Mustapha (third right) presenting the Director-General’s Award to Al-Mohammad Salleh, while Kamaludin (second right) looks on.
KOTA KINABALU (Oct 19): A total of 625 graduates from eight Sabah community colleges received their scrolls during the Sabah State Community College Convocation Ceremony 2024 at the Sabah International Convention Centre here on Saturday.
The graduates received their certificates in various fields such as electrical technology, computer systems and networking, light vehicle servicing, agrotechnology, refrigeration and air conditioning technology and culinary.
Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) Deputy Minister Datuk TS Mustapha Sakmud who officiated the occasion, said a dynamic change that his ministry is focusing on at the moment is to attract more youth and equip them with various relevant skills.
Mustapha added that the placement of Polytechnics and Community Colleges (POLYCC) in Malaysia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem helps his ministry realise the TVET direction in the country.
He also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for increasing his ministry’s allocation from RM16 billion to RM18 billion as announced in the tabling of the Budget 2025 on Friday, as it will add value to the management and development of POLYCC.
The minister also said that his ministry plans to value add the certificates for POLYCC by introducing professional certificates such as cybersecurity, cloud computing and fibre and software testing, to ensure they are not left behind in today’s rapid pace of development.
The convocation ceremony had brought together graduates from the Tawau, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Penampang, Semporna, Tambunan, Beaufort and Kota Marudu community colleges.
Several awards were also presented to graduates who excelled in their studies, including the Director-General’s, Community College Entrepreneurship and Excellent Graduate awards.
The Director-General’s Award (AKP) was presented to Al-Mohammad Salleh Shazwan Affandi, 24, from the Sandakan Community College (KKSK).
He showed excellence in academics as well as high dedication in various fields at the local and international levels, including being selected as a participant of the YSS – Asean Green Summer Volunteer Programme in Vietnam.
His appointment as the Sabah State Community College Student Representative Committee (JPP) chairman, Malaysia Community College volunteer exco and KKSK JPP president proves his ability in the leadership and volunteerism fields.
Al-Mohammad Salleh is determined to open his own business in the field of electrical technology in the future.
The Community College Entrepreneurship Award (AUKK) was presented to Mixccomoko Philip, 22, from the Tambunan Community College.
Keen in the field of agrotechnology, he is not only an excellent student in terms of academic, but has also actively participated in entrepreneurship workshops and competitions throughout his study.
Mixccomoko Philip has successfully established two companies in the field of ageotechnology, namely the Green Community and Kaingaran Agro Farm companies, which produced Green Coral lettuce products.
Now, he is furthering his studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA Sabah in the field of agropreneurship.
Sixteen graduates had received the APC during the ceremony, which signifies the excellent academic achievements among graduates of Sessions II 2022/2023 and Session I 2023/2024.
Also present was Department of Polytechnic Education and Community Colleges (JPPKK) deputy director-general (governance) TS Kamaludin Daud.
