870 SISPA Corps Cadet Officer receives Second Lieutenant commissioning

KUANTAN, 7 November 2021 – A total of 870 SISPA Corps Cadet Officers from 24 Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and one Institute of Teacher Education (IPG) received commissioning as Junior Lieutenants (PA) in conjunction with the 12th Civil Defence Student Corps (SISPA Corps) National Commissioning Ceremony 2021.

The programme, which took place at Astaka Hall, Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) Gambang Campus, was organised by UMP in collaboration with the Malaysian Civil Defense Force (APM) and the Holistic Student Division, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE).

This year’s commissioning ceremony was held online at the respective HEIs or a combination of HEIs with a minimum capacity following the stipulated standard operating procedures (SOPs).

The ceremony was officiated by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Function), Yang Berhormat Datuk Mastura Tan Sri Dato’ Mohd Yazid, who was present to read the speech text of the Minister at the Prime Minister’s Department (Special Functions), Yang Berhormat Datuk Dr. Abd. Latiff Ahmad.

Also present was the Chief Commissioner of APM Malaysia, Kpj. (PA) Datuk Roslan Wahab, Director of the Force Management Division of the Civil Defense Headquarters, Ppj. (PA) Ghazali Abd Rahman, Director of Training Management Division, Civil Defense Headquarters, Col. (PA) Fazlisyah Muslim and Director of the Pahang Civil Defense Force, Col. (PA) Che Adam Abdul Rahman.

Also present were the Chairman of the UMP Board of Directors, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr. Abd Aziz Abd Rahman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni), Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin performs the duties of UMP Vice-Chancellor, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), the UMP SISPA Corps Commander, Honorary Ppj. (PA) Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Rosli Hainin.

According to Datuk Mastura, APM’s efforts together with the Ministry of Higher Education and public and private universities in providing opportunities for the nation’s youths to build their character through involvement in the Civil Defence Student Corps (SISPA Corps) is one of the most appropriate platforms and will yield a gratifying result.

“APM has now been recognised and given a greater responsibility to be a pillar agency in community-based disaster risk reduction management initiatives, thus increasing the people’s confidence in the government’s high commitment in dealing with increasingly challenging and complex disasters.

“This people-centric concept is highlighted by the APM through community empowerment in local disaster management.

“Congratulations to APM, MoHE, and HEI that have successfully formed an annual programme that aims to foster the spirit of integration that transcends age, race, and religion as a Malaysian Family,” she said.

She added that they were also involved as frontliners in eradicating the spread of COVID-19 since early 2020.

“In fact, APM and the HEIs involved should feel proud because they have succeeded in producing trained and disciplined human capital.

“Such a human capital package is really needed by the government in shaping the future of the country,” she said.

In the meantime, Kpj. (PA) Datuk Roslan said the transformation of expanding the people’s involvement in civil defence has been extended to intellectuals at universities through SISPA Corps programmes and activities in line with the government’s target to create the Disaster Risk Reduction Act (DRR Act) by placing citizens as a key component in local disaster management.

Therefore, he said, through the support of MoHE and HEIs to the SISPA Corps programmes and activities, he is confident that APM will continue to progress and be competitive with other agencies.

“Besides that, they are also the APM frontliners who work at international entrances, quarantine stations, assignments at EMCO localities, Vaccine Administering Centres, COVID-19 Mortuary Management and other assignments during the Movement Control Order (MCO) period,” he said.

Meanwhile, according to Professor Dato’ Ts. Dr. Yuserrie, students are strongly encouraged to get involved in volunteer activities through the support of various parties through programmes in the form of community service, community projects, uniformed bodies, and others.

“In fact, the university strongly encourages their involvement in activities during the pandemic period through assignments in the operation room and the Vaccine Administering Centre (PPV) and cooperation in the student re-entry process recently.

“UMP is also with the government, especially the Pahang State Government, to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The selection of UMP Sports Complex as one of the COVID-19 Quarantine and Treatment Centres (PKRC) in Pahang and being one of the largest that can accommodate up to 1,380 people at a time is a high commitment from the UMP management to ensure controlled efforts in curbing the spread of this pandemic,” he said.

In addition, UMP was also selected as an HEI Integrated Vaccination Centre in the National COVID-19 Immunisation Programme (PICK), which provides access for the campus and the surrounding community.

This gathering is an annual programme planned to assess the effectiveness level of the SISPA Corps programme at the national level.

The elements of competition in Civil Defence Skills, Integration, and Knowledge are the essence in the organisation of this programme.

The SISPA Corps programme was officially implemented in 2008 and the first commissioning was held at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam in 2010 involving the commissioning of 155 members.

After 11 years of implementation, the cumulative number of commissioned SISPA Cadet Officers has reached 6,090 members.
The ceremony also saw a total of 19 SISPA Corps Cadet Officers announced as Best Cadet Officers.

By: Mimi Rabita Abdul Wahit, Corporate Communications Unit, The Office of The Vice-Chancellor
Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, Engineering College/Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology