By, Shafiy Nordin
BATU CAVES, 17 May 2025 : In an effort to close the gap between university and community, the IIUM Legal Aid Services (ILAS) successfully organized Jalinan Mahabbah 1.0/2025, a community engagement initiative to offer free legal consultation and awareness to 25 asnaf participants at Pusat Akar Budi, Gombak, today.
The event was a collaborative effort between Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws (AIKOL), IIUM Institute of Islamic Banking and Finance (IIiBF), and Pusat Akar Budi. AIKOL lecturers, assisted by law students of the Clinical Legal Education (CLE) course, that provided consultations on essential legal matters such as family law, civil issues, inheritance (harta pusaka), and matrimonial property (harta sepencarian).
“We aim to educate and empower,” said Head of Centre for Community Engagement and Services (CENSERVE), Puan Martinelli Hashim, “Our mission is to uplift mothers and children, build resilience through education, ensuring they become passionate learners.”
The structure of the consultation area was divided into three sections of legal issues: First section addressed inheritance matters, Second section covered family law, and Third section focused on civil cases. The open service counters allowed participants to gain access to legal expertise for free which often is out of reach for underprivileged communities.
AIKOL’s initiative under the Jalinan Mahabbah series seeks to raise law literacy through forums, seminars, and workshops, conducted regularly by booking and walk-in basis. “Students don’t just learn from theories. Here, they can see the real struggles in society, that transforms the way they understand law,” added an ILAS committee member.
One of the highlights of the event was an engaging talk by a legal expert on family matters, Puan Fatimawati Ismail, who emphasized the rights of women post-divorce, who make non-financial contributions like caregiving and household responsibilities to the family. “Claim your rights. Many single mothers don’t know that they can claim 30 percent of the jointly acquired property (harta sepencarian) through indirect contributions,” she highlighted.
Financial literacy was also the main focus. Dr. Syarah Syahira of IIiBF reminded, “We provide advice on how to manage financial because when they have income, but if they don’t manage it properly, that becomes a problem too.”
The community’s positive response impressed the organizers. “The response from the community here exceeded our expectations, they even came on regular weekdays,” said Puan Martinelli, highlighting the trust the community puts in IIUM’s presence.
The event concluded with a lunch meal and networking session. When legal education is brought to the heart of the community, it can become a powerful tool for change.
If you’re passionate about serving communities near IIUM Gombak campus, Pusat Akar Budi looks forward to your contribution. Let’s bring to life our community centre and make knowledge more meaningful.***
