Malaysia, Japan Should Enhance Look East Policy 2.0

From Effendy Harun

TOKYO, April 3 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and Japan should strengthen bilateral ties under the Look East Policy or LEP 2.0, said Perlis Raja Muda Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail.

According to him, Malaysia and Japan were like "two old friends" who had one thing in common, namely a "young spirit" when both countries agreed to review the LEP since Malaysia launched it in 1982.

"After the visit of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak to Japan in May 2015, the two sides have found many areas that can be enhanced," he said.

He said this in his keynote address before more than 3,000 people at the Josai International University (JIU) matriculation ceremony For academic year 2016' in its second campus in Togane, Chiba Prefecture, here yesterday.

Also present was Perlis Raja Puan Muda Tuanku Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil, who is also Yayasan Tuanku Fauziah (YTF) chairman.

Upon arrival, the royal couple were welcomed by JIU Chancellor Dr Noriko Mizuta and its president Prof Hakuo Yanagisawa.

They were specially invited by JIU in conjunction with the admission of five YTF sponsored students attending the Women Leadership programme at the university for one year.

The students are Khuzaimah Ramli@Lahman, 25, Nurul Najwa Halim, 23, Lim Xin shi, 25, Nor Salihah Zaini, 24, and Nurul Afizan Yaakob, 24.

Also accompanying the delegation were YTF trustees, Tan Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen and Datuk M. Rajasekaran; special advisor to the Higher Education Minister Prof Emeritus Datuk Dr Kamarudin Hussin and Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) acting vice chancellor Datuk Prof Dr Zul Azhar Zahid Jamal.

Tuanku Syed Faizuddin said Japanese universities and their counterparts in Malaysia could empower students and faculty exchange programmes besides recognising the transfer of credits between institutions to improve the exchange programmes.

"I would like to propose a scholarship or financial aid fund for Japanese students to study in Malaysia. Maybe start with a travel or scientific grant to study critical subjects that can contribute to Malaysian society.

"This is aimed to stimulate academic and scientific exploration that support the development of knowledge-based skills," he said.

He added that continued cooperation between the Japanese government and Tourism Malaysia, through the Edu-Tourism programme that promotes Malaysian education to Japan, helped to enhance a close relationship between the people of both countries.

-- BERNAMA