Having operated at the current rented premises at Donggongon, Penampang in Sabah, TAR UC will further expand its footprint in Sabah by setting up a new purpose-built and much larger campus in Alamesra, Kota Kinabalu. A ground breaking ceremony was successfully held on 7 February 2017 to mark the commencement of the construction of the new campus at the campus site. The ceremony was graced by Sabah Chief Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman who was accompanied by Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, TARC Education Foundation & Board of Governors, TAR UC, Datuk Seri Ir Dr Wee Ka Siong, Member of the Board of Trustees, TARC Education Foundation, Datuk Dr Tan Chik Heok, President of TAR UC and Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Richard Koh Kin Lip, owner of the land where TAR UC Sabah Branch Campus is sited. In addition, the ceremony was attended by over 500 guests including many Sabah state ministers and dignitaries.
In his speech, Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman said that the development of human capital is crucial for the sustainable growth of various sectors in Sabah and the establishment of TAR UC Sabah Branch Campus is timely because more institutes of higher learning are required to produce the required skilled workforce to further develop the state. “Knowing TAR UC’s good reputation in providing tertiary education and high academic standards, I am confident that the new TAR UC’s purpose-built campus in Sabah will provide many more young Sabahans the opportunity to pursue their education and educate them well to bring Sabah to greater heights,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai in his speech shared how TAR UC’s Sabah Branch Campus has progress since it was first established. “TAR UC’s Sabah Branch Campus first opened its doors in 2002, operating from Kian Kok Middle School. The initial student intake was just 22 students. The number of students grew over the years, and in 2007, the Branch moved to its current location in Donggongon, Penampang in order to accommodate a larger student population. Now, the branch campus has close to 340 students, and has approximately 1,300 graduates who have gone on to become successful in their chosen fields. I am pleased to say that the Sabah Branch Campus has truly upheld its mission of providing access to quality education to East Malaysian communities, even more so now with the development of this new campus,” he continued.
Subsequently Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman, together with Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Datuk Seri Ir Dr Wee Ka Siong, Datuk Dr Tan Chik Heok and Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Richard Koh Kin Lip, each broke the ground with a hoe to symbolise the ground breaking for the construction of the new campus. A scale model of the purpose-built Sabah Branch Campus was also on display at the ceremony for the guests to view.
Once developed, the 6-acre campus which cost RM50 million would be able to accommodate 3,000 students and it will house two tutorial blocks, an administrative block, and a cafeteria and student centre block. In addition, the new campus will also be equipped with unique rooftop sports facilities such as basketball, futsal and badminton courts, gymnasium and a swimming pool. The purpose-built permanent Sabah Branch Campus will be offering Bachelor degree and postgraduate programmes once it is completed in 2019.
