Rosmah, who is also patron of Permata, said countries like Thailand and Cambodia had developed such a university to polish their talented young people who have a passion for the arts.

“To date, we only have Akademi Seni Budaya and Warisan Kebangsaan (Aswara) which is being upgraded to university status.

“It is high time for us to have a university dedicated to the arts for young people to further develop their talents in the field,” she said at a gathering with parents of Permata Seni participants in conjunction with the Permata Seni Camp 2018 here today.

At the event, the parents also shared the success stories and achievements of their children, who had not only developed their talents abroad but also excelled academically.

Rosmah also shared that Permata Seni caught the interest of foreign countries so much so that they emulated Malaysia and developed similar programmes to highlight talents in singing, dance and music.

“We have become the best example for other countries and it gives me satisfaction when these children come out with a great performance,” she said.

The Permata Seni Camp which started on March 17 and ends on Sunday, is attended by 241 children aged between seven and 12.

Rosmah also presented certificates of appreciation to students under the Permata Seni programme who achieved excellence in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).