SAMARAHAN: The Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE) has reaffirmed its commitment to integrity as a core value in governance and education administration, emphasising the importance of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in shaping a trustworthy and high-performing education sector.
According to the deputy secretary-general (policy) of the Ministry of Higher Education, Datuk Dr Megat Sany Megat Ahmad Supian, integrity is essential in MoHE as Artificial Intelligence (AI) transforms education.
“As we navigate the 21st century and the era of AI, integrity remains crucial in ensuring trust and success within the MoHE.
“AI offers opportunities to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in higher education.
“However, without strong integrity, technology can be misused, leading to a lack of transparency, unfairness, and data manipulation,” he said in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Unimas Integrity Address 2025, held at the Arena Gemilang, DeTAR Putra on Thursday (Feb 6).
Megat Sany called upon Unimas’ top management to reinforce its Integrity Division, ensuring it remains transparent and independent.
“The Integrity Unit must be perceived by public and university personnel as an independent and transparent entity, executing its responsibilities without influence from external interests.
“Therefore, the Unimas Integrity Division must ensure that all information or complaints related to misconduct are addressed and resolved appropriately at the university level.
“The university’s reputation must be safeguarded to prevent unwarranted public criticism and social media scandals,” he said.
Furthermore, he cited a hadith by Saidina Abdullah ‘Amr stating that corruption is condemned in Islam, reinforcing the need for rigorous anti-corruption measures, legal compliance, and continuous monitoring.
“Corruption is also a major sin condemned in Islam, as highlighted in a hadith by Saidina Abdullah bin ‘Amr.
“Therefore, strong integrity practices must be implemented, including continuous monitoring, adherence to laws, and strict anti-corruption policies,” he said.
Highlighting successful infrastructure projects, Megat Sany expressed pride in the completion of Unimas’ Teaching Hospital, inaugurated by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg on Jan 15, which is expected to provide significant benefits to Unimas personnel, students, and surrounding communities in Samarahan, Kuching and Serian.
Additionally, he said integrity promotes a positive work culture in universities by ensuring ethical and transparent decision-making, fostering trust among faculty, students, and administrators, and creating a fair and harmonious academic environment.
“Integrity fosters a positive work culture in universities, ensuring that decisions, actions, and interactions are conducted ethically and transparently.
“It builds trust between faculty, students, and administrators, creating a fair and harmonious academic environment.
“Integrity also ensures accountability, where individuals take responsibility for their actions and decisions.
“Moreover, it promotes professionalism, ensuring everyone acts honestly and ethically in teaching, learning, and research,” he said.
He also said that MoHE recognises the importance of protecting students’ and educators’ rights by ensuring fair and transparent evaluations.
“In today’s digital era, MoHE recognises the importance of protecting students’ and educators’ rights by ensuring fair and transparent evaluation processes.
“Integrity safeguards equal access to resources and opportunities maintains academic freedom, and ensures decisions are based on fairness and justice,” he said.
