JAKARTA, Indonesia: West Sumatra Governor, Mahyeldi Ansharullah, has been conferred the ‘Global Alumni Icon 2026’ award under the Prestigious Award category in recognition of his leadership and contributions.
Mahyeldi, 59, an alumnus of Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah (UniSHAMS), was among six distinguished Indonesians honoured for their achievements across various fields.
The awards were presented by Higher Education Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, at a ceremony and dinner with Indonesian alumni here on Sunday night.
Malaysian Higher Education said, in the context of education ties between West Sumatra and Malaysia, Mahyeldi, who assumed office in 2021, has played a key role in advancing institutional partnerships, improving access and the quality of education for West Sumatran students in Malaysia, and strengthening academic networks and knowledge exchange.
The cooperation covers higher education, capacity-building for teachers and lecturers, collaborative research, and the reinforcement of shared Malay cultural values.
When asked why he chose to pursue his studies in Malaysia, Mahyeldi, who obtained a Master of Management degree from UniSHAMS in 2025, cited geographical proximity, cultural affinity, and smooth institutional communication as key factors.
He added that shared Malay cultural roots and established academic networks between West Sumatra and Malaysia had made academic engagement more seamless.
Mahyeldi said the West Sumatran administration has been actively encouraging senior officials and department heads to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as top-level civil service leadership training, to strengthen governance capacity.
“This will serve as capital for them in managing the government in the future, particularly in West Sumatra. We are also encouraging them to pursue doctoral and postdoctoral programmes so that even after retirement, they can continue contributing at higher levels, which will positively impact higher education institutions in West Sumatra,” he said.
The Global Alumni Icon awards recognise distinguished international alumni of Malaysian higher education institutions who have made significant contributions in their respective fields while strengthening bilateral and people-to-people ties.
Besides Mahyeldi, those honoured included former Education and Culture Attaché at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Kuala Lumpur, Prof. Muhammad Firdaus, an alumnus of Universiti Putra Malaysia; Deputy at Indonesia’s Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Riza Adha Damanik, an alumnus of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM).
Also receiving the award were President of the Association of Indonesian Alumni in Malaysia, Abdis Salam, an alumnus of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Founder of Hutan, Alam dan Lingkungan Aceh Foundation, Farwiza Farhan, an alumna of USM; and Founder of Sakinah Finance, Murniati Mukhlisin, an alumna of the International Islamic University Malaysia. – BERNAMA
