100 UMP Kilau volunteers continue to serve together with the community of Kampung Tammalang

TAMMALANG, THAILAND, 3 July 2023 - Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) Kilau volunteers, consisting of students and staff, once again dedicated themselves to the land of Tammalang to carry out community service activities together with the community and volunteering.

UMP has a close relationship with the residents here, which has been established since 2012, making the name UMP synonymous with the Kampung Tammalang community.

However, when the world faced a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic for three years, volunteer activities had to be postponed.

The program organized by the Student Affairs and Alumni Department (SAffAD) under the theme 'Strengthening Culture, Building Community' returned to assist the Tammalang community with the participation of 100 students and staff from various backgrounds, departments, and different faculties, working together as a family for two days to carry out activities with their respective foster families.

Furthermore, the UMP Kilau volunteers also performed sacrificial and aqiqah rituals by slaughtering 15 goats and two cows, which were donated by UMP alumni, UMP residents, and the public.

Also present was UMP Board of Directors member, Madyasir Ahmad Basir, who is an UMP alumnus.

He expressed gratitude and congratulations to all parties involved in the successful implementation of these activities that benefit the community here.

"When we look back, we can see many changes and the impact of UMP's visits here since the first visit.

"From a socio-economic perspective, the application of technology, technical and vocational guidance, as well as the repair work, have transformed the demographics of the population," said Madyasir, who attended the program's inauguration, which was also attended by the Director of the Islamic Center and Human Development (PIMPIN), Associate Professor Dr. Rashidi Abbas.

According to Madyasir, during this visit, the UMP delegation focused on the installation of solar lights on the surrounding streets, repairing religious schools by painting and installing whiteboards, participating in a community feast, and engaging in spiritual activities such as reciting Surah Al-Fatihah and religious lectures delivered by UMP Islamic Affairs Officer.

"We greatly appreciate the sacrifices of the student volunteers who are willing to sacrifice their time and energy to help the community here, even though the examination week is approaching.

"We want to instill these characteristics of sacrifice in the UMP Kilau volunteers to empower our students," he said.

He also mentioned that the spirit of volunteerism among students needs to be fostered from the beginning so that students can internalize and embrace it well and continue to contribute after completing their studies.

"On this occasion, I would like to express my appreciation to RHB Bank, Taqwa Foundation, and Murs Venture Sdn. Bhd. for their contributions in making this program a success.

Deputy District Chief of Satun, Suthiwut Songsawat, and the Executive Director of Tammalang Organizational Management, Mamat Long Kunan, were also present.

In his speech, Suthiwut Songsawat expressed his gratitude to UMP for organizing the program in Kampung Tammalang for the 7th time. 

For him, UMP has made significant developments in this village and has had a positive impact on the local community.

He also takes pride in the fact that there are adopted children who still maintain a connection with their families here, and they also contribute to helping ease the burden of their foster families here.

The UMP International Mobility Kembara 21@Kampung Tammalang Thailand is one of the Kembara UMP 21 programmes launched by the Chairman of the UMP Board of Directors, Tan Sri Dato' Sri Dr. Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman, who is also the Chairman of the UMP Foundation. The program aims to provide exposure and empower students while enhancing their personal development by embracing the culture of communities within and outside the country.

By: Rozana Sahadan, Centre of Industry and Community Collaboration

Translation By: Aminatul Nor Mohamed Said, Ump Career Centre (UMPCC)