Waqf Room: IIUM leads the way towards self-sufficiency

By Iylia Marsya Iskandar and Ariani Mohd Nor

GOMBAK, 19 February 2022: IIUM is leading the way towards self-sufficiency with the Waqf Room Project, as the project aimed towards better sustainability approach for room renovation, was launched earlier yesterday (18 February).

With the spirit of donation and waqf, this project will give the opportunity to local community, external party, parents, and stakeholders to support and provide improved residential environments to the students. 

Monetary donation to the university will be used to renovate selected rooms according to the agreed room design in Mahallah Ruqayyah Block J and Mahallah Aminah Block F.

Officially launching the project, the Rector of IIUM, Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dzulkifli Abd Razak emphasised that a good university is one that is self-sufficient, independent, one that can decide its own destiny and has its own economy so the university can make decisions aligned with its mission and vision. 

Aligned with the concept of Sejahtera, he said: “This is what the university is trying to do since two or three years ago and this project is really a project that the university wants to see on many counts.”

Firstly, it is the only project that is a collaboration between many parties.

  • The Waqf Room project is the brainchild of the Deputy Rector of Student Development and Community Engagement, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zulkifli Hasan and initiated by the Councils of Principals (COPs). 
  • The project was propelled by four main divisions headed by the Chairman, Assoc. Prof. Ir. Dr.  Khaizuran Bin Abdullah (also the Principal of Mahallah Faruq).
  • The first division is the Residential Services Department (RSD) under its Director Madam Siti Thuraiya Abdul Rahman and assisted by Madam Zamzarina Mohd Noor. 
  • The second division is the Development Division led by Madam Hazlina Binti Mazlan and Mr. Hamizuddin Soid Hamidi.
  • COPs members will include Asst. Prof. Dr. Che Razi Bin Jusoh, Asst. Prof. Dr. Noor Azizah Mohamadali, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Ahmad Zahirani Ahmad Azhar. 
  • The designer is a second year Applied Arts and Design student from Kulliyyah of Architectural and Environmental Design, Ilham Nasrin Bin Ahmat Azhar, under the tutorship of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nurhaya bt Baniyamin. 

“This project proves that they can work together and make something that all of us can benefit from. This is what the university is trying to do; how do you work across boundaries, across kulliyyah, across mahallah and across anything in IIUM. If you can cope then the university will prosper,” the Rector further said.

In terms of mechanisms, Dr. Khaizuran assures that the updated information will be publicised as soon as possible. He said, “However, there are some things that we know for sure.”

There are four types of Waqf rooms – the Single Standard, Single Deluxe, Twin Standard, and Twin Deluxe – all of which do not have a fixed rate yet, but it would range from RM2,000 to RM5,000 where tenancy is for the duration of the study period with a maximum of five years stay.

  • Rooms are resourced by contributions or sponsorships from individuals or organisations. More information on crowdfunding will be posted on the Residential and Services Department (RSD), which is also the sole custodian of the rooms.
  • Contributors and sponsors also have the privilege to determine their chosen Waqf room tenant. However, Dr. Khaizuran also added that the rooms may also be gifted to selected high-achieving and/or underprivileged students.
  • The Waqf rooms are planned to be set in motion for students beginning next academic year tenure, Semester 1, 2022/2023.

On the design of the Waqf Room, the designer, Ilham, said that it is inspired from the plant “padi” where the concept is derived from the Malay proverb, “ikut resmi padi, semakin berisi semakin tunduk”

He shared: “The proverb interlinks closely with an Islamic teaching where one must be very humble with his life even if he has the most knowledges. Therefore, this design concept aims to have a rejuvenating theme as calming as we look at the padi field scenery and to have a minimalist sub-theme that suits the humble (zuhud) concept in Islamic teaching.”

The official launching of the Waqf Room Project was held at Mahallah Ruqayyah Block J, attended by the Deputy Rector of Student Development and Community Engagement, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zulkifli Hasan, division directors and principals of mahallah. 

Information on Waqf rooms will be updated from time to time on the RSD website. Those interested may also e-mail Noorzamzarina (nzarina@iium.edu.my), Siti Izwani (izwani@iium.edu.my), or the general RSD email (rsd@iium.edu.my). You may also contact 03-6421 5474/4403 during office hours.***

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