Student Leaders Should Not Become Self-Indulgent - UniMAP Vice Chancellor

Kangar, October 12 - Vice Chancellor of Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Brig. General Datuk Prof. Emeritus Dr. Kamarudin Hussin urges student leaders to not become a leader that is 'self-indulgent'.

"Do not let yourself be lulled by the success or pleasure today until you became self-indulgent.

"Instead, the opportunity should be taken to become more responsible and at the same time indirectly learn the traits of leadership in the truest sense," he said in his opening speech during the Mandate Handover towards the 2015/2016 Student Representative Council (SRC) held in a hotel in Alor Setar, recently.

In the event, a total of 33 UniMAP students receive their letter of appointment as a member of the MPP for the 2015/2016 session and a student from the School of Human Development and Teknocommunication (iKOM), Rio Iskandar Jasman, was appointed as the MPP President.

According to Datuk Kamarudin again, a leader should have certain characteristics that makes other people respect the leader.

"A leader must have vision and place goals; take risks; train other leaders; deligate power; trust and loyal to your followers, share success; accept responsibility, a congruent person; has its own ethical standards; and firm, "he said.

The mandate handover ceremony is a symbolic of the belief from the University Management and mandates of all students to the 33 MPP 2015/2016.

"The trust and mandate given means that a lot needs to be shouldered with utmost sincerity and honesty. I also hope that the new MPP realize that the opportunity in placing themselves in the Student Representative Council is a huge challenge to carry.

"Although it looks like a post that is popular, however,it really is not a priviledge," he said.

Dr. Kamarudin also urges that student leaders should be a role model in all respects either in terms of leadership, management, communication behavior, relationships and not least in maintaining academic excellence.

"A leader must also realize that he will always be scrutinized and judged. Therefore, they must work to keep the trust and confidence of their friends as not to be effected by the negative elements that are always accompanied by various perceptions, "he said.

He is proud of the students who boldly offer themselves as candidates and he believes that this self confidence was sown in students through various activities organized by the HEPA leadership over the years.

Rio Iskandar, the current YDP of UniMAP MPP 2015/2016 promised to make improvements to the service of the university in order to give satisfaction to the students.

"We have arranged a meeting with the university management to discuss improvements to the transportation system in universities and also the services in residential colleges.

"UniMAP has been providing the best bus services for students but problems arise when there are students who miss the bus and have to wait longer to attend college residence or return to college," he said.

Therefore, discussions with the Land Transport Commission (SPAD) to allow MyBAS access to the campusses to will be refined to provide the best services to students.

Even improvements to services in residential colleges such as laundry service and wifi will also be implemented in stages.