By Iylia Marsya Iskandar
GOMBAK, 15 December 2021: As a candidate for president of Economics and Management Sciences Society (EMSS), Mohd Hamirul Akbar aims to solve students’ problems using data-dependency approach.
This third-year student specialising in economics said that data dependency is very important to measure performance of a student society.
He said: “A leader can always talk big about his work and what he had done but it does not give any meaning if it is not proved or supported by any measure of performance.”
“The world has moved fast in technology so KBS (Kulliyyah-based society) should also move forward and EMSS will spearhead this revolution in performance indicator,” he added.
Hamirul shared that his mission as a candidate for presidency is to empower Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences (KENMS) students in all aspects.
“I want to make sure students gain positive ethics and skills during my tenure. I believe KENMS students have a lot of potential to become prominent figures in future.”
“Some of us might become CEO in big firms or even Minister of Finance. Therefore, it’s very important to have that ‘champion’ mindset from now on.”
In the interview with IIUMToday, Hamirul shared three manifestos of his leadership.
- To nourish KENMS students’ reputation in the eyes of industry players
Hamirul aims for EMSS to act as a bridge to connect students to industry players and to nourish their knowledge to be more marketable.
“I’ve heard that IIUM students are not presentable in the industry. They have the skillsets needed but lacking in oratory or communication skills and unable to present their brilliant ideas effectively.
That’s why it is important for them to attend grooming sessions so they can be presentable in the market,” he shared.
He emphasised that he would organise more programmes to enhance their skillsets.
He shared that EMSS will make direct contact with stakeholders to analyse the skills needed by the industry and expected of economics graduate.
Asked the difference in his plans on graduate employability compared to other previous manifestos, he said:
“Many previous candidates and leaders in KBS have advocated for graduate employability, but they do not have a clear indicator on performance of student’s employability.
That’s why I emphasised for EMSS to use data analytics dependency, so we have a clear indicator on students’ performance in every aspect. From that we know whether the students are ready for the real world or they require more exposure.”
- To facilitate a strong emphasis on physical and emotional welfare of KENMS students
For his second manifesto, he plans to establish EMSS food bank in the Kulliyyah to help with student’s welfare and ensure that it is accessible to all students.
In seeking for funds, he will approach external companies and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) as part of a corporate social-responsibility (CSR) initiative.
To ensure that no students will be left behind, Hamirul said EMSS will create a systematic database so that they can have an efficient distribution of food for the students.
“I’ll ensure there will be less bureaucracy for students to receive food and to make things easier for them,” he said.
On mental health issues, Hamirul shared his plan to establish a better link with the Counselling and Career Services Centre (CCSC) for the issues to be handled more effectively.
- To establish good governance and transparency in EMSS leadership
Hamirul shared that currently there is a lack of dependency in data analytics in EMSS, hence there is no indicator of the society’s performance and most programmes are conducted based on hunch not based on real life demands.
For this, his plan is to be data driven by conducting surveys on the demands of the students and their satisfaction rate.
“We will focus more on services towards students so that we represent their voices,” he said.
He wants to be transparent by publishing annual reports and survey results in EMSS’S official website.
Hamirul Akbar is running alongside Nayli Udzma for the seat of the President in the EMSS 21/22 Election which will be held online on 17 December 2021 from 8.30 a.m to 5.00 p.m.
KENMS students can get more information on the election by clicking here.***