A UniMAP Helping Hand For Deceased Staff Members' Children At Festival Nasyid 2019

Pauh Putra, 28 May – In the midst of joy preparing for the coming Aidilfitri celebrations next week, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) also gave a helping hand to the children of former staff members who had passed away.

Hence, during the university's Festival Nasyid 2019 (FESNAS 2019) contest that was held at Dewan Kecemerlangan, UniMAP Pauh Putra campus, 11 young orphans were each bestowed RM150 in cash to help lighten the burdens of their families.

These contributions were the outcome of the Jom Infaq Ramadan 1440H programme organised by the UniMAP Islamic Centre and contributed by the UniMAP community through either online methods or the UniMAP Surau fund box.

Two of the orphans, Adam Harith, 5, and his sibling Medina Az Zahra, 2, were the children of the former UniMAP Development Department staff member Zamzuri Zain who passed away last August.

Their mother Nurhafiza Halim, 32, said that the UniMAP donations afforded her a respite because the children's Aidilfitri purchases have not been done yet.

“This donation means a lot to my children and I because I do not have a fixed income. Thank you, UniMAP, for your diligence even though their father is no longer with us,” she said.

The donation was given by UniMAP Vice Chancellor Prof Ir Ts Dr Badlishah Ahmad and witnessed by Deputy Vice Chancellor of Innovation and Research Prof Dr Uda Hashim, tops executives and the heads of university departments.

Earlier, the nasyid group Al-Munawwar from the Centre for International Languages (CIL) became the champions of the FESNAS 2019 which was organised by the Faculty of Engineering Technology (FTK), Cultural and Recreation Unit (UKR) and the Islamic Centre. Al-Munawwar sang the theme song from the animated feature film Frozen whose lyrics had been adapted to feature spirituality in Bahasa Melayu.

Al-Munawwar was able to take home a cash prize of RM1,500, a trophy, a hamper sponsored by Rass Design and certificates.

The group which was spearheaded by its Dean, Dr Sharmini Abdullah, and helmed by team leader Madam Siti Farah Syazana Mohamed Yusoff, also grabbed the Best Performance Award with a cash prize of RM500.

The first runner up position went to the group Innovoice from the School of Human Development and Technocommunication (iKOM) and the second runner up was the group An-nisa’ from UniMAP Holdings while the Best Costume Award went to the group Al-Muhibbah from the School of Material Engineering.

Meanwhile, Prof Badlishah said that the nasyid contest was not organised for groups to merely win, but also as a medium to preach through shariah-compliant entertainment.

He remarked that nasyid allows participants and the university community to deliberate the foibles of life while being self-reflective during the holy month.

“The creativity in adapting the lyrics of the latest popular songs can be an effective and positive preaching strategy,” he said during his speech at the festival.

11 UniMAP schools and departments took part in the annual event that featured the theme “Melodies In Creativity”.