Military Medical Faculty to take in students next year

Star: KUALA LUMPUR: The Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) will create a Military Medical Faculty and take in 40 students for its first intake next year.
Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the development of the new faculty was also in line with UPNM's target to become a university of excellence not only in academics but also personality, leadership and personal development.
"We own assets such as military hospitals and health examination centres, and we have identified several military hospitals to become practical training centres for the students," he told reporters after an official visit to UPNM at the Sungai Besi Camp, here Monday.
Accompanying him was his deputy, Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad, army chief, Jen Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal and UPNM Vice-Chancellor Datuk Zulkifli Zainal Abidin.
Ahmad Zahid said UPNM would also implement several policy changes regarding student intake and the composition of civilian and military students to ensure that the university produced students able to fulfill the needs of the military and outside market.
"The policy changes are being reviewed, and if necessary we will amend them. So far, only 20 per cent of the intake to UPNM through the university entrance management division (UPU) are members of the public with no basic military training.
"We will see how things go. We need to refer to the Prime Minister regarding these policies. If he agrees to the changes, we will open UPNM to foreign students as well," he said.
He said work to upgrade infrastructure on the 162ha main campus will be carried out immediately so that all buildings would be completed before the end of the Ninth Malaysia Plan (9MP).
There are currently 1,857 students of whom 20 percent are not military cadets, and UPNM targets a maximum intake of 5,000 students comprising of 2,500 cadet officers, 500 civilian students and 200 masters and PhD students.
He added that 250 students from UPNM's first intake would receive their diplomas and degrees during the convocation next year.