"LOOK EAST" POLICY CITED FOR SUCCESS OF JAPAN STUDY PROGRAMME

SHAH ALAM (Malaysia), Jan 18 (Bernama) -- The "Look East" policy introduced
by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad in 1982 has been an important
factor for the success of the programme to send Malaysians to study in Japan,
said University of Malaya (UM) Pro-Chancellor Dr Aishah Ong.

The policy had resulted in 2,986 UM graduates furthering their studies and
undergoing training in Japan to emulate Japan's work ethics and business
techniques, she said.

"Under the policy, Malaysia strengthened its cooperation with Japan in the
economic, industrial, technological training, academic, research and management
fields.

"The success of the policy prompted the Japanese government to increase the
intake of Malaysian students in universities in Japan," she said at a dinner to
honour students who had completed a special preparatory course for study in
Japan in the 2009/2010 session, at a hotel here Sunday night.

Dr Aishah said that through a programme established by Japan in 1982 under
the university's Centre for Foundation Studies in Science, the almost 3,000
students had furthered their studies in Japan, particularly in engineering,
medicine and dentistry.

-- BERNAMA