KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) announced the appointment of two students as the university’s senate members today in support of the Education Minister Dr Maszlee Malik’s initiative for student empowerment.
The appointments of Nurul Fatiha Norsip, a law student and Muhammad Afiq Hariz Khatem, a business adminstrative student who are also UiTM’s Student Representative Council (Majlis Perwakilan Pelajar) will take effect on July 1, 2019.
UiTM vice-chancellor Professor Dr Mohd Azraai Kassim said the selection was decided by the university’s board in accordance with Section 16A(5) Universiti Teknologi MARA 1976 Act (Act 173).
Azraai said he hopes it will bring the university to greater heights with the addition of two students to the UiTM 70-member Senate.
“This marks the pinnacle of our efforts to empower and enable students’ participation in deciding the university’s future.
“(The appointment) is part of the new Malaysia where the Education Ministry wants universities to allow students to be more active in voicing their opinions. In UiTM, they make up the largest and most important stakeholders.
“The university exists because of students. It is only right that we consult them as the major stakeholders in decision-making.
“In the past, we had made decisions on their behalf and imposed it on them. But I think it is important for us to get their input so that the decisions made are of quality and representative of the various stakeholders in the university,” said Azraai.
Nurul Fatiha, 25 said: “We feel very honoured to be acting as the medium between the students and the university.
“I look up to the present senate members as they are academicians who have played a part in policy-making -- which I look forward to. Everyone agrees that changes have to be made. And part of it has to come from the students themselves,” said the MPP honorary treasurer who hails from Pasir Gudang, Johor.
For Muhammad Afiq Hariz, 23, he said he is very grateful to be given this great opportunity.
“One of the proposals that I plan to take up is increasing student mobility internationally. It is important for students to participate in internship programmes abroad as they can expose themselves to other cultures and expand their knowledge to the global level.”
Originally from Kuching, Sarawak, Muhammad Afiq Hariz is helming the position of the MPP assistant vice president (relations and internationalisation).
According to deputy vice-chancellor (student affairs) Professor Dr Azizan Abdullah, the senate members were selected based on several criteria.
“Among the criteria include being full time degree students, actively participating in student leadership, scoring a minimum CGPA of 2.75 and has never been charged with or not waiting for disciplinary actions for any offences.”
The students are subjected to the confidentiality and information sharing laws of the senate.