KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 13 — The Higher Education Ministry (MOHE) reminds all higher education institutions to take the necessary steps to prevent any possible spread of influenza among students.
Its minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir said that although so far they have not received any information about the spread of the disease in higher education institutions, the ministry is not taking the matter lightly and is closely monitoring its development.
This follows the latest report stating that several schools in several states have been ordered to temporarily close by their respective District Health Offices (PKD), in addition to 6,000 school students under the Education Ministry (MOE) who have been reported to have been infected with the disease so far.
"As we are aware, this disease may involve schools, but we are also not taking the matter lightly," he said.
Zambry was speaking to the press after officiating the closing ceremony of the International Young Future Leaders Summit (iFUTURE) 2025 at World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) today, which was also attended by his deputy Datuk Mustapha Sakmud.
On Thursday (September 9), the Health Ministry (MOH) announced that 97 clusters of influenza A and B infections were reported in Epidemiology Week (ME) 40/2025, up from 14 the previous week, with the majority involving educational institutions.
All states recorded an increase, with the five highest states being Selangor (43 clusters), Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya (15), Penang (10), Johor (nine), and Kedah (five), with most cases showing mild symptoms.
Meanwhile, commenting on the iFUTURE programme, he said that such an approach was the MOH's effort to build leadership values among university students, in addition to the opportunity to interact in an international context with fellow students from 50 countries.
"So they can interact during these three days, get to know each other. This is the real approach that will have a big impact in the long term because one day these people will also be leaders in their respective countries, and imagine how Malaysia can play that role," Zambry said.
