KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Festival of Ideas (FOI) 2025 serves as a national platform to connect academia with the wider community, enabling ideas generated within universities to be transformed into tangible actions that benefit society.
Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) director-general Datuk Dr Azlinda Azman said the festival reflected the ministry’s aspiration to cultivate a culture of critical thinking, open dialogue, and innovation across all levels of education and society.
“FOI is a national initiative aimed at reconnecting academia with the community.
“It encourages new ways of thinking, new knowledge creation, and translating ideas into actions that can help the local community,” she said when officiating at the Festival of Ideas (FOI) 2025 and the Borneo Book Festival 2025 at DeTAR Putra, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) here today.
She represented Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Samud.
She added that the initiative also involve public and private universities, polytechnics, community colleges, and other training institutions, underscoring the importance of collaborative engagement in advancing knowledge.
The director-general also highlighted the ministry’s ‘Telaah’ reading initiative, which encourages Malaysians — particularly the younger generation — to cultivate a deeper reading habit.
“The programme aims to inspire young talents to read not just digital content but also scholarly and locally produced books that contain valuable knowledge and insights,” she said.
She added that during the FOI Putrajaya 2025 scheduled from Nov 4 to 8, the ministry will also feature a reading session of a book written by the Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, highlighting the importance of engaging with thought-provoking works that inspire action.
Emphasising the value of literature, Dr Azlinda reminded that written works must not remain as mere intellectual expressions but should drive real transformation in society.
“Books and ideas should be turned into action plans.
“As Professor Emeritus Muhammad Salleh once said, a nation becomes empty if it does not care about literature,” she added.
She also lauded Sarawak’s strong cultural and intellectual identity, calling the state a leader in creativity, heritage preservation, and innovation.
“Sarawak is not merely a participant in Malaysia’s development landscape — it is a cultural leader and an inspiration for the future,” she said, praising the contributions of local young talents in promoting the state’s diverse traditions and arts.
Dr Azlinda stressed that the ministry’s vision for higher education goes beyond access to universities, urging institutions to embrace transformation and courageously imagine new possibilities for the next decade.
She commended UNIMAS Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Ahmad Hata Rasit and his team for their leadership and achievements in driving academic and institutional progress.
“We value the strong leadership and cooperation shown by UNIMAS.
“We rely on committed leaders and experienced individuals who can help us move forward,” she said,
