Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) worked with Sime Darby Foundation (SDF) and brought together 300 students from 60 primary and secondary schools in Kuantan and Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia for “Huluran Kasih” (it means love giving/sharing in English), whereby each student received a set of new school uniform, shoes, stockings, school bag, and stationaries at the UMP Pekan campus on 12 December 2018.
This move reflects caring hearts and desires because it helps reduce some low-income families’ burdens in preparing for the upcoming school year. The children were selected under the “Huluran Kasih” programme, which is a part of a social engagement programme brought by SDF and UMP to also further strengthen their strategic partnership.
“UMP is always open and willing to explore more strategic collaborations with SDF. This includes sharing of UMP’s scientific and technical expertise that blend well with SDF’s focuses and core activities, be it in the academia or corporate social responsibility. In line with UMP’s Strategic Plan 2016-2020, the management is committed to communitise the university through two main mediums – technology transfer and knowledge sharing, and community services. Various initiatives have been carried out and being planned to ensure that people in Pahang would benefit from this kind of social engagement activities,” said Professor Dr. Jamil Ismail, UMP Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Industrial and Community Relations).
He elaborated that: “As such, in order to make its Community University agenda a success, the management welcome any form of collaborations with departments, agencies, government-linked companies, private companies, organisations, and even individuals interested to do their part that would benefit the public at large.”
Among the guests present to give away the school sets were Professor Dr. Jamil Ismail, Datuk Aishah Shaikh Ahmad, UMP Board of Director member, Hajah Yatela Zainal Abidin, SDF Chief Executive Officer, and Abd. Hamid Majid, UMP Chief Operation Officer/Registrar.
After the ceremony, UMP and SDF volunteers continued with the UMP Facelift programme, which has seen 114 houses being transformed into better and more comfortable conditions. The UMP Facelift programme is now focusing on activities that will provide motivation, increase knowledge, and instil interests for the locals to better learn the subjects of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and English.