed within the next two years, says MCA president Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai.

He said the student numbers are expected to rise from the current 350 to 3,000.

The number of courses offered at TAR UC Sabah would be increased from the current six to more than 100 in line with those offered at its main campus in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur, he said.

The courses to be offered here are tourism industry, marine studies and hospitality, apart from accounting and business which are available at the current campus.

“The TAR UC management has obtained the necessary approvals from City Hall for the construction of the complex,” he said after attending the ground-breaking ceremony of the RM50mil campus by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman at Alam Mesra near here yesterday.

Liow said TAR UC Sabah had come a long way since it began in 2002 at the Kian Kok Middle School here, where it had just 22 students.

TAR UC Sabah moved to its current location at Donggongon township in Penampang and had produced more than 1,300 graduates.

He said construction work on the land donated by businessman Tan Sri Richard Koh Kin Lip would begin soon. The permanent campus complex would include two tutorial blocks, an administrative block, a cafeteria and a student centre block.

“The state-of-the-art learning facilities will create a conducive and encouraging environment for students.

“The facility will also feature a rooftop sports facility offering basketball, futsal and badminton court as well as a gymnasium and swimming pool,” he added.

He said the second phase of the TAR UC campus here would see the construction of accommodation facilities for students.

TAR UC, Liow said, would eventually expand to the east coast district of Sandakan where another campus would be built.

Liow thanked the Sabah government for its support for the university college.

Musa said TAR UC had a good reputation for providing quality tertiary education.

“I am confident that the purpose-built campus in Sabah will provide many more young Sabahans the opportunity to pursue their education and help bring this state to greater heights,” he added.

He said the additional courses to be offered at the new campus augured well for the future growth of Sabah by fulfilling the state’s human capital needs.

“MCA established TAR College in 1969 to provide accessible quality tertiary education to all Malaysians.

“The pursuit of excellence in education has always been a priority of the Barisan Nasional government,” he said.

Also present during the ceremony were MCA deputy president and state party chief Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong and Deputy Chief Ministers Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan and Datuk Raymond Tan.