MALAYSIAN PM CONFERRED HONORARY DOCTORATE BY MEIJI UNIVERSITY

From Khairdzir Yunus

TOKYO, April 20 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak was
today conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the Meiji University.

Meiji University President Hiromi Naya conferred the honorary degree on
Najib at a special ceremony at the university here Tuesday morning.

Present were Najib's wife Rosmah Mansor, Information Communication
and Culture Minister Dr Rais Yatim who is the acting Foreign Minister
and Malaysian Ambassador to Japan Shaharuddin Md Som.

In his acceptance speech, Najib said he felt honoured to be conferred the
honorary doctorate from the Meiji University, a university that was held in a
very high esteem in Japan for its many contributions and sterling achievements.

He said he strongly believed that Malaysia and Japan can engage in various
initiatives at different levels to achieve mutual benefit and shared goals.

"First, both nations can foster closer understanding and collaboration
through
smart partnership, academic engagements and corporate joint ventures.

"Secondly, we can share resources to create value in an open innovation
ecosystem that will benefit both countries at various levels.

"For example, there can be increased student and staff mobility between
universities engaging in innovative projects in various areas of concern that
will benefit all parties," he said.

He said in addition, both countries could extend the existing framework such
as
the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) with the Malaysian Vice
Chancellors Council on areas of importance such as sustainability and innovative
technology.

Najib said another initiative could be to revisit the idea of the
establishment
of Malaysia Japan University as a symbol of their renewed commitment in
bilateral relations and in the quest for a more vibrant and dynamic ecosystem
for intellectual collaboration.

"Nevertheless the success of this endeavour hinges upon our mutual
commitment
to move forward," he added.

He said the Japanese government has long supported Malaysian academics
resulting in high-impact academic collaboration and joint research, while
encouraging the mobility of experts between the countries for many years.

In addition, he said, Japanese companies such as Hitachi and Panasonic had
also
provided scholarships and fellowships for higher degrees and joint research
projects.

"In relation to this, I am happy to announce that University Technology of
Malaysia, one of the top tier universities in Malaysia, will be setting up a UTM
Tokyo Satellite Office based in Meiji University which will further enhance the
academic ties and research collaborations already existing between our two
nations in areas of concern," he said.

He said through Research University Collaborations, nations could be linked
through effective engagements in pertinent research areas that would contribute
to knowledge and expertise in relevant fields such as sustainability and
innovation as well as other economic and socio-environmental issues currently
impacting the world.

The Prime Minister said at the same time, Malaysia was committed to provide
facilities and incentives to welcome Japanese research companies to set up
operation in Malaysia.

"We are ready to create a more vibrant and fertile research environment that
would support a more creative and innovative investment ecosystem, contributing
to the synergistic well being of both nations," Najib said.

He also said that without doubt the Look East Policy which was now entering
its
28th year had managed to become a magnet attracting Japanese companies to invest
and to set up their businesses and bases in Malaysia.

These investments, he said, had allowed Malaysia to move up the ladder to
become an upper middle income nation within the space of a decade.

He said Malaysia and Japan were two old friends and their friendship was an
enduring relationship predicated upon a common and mutual worldview.

"Ours is not a relationship of fair weather friends, it is one that has
withstood the test of time over the years as both nation work on the
possibilities rather than being fixated by the past," he said.

He said Malaysia was indeed appreciative of Japan's participation in
Malaysia's progress and development over the years.

Najib also said that Japan could play a pivotal role in helping Malaysia's
transformation from an industrial economy to an innovation economy.

He said in the field of education through the Look East Policy more than
15,000
Malaysians have benefited, a big number of them engineers and professionals that
graduated from universities in Japan, with many of them currently occupying mid
to high level positions in the public and private sectors in Malaysia.

He said Malaysia could indeed benefit from a much broader education, human
resources and capacity building cooperation, especially between institutions of
higher learning.

He said their collaborations must take their relationship to new heights.
"The synergy can create new avenues of cooperation not only in science and
technology but also in the cultural milieu.

"For as much as Malaysia can learn from Japan's strength in terms of science
and technological advancement, Japan can also gain from Malaysia's diverse
expertise; from oceanography to forestry, from palm oil to tropical medicine,
and from Islamic finance to multi-cultural engagement," he said.

Najib who is currently on a four-day official visit to Japan since Sunday
had earlier had a breakfast meeting with Japanese parliamentarians at the New
Otani Hotel here.

After the conferment ceremony, he was slated to address the Japanese
business community at a luncheon held at the same hotel, attend a closed door
roundtable meeting with Japanese captains of industry, and a dinner with
Malaysians and Malaysian students before leaving for home.

-- BERNAMA



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