IIUMSU Open Day 2023: Understanding the Role of Student Union

By Mohammad Shahziq Sallem and Jasmin Jafrizul

GOMBAK, 24 November 2023, IIUM Student Union (IIUMSU) held its Open Day 2023Â at MPH Wadi Budi, IIUM Gombak on 18 November 2023 from 9.00am to 4.30pm, to familiarise new students with the role of the Student Union (SU).

The Opening Ceremony started with a speech by IIUMSU President Br. Ahmad Muntasir bin Aznan, where he explained that the aim of the event was to bring students and IIUMSU members together so as to ensure that students would feel comfortable coming to them with issues.

œWe believe that a thriving union is one that actively reaches out to each student, said Br. Muntasir.

Mr. Fauzi bin Muda, Special Assistant to the Deputy Rector (Student Development and Community Engagement) and representing the Deputy Rector, Prof. Dr. Akmal Khuzairy Bin Abd. Rahman, gave a speech during the Opening Ceremony to inaugurate the event.

œIIUMSU plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of community and in ensuring every student’s voice is heard and valued, Mr. Fauzi explained.

The town hall event which was part of the Open Day went well. Students were briefed regarding the new goals that are going to be implemented at the IIUM in the near future. The main three goals were the Green Gombak campus; second, the insurance scheme; and third, pay as you take. These goals were to cater to the needs of IIUM students.

At 2.30pm, a talk organised by SU called Unionism Couch Talk was moderated by Executive Officer, Br. Nadzmi Wajdi, and the panellists were the President of Presiden Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (KMUKM), Br. Badrul Alif Naqiuddin Badrulzaman; Deputy President II IIUMSU, Br. Adib Syahmi, and former Deputy President I IIUMSU, Sr. Nur Athirah Abdullah.

One of the most notable quotes from the talk was from Sr. Nur Athirah, œWe need to think about the future, and we risk a future that we follow only with regret.”

œWe are scared of repercussions; is it worth it? It is a tangible risk, and if we choose to be ignorant, what future are we aiming for? said Br. Adib to the audiences.

Before ending the event, a talk entitled, Palestine Couch Talk, was given by a Palestinian lecturer from AIKOL, Dr. Mohammed Rafiq Moumen Elshobake, along with a member of IIUMSU Office of Islamization and Student Development, Br. Ahmad Luthfi. The main issues discussed in the session were whether boycotting companies that support Israel is necessary, what Hamas is, and whether we should support Hamas.

The event also had a dodgeball event, which was conducted at the same time as the Unionism Talk. There were also performances such as nasyid and magic tricks conducted before the town hall session, along with a performance after the Unionism Couch Talk. Booths and vendors were set up inside Wadi Budi to celebrate the event. ***