By Aida Najwa
GOMBAK, 11 June 2022: The idea of striving for more knowledge and gaining understanding of the world and people around is a true motivation for the Gold recipient of the Most Promising Academic Award, Dr. Mohd Helmi bin Sobri.
œI didnt expect to get this award. Therefore, I would like to express my thanks to the Kulliyyah for putting their trust in me. Insya Allah, I will give my best to contribute more in the future, said Dr. Helmi when met at the AbdulHamid AbuSulayman Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences (AHAS KIRKHS) Takreem 2022.
Helmi received the award from Deputy Rector (Academic and Internalisation), Prof. Dr. Ahmad Faris Ismail at the IIUM Cultural Centre (ICC) on Friday (10 June). He was among the recipients which include staff, lecturers, students and alumni, who received the awards for their remarkable achievements and contributions towards AHAS KIRKHS.
Dr. Helmi, who is from the Department of History and Civilisation told IIUMToday that he is currently working on a number of ongoing researches such as the concept of masyarakat and the Malay concept of customs (adat) for about three years now.
He expressed his aspiration in completing them in line with his passion in academic despite facing challenges of time constraints as he believes that this as an essential duty that needed to be done.
On another side, Dr. Sayyed Mohamed Muhsin represented his team to receive the Global Prominence Award (Bronze) for the International Postgraduate Colloquium and Research Poster Competition which was organised by the Kulliyyah in collaboration with Sultan Azlan Shah University (USAS) and the Asian Islamic University Association (AIUA). Sayyed Mohamed was in charge as Programme Manager and Deputy Director.
On the achievement, Sayyed Mohamed held the view that the award is not the end goal but a responsibility being put on the shoulders to keep going as the true goal is to achieve the pleasure of Allah SWT.
œAllah SWT says if you are putting much effort, Allah will open up several doors for you, shared Dr. Sayyed on motivation to which he further mentioned the need for support and encouragement from family, colleagues, and even students as a push to do more.
Asked on future projects, he shared that he is collaborating with a few researchers in the Kulliyyah together with one researcher from India on the topic that centred on students mental health, Islamic virtues and Yunani medicine.
Meanwhile, Dr. Lee Pei May from the Department of Political Science won the category of Promising Award for Research (Silver).
When met, she said that she is motivated to stay in this field by her curiosity in knowing more about the development in the world and the root causes behind it.
œMy focus is on China’s development. So far, Ive collaborated with a few researchers from University of Nottingham to write certain articles and research about East Coast Rail Link which is a project where Malaysia has financial relation with China, shared Dr. Lee on her research topic.
She also recently published an article on ‘COVID-19 pandemic: A Litmus Test of the Resilience of Chinese and US Governance Models’ to which she worked together with a researcher from China to show the perspectives of the insider and outsider.
In terms of research, she expressed her hope to have further collaborations with other researchers around the world as she finds that exchanging of ideas with different perspectives and backgrounds make the research more interesting.
œTake charge of what youre doing. Everyone will progress at their own pace. Therefore, we should feel happy if we are better than yesterday, Dr. Lee added on her principle in life.
This award-giving ceremony had also successfully launched the Gombak-Riau Project with a speech by Yang Amat Dihormati Tan Sri Dato’ Paduka Raja Dato’ Haji Wan Mahmood bin Pa’wan Teh Orang Besar Daerah Gombak.***