Written by Dr Shafina Tantiana Zulkipli
On 21-22 August 2025, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) undertook two strategic courtesy visits to key national institutions, the Bahagian Hal Ehwal Sabah dan Sarawak (BHESS), Prime Minister’s Department, and the International Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA), Universiti Malaya. These engagements reaffirm FSSH’s commitment to strengthening partnerships that advance academic development, student growth and national policy discourse.
FSHH UNIMAS delegation led by Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor Dr. Ahmad Nizar Ya’akub and BHESS explored collaboration in student development and policy engagement. During the meeting, Encik Mohd Saiful Sungkih bin Abdullah, Setiausaha Bahagian BHESS, briefed the delegation on the division’s role as the federal coordinating body for Sabah and Sarawak. BHESS is responsible for strengthening federal-state ties, addressing matters related to the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and safeguarding the rights and interests of both states within the vision of national unity.
The discussion identified two main areas of collaboration. First, FSSH and BHESS will explore joint seminars and sharing sessions to engage academics, students, and the public on the historical and contemporary significance of MA63 as a foundation of unity. Second, BHESS expressed readiness to offer internship opportunities for UNIMAS students, giving them hands-on experience in federal–state relations, policy formulation, and governance. These initiatives aim to deepen understanding of MA63 while promoting inclusiveness and unity.
Meanwhile, the visit to INPUMA on 22 August 2025, led by Dr. Shafina Tantiana Zulkipli (Program Coordinator for International Relations), focused on academic and research collaborations in governance, sustainable development, and international affairs. Key outcomes included opportunities for joint research outputs such as policy briefs and comparative studies, capacity-building for academics through specialised training, student mobility, as well as co-hosting seminars, conferences and policy roundtables. INPUMA’s role as a national hub for policy dialogue and professional training makes it a strategic partner for FSSH in enhancing research visibility and academic-policy engagement, especially from the perspective of East Malaysia.
For UNIMAS, building a partnership with INPUMA is a strategic step to strengthen its research ecosystem, expand academic influence and contribute to national and regional policy development, especially from the East Malaysian perspective.
FSSH – A Partner for Social Change