Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=77961

Silver at PAM exhibition


The team with their prize

A team of 38 Architecture students from Studio One, Two and Three of the Department of Architecture & Sustainable Design (DASD) took home Silver in the Best Display Booth Award for their pavilion design titled “Coming Together” at the 11th Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM) Annual Architecture Student Works Exhibition 2016 held at 1Utama Shopping Centre, Petaling Jaya from 5 to 9 October 2016.

Themed ‘ARCHInteraction’, the exhibition aimed to showcase students’ best architectural works from all of Malaysia’s public and private institutions. Under one of PAM’s guidelines, each participating institution was required to exhibit their designs according to the theme and specification of being within 2-meter in width by 2-meter in depth by 2-meter in height.

“Our pavilion design is an interactive spherical system in three ascending curvilinear facades merging into a blobitecture. It also lights up momentarily when a person assumes a sedentary position on the customised chair,” said DASD Lecturer and Exhibition Advisor Tew Bun Teck.

The structure was held together through wooden joints in the timber panels, such as dado and mitre joints, without the help of adhesives or fasteners such as nails and glue. The structure can also take multiple forms or be repurposed into domestic furniture such as a bookcase, wine rack or clothes rack.

Based on the visitors’ interpretations, the pavilion was also dubbed a space station, a cocoon or a bird nest. Furthermore, remnants from timber flooring were used to make bracelets and necklaces as well as interactive board games such as Tic-tac-toe. Hence, the pavilion aptly served its purpose as an interactive architectural development thematically.

“The team proved themselves to be very effective and efficient in managing this project, a skill that is very important for architects,” Tew said.

“From the perspective of design, the overall model could be better with more precise calculations of the joint angles, as well as replacing some of the erroneously cut panels since we still have many left over,” said Studio One Leader Chen Bing Wei.

“This experience will definitely come in handy in the future. I’ve learnt how to communicate better and better manage my time, and made friends that could enhance my future career,” said Studio Two Leader Yap Chi Wen.

Besides Chen and Yap, the 38 student team also consisted of Bong Jie Si, William Chen Sin Khoon, Cheng Hui Wen, Chuah Li San, Dorcas Lee Xian, Foo Yee Ping, Liew Yu Qian, Lucas Peh Zi Fong, Oh Xiao Li, Phoon Yi Kit, Shaun Tan Yong Kiat, Siew Kin Chung, Tan Xuan Xiang, Tan Zheng How, Teoh Huoy Shwu, Wong Chuan Seng, Wong Shi Weei and Yap Wei Hung, from Studio One; Ananrajs a/l Selvam, Chen Lit Ying, Chin Cheng Yue, Goh Suk Vei, Heng Vee Yi, Hor Yan Qi, Jonathan Tiong Khoong Ming, Koay Eugene, Evans Khor Yan Chun, Law Tze Yong, Lee Kai Yuan, Looi Chia Wei, Martin Lu Zhi Yie, Samantha Teo Yee Hui, Sue Ann Wee Tze Li, Steve Ting Kee Ping and Wee Zhi Shan, from Studio Two; as well as Chin Hongrui from Studio Three.

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=77969

Japanese Students Interaction Tour to UTAR Kampar 2016


FEGT and SIT lecturers with the students

A Japanese Students Interaction Tour to UTAR Kampar 2016 was jointly organised by the UTAR Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology’s (FEGT) Department of Construction Management (DCM) and the Department of Architecture and Building Engineering from the College of Engineering of Shibura Institute of Technology (SIT), Tokyo, Japan, held from 6 to 16 October 2016 at the Kampar Campus.

Unlike the usual leisurely semester break, 26 UTAR Construction Management students and 24 SIT students spent a productive 10 days at the workshop that was part of the interaction tour. They were guided by experienced academics from both institutions; from UTAR were DCM Head Dr Wai Soon Han, DCM Lecturer Tan Zi Yi, and FEGT Department of Environmental Engineering Lecturer Prof Dr Naoto Mine, while from SIT were Prof Dr Kanisawa Hirotake, Dr Shite Kazuya, and Malaysia Satellite Office of Shibaura Institute of Technology and Visiting Lecturer at Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) Hiroyuki Ishizaki.

The workshop acted as a platform for information exchange and international networking. It taught them new knowledge on Construction Management and gave them the chance to try out the new 4D simulation software known as Navisworks. A special series of programmes planned by FEGT lecturers and SIT students also enabled the UTAR students to learn about the cultural differences between Malaysia and Japan.

UTAR hoped that the workshop will help foster a close relationship with SIT, which believes it will pave the way for potential collaborations in the future.

Learning was not limited to the indoors as they were brought on a site visit to a nearby village where students, separated into groups of four, studied the traditional wooden houses. The students conducted various measurements on the houses and analysed the structures and landscapes for their house modelling project later on.

The SIT students had an eye-opening experience at the site visit and were surprised to learn of the differences in construction compared to the wooden houses built in Japan.

Recalling her experience, SIT student Fuuka Takahashi mentioned, “I am surprised to see Malaysian traditional wooden houses elevated from the ground, with pillars below supporting the entire structure. In Japan, where earthquakes are common, an additional wooden pillar is inserted diagonally between pillars for extra support. It is interesting to learn that Malaysian traditional wooden houses do not use that structure.”

Despite differences in culture and knowledge, the workshop saw the students working cohesively to complete their house modelling projects. They began with 4D simulations of their house models, worked on to the actual building process and beautification of the house models, and finally presented their project on the last day of the workshop.

Each group explained the processes involved when completing the project and interestingly, at the end of each presentation, members from each group shared their experiences and lessons learnt throughout the entire workshop.

“The workshop was a good experience for me and I had a great time working with the UTAR students. They were friendly and helpful, and from them I learnt more about Malaysian culture. Dinner was the best moment where we could interact freely with everyone and get to know each other more, while enjoying the local delicacies prepared. I also would like to thank the UTAR lecturers and students for their hospitality. If given the opportunity, I will participate in the workshop again and recommend it to my juniors,” said Takahashi.

“Even though we had some language difficulties but were able to get along very well. We worked great as a team, and from the SIT students I learnt new skills and knowledge that were not taught in UTAR. In the end, we were able to effectively complete the house models. I am thankful for their willingness to share their knowledge and skills to us UTAR students,” said Construction Management student Chong Ting Jie.

The workshop ended with Prof Mine presenting his closing remarks and expressing his gratitude to all those who were involved in making the workshop a success.


Students analysing the structure of the wooden houses


Students working hard to complete their house models


Students explaining the construction of their house models

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=77972

Five shine in Hai-O Youth Literature Award

Institute of Chinese Studies (ICS) Lecturer Dr Wong Lih Lih, Biotechnology alumnus Tay Yi Lun and Chinese Studies graduates Tan Jee Chin, Wong Siew Jye and Lee Xuan Chun were proud winners at the First Hai-O Youth Literature Award Presentation Ceremony (第一届海鸥青年文学奖) held at the University of Malaya on 15 October 2016.

Organised by The Writers’ Association of Chinese Medium of Malaysia and sponsored by the Hai-O Foundation, the event aimed to nurture more promising young writers and successors for the Malaysian Chinese Literary circle.


Dr Wong (second from left) receiving the Judge Award from Executive Chairman of the Board of Hai-O Enterprise Bhd Tan Kai Hee

Dr Wong’s winning entry titled “At a Place Named Alzheimer Sea (《在一个叫阿兹默海的地方》)” earned her a Judge Award in the Modern Poetry category (新诗组). She walked away with a trophy and cash prize of RM2,000.

“A Place Named Alzheimer Sea” was inspired by her grandmother and her Alzheimer’s disease. She started writing this poem when her grandmother was still alive, but completed it only after she had passed.

She mentioned, “The feeling of writing poetry is akin to playing the childhood game of hopscotch, while winning this award is reminiscent of the happiness of hitting one of the blocks. I appreciate the comfort and bountiful rewards gained from poetry writing.”

As a lecturer-cum-poet, she expressed, “The literary atmosphere of UTAR is not rich, but there are still many lovers of literature quietly working for it. For example, ICS students long ago began to establish their own campus publications for circulation among students, such as Man Yan (《漫延》), Dao Cao Ren (《稻草人》) and Wen Chuang Sen Lin (《文创森林》). The UTAR Chinese Studies Society is also planning to organise the UTAR Chinese Literature Week and UTAR Intervarsity Chinese Literature Award next year to further cultivate the creative writing environment among students.”

Previously, she also won an international award from Taiwan’s 10th Ye Hong International Women’s Poetry Competition.

ICS lecturer shines in poetry competition


Tay Yi Lun

Biotechnology alumnus Tay Yi Lun’s winning entry titled “Mamak Stall (《嘛嘛克》)” earned him the First Prize in the Modern Poetry category. He walked away with a trophy and cash prize of RM5,000.

His winning poem was written during his internship at Taiwan’s National Cheng Kung University. He was inspired by the cultural environment in Taiwan but as time passed, started to miss his time in Kampar and the happy moments with friends at mamak stalls which are not found in Taiwan. The poem also framed the transition in mindset from the shift from student life to working life.

For him, his studies in UTAR were full of dreams, happiness and freedom. “Every day you see the blue sky and white clouds and unspecified birds around the campus. How could there be no literature among such beautiful scenery? Science and literature, these two seemingly parallel disciplines are intertwined around my life. Both are what I love and wish to implant on UTAR’s land by writing poetry.” As a student of science, his advice for juniors was to “create regardless of your programme. Literature is not the sole domain of language students. Try to realise it if you have ever dreamt of creating literature.”

His poetry anthology “If The Time Has Not Been Worn《如果时间尚未磨损》)”, which commemorates his three years of university study, collects all his poems and will be published in December 2016. He also took this opportunity to send his gratitude to his academic advisor Deputy Dean of Faculty of Science Dr Tee Chong Siang for writing the preface poem for his first publication.


Tan Jee Chin

Chinese Studies alumnus Tan Jee Chin’s winning entry titled “The Time Killing Epic (《弑时史诗》)” clinched him a Judge Award in the Modern Poetry category. He walked away with a trophy and cash prize of RM2,000. He is currently pursuing his postgraduate studies in Taiwan’s National Tsing Hua University.

His winning poem was about how to keep the freshness of love alive through literature. It stimulates the reader to think of how to protect their loved one when the decay of time comes to threaten their life together, with the ambivalent struggles reminiscent of an epic poem.

He shared his views on poetry writing, saying, “Winning an award is a boost that builds up the confidence for continuous writing, and encourages us to ponder on new themes to explore.” Not forgetting to send his gratitude to his lecturer Toh Teong Chuan, he said, “He is a teacher that puts a lot of heart into nurturing young writers. I really appreciate and am thankful for his encouragement throughout my writing journey.”

It is worth mentioning that Tay and Tan were proud winners at the 13th Sin Chew Hua Zong Literature Newcomer Award for the Modern Poetry category in year 2015.

Check here to read the news.

First prize in Newcomer Literature Award


Wong Siew Jye

Chinese Studies alumnus Wong Siew Jye’s winning entries titled “Long Journey (《远行》)” and “Requiem (《安魂曲》)” earned him Judge Awards in the Novel and Prose categories respectively. He walked away with two trophies and cash prizes totalling RM4,000. He is famous as a local Chinese songwriter and writer.

His winning novel “Long Jouney” is a story on leprosy patients, aimed to record the history behind this fading disease before it disappears before our eyes. Meanwhile, “Requiem” is his favorite piece of work, written about the people and things that he has met since his teenage years, and his stories on songwriting and rock music.

Wong has been a talented writer since his secondary school days and started taking part in literary competitions since his second year in UTAR. He has competed in the First UTAR Chinese Literature Awards, the National Intervarsity Chinese Literature Awards, the Xingyun Literature Awards, and the Southern Literature Awards, and achieved good results. Hailing from the first batch to graduate from the Chinese Studies programme, he still remembers fondly of the assistance and encouragement given by his teachers Ng Bung Chen, Dr Khor Boon Eng and Tiong Ee Ping.

His advice was to “read more, look more, observe more, and most importantly to live with an open heart to enhance your writing journey.”


Lee Xuan Chun

Chinese Studies alumnus Lee Xuan Chun’s winning entry titled “Drive Slowly (《慢速行驶》)” earned him a Judge Award in the Prose category. He walked away with a trophy and cash prize of RM2,000. As with Wong, he is a famous local writer and has achieved wins in various literature awards.

His winning prose is a touching story of him and his late father, concerning how his father faced the end of his life, the sadness he was left to face and how his life returned to normality after the death of his father. He said, “I wish to use this award to mourn my father. The award brings the opportunity for the prose to be more widely read, and, more importantly, for readers who have had the same experience to feel comforted.”

“I started to get actively involved in literary writing, reading and studies during my time in UTAR. I have really appreciated the guidance, enlightenment and inspiration shed by my teachers as the experiences accumulated during those times have shaped my attitude and view of life, and also enriched my literary journey.”

For juniors keen on writing, he advised, “A capable writer needs to have deep-rooted knowledge in writing, and the way to build up your knowledge is to read with sincerity, observe your surroundings carefully, and to be humble to all around you. A good piece of writing will reflect truly the glories and disgraces, the environment, era and atmosphere of the place we live in. Most important of all if you choose to pursue a life of writing is to nurture and treasure you writing ability and manage it well.”

The Hai-O Youth Literature Award was previously known as the Hai-O Literature Award. In order to coincide with the Malaysian Chinese Literary Festival, the writing competition reformed from an annual event to a biennial one, with the inclusion of an age limit of below 35 years old.

Click here to read “At a Place Named Alzheimer Sea (《在一个叫阿兹默海的地方》)”, “Mamak Stall (《嘛嘛克》)” and “The Time Killing Epic (《弑时史诗》)”.

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=77978

Three wins in taekwondo


From left: Kong, Tan and Choong showing off their medals

Quantity Surveying student Tan Pei Lin, International Business student Choong Poh Yee, and Building and Property Management student Kong Wai Jian took home a Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal respectively at the 3rd Majlis Sukan IPTS Malaysia (MASISWA) – Taylor’s Taekwondo Championship 2016 held at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus on 4 and 5 November 2016.

“Their overall performance was better than the past year, although the number of medals decreased compared to last year​. The winners will also get a chance to be selected to represent Malaysia in the upcoming ASEAN University Games (AUG),” said Department of Student Affairs (Sungai Long Campus) Sports and Recreation Unit’s Ganavenoth Karunakaran.

Bronze medallist Kong said he was happy to be able to maintain his performance and promised to train harder, especially for next year’s Sukan Institusi Pendidikan Tinggi (SUKIPT) games.

Over 25 private universities and colleges took part in this competition. This championship was organised by MASISWA.

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=77980

UTAR hosts second National Wushu Open Championship

In line with one of UTAR’s pillars of education — Physical and Mental Health — the university recognises that sports and recreational activities are an imperative part of a well-balanced lifestyle and integral to a well-rounded collegiate experience. Therefore, with the aim to inspire UTAR students to learn beyond the classroom, the UTAR National Wushu Open Championship 2016 was successfully held at Kampar Campus from 12 to 13 November 2016.


From left: Wong, Chin, Prof Choong, Ch’ng, Au, Pang and Cheng officiating the championship

Held for the second year running, the championship which saw more than 200 participants was initiated by the Perak Non-Islamic Affairs Unit, and organised by the UTAR Kampar Campus Wushu Club with technical support from the Wushu, Dragon, and Lion Dance Federation of Perak.

This year, the championship saw a total of three events, namely the sanda and taiji tuishou as well as the traditional taolu, which was introduced for the first time. The championship was aimed to introduce Wushu to the public as a form of martial arts. Apart from that, it also aimed to raise the standard of Wushu and to enhance networking between Wushu enthusiasts from other universities and associations, as well as to exchange knowledge and expertise on Wushu.

The two-day championship was divided into four categories — Junior Male (age 15 to 18), Senior Male (age 19 to 35), Junior Female (age 15 to 18) and Senior Female (age 19 to 35). The taiji tuishou was open to both males and females aged 15 and above while there was no age restriction for traditional taolu. On the other hand, the sanda event was open to both males and females and were categorised based on different weight categories.

Administrative Officer of Non-Islamic Affairs of Perak Ch’ng Teng Leong represented the guest of honour, Perak State Executive Council Member Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon, to officiate the opening ceremony.

Also present at the opening ceremony were UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong, Vice President of Wushu, Dragon, and Lion Dance Federation of Perak Au Kam Thin, Sanda event Head Judge Chin Kin Thong, Taiji Tuishou event Head Judge Cheng Chen Fuk, Traditional Taolu event Head Judge Wong Wai Leng, Advisor of UTAR Wushu Club of Kampar Campus Lee How Chinh, Co-Advisor of UTAR Wushu Club of Kampar Campus Lee Yu Jen and Organising Chairperson Pang Li Wen.

In his opening speech, Ch’ng enthused, “On behalf of Dato’ Mah, I would like to congratulate the organising committee for making this UTAR National Wushu Open Championship a success. It’s also heartening to see that UTAR students not only excel in academics but also are proactively involved in sports and other fields which make them well-rounded individuals.”

He added, “Sports and physical education is essential to the early development of children and the skills learned during physical education and sports contribute to the holistic development of young people. Through participation, youngsters learn about the significance of fundamental values such as honesty, teamwork, respect for themselves and others. It also provides a platform for youngsters to learn how to deal with competition and to cope with both winning and losing. These learning aspects highlight the impact of physical education and sports on a child’s social and moral development in addition to their physical skills and abilities.”

Prof Choong said, “On a mission for excellence in the advancement and dissemination of knowledge and expertise, UTAR always emphasises on nurturing the holistic development of the individual. Today’s wushu championship not only provides the students a platform to showcase their talent in martial arts, but also enhances their appreciation for Chinese culture, develops their soft skills especially in building confidence and discipline, boosts students’ interpersonal skills, and encourages the habit of lifelong learning. These are valuable learning opportunities outside the classroom which students should acquire as part of their education in the university. I hope the experience will encourage all students to be better achievers and contributors to society.”

Wushu Club Advisor Lee said this year’s championship was expected to draw more participants with the introduction of the traditional taolu event. He added, “Due to the standardisation of Wushu with only the sanda and taiji tuishou competitions found at international championships, many have forgotten about traditional Wushu. Hence, this is one of the efforts on our part to promote traditional Wushu.”

UTAR National Wushu Open Championship 2016 Organising Chairperson Pang added, “On behalf of the organising committee, we would like to thank all the parties who have supported and sponsored in the organising of this meaningful event. Through this event, we truly hope that we will be able to promote Wushu to the public. We believe that the sportsmanship and spirit of Wushu culture will convince you to practice them in your daily life for better health.”

The two-day championship was a hard fought tournament among all the teams. Nineteen out of 26 participants in the UTAR Wushu team won a total of 26 medals — two gold, 13 silver and 11 bronze.

The gold medallists were Foundation student Lee Yon Qing and Environmental Engineering student Yee Li Zheng in the Men’s Junior sanda event under 70-kg and in the Men’s Open sanda event above 95-kg respectively. The silver medallists were Industrial Engineering student Chua Wee Li, Chemistry student Kelvin Lau Ching and Biomedical Science student Loke How Wai in the Men’s Traditional taolu event under 30 years old; Biotechnology student Lim Yee Jin in the Women’s Open sanda event under 52-kg, Entrepreneurship student Hoe Jun Jian in the Men’s Open sanda event under 52-kg, Logistic and International Shipping student Chua Ling Wen in the Men’s Open sanda event under 52-kg, Psychology student Yaw Kah Yipp in the Men’s Open sanda event under 52-kg and Entrepreneurship student Danny Cheong Zian Zern in the Men’s Open sanda event under 52-kg.

The bronze medallists were Business Administration student Yap Peggy in the Women’s Traditional taolu event under 30 years old, Master of Science student Ng Wen Guang in the Men’s Open sanda event under 60-kg, Electronic Engineering student Tan Li Kar in the Men’s Open sanda event under 70-kg, Marketing student Choong Wing Onn in the Men’s Open sanda event under 75-kg, Entrepreneurship student Wee Chuan Chiu in the Men’s taiji tuishou event under 65-kg, Financial Economics student Lum Yong Sheng in the Men’s taiji tuishou event under 80-kg to 85-kg and Business Information Systems student Wong Weng Keen in the Men’s taiji tuishou event 85-kg.

The UTAR National Wushu Open Championship 2016 was sponsored by a generous assortment of businesses and philanthropists.


Athletes at the oath taking ceremony


Ng (in black) thrashing his opponent


UTAR athletes Yap (top) and Wee Li (bottom) during their traditional short weapon taolu routine


Traditional taolu sparring competition in progress


Sanda participants after the prize giving ceremony


Taiji Tuishou judges and athletes


Taolu judges and athletes after the prize giving ceremony

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=77989

MoU with Tianjin Chengjian University


Prof Li (left) and Prof Chuah with the signed agreements

UTAR and Tianjin Chengjian University (TCU) officially inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at Kampar Campus on 18 November 2016.

The MoU will see UTAR and TCU exploring a wide spectrum of areas including collaboration on teaching and research, student and staff exchange, and programme development.

Signing on behalf of the parties were UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik and TCU President Prof Li Zhongxian.

Delegates from TCU present at the ceremony were Dean for Academic Affairs Office Prof Mao Cui, Vice Dean for School of Civil Engineering Prof Yang Aiwu, School of Economics and Management Assoc Prof Wang Xiao and Section Chief of International Cooperation Office Wang Li; while the delegates from Brunsfield International Group were Director of Human Resources Goh Siew Chin, President of Brunsfield America Vincent Lim and Senior Manager of International Business Shirley Tan.

Also present at the ceremony were UTAR Vice President for R&D and Commercialisation Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei, Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong, Director of Institute of Management and Leadership Development and Division of Community and International Networking Prof Dr Cheng Ming Yu, Faculty of Science Dean Assoc Prof Dr Lim Tuck Meng, Faculty of Information and Communication Technology Dean Assoc Prof Dr Liew Soung Yue, Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology Deputy Dean for Academic Development and Undergraduate Programmes Dr Ng Choon Aun, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Dr Lai Soon Onn, Faculty of Business and Finance Deputy Dean for Academic Development and Undergraduate Programmes Peter Tan Sin Howe and UTAR staff.

Prof Chuah expressed his warm welcome to the delegates and gave a brief introduction of UTAR, Malaysia’s education system and the Chinese community in Malaysia. He said, “It is worth mentioning that UTAR is a not-for-profit and comprehensive university with affordable tuition fees whose growth was contributed by the Chinese community.” He added, “In recent years, the relations between Malaysia and China have become closer under The Belt and Road Initiative. Thus far, we have 33 higher education institutions from mainland China among our 230 collaborative partners.”

He also conveyed his gratitude to Brunsfield for bringing together UTAR and TCU. “I would like to send my gratitude to Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Ir Gan Thian Leong for the support and sponsorship to UTAR throughout the years. Brunsfield sponsored the endowed chair in Civil Engineering, bringing us new technologies to conduct research and development activities, and introduced us to potential collaborative partners.”

Impressed by the Kampar Campus’ beautiful scenery and UTAR’s rapid growth in a mere 14 years since its inception, Prof Li said, “I believe the success of UTAR is the culmination of the continuous efforts of UTAR staff and students, and is a model of educational excellence.”

He also gave a brief introduction about Tianjin, TCU and its programmes during the ceremony. He said, “TCU and UTAR offer similar programmes, such as Architecture, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Material Engineering, Business and Finance. Our visit to UTAR lays the cornerstone of our understanding of Malaysia’s educational landscape and the institutions that serve its people. We dearly cherish it and look forward to working closely with UTAR.”


Prof Chuah (left) and Prof Li delivering their remarks

The ceremony reached its highlight with the signatories being invited to sign the documents and subsequently ended with a souvenir presentation session.


From left: Wang, Prof Yang, Goh, Lim, Prof Mao, Prof Li, Prof Chuah, Prof Lee, Prof Choong, Tan and Prof Wang


Souvenir exchange between both parties

The ceremony was followed by a discussion on collaboration attended by the delegates and representatives from UTAR faculties.


The discussion on potential collaborations chaired by Prof Chuah and Prof Li


Prof Chuah introducing the history of UTAR to Prof Li and Lim


Prof Cheng (third from right) explaining the layout of UTAR Kampar Campus


The delegates at Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik during the campus tour

Tianjin Chengjian University (TCU), founded in 1978, is a regular university under the administration of the Tianjin Municipal Government. In order to serve the urbanisation and urban modernisation of China, TCU has constructed a mutually supportive development disciplinary system, consisting of six discipline groups, namely urban planning and architecture, urban construction, urban ecology and environment, urban economics and management, digital city, and urban culture.

Brunsfield International Group, founded in 1990, is recognised as a premier global property development and real estate investment and management group. Brunsfield Professor of Civil Engineering endowed chair was set up at the UTAR Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science on 18 March 2010 to conduct research and development activities in civil engineering.

This degree is held on Kampar Campus

Environment is good, but not sure about teaching qulity since I am not student for this course

You may have a look on lecturer profiles for this course on this link:
http://www.utar.edu.my/staffDirSearch.jsp?...&searchResult=Y

Not sure, since I am Sungai Long Campus student

In Sungai Long, estimated around RM5-RM8 per meal

Thanks for the sharing!

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79045

Students named top ten


From left: Lee, Yan, Lim, Young and Chin with their prize, a Khind toaster

A team comprising Broadcasting students Young Yen Qi, Lee Kwan Li, Jonathan Lim and Chin Jia Pei were named as a Top Ten Finalist in the Khind Delivering Happiness Video Contest Prize Giving Ceremony held on 25 November 2016 at the Khind-Mistral office, Shah Alam.

Their video titled “Right tools for the right job” featured a comical approach used to outline the selling points of the Khind air fryer. It depicts an individual attempting to cook chicken nuggets with a hair dryer. Frustrated, the individual bought an air fryer and was seen enjoying his food at the end of the video.

“I’m very proud of their achievements. I believe what they’ve learned most throughout the contest was management skills, especially in the planning and coordination of the production shoot,” said Yan Yew Loong, the team’s advisor from the Department of Media, Faculty of Creative Industries (FCI).

“We barely knew each other as it’s our first time working on the same project together. Our idea came spontaneously and it turned out to be quite successful. Contests like this give us a hands-on opportunity to apply what we’ve learned in class,” Lee said.

Regarding improvements, Chin said their post production could have been better, especially the colour grading and lighting. The contest was part of an ongoing rebranding effort by Khind Malaysia. A total of 77 entries were submitted from several higher learning institutions in Malaysia.

The video can be viewed on YouTube here.

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79048

Alumnus shines at business awards



UTAR alumnus Lee Ti Chou, currently the Executive Director at New Yew Seng Diesel, has received the Product and Service Excellence Award at the Sin Chew Business Excellence Awards 2016 and was named an Excellent Eagle at the most recent Golden Eagle Award.

Lee has won the two awards for two consecutive years since 2015. Besides, the alumnus also received several other small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) awards such as SME Young Entrepreneur Award 2015 from SME Association of Malaysia, Young Entrepreneur Award (Special Mention) from Star Outstanding Business Awards 2015, and SME 100 Fast Moving Award 2015 from SME Asia.

“It has been 11 years since I completed my studies at UTAR. As soon as I started my career, I have worked from ground up in order to comprehend the operations of a diesel trading business. Those days in training have made me an entrepreneur today,” said Lee, who graduated in 2005 from the pioneer batch of Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons) students from UTAR Faculty of Accountancy and Management.

Lee enthused, “I am very proud to be a UTARian and I hope my achievements today will inspire my fellow juniors and that I can be a good role model for those who intend to pursue an entrepreneurial dream.”

“I would like to express my gratitude and dedicate my achievements not only to my family, but also to all my lecturers and tutors at my alma mater. I am thankful that UTAR has provided a holistic education in teaching, shaping, guiding and influencing me in both my academics and life. I believe UTAR has certainly impacted many other individuals out there and inspired them to excel in many ways,” Lee emphasised.

Lee is also a member of the Malaysian Business Champions Club Programme by Secretariat for the Advancement of Malaysian Entrepreneurs (SAME).

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79049

Researchers receive MTSF grant

Researchers Dr Tee Shiau Foon from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and Science (LKC FES) and Dr Tan Ji from the Department of Agriculture and Food Science, Faculty of Science (FSc) each received a Year 2016 Malaysia Toray Science Foundation (MTSF) Science & Technology Research Grant at the InterContinental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur on 6 December 2016.

Funded by the Toray Science Foundation, Japan, Dr Tee and Dr Tan received the grants that carry RM20,000 and RM25,000 respectively. They will fund Dr Tee and Dr Tan’s research projects respectively titled “Association between DNA methylation of HTR24 gene and cognitive function in schizophrenia demonstrated using multiplex families” and “Molecular taxonomy of spiny-backed orb-weavers (Araneae; Araneidae) and related genera in Peninsular Malaysia”.


From left: Dr Tee, Dr Tang, UTAR Adjunct Prof Academician Prof Emeritus Dr Yong Hoi Sen, UTAR President Ir Prof Academician Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik, Dr Tan and Dr Ong

“I would like to thank my research collaborator Dr Tang Pek Yee, family members and the love of my life because I could not have achieved this without their endless support and encouragement,” Dr Tee said.

Dr Tee’s research aimed to determine the role DNA methylation of the HTR2A gene plays in schizophrenia susceptibility. It has been reported to be upregulated in the brain or platelets of schizophrenic patients and has a central role in the circuitry of cognition and emotions, where the psychobiological domains are usually altered by schizophrenia.


From left: Dr Ong and Dr Tan with his grant

“I feel very lucky and privileged to be able to receive this grant considering the huge spike in applications this year. I also feel grateful to my co-supervisor Dr Ong Ching Ang and my mentors for their valuable advice and guidance,” Dr Tan said.

“My study focuses on a unique group of spiders in Malaysia known as spiny spiders. These spiders possess long and pointed spines on their abdomen and are often strikingly coloured. The study will apply the genetic data obtained to better understand the evolutionary relatedness of various species of spiny spiders within the region,” Dr Tan said.

“I also hope that the results of this grant would encourage more people to learn and better understand spiders, which may eventually lead to greater discoveries in our time,” he continued.

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79074

Campus Beautification: FBF, FICT and FEGT

The Kampar Campus is undergoing a transformation as open spaces around the campus are turned into makeshift canvases for rotating art installations created by students and faculties to beautify the surroundings. The project is all part of a larger effort in both campuses to create a sustainable, environmentally-friendly and vibrant learning hub for all.

Initiated by the late UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Assoc Prof Dr Teh Chee Seng, the first three instalments in Kampar Campus were done by the Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF), Faculty of Information and Communication Technology (FICT) and Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT).

At FBF, students are greeted with a large poster featuring three inspirational quotes from renowned entrepreneurs. They are iflix Group COO and iflix Malaysia CEO Azran Osman-Rani, AirAsia Founder and Director Tan Sri Anthony Francis “Tony” Fernandes, and Jobstreet Bhd CEO and Founder Mark Chang Mun Kee.


Inspirational quotes greeting students before they enter their classes

Located behind the bicycle parking area, the large poster was the collective idea of the Faculty Management Committee (FMC), and was carried out by FBF Deputy Dean for Student Development and Industrial Training Yew King Tak and FBF Lecturer Kuek Thiam Yong. They believed that the poster will be a source of inspiration to instil students with the “can do” spirit, as they venture into the business field after they have graduated.

FICT on their part had 20 posters placed at the ground floor of its block for the beautification project. Quotes from Information Technology (IT) visionaries feature on each poster, including those from the late Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Apple Inc. Steve Jobs, CEO of Hewlett-Packard (HP) Carly Fiorina, Founder and Executive Chairman of Alibaba Group Jack Ma, and Co-Founder of Microsoft Paul Gardner Allen.


Some of the quotes found at the ground floor

Themed ‘A History of the Internet’, the idea was to create awareness and a sense of appreciation among students for the beauty and influence of ICT in their daily lives through these posters. “We started by collecting good quotes from faculty staff and their response was overwhelming. They were very supportive of the project and we received many ideas from the FMC. We then selected the best 20 quotes which reflected the main theme of the project to be place at specified locations,” said Project Leader FICT Head of Postgraduate Degree Programmes Dr Khor Siak Wang, who was assisted by Lecturer Lim Ean Heng, and Tutor Tan Lyk Yin.

In addition to that, FEGT’s part of the project was themed ‘Engineering and Technology for a Better World’, and incorporated three major components, namely ‘Environmentally Friendly’ mural art, motivational posters and inspirational stickers, which impart knowledge in various disciplines, such as environmental awareness, recycling, motivational quotes and calories burned walking up stairs.

The project was carried out by Dr Khor Soo Cheen and Tan Zi Yi, lecturers from the Department of Construction Management parked under FEGT.

Dr Khor enthused, “We want to create a beautiful environment for our students, guests, staff and our community. We also aimed to spread knowledge on what is right for the environment. We believe the beauty of the campus enhances the learning experiences of our students.”


The ‘Environmentally Friendly’ mural art welcoming students and staff


Stairs labelled with the count of calories burned taking the stairs to encourage exercise


Some framed quotes found at the ground floor of FEGT

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79079

CLT participates in UNESCO conferences


Delegates of the World Teachers’ Day Forum

The UTAR Centre for Learning and Teaching (CLT) recently participated in three UNESCO events in Bangkok, Thailand. They were the World Teachers’ Day Forum held on 5 and 6 October 2016, the Expert Meeting on Facilitating Teachers’ Use of Open Educational Resources on 7 October 2016 and the18th UNESCO-APEID International Conference held from 26 until 28 October 2016. The CLT is an official Resource Distribution and Training Centre (RDTC) of UNESCO Bangkok.

The objective of the World Teachers’ Day Forum was to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of theInternational Labour Organization (ILO) and UNESCO’s recommendations concerning the status of teachers. Themed ‘Valuing Teachers, Improving their Status’, it focused on reviewing teacher policies with reference to the 1966 recommendations, examining the gaps in promoting teachers’ status and improving their working conditions,discussing policies which impact teacher issues, and gathering input on ground needs of teachers and possible actions to improve their status.

Among the notable panellists were UNESCO Bangkok’s Chief of Section for Educational Innovation and Skills Development, Dr Wang Libing, Dean of Academy of Principals, Singapore Dr Belinda Charles, Founding Director of the Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility and Senior Research Fellow at the National Higher Education Research Institute Prof Dato’ Dr Morshidi Sirat, and UNESCO Bangkok’s Former Programme Specialist Dr Molly Lee.

CLT Chairperson Winnie Er Pek Hoon was invited as a panellist at the 2nd Plenary Discussion on “Teachers’ Needs from Ground Perspective”. Other panellists were Yuexiu District Center for Teacher Education Development, China Lecture Researcher Li Nihong and Education Programme Supervisor, Philippines Master Teacher Amcy Esteban.

The next event was the Expert Meeting on Facilitating Teachers’ Use of Open Educational Resources (OER), which was held in succession with the World Teachers’ Day Forum to implement the Paris OER Declaration 2012. Its specific objectives were to conduct a regional survey on teachers’ awareness of and the use of OERs, to develop a guidebook for teachers in accessing, exploring, evaluating, using, re-purposing and sharing OERs, and consult and agree on the form, flow and workplan for the guidelines to support teachers in using OERs.

CLT Senior Member Lee Chee Heong represented Chong Chee Keong to present the findings of a UNESCO-funded research project titled “OER Awareness among Teachers in Malaysia”. Lee also presented the draft Research Framework and Survey Items of the proposed UNESCO-CLT regional survey on teachers’ awareness and the use of OERs. Among the notable experts present were Chairman of Board of Governors, Wawasan Open University Tan Sri Emeritus Prof Dr Gajaraj Dhanarajan, Creative Commons, India Dr Savithri Singh, School of Information Technology, South China Normal University Deputy Dean Prof Dr Andrew Zhao Jianhua, and Director of Learning Partnerships, Education Services Australia (ESA)Stacey Hattensen.

As for the 18th UNESCO-APEID(Asia-Pacific Programme of Educational Innovation for Development) Conference, it was themed ‘In Pursuit of Quality Education: The Past, Present and Future’ and aimed to increase knowledge on how quality is understood in education, showcase innovative approaches and practices that improve the quality of education, enhance the understanding of the assessment, monitoring and evaluation of the quality of education, and facilitate collaboration and networking to improve the quality of education.

The opening speeches were given by Director of UNESCO Bangkok Dr Kim Gwang Jo and Thailand’s Minister of Education His Excellency General Dapong Ratanasuwan. Professor Dr Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy gave a lecture titled “Can Asia be the Next Higher Education Superpower?”

There were four plenary sessions and five concurrent presentations held over the three-day event. Some notable plenary panellists were BRAC University, Bangladesh Professor Emeritus Prof Dr Manzoor Ahmed, Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction, Department of Education, Philippines Dr Dina Joana S. Ocampo and Hong Kong Centre for International Student Assessment, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Director Dr Esther Ho.

Er also represented Chong Chee Keong in presenting a UNESCO-funded research project named “Awareness of Open Educational Resources (OER): A Malaysian Case” at the concurrent presentation titled “Open Educational Resources in Asia and the Pacific”.


Er at the plenary session on "Teachers’ Needs from Ground Perspective"


Er and Chee Heong with Tan Sri Gajaraj and Dr Mahanom binti Mat Sam, Timbalan Ketua Nazir (Dasar), Jemaah Nazir dan Jaminan Kualiti, Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia


Chee Heong and Er with Prof Morshidi


Er and Chee Heong with Dr Wang and Prof Zhao


Participants at the 18th UNESCO-APEID Conference making a stand for quality education

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79078

FBF lecturer named Outstanding Reviewer

Faculty of Business and Finance (FBF) Senior Lecturer Garry Tan Wei Han was named as an Outstanding Reviewer for the Journal of Industrial Management and Data Systems in the Emerald Literati Network 2016 Awards for Excellence.

Reviewers play a critical role in the scholarly publishing process as academics are dependent on critical peer reviews to assess the quality and thoroughness of their research before publication.

To be recognised as an Outstanding Reviewer by the world-renowned scholarly publisher was a first for Tan, and the Marketing expert enthused, “The award is a validation of the rigorous research training that we provide for our students at FBF.” He also expressed his gratitude to the editor Assoc Prof Dr Alain Chong Yee Loong, a prominent academic in Information Systems at the Nottingham University Business School, China, for the nomination.

Tan, who hails from Ipoh, was also the recipient of the 2015 Highly Commended Award by Emerald’s Journal of Service Management.

Click here to view the 2016 Outstanding Reviewer Award. Winners of the 2016 Emerald Literati Network Awards for Excellence can also be viewed from Emerald Group Publishing’s website.

The Journal of Industrial Management and Data Systems is currently indexed in Thomson Reuters (ISI) with 1.278 Impact Factor (Journal Citation Reports 2015).


Tan displaying his certificate

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/dpp/index.jsp?fcatid=160

UTAR Nursing Scholarships for Degree and Diploma

UTAR Hospital
The UTAR Education Foundation wishes to establish a private specialist hospital within its Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman campus in Kampar, Perak. The establishment of this hospital will serve the medical needs of the local Kampar township, the students of the campus and Perak as a state as well.

The hospital will be a 522 bed facility built in multiple phases: Phase 1 will have 248 beds and Phase 2 with the rest of the 274 beds will be constructed after 2025. This hospital will have a complete range of all the clinical specialities.

The UTAR Education Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that owns and operates Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) which has a campus in Kampar and Sungai Long. As part of its continuing social responsibilities to the local Kampar community, the Foundation intends on providing subsidised medical services to patients who are facing financial hardship via this new hospital.

Artist's impression of the UTAR Hospital

Apply Now for Nursing Scholarships!
Suitably qualified candidates identified by the UTAR Hospital will be offered scholarships to study a full-time degree programme in UTAR Sungai Long or a full-time diploma programme in a local nursing institution. After successfully completing the programme of study, he/she will serve the UTAR Hospital.

The scholarships will cover total programme fees, hostel accommodation, monthly allowance, uniform and shoes, and medical and insurance.

UTAR Bachelor of Nursing
Duration of Studies: 4 years
Commencement Date: May 2017

View this link for programme information: http://bit.ly/2hqLC48
or download the flyer by clicking HERE

Entry requirements:
Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM)
i. STPM with a minimum CGPA of 2.50 and
ii. Pass SPM with 5 credits:
Mandatory credits in Bahasa Melayu and Mathematics (or Additional/Modern Mathematics)
Credit in one (1) of the following - General Science or Biology or Credit in Chemistry and Pass in Biology or Credit in Physics and Pass in Biology
Credits in two (2) other subjects
Pass in the English Language

Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)
i. UEC with Grade B in 5 subjects including Science and Mathematics and
ii. Pass SPM or equivalent with 5 credits:
Mandatory credits in Bahasa Melayu and Mathematics (or Additional/Modern Mathematics)
Credit in one (1) of the following - General Science or Biology or Credit in Chemistry and Pass in Biology or Credit in Physics and Pass in Biology
Credits in two (2) other subjects
Pass in the English Language

Others
1. UTAR Foundation programme with CGPA of 2.50
2. MOE Science Matriculation with CGPA of 2.50
3. Diploma in Science with CGPA of 2.50 (no credit transfers)
4. Any other equivalent qualifications recognised by the Malaysian Government.

Additional requirements for items 2, 3 & 4 above:
i. Pass SPM / equivalent with 5 credits
ii. Mandatory credits in Bahasa Malaysia and Mathematics (Elementary/Additional/Modern Maths)
iii Credit in one (1) of the following - General Science or Biology or credit in Chemistry and Pass in Biology or credit Physics and Pass in Biology
iv. Credit in two (2) other subjects
v. Pass in the English Language

Compulsory for all applicants:
Passed the English Language in one of the following examinations:
MUET - Band 3
IELTS - Band 5.5
TOEFL (paper based) - Score of 515
TOEFL (computer based) - Score of 215
TOEFL (internet based testing) - Score of 80

Diploma in Nursing at Other Nursing Institution
UTAR will provide sponsorships to students with interest in pursuing a full-time diploma programme in a local nursing institution selected by the Hospital management. Students will be awarded a Diploma in Nursing upon completion of the programme and will be officially registered with the Malaysian Nursing Board as Registered Nurse (SRN).

Duration of Studies: 3 years
Commencement Date: April 2017
Entry Requirements:
SPM with 5 credits in
Bahasa Melayu
English
Science
Mathematics and
One of other subjects

For more information, please contact:
Ms. Chor Choy Yook
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman
Tel: 03-90860288
Email: chorcy@utar.edu.my

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79087

Elsevier Most Downloaded Article


Hew with his certificate

Marking another milestone of the groundbreaking research conducted in UTAR is Faculty of Business and Finance Tutor Hew Jun Jie with his “Telematics & Informatics Most Downloaded Article (May – July 2016)” award that he recently received from Elsevier (USA)’s Telematics and Informatics journal.

Titled “Hall of fame for mobile commerce and its application: A bibliometric evaluation of a decade and a half (2000-2015)”, the award-winning research paper centres on evaluating the current development and trends of researches on mobile commerce and its application through bibliometric analysis.

“I really did not imagine my paper could be one of the most downloaded articles of this journal. It is truly an honour to have the Editor-in-Chief Prof Jan Servaes accept my paper and to have so many readers around the world reading my paper,” said Hew.

Apart from his paper being recognised as the most downloaded paper, Hew’s paper also serves as a forerunner in using bibliometric analysis in the Web of Science database. He also foresees the paper benefitting researchers by identifying potential research directions, and eventually being a guide to potential researchers and practitioners in this research field.

Currently, UTAR is ranked the third among the most productive institutions in the research discipline of mobile commerce and its application, and adding to that success are FBF Senior Lecturers Garry Tan Wei Han and Leong Lai Ying, who have been identified in the list of most productive authors. This success also draws attention to Malaysia as being one of the top ten most productive countries in this research field.


Tan, Hew and Leong posing with the certificate

Telematics and Informaticsis an interdisciplinary journal examining the social, economic, political and cultural impacts and challenges of information and communication technologies, and is currently indexed with Thomson Reuters (ISI); Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), with Impact Factor (IF) of 2.261.

The paper can be read and downloaded here.

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79093

Best Presenter Award at ICSPC 2016


Ong (left) receiving the award on behalf of his team from General Chair of ICSPC 2016 Prof Dr Mohammad Nasir Taib

A team of researchers from UTAR Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT) won the Best Presenter award in the 2016 IEEE Conference on Systems, Process and Control (ICSPC 2016) held at Swiss Garden Hotel in Malacca from 16 to 17 December 2016.

The team comprised Dean of FEGT Assoc Prof Dr Yap Vooi Voon, Head of Master of Engineering Science programme Assoc Prof Dr Humaira Nisar, and FEGT’s Master of Engineering Science student Ong Yew Fai. Their paper, titled “Image Classification Using Wavelet Coefficients for Video Surveillance”, won the Best Presenter award and they received a certificate of achievement.

The paper was part of Ong’s Master’s studies and was inspired by the video surveillance applications using wavelet compression and parallel processing that the team is currently working on. “Our research is related to video surveillance and we are working to develop a fast event detection method for video surveillance using wavelets and parallel processing. Through this research, we introduce a new approach to identify and classify different types of images encountered in video surveillance systems. The main objective of our study is to identify specific wavelet filters for achieving a better classification for images. In addition to that, the fundamental properties of wavelet coefficients for feature selection for image classification are investigated. Haar, Daubechies 5, Symlet 2, and Biorthogonal 2.2 wavelets have been used in this investigation and the results show that Haar wavelets provide promising results in object retrieval compared to Daubechies 5, Symlet 2, and Biorthogonal 2.2 wavelets,” explained Ong.

He added, “ICSPC 2016 was an ideal platform to share our research with peers and experts from academia and the industry working in similar research fields. This is my first experience presenting a research paper in a conference held by the IEEE Malaysia Section Control Systems Chapter and we are excited to be chosen as the best presenter. ICSPC 2016 gave us access to a wider audience and an opportunity to present a portion of our research as a conference paper. The Best Presenter award proves the value of our work and refreshed the motivation for our interdisciplinary research.” Ong also expressed his appreciation to Dr Yap and Dr Humaira for their invaluable guidance and assistance.

Organised by the IEEE Malaysia Section Control Systems Chapter and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering of Universiti Teknologi MARA, the conference provided an excellent platform for knowledge exchange between researchers working in areas such as automation and robotics, system identification, modelling and simulation, process control, intelligent systems, optimisation of systems, nonlinear systems, digital control, advancements in computation, algorithms for control, optimal and robust control, emerging areas, and control applications in other areas. In addition, it provided an opportunity for the participants from Malaysia and overseas to share research findings and establish networks and collaborations. The conference saw the participation of both local and international researchers. All papers were peer reviewed before acceptance.

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=79096

Fifth UTAR-NUS New Village Collaborative Project


Prof Choong and Prof Teo with the nine NUS students, UTAR students and staff

UTAR’s Department of Soft Skills Competency (DSSC) in collaboration with the National University of Singapore (NUS) organised the fifth UTAR-NUS New Village Collaborative Project for a total of nine NUS students. The project ended with a closing ceremony at UTAR Kampar Campus on 28 December 2016.

The week-long project was conducted in three fishing villages in northern Perak, namely Kuala Gula, Bagan Seberang and Bagan Selatan, from 20 to 28 December 2016. This was the first collaborative project to take place in fishing villages.

The UTAR-NUS New Village Community Project served as a platform for participants from the two institutions to uncover certain aspects of these three fishing villages in Malaysia such as demography, economic development, social structure, community assets and cultural values.


Prof Choong introducing the UTAR New Village Community Project

In his closing remarks, UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong thanked NUS for its strong commitment and support for the project, the heads of the new villages for their support and patronage, and the participants for their active participation. As he introduced the history of new villages and the project he said, “The UTAR New Village Community Project began in 2009 and offers an expansive education for students through interactive learning and immersion in a new village setting to help broaden their outlook in community work, and to gain fresh perspectives on the significance of new villages in Malaysia. To date, the UTAR New Village Community Project has taken students to more than 500 new villages involving the participation of more than 8,000 local and international students.”

He added, “We encourage our staff and students to assist the villages and study their way of life and environment, and then try to give some suggestions or solutions to improve their standard of living. Besides that, we try to work with some corporations and companies to provide some assistance to popularise the villages, especially the ones that have certain commercialisable products, in the hope that this will increase demand and the income of the villagers.”


Prof Teo thanking members of UTAR and the villages at the closing ceremony

Also present was NUS Prof Albert Teo Chu Ying who took the opportunity to express his deep gratitude to all UTAR staff, students and villagers who supported and were involved in the project. He recollected, “In previous years, our research team have went to Perak, Kedah and Kelantan sequentially for social research studies every December since 2012. This year we returned to Perak, this time to fishing villages, different from the previous villages.” On the other hand, he looked forward to engaging with the UTAR students whom will visit NUS for a study trip this coming May. “For the past three years, NUS in return has received UTAR students for study trips. In the next trip, I will lead them to look at charities, social enterprises, and also to study community development and social entrepreneurship in the Singaporean context.”

He said, “The reality in Singapore is that we focus on financial capital, human capital and intellectual capital, but we lose out on other forms of capital. I hope our students will rediscover social capital, cultural capital, cultural practices, the human touch (人情味), the value of friendship, heritage and natural capital in the community during their week in the villages, and come to appreciate these qualities that were lost in the development of Singapore.”

Carmen Chia Jia Yun, a Psychology student from NUS said, “The field study has been an unforgettable experience for me. During the week we spent in Bagan Seberang, we had to do everything on our own, such as cooking and cycling to reach our destinations. I also appreciate the chance we got to learn of the environment, development and problems facing the village and villagers. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the villagers, UTAR staff and students whom taught and helped us during our field study in Malaysia.”

Yuka Hanaki, an intern of DSSC from Kwansei Gakuin University and helper for this project, said, “It was a valuable and eye-opening experience. There are no similar new villages in Japan and this was my first time visiting Malaysia’s new villages. I also gained valuable friendships with the villagers; they are very kind and enthusiastic. They also shared with me their travel experiences in Japan.”

Also present at the closing ceremony were Village Headman of Kampung Bagan Kuala Gula Tan Yew Piau, Head of DSSC Hee Chwen Yee, Faculty of Business and Finance Lecturer Kuek Thiam Yong, UTAR staff and students.

The closing ceremony ended with a certificate presentation by Prof Choong to the participants and a group photo taking session.


NUS students presenting on their findings


Prof Choong presenting a token appreciation to Prof Teo (left) and Tan (right)


Prof Choong presenting a certificate to Chia

Source: http://www.utar.edu.my/econtent_sub.jsp?fc...contentid=80099

Delivery of free spectacles continue

“Your eyesight is precious, that is why having regular eye tests is so important,” said UTAR Council Chairman Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik.


Tun Ling highlighting the importance of having good vision

Following the successful school visits-cum-eye screening projects to a total of four schools in Perak last year, UTAR Council Chairman Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik led the year’s first delegation to visit and distribute free spectacles to 98 school students from SJK © Thung Hon, Cenderong and SJK © Bemban, Batu Gajah on 5 January 2017.


Two Standard Six students from SJK © Thung Hon each receiving spectacles from Tun Ling and Douglas Lee, while Prof Chin (in white) looks on

Driven by the desire to serve the community, the project was a collaborative effort between UTAR and the Malaysian Association of Practising Opticians (MAPO) to help young students, especially the poor and those in need of spectacles, to get free spectacles.

Tun Ling was accompanied by UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong, UTAR Council Member Hew Fen Yee, Head of the Department of Soft Skills Competency of Kampar Campus Hee Chwen Yee and other UTAR staff.

The delegates from UTAR were cordially received by SJK© Thung Hon Principal Lai Yoke Kam, SJK © Bemban, Batu Gajah Principal Lee Wai Men, MAPO Vice President Douglas Lee C.K., England Optical Group Founder Prof Dato’ Dr Chin See Keat Sin, and teachers and students from both schools.


Tun Ling (fourth from left) and the other delegates with SJK © Thung Hon students and teachers


Tun Ling (fourth from left) and the other VIPs with SJK © Bemban students and teachers

Titled “The Gift of Eyesight”, the project was mooted by Tun Ling with the objective to serve and improve the quality of life of schoolchildren in Perak and other states of Malaysia in need of spectacles.

In his speech, Tun Ling spoke on the importance of having good eyesight and said, “Providing spectacles to young students help to raise young children’s grades, improving their education. Apart from that, healthy vision enables young students to improve their quality of life from childhood into adulthood and to contribute actively in society.”

He further explained, “Poor vision can have a big influence on young students’ lives. If a child’s vision is not corrected while they are in school, it may lead to a critical condition in future. An eye test and a pair of spectacles can dramatically improve their lives. UTAR is indeed proud to work together with MAPO to make eye care accessible to needy students. I would like to thank MAPO and England Optical Group Founder Dato’ Chin for their noble act of collaborating with UTAR to give back to the community.”


Douglas Lee sharing tips with students and parents on how to protect their eyesight

Douglas Lee in his speech elucidated, “It was an exciting experience to bring vision care to the children in these remote villages. Our objective is to build sustainable and affordable eye care facilities that are available to everyone.” He added, “We are indeed very proud and honoured to be associated with UTAR in providing free spectacles to needy students. We are glad that we are able to improve the vision of poor students and at the same time reduce the burden of poor parents.”

Principal Lai of SJK© Thung Hon said, “Thank you UTAR and MAPO. Despite having had vision problems for years, many students had never had the opportunity to screen their eyes and get access to a pair of spectacles. It was a great opportunity for students to get free spectacles through this project. The students and parents are very thankful for your help.”

Principal Lee of SJK © Bemban said, “We sincerely thank UTAR and MAPO for their kind support and we are indeed grateful to be one of the recipients of free spectacles. The project has enabled the students to improve their eyesight and we hope it can bring some positive changes to the lives of students.”

As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility programme, the England Optical Group also joined the benevolent act and sponsored a total of 300 spectacle frames valued at RM15,000 to the needy school students.


Prof Chin (fourth from right) presenting a mock cheque to Tun Ling (second from left), while (from left) Lee, Hew, Douglas Lee and Prof Choong look on

This project is part of the various community engagement projects by UTAR and reflects UTAR as a university “by the people, for the people”.