MASKUM TRAINS UNIVERSITY DENIZENS TO BE SELFLESS VOLUNTEERS
UUM ONLINE: The Malaysian Universities Volunteer Council (MASKUM) can train university staff to be sincere volunteers who extend a hand to those in need.
The Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), Prof. Dr Mohd Foad Sakdan who served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Student Affairs for a decade, acknowledged that MASKUM had prepared him to become a selfless volunteer.
“MASKUM and I are inseparable. MASKUM provides an excellent laboratory to train us to become volunteers. The development of a voluntary attitude is not something that can happen overnight; it requires continuous training,” he said.
“As volunteers, we are constantly working around the clock. For instance, in the event of a flood, MASKUM is responsible to mobilise teams and any other resources to help the flood victims,” he added at the MASKUM Dinner and Handover of Duties Ceremony on Sunday.
Also present were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni) from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) who is the Chairperson of the Malaysia Universities Volunteer Council (MASKUM), Prof. Dr Norkhalid Salimin and UUM Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student Affairs and Alumni), Prof. Dr Ahmad Martadha Mohamed.
According to Prof. Dr Mohd Foad, the first MASKUM operation was carried out in Kelantan in 2013. As a result of the severity of the situation, all of the volunteers from the universities were deployed to the area and camped there for almost a month to clean the area as it was badly hit by floods.
“Praised to Allah, with our coordination and cooperation, we were able to fulfil the entrusted responsibilities to help flood victims,” he added.
He also stated that in 2023, the scopes and responsibilities of MASKUM will undergo expansion with the aim of establishing S4S as a platform that is utilised by the Ministry of Higher Education.
“On behalf of UUM, I would like to express my gratitude to Prof. Dr Norkhalid and all colleagues in MASKUM for selecting EDC-UUM as the venue for the Workshop for the Moderation of Terms of Reference (TOR) and MASKUM Coordination Meeting,” he said.
According to Prof. Dr Foad, the philosophy of volunteerism advocates for us to act as agents of change in the creation of a better world by engaging in voluntary actions.
“The philosophy of volunteerism believes that acts of selfless giving, whether in the form of time, effort, knowledge, or in other means, it engenders positive transformation within themselves, as well as among others, and the broader community. This in turn, brings about inner peace and contentment,” he said.
He further explained that the spirit of volunteerism presents itself together with other humanitarian values such as empathy, cooperation and care.
“This should serve as a reminder to us of the significance of observing the needs and interests of others while we go about providing assistance to the best of our abilities.
“The philosophy of volunteerism is based on sincere attitude and actions of providing assistance or kindness to others without expecting anything in return. Voluntary action involves the willingness and inclination to contribute, serve or help fellow human beings or the society voluntarily,” he added.
Meanwhile, Dr. Norkhalid stated that, volunteerism is not only just limited to helping out during times of flooding but also extends beyond that.
"We have opened up broader avenues and there are six cores of MASKUM that need to be implemented under the Semarak Siswa Madani programme in the Holistic Student Division," he said.
He expressed his utmost gratitude to Prof. Dr Foad for his service and dedication as the former Chairperson of MAKUM.
"Prof. Dr Foad was the former Chairperson of MASKUM and many fundamental things were accomplished under his leadership, and I will continue his legacy," he concluded.