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Mustapha must regard it as a national shame that the best Malaysian university ranked in the 2007 Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities is ranked behind eight Thai universities and two Indonesian universities

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Media Statement (3)    
by Lim Kit Siang  
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(Parliament, Monday) : On Saturday, I had said that Malaysian universities are still in the international backwaters with the country fighting a losing battle to enhance international competitiveness in the quest for academic excellence and university quality – pointing out that Malaysian universities have been omitted in the 2007 Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities, based on their commitment to Web publication and to the Open Access initiatives.

 

I said that the National University of Singapore tops the Asian universities in the WR, ranked No. 139 internationally, with the Nanyang Technological University ranked No. 18 among the top Asian universities. Chulalongkorn University of Thailand has again confirmed that it is recognised internationally as in various recent world universities rankings as of superior quality to all the 17 Malaysian universities. Chulalongkorn University is ranked No. 21 among the top Asian universities and No. 505 in the world ranking of 3,000 Premier Universities.

 

I found that I had made a mistaken when I downloaded the 3,000 universities for more detailed study as there are 10 Malaysian universities in the WR list, but they rank from No. 1193 for Universiti Sains Malaysia to No. 2969 for University Malaysia Sabah.

 

The Higher Education Ministry and the ten universities ranked in the Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities cannot be unaware of my mistake, but for 48 hours there had been no attempt by anyone of them at correction or clarification. Why?

 

Clearly, they are all too shy to point out the mistake, for it will only highlight their lowly ranking in the WR list.

 

This is because the best Malaysian university ranked in the 2007 Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)  is not only ranked No. 1193, and  is  ranked behind eight Thai universities and two Indonesian universities – showing how serious had been the drop and decline of Malaysian universities standards for the past three decades even for the region of Southeast Asia.

 

The Regional and Global Ranking of South East Asian universities are:

 

Top South-East Asian Universities                                   

 

SEA  Rank

 University    

 World Rank

1

National University Singapore (Sg)

139

2

Nanyang Technol University  (Sg)

150

3

Chulalongkorn U (Th)

505

4

Kasesart U (Th) 

577

5

Asian Inst of Tech (Th)

721

6

Chiang Mai U (Th)

861

7

Thammasat U (Th)

894

8

Prince of Songkla U (Th)

896

9

Mahidol U (Th)

909

10

Inst. of Tech Bandung (Id)

927

11

Khon Kaen U (Th)

1009

12

Gadjah Mada U (Id)

1076

13

Universiti Sains Malaysia

1193

14

Assumption U of Thailand (Th)  

1195

15

University of the Philippines Diliman (Ph)

1226

16

Universiti Technologi Malaysia

1317

17

Multimedia University

1338

18

King Mongkuts Inst. of Tech (Th)

1419

19

Universiti Putra Malaysia

1426

20

King Mongkuts Inst. of Tech Ladkrabang

1460

21

University Malaya

1475

22

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

1503

23

Suranaree Univ of Tech (Th) 

1735

24

De La Salle University of Manila (Ph)

1798

25

Ramkhamhaeng U (Th)

1801

 

SEA Rank

 University    

 World Rank

26

King Mongkut’s Univ of Tech North Bangkok (Th)

1811

27

Naresuan U (Th)

1890

28

International Islamic University Malaysia

2056

29

Ubonratchathani U (Th)

2068

30

Universiti Utara Malaysia

2085

31

Bangkok U (Th) 

2109

32

Universiti Teknologi MARA

2110

33

Ho Chi Minh City U of Natural Sciences (Vn)

2120

34

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open U (Th)

2125

35

Mahasarakham U (Th)

2180

36

Burapha U (Th) 

2181

37

Sipakorn U (Th)

2196

38

Srinakharinwirot U (Th)  

2204

39

Ateneo de Manila U (Ph)  

2240

40

Can Tho U (Vn)

2364

41

Sdusuan Dusit Rajabhat U (Th)

2374

42

Singapore Polytechnic (Sg)

2415

43

Bach Khoa U (Vn)

2432

44

National Inst. of Education (Sg)

2450

45

Singapore Management U (Sg)

2494

46

Walailak U (Th)

2602

47

Rangsit U (Th)

2635

48

Univ of the Philippines (Ph)  

2745

49

Mahanakorn U of Tech (Th)

2922

50

University Malaysia Sabah

2969

The Higher Education Minister, Datuk Mustapha Mohamad  must regard it as a national shame that the best Malaysian university ranked in the 2007 Webometrics Ranking (WR) of 3,000 Premier Universities is ranked behind eight Thai universities and two Indonesian universities, and that generally, Malaysian universities are losing out to the universities in other countries in South East Asia – a grim warning that Malaysia is losing out in the stakes for international competitiveness to ensure our rightful place in the global arena.

Mustapha should present a special report on the latest dismal rankings for Malaysian universities to the Cabinet on Wednesday and report to Parliament in two weeks’ time as to the strategy not only to reform but even to revolutionalise tertiary education in Malaysia if we are not to become a laggard in development in the 21st century.

(5/3/2007)  


*  Lim Kit Siang, Parliamentary Opposition Leader, MP for Ipoh Timur & DAP Central Policy and Strategic Planning Commission Chairman

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