

By: Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH: Artificial intelligence (AI) technology must be utilised wisely without neglecting religious and moral values, said Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Ts. Mustapha Sakmud.
He emphasised the importance of strengthening students’ character as a key element in facing the challenges of advancing technology.
“Technological challenges will always exist, but the more critical aspect is how we cultivate strong character in students. This will serve as a filter against the negative influences of technological advancements.
“The government aims to produce students with strong values and balanced technological skills, in line with efforts to enhance the higher education ecosystem,” he said during the Talk to Us dialogue session with students as part of his working visit to Politeknik Ungku Omar (PUO) recently.
More than 300 students participated in the Talk to Us session held at Dewan Jubli Perak, which addressed various issues and challenges in higher education.
Earlier, Datuk Ts. Mustapha visited the Bercham branch campus, officially handed over to PUO last week, before inaugurating the Virtual Reality (VR) Lab at Campus B.
The visit concluded with a symbolic tree-planting ceremony and a casual meet-and-greet session with students and Sabah-born staff serving at PUO.
This working visit continues his initiative of engaging directly with TVET institutions under the Higher Education Ministry (KPT), a program that began last year.
Politeknik Ungku Omar also made history as the first polytechnic visited by the Deputy Higher Education Minister in 2025.
Also present were the Deputy Director-General (Governance) of the Department of Polytechnic and Community College Education, Ts. Haji Kamaludin Daud, and PUO Director, Dr. Shamsuri Abdullah.