UBD Student Council ends its term

IT WAS a bittersweet ending for the former members of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Student Representative Council (PMUBD) 2008/09 intake as they ended their term yesterday.

After serving a term that lasted one whole year, 17 members of the student council hung their coats yesterday to make way for the new members.

Norasilah Othman, 21, former member of the council's Academic Executive Committee (Exco), said that she felt sad that the day has finally come for them to go their separate ways.

"I'm going to miss working with my PMUBD colleagues. We have gone through so much together in that one year; we worked together from morning to midnight for several projects," she said.

Norasilah related that during that period, she learned how to organise events, write project proposals and most importantly, be more independent in doing things.

"The experience prepares you for life after university," she added.

Former PMUBD Social Service and Welfare Exco, Shafiee Yakob, 19, said that the PMUBD members were "like his family" and felt sad that it was finally over.

Wanting to be a teacher in the future, he said that although it has only been one year, the experience has changed him completely.

"Being a member of PMUBD has taught me to become a better leader, and in my future profession, it's important that you know how to lead well because of the nature of the job," he added.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Education and Internalisation), Associate Professor Dr Azman Hj Ahmad welcomed the new intake and offered words of advice to the new leaders. He stressed that the council was formed as a platform for nurturing and developing future leaders who possess remarkably good oratorical, crisis management and problem-solving skills.

"It is hoped that the future leaders of this country will be groomed here and those leadership potentials will find this a place to develop as global leaders," he affirmed.

He also took the opportunity to "implore the council members to undertake their duties diligently, faithfully, honestly and expeditiously".

"Please don't give up the trust that your fellow students have put into you," he said.

Excellence in academic pursuits, Associate Professor Dr Azman said, must move in tandem with their duties as student leaders and as council members, they must be good role models for their students.

Unity, he said, was also an intergral part of being in the student council. "Maintaining cordial relationships among council members and fellow students is therefore of extreme importance," he advised.

The assistant vice-chancellor also called upon the university administration, Student Affairs section, staff and students to give their fullest support in order for the council to succeed.

The event concluded with the presentation of certificates of appreciation to former council members, as well as words of gracious thanks from the former President of PMUBD, Mohd Nurfairuz Nazri Salleh.

The installation and election of presidency for the next intake 2010/11, will be conducted in the near future.

The Brunei Times