News Source: New Straits Times

PAGOH: Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) has stepped up efforts to strengthen the country’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) ecosystem by forging strategic partnerships with 17 industry players across multiple sectors.

The collaborations, sealed through the signing of 11 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and eight memoranda of agreement (MoAs), are valued at over RM1.5 million and span industries including solar energy, industrial automation, electronics, rail systems, textiles, and building technology.

UTHM board of directors chairman Datuk Seri Ibrahim Ahmad said such partnerships were crucial in ensuring universities remained connected to real industry needs.

“At the university, we are not merely focused on producing output, but on achieving outcomes that bring real benefits to society and the nation,” he said in his speech at the signing ceremony at the Pagoh Higher Education Hub Convention Centre, yesterday.

He said universities must not exist in isolation, but serve as people-oriented institutions that provide graduates with dignified career pathways and fair remuneration.

“I see this strategy, spearheaded by the Faculty of Engineering Technology (FTK) and its industry partners, as highly commendable. We must continue to develop collaboration models that enable universities to act as technology providers and strategic partners to industry,” he said.

UTHM also received an in-kind endowment worth RM52,000 from Solaroo System Sdn Bhd, consisting of solar panels, photovoltaic (PV) course equipment, and the organisation of a specialised PV course for university staff.

Meanwhile, local defence firm Mindmatics Sdn Bhd was announced as an industry partner in the fields of defence electronics and cybersecurity, with joint projects that include enhancing the CAMAR radar system under an industry matching programme (IMAP) grant worth RM110,800, developing a radio communication monitoring system, and conducting Cyber Range training programmes for UTHM students and staff.

UTHM’s Professional Industry Training Centre (PITC), under FTK, also played a key role in the initiative by coordinating professional training and competency certification programmes.

News Source: New Straits Times

KUALA LUMPUR: Local defence firm Mindmatics Sdn Bhd is tapping into the power of young talent to strengthen Malaysia’s future cyber defence capacity, with its sponsorship of a Capture the Flag (CTF) competition at the Siber Siaga event at CyberDSA 2025.

Mindmatics director Abdul Wahab Sulaiman said the initiative reflects the growing importance of cyberspace in national security, with much of today’s world no longer confined to the physical domain.

“Most aspects of life are now controlled by the cyber world. In Malaysia, there is still much work to be done to encourage more players to grow and get involved.

“By sponsoring this competition, we are not only helping to stimulate the cyber economy, but also identifying new talent that can one day safeguard the nation,” he said.

Wahab said talent cultivation should begin earlier, from secondary school, but exposure at the university stage was already a crucial step forward.

“We hope that young people see this activity from a positive perspective, and take action to protect themselves and ultimately the country,” he said.

He also said that cyber competitions allow young Malaysians to experience real-world challenges.

“By organising events like this, we can attract more participants. The idea is to inspire them to compete, win and achieve something. Along the way, they face the kind of challenges that exist in real cyber warfare,” he said.

Wahab added that Mindmatics’ outreach goes beyond CTF competitions as they also sponsor cyber awareness and skills programmes for primary and secondary schools under its CyberHero initiative.

“We hope to create greater awareness among the younger generation, so Malaysia can develop a broader pool of cyber talent and ultimately build some of the best teams in the world,” he said.

In addition, Mindmatics is at the early stage of developing home grown cyber applications that will enhance Malaysia capability in protecting its own sovereignty.

Mindmatics technical, operations and project manager Abd Rahim Mat Sidek said the competition drew strong interest, with 100 teams registering and 75 qualifying for the preliminary rounds.

“Out of these, 20 teams advanced to the finals, joined by three professional teams to heighten the challenge.

“The final saw teams from institutions such as Universiti Selangor (Unisel), Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU) and Universiti Teknologi Mara UiTM”.

He said competitions like these allow Mindmatics to identify promising talents and bring them into its protégé programme, which exposes them to industry standards and provides mentoring opportunities.

“Technical ability is important, but attitude and teamwork matter just as much. We look for independence and initiative because in cybersecurity, you must be able to defend and attack on your own capability,” he said.

Rahim said promising talents are also offered internships to ensure continuity, even while still studying.

“We don’t stop them if they later choose to join other industries such as oil and gas or banking. What matters is that they step into the cyber world with the right skills and spirit,” he said.

The competition concluded with Universiti Selangor (Unisel) taking the top prize of RM6,000 through the efforts of students Nik Badrul Munir Nik Sahazeman, Muhammad Firdaus Amran and Muhammad Shariff Umar.

The first runner-up spot went to Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), whose team of Tan Sin Chee, Lee Wei Song and Megat Muhammad Zafran Megat Muazzam received RM3,000.

In third place was Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU), represented by Ruhan Aidan Amaradasa, Lee Kuang Weng and Wong Wei Jie, who took home RM1,800.