Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) has expressed its support for Universiti Malaysia Sabah's (UMS) decision to postpone its convocation ceremony, originally set for November 29, to allow students and staff to participate in the Sabah state election.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Minister of Higher Education, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, stated that the decision by UMS was well-considered and appropriate. He highlighted that the ministry typically does not interfere with university matters concerning convocation schedules, as these fall under the university's jurisdiction. The postponement was made because one of the convocation days coincided with the polling day, ensuring that the rights of students, lecturers, and staff to vote are upheld.

UMS announced that the 27th Convocation Ceremony would be rescheduled to a later date, which will be announced in due course. The university emphasized that the decision respects the civic duty of its community and provides the necessary space for graduates and the public to vote.

In a related development, Minister Zambry shared that Malaysia is working on developing a new curriculum focused on Planetary Health, linking human health with environmental health. This initiative is led by the National Planetary Health Action Plan (PTKPN) group, making Malaysia the first ASEAN country to introduce such a program.

The minister added that the PTKPN group recently convened to discuss a major proposal related to this new field. This effort is part of MoHE's ongoing involvement in advancing educational initiatives. Earlier this month, Malaysia received international recognition at the 2025 Planetary Health Annual Meeting in Rotterdam for its commitment to environmental sustainability and promoting a healthier society.