UMP launches Mawadah Residential College with waqf concept

PEKAN, 28 April 2023 – Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) now has the first student accommodation with waqf concept in Malaysia when the Mawaddah Residential College in UMP Pekan is fully completed and launched today.

This effort is the result of the noble initiative of the university management who are concerned about the welfare of students and even become a symbol of the success of a close collaboration between all parties who have contributed to realising the desire to create residential colleges on campus based on the waqf concept.

The project on an area of 2.0 acres in UMP Pekan is the university management initiative with the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MUIP) to help students in need and with financial problems and the increased rental to be borne.

Mawaddah Residential College houses 110 conducive rooms and is equipped with various facilities, academic support, social activities, sports activities and welfare activities.

This facility is open to all students with needs, but the priority is for groups of asnaf students and orphans.

The launch ceremony was officiated by Menteri Besar Pahang, Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Sri Haji Wan Rosdy Wan Ismail, and also attended by UMP Pro-Chancellor Tan Sri Dato’ Sri (Dr.) Abu Musa Asa’ari Mohamed Nor, Chairman of the UMP Board of Directors, Tan Sri Dato ’Sri Dr. Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman and UMP Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin.

Also present were the MUIP Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Ahmad Hairi Hussain and Deputy Secretary General (Management and Development) of the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), Dato’ Dr. Mohd Zabri Yusoff.

According to Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie, UMP built Mawaddah Residential College which involves students who will live in this residential college voluntarily involved in cash endowments through dormitory fees.

“The cash waqf practice of each student will ease UMP’s expenses in providing services and welfare facilities, education, health and others.

“I believe that the acceptance and involvement of students in this cash endowment will positively impact the development of UMP.

“The cash waqf fund will be used as a complementary to other development efforts by UMP,” he said.

In addition, the Mawaddah concept also aligns with the practice of the concept of love in creating an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect among its residents and building the identity of students in improving leadership and social skills, as well as providing a comprehensive and complete learning experience for them.

UMP appreciates the support of the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MUIP) which approved the waqf donation application since September 2016.

“This proactive step by UMP and MUIP has also realised the desire to help students who have financial problems and the increasing cost of renting houses from time to time that must be borne by them,” he said.

According to him, the construction project was started in 2017 with an initial fund of RM5,000,000.00 and experienced a slight delay following the COVID-19 pandemic starting in 2020.

The building will benefit about 220 students with special needs, especially asnaf and orphans.

In the meantime, recognising the importance of noble values in producing people who are noble and balanced in terms of physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual, the residents of the Mawaddah Residential College will go through a student development programme through the A.D.A.B leadership concept: Attitude, Dynamic, Agile and Balanced which will become the DNA of UMP students in the eyes of the world.

He hoped that the management would continue to work closely with Yayasan UMP to achieve the aspirations and agenda of constructing the Mawaddah Residential College through mobilising UMP associates at all levels as a whole.

There was also a celebration of Aidilfitri at the university level which was enlivened with 25 booths with various interesting menus for UMP residents to enjoy.

Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Sri Haji Wan Rosdy also had the opportunity to visit the food booths and visit the Mawaddah Residential College.

By: Mimi Rabita Haji Abdul Wahit, Corporate Communications Division, Chancellery Department

Translation by: Dr.   Rozaimi  Abu  Samah, Engineering  College/Faculty   of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology