KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA January 14, 2026 – Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has stressed that education for Malays is not an ordinary issue, but a matter of survival that will determine whether future generations can become creators of the future or merely passengers in their own nation’s economy.
He made the remarks in a post on platform X after attending the Convention on Empowering Malay Education organised by the Education and Research Secretariat of UMNO Malaysia on the night of 13 January 2026 at the Grand Ballroom, Hotel Seri Pacific, Kuala Lumpur.
Zahid, who is also UMNO President, said he sat through the entire convention listening attentively and reflecting deeply on every presentation, which prompted him to think seriously about the future of Malay children.
Among the key challenges highlighted were:
– Graduate employability
– The urban-rural development gap
– The need to strengthen the role of National Schools
– Empowerment of TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training)
– Establishing Malay language as a language of knowledge
Nevertheless, he expressed optimism about opportunities for improvement through better coordination of the education system, stronger TVET and Tahfiz programmes, and reinforcement of National Schools.
Zahid extended his gratitude to the organisers, panel members, and all participants for sharing valuable ideas.
“This discussion is not just about today, but about the future of our children. Insya-Allah, UMNO will continue to shoulder this responsibility. To me, education is the torch of our struggle, and it is there that the dignity and future of our race lie,” he asserted.
The convention also addressed the agenda of revitalising Malay education, in line with UMNO’s aspiration to continue championing the fate of the Malay community.
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