KUALA LUMPUR – The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah, has announced the appointment of Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini as the Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Malaya (UM) during the university’s 65th convocation ceremony today.
The appointment, which will be effective from September 1, 2025, to August 31, 2028, is a significant honour, Annuar said.
“I am grateful to Allah for this high recognition in the nation’s academic sphere. I also extend my utmost gratitude to the Chancellor, His Royal Highness Sultan Nazrin, for entrusting me with this responsibility,” he told Bernama.
As president of the Perak Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPk), Mohd Annuar is focused on ensuring the future success of UM. He stressed the importance of strengthening the university’s financial resources and proposed that alumni contribute at least RM100 annually to help improve UM’s ageing infrastructure, some of which dates back to the 1960s.
“I believe that even RM100, though small, could become a meaningful development fund. I want to mobilise alumni so the university can build an endowment that supports its growth and keeps UM relevant and ranked among the world’s top institutions,” he said.
Mohd Annuar has held numerous influential positions, including serving as the former chairman of the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama), and is currently the chairman of UDA Holdings Berhad and independent chairman of 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd.
During the convocation, Sultan Nazrin also conferred an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree on former Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in recognition of her service and contributions to the legal profession.
As Chancellor of UM, Sultan Nazrin awarded the title of Professor Emeritus to several distinguished academics, including Prof Datuk Dr Rohana Yusof and Prof Dr Khoo Ee Ming, recognising their contributions to the fields of clinical, scientific, and non-scientific research. – November 29, 2025