KUANTAN: Students sponsored by the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) pursuing higher education in Jordan are seen as crucial in meeting the demand for skilled talent and experts in various fields, particularly in advancing the country’s halal industry.
MARA chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said this aligned with the government’s holistic approach to developing the halal ecosystem, leveraging Malaysia’s extensive experience and global reputation in Islamic finance and banking.
“We are considering increasing the number of MARA-sponsored students in Jordanian universities because we want them not only to gain international exposure but also to master Arabic and acquire diverse knowledge, especially in ‘Fiqh’ (Islamic jurisprudence) and ‘Usul Fiqh’.
“This is essential to channel them into various sectors, including Malaysia’s growing halal industry, spearheaded by Halal Industry Development Council (MPH) chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. Developing halal policies and a halal master plan requires a robust pool of skilled professionals as its backbone,“ he said.
He was speaking at a press conference after the closing ceremony of the 2024/2025 session Intensive Arabic Language Course (KIBA) sponsored by MARA and Yayasan Pahang at UCYP University here today.
A total of 103 MARA-sponsored students under the Young Talent Development Programme (YTP) successfully completed the course and are set to continue their studies at three universities in Jordan: University of Jordan, Al AlBayt University, and Mu’tah University.
Meanwhile, 20 Yayasan Pahang-sponsored students participating in the programme will commence their first year of study in a 2+2 twinning programme between Kolej Yayasan Pahang (KYP) and Yarmouk University, Jordan, specialising in economics and Islamic banking.
Commenting further, Asyraf Wajdi said this initiative aligned with the government’s vision to establish self-regulation within the halal sector, ensuring continuous monitoring beyond just halal certification.
“If we solely rely on halal certificates and periodic audits by the authorities, there will be challenges given the large number of companies involved.
“That is why we need experts with a foundational understanding of Syariah for the halal industry, similar to how we developed the Islamic finance and banking sectors in the past,“ he said.
On his inspection visits to several MARA educational institutions, Asyraf Wajdi said he would continue to monitor the facilities provided to ensure they are in good condition.
“I am urging MARA management to conduct regular monitoring for the comfort of its community. I was informed there are 344 institutions under MARA, and I will visit all of them if time permits,“ he added.
