Friday, January 5, 2007

News From Gombak - SRC

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I sent of friend of mine to Gombak campus last Friday since he intended to depart from Puduraya to Kedah the next day for celebrating Eid Adha with family. Well, since I’ve left the beloved campus about a month ago, I (and three other friends to be exact) spent some time there and I dropped by Farouk CafĂ© to revive the taste of Ibu’s bihun soup. Yummy!

But that’s not exactly my point. Actually, I found this note pasted on the boards of about all around the mahallah. If there’s board, there’s also this note. It’s about the Student Representative Council (SRC) of IIUM in Gombak Campus. For your information, up to now, the board of the SRC has not yet been announced (or endorsed to be formal) thus they cannot commence any program under the university-level council. There’s news telling that the board proposed by the elected members was not approved by the Rector. Why?

Back to the pasted note; here it is.

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MEMORANDUM

On

STUDENT’S REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL (SRC)
LINE UP ENDORSEMENT

Submitted by
‘IIUM Student Front’

Submitted to
Prof. Dato’ Dr. Syed Arabi Idid
Rector,
Deputy Rector (Student Affairs & Alumni),
Dean of Kulliyyahs,
International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)
Submitted on
22 December 2006


We, IIUM student front, are very much concerned with students’ well-being and democracy practice on the campus, are regretful to witness transgression of values subsequent to the SRC General Election on 21 September 2006.

The University is given the mandate to ensure the existence of democratic and autonomous student councils. Pursuant thereto, it is the underlying reason for the annual practice of SRC General Election and the need of recognition for, such supreme student body to determine its policies and activities.

The recent General Election proves that democracy is well practiced in this campus, whereby students have the freedom to choose their leader and been chosen. However, it is a distressing fact that until today, the SRC cabinet line up has not yet been endorsed by the University administrative authority. It is relatively disturbing when there is no single notification by the authority in addressing students regarding the issue.

It is with students’ collective voice that we speak and address this issue. We hereby urge the IIUM administrative authority to immediately endorse the SRC cabinet line up so as to enable them to execute the given mandate from students. We believe that there shall be no unreasonable requirements imposed on the SRC seeking recognition, to the extent that the SRC office bearers faced with difficulties in executing their duties due to delay of the endorsement.

OUR STAND IN THE ISSUE OF DELAY OF SRC CABINET LINE UP ENDORSEMENT

SRC General Election enhances democratic process on the campus. Membership and active participation in the student organization which promote and protect students’ right and welfare contribute to national development shall be guaranteed by the highly regarded University authority.

For this reason, the conduct of SRC General Election shall not be interfered or influenced by any unpalatable label upon the candidates, for being pro government or pro opposition as this will lead to unhealthy intellectual environment in this beloved Garden of Knowledge and Virtue.

Therefore, students who won in the General Election have the right to determine their position in the SRC cabinet line up by mutual agreement and syura process. Towards this end, educational institution shall inculcate respect on the decision made by SRC syura, encourage democracy values and professional ethics.

We believe that SRC being the most representative of the student and the highest expression of student power on the campus shall have the right to participate in protection and promoting students’ well-being, academic, harmonization, integration, Islamization and internationalization in this University.

With their democratic rights guaranteed, students can serve as a potent and cogent force in the world’s transformation as a better living place for our future generation.

BRIEF CRONOLOGICAL REPORT FOR ENDORSEMENT OF SRC CABINET LINE UP

We hereby state the brief report according to its chronological order:

21 September 2006
IIUM SRC General Election was conducted and the result was announced on the night of the same day at the Experimental Hall, IIUM.

30 September 2006 to 1 October 2006
The first SRC meeting was held at Vistana Hotel, Kuantan. It has come to our knowledge from the SRC representative that list of the SRC cabinet had been decided by way of syura and delivered to the University administrative authority for endorsement.

6 October 2006
SRC had applied to issue notice upon the haze problem in IIUM. Despite the fact that the notice had been endorsed by the University authority, it is a distressing fact to know that no single budget has been released in providing IIUM community with face mask. For this reason, the SRC Exco members themselves had to use their own pocket money to cover the cost of the mask. On the same date, an application letter to use the SRC General Office had been sent to the administrative authority.

8 October 2006
The Exco member of SRC had entered their General Office and made some clearance on the same day. However, two days later, the administrative officer prevented the Exco members from entering the office and took back the given keys.

12 October 2006
The Rector’s Special Assistant had released a letter which informed that the list of SRC cabinet which been submitted earlier need to be scrutinized by the Rector himself, thus need more time for endorsement.

30 October 2006
An Eid ul Fitri Feast with Rector was organized at Banquet Hall of Admin Building. The SRC again forward the application for endorsement of the cabinet. However, no exact definite answer was given by the administrative authority.

27 November 2006
The SRC had not been given the opportunity to have formal introductory meeting with the new intake students by alleging that SRC did not have authority as an SRC exco members. We believe the privacy of communication and correspondence among students shall remain inviolable.

16 – 17 November 2006
The second meeting was held at Hotel Seri Malaysia, Temerloh, to discuss again about the SRC line up cabinet.

3 December 2006
SRC faced with difficulties in assisting students from Kulliyyah of Science to move to Kuantan Campus. Consequently, few problems arose, such as transportation, human resource and etc.

14 December 2006
The Kosmo! Newspaper published a report entitled ‘Dilema MPP UIAM’ (IIUM SRC Dilemma) which explained in real situation pertaining to the issue on delay in endorsing SRC cabinet.

OUR REQUEST

The following are our request upon this issue:

We urge the IIUM administrative authority to endorse the SRC line up cabinet as soon as possible so as to ensure the smooth running of the Council.
We strongly urge the administrative authority from unjustly label students with political parties. It is to be noted that students were chosen mainly based on their credibility and competency as students’ leader.
We also demand the administrative authority to clarify this matter with students by providing a detailed, fair and transparent clarification.
We strongly hope and look forward upon the administrative authority to organize an open dialogue session, discuss the issue of students’ right and freedom to participate in a democracy process.

It is our ardent hope that we have not reached the stage where justice and fairness has died in the heart of the IIUM community. There is campus unrest if students’ rights are transgressed. We hope that this serious matter would be solemnly considered by the IIUM administrative authority to ensure the principle of syura and democracy are well practiced.

We further hope that our assertions will receive your positive attention. We envision an academic community free of all these violations that trigger student mass protests. With the exercise of students’ rights protected and respected, peace and harmony will reign on the campus.

Accordingly, crucial concern on this measure is earnestly sought.

Thank you.

Submitted by
‘IIUM Student Front’

Supported by
IIUM Student

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Questions:

1. What is ‘IIUM Student Front’ actually and who are the people behind this name?
2. If the administrative authority can give budget and support financially for the meetings outside campus (both meetings were held in Pahang), why can’t they give budget to provide masks during haze?
3. Is it true that the candidates who were not successfully elected during General Election were allegedly sent by the University to represent it in a program involving all other representatives from other universities?
4. Does this affect SRC in Kuantan Campus?
5. Who are the people behind this http://momentumuiam.blogspot.com weblog site?

This entry isn’t meant to offend anybody. SCIENCESS strongly stresses that we don’t tend to any party involved. It’s only the fact that we are IIUM students and we should know what is going on in the university, both Gombak and Kuantan campuses.

Report by: Szakif

1 comment:

Awan Badai said...

We want justice. For the sake of IIUM.