SERI ISKANDAR, 12 October 2025 — The Festival of Idea@Perak 2025 was officially launched by the Deputy Prime Minister, YAB Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr. Ahmad Zahid bin Hamidi, at Dewan Ibnu Al-Khatib, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Perak Branch, Seri Iskandar Campus. Held from 11 to 12 October 2025, the festival was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education (KPT) and brought together public and private higher education institutions across Perak in a dynamic showcase of creativity, innovation, and academic collaboration.
The event was further graced by the presence of YB Senator Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, Minister of Higher Education; YDH Toh Seri Bijaya Leftenen Kolonel Dato’ Shaharudin Haji Nazari, Orang Besar Jajahan Perak Tengah; and YBhg. Encik Khairudin Haji Abu Hanipah, Chairman of the Education Committee. Senior representatives from KPT, the Department of Higher Education, local authorities, and institutional leaders from across the state were also in attendance.
A key highlight of the festival was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and MERCY Malaysia, marking the commencement of a three-year strategic partnership focused on humanitarian engagement and academic collaboration.
The MoU outlines joint initiatives in research and knowledge transfer, deployment of trained volunteers for humanitarian missions, and the development of training and outreach programmes centred on community service and disaster response. These efforts underscore the critical role of universities and civil society organisations in fostering sustainable, inclusive, and locally driven solutions to global challenges.
Leveraging MERCY Malaysia’s extensive experience in disaster relief and UiTM’s academic and research strengths, the partnership aims to pioneer innovative approaches to community resilience and climate adaptation, ensuring vulnerable populations are better equipped to face future crises.
The MoU was signed by YBhg. Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Faizal Bin Mohd Perdaus, President of MERCY Malaysia, and Prof. Datuk Ts. Dr. Shahrin bin Sahib@Sahibuddin FASc, Vice-Chancellor of UiTM. This collaboration represents a strategic investment in national capacity building and knowledge-informed humanitarian action, with both institutions committed to delivering meaningful impact within Malaysia and across the broader humanitarian landscape.