 Campus Info UMP rewarded staff and community for quality service and exemplary work
A total of 149 Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) staff received the Excellent Service Award while 20 were recipients of the Excellent Performance Prize, which marked the university’s recognition of their quality services. UMP also named KRT Taman Mutiara Perdana as the Best Community Partner, a show of the university’s dedication to get ahead with its communitising technology agenda. The residents, with the help of experts from UMP, successfully carried out the One House One Garden Programme (1 Rumah 1 Kebun - 1R1K) where they managed to earn extra incomes individually as well as collectively as a community by selling vegetables, organic fertilisers and hydroponic sets. The recipients were presented with the awards at the Quality and Innovation Day that was held at Astaka Hall, UMP Gambang Campus.
UMP Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar Wan Yusoff, in his speech said, there was a need for the staff to be more creative, innovative and smart in delivering work performance of better quality and integrity and each must be prepared to face any changes that would come with efforts taken to further strengthen governance in public service. “Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) staff are part of the Malaysia public service component and they need to be more creative, innovative and smart in providing quality work, executing their duties with excellence and integrity. “In the corporate and autonomous ecosystem, each staff should be more prepared to face any changes made to further strengthen governance in public service, to make it more effective, in line with the demands of the Industrial Revolution 4.0,” he said. Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar also said apart from the new restructuring exercise that emphasised on responsibility sharing and talent development, the management would now proceed to implement the ‘Pay for Performance’ or P4P - a performance management system that would involve several initiatives to enhance competency and efficiency. “It is essential for UMP staff to continue increase their performance momentum, based on their duties and responsibilities at their respective departments. “The capability to generate excellence based on consistent performance and good virtues are pertinent prerequisites to ensure UMP continue to excel, as defined in UMP 2021-2025 Strategic Plan,” he said. Among the guests at the event were UMP Board of Directors’ Chairman, Dato’ Sri Ibrahim Ahmad and Scomi Transit Project Sdn. Bhd. Director, Rohaida Ali Baharuddin.
Rohaida also shared her experience, saying that in the context of Scomi which operated in more than 20 countries, there were challenges due to different cultures, languages and laws and this required quality consistency and adjustment by way of having clear and comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). As such, she advised UMP staff to be attentive and perceptive in their pursuit of knowledge and expertise and to have a mind-set shift so they would be more prepared in facing global challenges while leadership was the main key to the university’s excellence. On the Excellent Service Award recipients and for the Industrial and Community Excellence Award category, Faculty of Technology, Chemical Engineering and Process lecturer Mohd Najib Razali was named the first recipient for the Industrial Cooperation Quality Award (Academic Staff) with second place went to Confucius Institute, Director Yong Ying Mei and third place to Earth Resources and Sustainability Centre (ERAS), Associate Professor Dr. Muzamir Hasan. Mohd Najib had also produced the ‘G-Grease (Green Grease from Industrial Waste Oil)’ and ‘G-Treats (Bio-Coagulant Treatment)’ which had been accepted by two major market companies of consumer product - TNB Research Sdn. Bhd. and Orca GreenTech Sdn. Bhd. For the Community Cooperation Quality Award (Academic Staff Category), Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology senior lecturer, Ts. Dr. Saifful Kamalusin Muzakir@Lokman was named as the recipient. He was responsible in successfully implementing the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Programme that included promoting activities such as ‘Scientists Go to Village’ (Saintis Turun Ke Desa), ‘Lighting Up the Community’ and ‘Young Scientist Camp’. He was also the person behind the initiative called, ‘Renaissance of Science Educators’ or R.O.S.E. As for the Best Industrial Partner Award, UMP named CIDB Malaysia as the recipient. CIDB Malaysia was represented by CIDB Pahang Director, Saini Saidi.
The collaboration established between UMP and CIDB resulted in the creation of Building Information Model (BIM) for a national transformation involving high-impact projects that would change the country’s construction industry. It involved the setting up of a BIM ecosystem, drafting of policies, transferring of technology and knowledge, developing human capital as well as infrastructure. Under the BIM initiative, UMP had transformed the industry from one that was conventional-based to one that was digital construction-based, a move that supported the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and as outlined in the Construction Industry Transformation Programme (CITP). As for the Best Community Partner Award, the residents’ association was represented by its Secretary Zulkhairi Md. Ghani. Under the 1R1K programme, UMP lecturers taught residents the technology involved in using natural resources, greenery and urban gardening that helped them especially the housewives to earn extra incomes. The community eventually took it upon themselves to continue with the initiative that generated produces as well as earnings for them. Earnings derived from selling produces harvested from their gardens that the residents got to keep as individual earnings while the KRT also netted incomes through the Community Fund from selling AB fertilisers, organic fertilisers and hydroponic sets. There were also four other awards presented at the event:
Campus Info Students need to be courageous and have passion for knowledge
Students should take advantage of the many activities available in campus so as to strike a balance in their academic and co-curriculum activities, two things that will help build confidence and leadership style. They can either join an association or uniformed units. The balance depends on the student’s intellectuality gained from knowledge and good reading which also helps to build up confidence and shape one’s leadership style. The setting up of Students’ Union was also a significant aspiration to be implemented, he added.
“The Students’ Union is part of the Ministry of Education’s aspiration to reform institutes of higher learning and produce mature and independent graduates and most importantly, graduates who are prepared to push for changes. “Graduates must think wisely and be far-sighted, courageous, be able to raise major and critical issues and play pivotal role not only at the university level but also at the international level. “Good ties developed with the management that understands problems faced by the students will make student activism a movement that can elevate the life status of a society,” he said. Malaysia Youth Council President, Jufitri Joha said by instilling the interest in reading among students, it would boost their idealism and inspire them to get involved in student activism that would serve as a strong platform to develop their identities, persons of wisdom who could lead and manage. “An interim study carried out recently by the National Library found that Malaysians’ reading habit has increased. In 2014, the average number of books read by Malaysians was 15 books a year,” he said. He added that students and youths had a responsibility to not only study but also to develop the community and as such, they should be empowered to hone their leadership talent. “Take Muslim scholar Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi as an example. He is an academician, a preacher and prominent figure of a great movement. He is actively involved in student activism, social activities and has an intellectual mind that contributes to the concept of reform,” he said. He noted that as a student, there was no compromise in their pursuit of knowledge.
“In fact, we are told to love books and to acculturate knowledge by reading books other than the syllabus set by the university. “Students also need to change their status from just a normal student to a student of global thinking, one who champions issues involving students as well as the society and be the spokesperson on international issues including world justice. “Let the life you live now be a meaningful one, go out and mingle with the society, interact with people at the outside,” he said. Former student activist and press secretary to Minister of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs, Mohamad Hisomudin Bakar reminded students the need to understand current pattern and trend. “The way the youngsters interact now is different and in fact, they are seen as not that interested in politics or political parties or even reading. They prefer information in the form of info-graphic. “By getting involved in associations, they will be exposed to the interaction medium, be creative in delivering messages and gain some benefits from the skill. “Students should have more dialogues to solve problems that arise. Each university has its own way of shaping values in student activism. The set-up of a Students’ Union must be in tandem with the university’s identity,” he said. The three guests were speakers invited for the Fourth Series of the Talk by Prominent Public Figure, a programme organised by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and UMP Academic Staff Association (Pakad). The talks centred on the topic, ‘Students Activism and Youth: Consultative or Confrontational’ and the moderator was Pakad Deputy President, Dr. Ahmad Johari Mohamad. The programme was held in conjunction with the induction week for new students on September 3, 2019. More than 2,000 students attended the programme. Also present were UMP Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ir. Dr. Wan Azhar Wan Yusoff, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs & Alumni), Dato’ Dr. Yuserrie Zainuddin and Malaysia Youth Council Secretary General, Hasnul Haniff Harun. Campus Info Future graduate students need to be bold in facing global challenges
Future graduate students were advised to be bold and be prepared before entering the workforce by understanding the needs and requirements of the industry that needed them to be realistic and adaptable to the environment. It would be an advantage for those who could speak several languages, making them more marketable. According to Scomi Transit Projects Sdn. Bhd. (Scomi) Director, Rohaida Ali Badaruddin, being efficient in business management, practising good governance and finance control, having ethics and knowledge in business operation allowed them to be resilient in facing challenges in today’s international business world. With over 19 years of working in Scomi and nine years with Plus Berhad, Pahang native Rohaida was surely a treasure trove full of valuable experience, gained locally and abroad, experiences that were worth sharing with the students so they would have something to learn and emulate after graduating. Scomi has business operations in 48 sites in 21 countries in Asia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and the US. It is involved in various activities related to supply and service, manufacturing, monorail construction, railway track system, motoring, maintenance service and marine vessel transportation design and oil and gas. Rohaida was a guest speaker at the CEO@Faculty Programme, talking on a topic titled, ‘Managing International Cooperation: Challenges and Opportunities.’ The event, organised by Centre of Industry and Community Network (ICoN), was held at ICoN seminar room at UMP Gambang Campus on September 6, 2019. The talk attracted more than 100 students. Also present were ICoN Director, Associate Professor Dr. Nurul Hazlina Nordin and ICoN Manager, Mohd. Raizalhilmy Mohd Rais. Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology lecturer, Ir. Ts. Dr Nurhidayah Azmy said the topic was interesting and relevant and the sharing of information and experience not only benefitted the students but also the lecturers who had collaborations with parties from the outside as well as abroad. Faculty of Industrial Management (FIM) student, Mohamad Hakimi Jamai said it was a good programme as it provided insights on international trade especially the difficulties due to different regulations and laws of each country.         |
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