By Faezah Mohamad Dun

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice-Chancellor of UMS, Professor Datuk Dr. Mohd Harun Abdullah advised all students to ensure that they graduate-on-time to avoid any additional costs borne by the government and university and that would affect the country’s human resource planning.

“Despite the more challenging economic conditions, the government places education as the main focus of human capital development by allocating a total of RM41.3 billion in Budget 2016 for educational purposes.

“With budget cuts and tough economic conditions, we need to implement an excellent work culture, as excellent work results means that the quality of work is high thus increasing the efficiency on resource utilisation, cost saving and maximum success for every ringgit spent by the university,” he said.

He added, as a public university in Malaysia, UMS is committed to work together with the government to realise the aspiration in making Malaysia an education hub in this region and to uphold the aspirations of putting the nation’s higher education at a global level.

At the ceremony, 49 students received the Postgraduate Aspiration Award and 15 received a special award according to their respective cluster.

Also present at the function were, UMS Registrar, No’man Datuk Hj. Ahmad and the Dean of the Postgraduate Studies Centre, Professor Datin Dr. Mariam Abd Latip. – (fl)

WEDNESDAY, 25 NOVEMBER – The Faculty of Business, Economics and Accounting (FPEP) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture (Sabah) recently organised the Sabah Sustainability Volunsharing Programme 2015.

The four-day activity brought participants to explore Kinabatangan and Sandakan that kept many of their own history and tourist attractions.

According to the programme director who is also a Senior Lecturer of FPEP, Awangku Hassanal Bahar Pengiran Bagul, the programme was participated by 17 undergrad and four postgrad students, accompanied by four lecturers.

“Among some of the activities held were Heritage Trails around Sandakan township with a visit to Agnes Ketih House, a historic mansion that still retain its British colonial designs,” he explained when contacted.

He added that the participants were also exposed to the development of tourism and sustainable agriculture through a seminar which was officiated by the Dean of the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Professor Dr. Wan Mohammad Wan Othman.

SSVP Programme had also made a stop-over at Miso Walai Homestay Kinabatangan that is famous for its seven types of forests and various species of monkeys, birds and pygmy elephants. – (fl)

Source: FPEP

WEDNESDAY, 25 NOVEMBER – With the theme ‘Intellectuality a Catalyst to Excellence’, Faculty of Science and Natural Resources (FSSA) Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) once again had successfully organised a Dean’s List Award 2014/2015 on 19 November 2015 at the Preparatory Centre for Science and Technology (Annex).

Dean of FSSA, Professor Dr. Baba Musta said, the ceremony was sure to boost students enthusiasm to maintain and continue with the momentum of academic excellence.

“There are some programme that register positive increase in the number of recipients for this year’s Dean’s List.  The implementation of mentor-mentee activity also play a role where continued monitoring would be able to identify problems related to student affairs and academic, thus setting a level of potential for each student,” he said.

He also informed that a proposal to implement the Integrated Cumulative Grade Point Average (iCGPA) in the evaluation and assessment of faculty level starting next session, in line with the recommendations from the Ministry of Higher Education.

The event coordinated by the Student Association of FSSA saw a total of 2,345 students receiving their award for the first semester, whilst 2,265 students received the awards for the semester 2 2014/15.

The recipients for the Faculty Gold Award was awarded to Nur Sharifah Abdul Aziz (Bumiputera Category) from the Nature Parks and Recreation Programme, and Lim Wing Shen (Non-Bumiputera Category).

The Hopeful Award was awarded to Mohd Amirul Tasat, a student from the Physics with Electronics Programme. – (fl)

Source: Kenny Uwai, FSSA.

By Salbinous Saribun

TUESDAY, 24 NOVEMBER – Born partially blind in both eyes, Lim Han Chiet, 24, never felt ostracised, in fact it spurred him towards achieving success and facing what the world has to offer.

For this Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) graduate, he faces this test with an open heart and never made his ‘disability’ the reason in achieving success in education.

This young lad from Sungai Petani, Kedah, said the disability was used as a challenge to be successful like others and in turn made it as his best motivation to spur on.

“This disability has made me stronger.  I do not want to succumb to this shortcoming.  I want to be as successful as any other normal human being.

“In fact, I want to be the best model for my two siblings, one who is now on police training and another one taking the Malaysian Higher School Certificate (STPM).  Despite facing physical difficulties, his fighting spirit never wavers,” he said when met during UMS 17^th Convocation Ceremony.

He said, he aspired to become a lecturer who would contribute in educating society thus proving that those with disabilities (OKU) should not make it an obstacle for them to achieve success at the highest level.

In addition to using a special magnifying lens to help him study, Lim Han Chiet also downloaded software that could be used for him to directly ‘read’. – (fl)