PUTRAJAYA: New Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir will continue working on plans laid out by his predecessor, Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin.
On his first day of work, Zambry said he was not in the ministry to "put something new", as he and Khaled were in the same government.
"Khaled has laid a good foundation in the past year as Higher Education Minister. I am here today to continue the agenda," he said after clocking in at the ministry this morning.
His deputy, Datuk Mustapha Mohd Yunus Sakmud, was also present.
He said one of his main focuses was understanding and digesting ways to implement the existing policies fully.
Zambry took over the Higher Education portfolio from Khaled in Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday.
Khaled assumed the Defence Minister post, vacated by Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who moved to the Foreign Ministry, which was also Zambry's old ministry.
Zambry said he would use his experience as a lecturer to better lead the ministry, especially by serving the three main components in higher learning institutions.
These components, he added, were the students, the teaching staff, and the administrators.
"I am not saying that I am the best, but I came from the campus world, whether I was a student or a student leader, then when I was teaching on campus.
"InsyaAllah, with these experiences, I will be with the students, lecturers and administrators," he added.