KUANTAN: The Universiti Tenaga Nasional (Uniten) campus in Rompin is here to stay despite a previous decision to run the institute as a single entity in Putrajaya.
TNB chairman Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid gave his assurance the Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah Campus (KSHAS) in Muadzam Shah, Rompin which was opened in 2001 would operate as usual.
"There are no plans to close the campus or merge it as one entity to operate in Putrajaya. Parents and students do not need to worry as the management is now looking into efforts to increase the students intake.
"I have discussed with the Menteri Besar (Datuk Seri Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail) to collaborate with Yayasan Pahang, Yayasan Tenaga Nasional and Yayasan Canselor Uniten to help increase student enrolment this year.
"The campus now has about 1,400 students compared to 4,000 undergraduates previously," he said after presenting TNB Ceria ke Sekolah aid to schools in Pahang here today.
In 2019, the Uniten vice-chancellor's office announced the setting-up of a centralised campus operation through the merger of its two branches – the Rompin and Putrajaya campuses as one entity.
The decision under the "Reimagining Uniten" initiative was supposed to begin in stages from June last year.
Various organisations including political bodies and non-governmental organsations expressed concern over the potential closure of KHSAS and urged TNB to reconsider the decision.
Mahdzir said currently some buildings at KHSAS were utilised for short-term reskilling programmes and once the student intake increases, the courses would be relocated elsewhere.
He described KHSAS as the "lease of life" for the town as its spillover effects had allowed locals who ran businesses to generate a regular income.
"As a government-linked company (TNB), we always think about the development and the economy of those in rural areas. We must see how the community will benefit from the private university and ensuring continuous economic growth development in Muadzam Shah.
"If we close the campus, then those involved in the economy sector are going to be badly affected and the move will certainly affect their livelihood."
On the "TNB Ceria ke Sekolah" corporate social responsibility programme, Mahdzir said RM220,000 consisting of school supplies would be distributed to 2,200 students from the B40 category throughout Pahang.