Dikir Barat Competition Battle of the bands Living Green 2011

Issue 7/August 2011
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Awar
A member of UEM Group
20 students joined this year’s
first Duke of Edinburgh
International Award Qualifying
Expedition which ran from Feb
11-12.
Departing campus in four
groups at 1:30pm they were
led by Mr Boler, who first made
sure the route was properly
marked and labeled, and
Matron Niza to provide medical
support.
D of E
B R O N Z E
Q1: 11th – 12th Feb 2011
The group first found their way on foot through
forests and rubber plantations from Lembah
Beringin and Kerling beyond through checkpoints 1
to 4.
By 5:30pm the students set up their campsite
at Checkpoint 3 in Lading Kerling, but only after
rediscovering two groups who got temporarily lost
for one hour.
Day 2 began bright and sunny. The groups started
leaving camp at 8:15 am, once again preceded by
Mr Boler who went to check and mark the route.
They arrived on schedule at Checkpoint 5 in
Lading Kerling before
they took the long
road walk through
Ladang
Sungai
Jernai which led
them to Checkpoint
6 where morning
refreshments
were
made and enjoyed.
From there, another
long trek took the
groups
through
rubber trees, then oil palm plantations, via
Checkpoint 7 between the two.
All groups made it to the Viewpoint, a high hill at the
end of the plantations overlooking the college, and
Checkpoint 8.
They then took on the final stretch which returned
them to the campus grounds. However, Group 3 still
struggled to find its way and Mr Boler needed to use
the whistle code to relocate them.
They finally gathered themselves together and
trekked back to college by 4:00pm. Though hot,
tired and weary, they were elated to be back at the
college grounds, safe and sound.
Ladang Kerling Checkpoint 8
Arriving at Sg. Jernai Plantations, Checkpoint 7
Students trekking their way through Ladang Kerling
Checkpoint 8
Students ready for the hike through Kerling
Arriving at the Viewpoint, Checkpoint 8
2
Chinese
New
Year
2011
All dressed in traditional Chinese costumes
After much planning, preparation and practice,
Chinese New Year was celebrated with superb
performances for a memorable night on February 14.
Guests were first greeted by two lively red lions in
front of Great Hall and once inside they experienced
a full-blown Lion Dance performance by the troupe
from Kelab Muhibah of Perak.
After welcoming speeches by Headmaster, Mr.
Sutherland, Advisor to the Chinese Cultural Club,
Mrs. Foord and Club President, Liong Yew Wing, the
“God of Prosperity” (played by Yew Wing himself)
appeared from out of the blue to proudly give away
those little red envelopes called “ang-paus”.
The celebration continued with a Fan Dance that was
elegantly performed by the junior girls, a sumptuous
dinner comprising Sweet and Sour Chicken, Lotus
14th February 2011
A superb Lion Dance performance
greeted everyone
Tossing of the Ye
e Sang –
a traditional Chine
se ceremony
Soup, Mandarin oranges, peanuts and longan
drinks, a lovely duet with voices blending almost
perfectly in a song, and a touching video on the
tradition of this Chinese festival.
Two dances followed, a flag dance by the junior boys
and then a traditional dance by the seniors. There
were then two sketches, first a hilarious sketch on
monster “Nian” and another which provided insight
into the history of playing with fireworks on this
auspicious day.
Jayson’s “diabolo” routine was the highlight of the
night in which he displayed great skill to dazzle
the crowd with an array of flicks and tricks. The
celebration concluded with a lucky draw, then a
sing-along finale which well and truly ushered in the
Year of the Rabbit.
Ushering in the
“Year of the Rabbit”
3 3
Nur Syazalina binti Ahmad
Tarmizi received a wonderful
surprise
when
she
discovered that she was
one of the winners in the
recently organised National
Science Challenge.
The junior student was so
excited especially with the
reward that comes with
this surprise win… a free
place in the University
of
Bath
International
Science Summer School
which is scheduled from
July 11-22 this year!
Syazalina’s o
Winner!
Nur Syazalina
…
Summer Scho
ol
“I am so happy that I really cannot wait for July,” she
said of her surprise win when met during a break in
between classes recently.
Organised by the Department of Chemistry at the
University of Bath, the inaugural National Science
Challenge saw top students from four selected
local schools engage in two separate experiments
pertaining to the challenges of changing climatic
patterns, after which they competed in a poster
Student Council Handover
14th February 2011
With the new Student Council set firmly in place,
it was time for outgoing council members to hand
over the reins to the newly elected members for the
coming term.
The Student Council is a significant part of the
student body. Their task is to oversee collectively
all concerns of the student body throughout the
specified term.
The new Student Council will be in office for the
term 2011 to 2012, and they will be headed by newly
elected President, Imran bin Mohd Rasid.
He will have the full support of able Vice Presidents,
Danial Zikri bin Zulkifli and Neelam Devi Nath.
4
Neelam Devi
Danial Zikri
ur
here I come!
yaza
Nur S
ning
win
lina’s
r
poste
designing competition where Nur Syazalina’s design
was one of the four best posters submitted.
The aim of the Bath Summer School is to gather
together students from schools outside the UK who
are studying science subjects as part of their A
level, International Baccalaureate or local curriculum
and to share in the summer school ambassadors’
passion and enthusiasm about excellence in all
areas of science.
HM Sutherland welcoming Imran as the new S.C. President
No doubt a lively song and dance routine that needs hours of practice
Dikir Barat Competition
As is the case every year, the Dikir Barat Competition was a rousing success at the Great Hall, providing an
exciting evening of entertainment as well as a stiff contest for all concerned.
Dikir Barat is a lively group performance indeed, one that requires a lot of patience and practice.
Having rehearsed time and time again for several evening sessions after class, the groups representing the
four KYUEM Houses finally got to produce their best form on the night to the joy of all present.
There was not much separating the four contesting groups, and when the judges announced their final choice
for the top award, it was a mixture of total relief and satisfaction for everyone belonging to Diamond House.
Vending
Machine
Students and members of staff are finding it a great relief when looking for thirst-quenching soft drinks.
In line with recent on-campus developments several coin-operated vending machines have been placed at
various strategic points throughout the campus.
Whether it is before or after class, ice-cold soft drinks are now available to all… and they are within easy reach
too.
These vending machines are a favourite with just about everyone on campus!
These soft drink machines are proving to be ever so popular
5
University
25th January 2011
Visits
Over the last few months, as is
always the case at around this
time of the year, many foreign
universities came a-calling.
During
their
visits,
these
representatives met prospective
students from KYUEM and made
presentations on the varied course
possibilities at their respective
universities.
Many institutions visited from
January, including the University
of
Nottingham,the
University
of Durham, the University of
Southampton, the University of
Sheffield, the University of Cardiff,
King’s
College
London,
the
London School of Economics, the
University of Queensland, MACEE
and University College London.
25th February 2011
A talk on Oxbridge by Headmaster
Mr. Neil Sutherland attracted a good
number of junior students to the
Upper Level of the Resource Centre
on the evening of February 25.
As soon as classes ceased at
4.15pm on the Friday, the group
headed quickly for the talk which got
underway as scheduled.
Impressed with the turnout Mr.
Sutherland welcomed everyone
to the session during which he
provided a good insight into
Oxbridge.
Oxbridge Talk
He covered a variety of aspects of
prestigious Oxbridge. He set out
what to expect on arrival there, the
application process, the different
course offerings and, not least,
the kind of lifestyle students can
expect whether at Oxford or
Cambridge Universities.
Interestingly, it was noted that there were one or two from the
group who are aiming to do, from KYUEM’s prospective, such
rare courses like Architecture and Literature there.
6
16 KYUEM History
students visited Hanoi
during the third week of
January which proved
a highly beneficial
excursion to the capital
of Vietnam.
History Club
trip to
VIETNAM
20th - 23rd January 2011
Led by their teachers Ms Daleen van der
Merwe and Mr Huw Brookes, the group was
intent on improving our understanding of the
nature of International Communism during the
Cold War, and seeking fresh perspectives on
the Vietnam War.
Greeted on arrival by unexpectedly cold
weather, the group immediately noticed that the
latest generation of Vietnamese are currently
benefitting from the tremendous modernisation
their country is currently experiencing.
The trip gave the group the opportunity to visit
numerous
wonderful
attractions such as the
Ho Chi Minh Museum
and Mausoleum, the
Statue of Lenin, the huge
and busy marketplace.
During their adventure
exploring the rebuilt ancient city, the group got
to view among other things, a finely displayed
F1-11 aircraft which was allegedly shot down
by a girl during the war, and the American halftrack military jeep that was captured during an
assault by the Viet Cong on Saigon in 1975.
The group came away convinced that despite
the avowed Atheism of Vietnam’s Socialist
government, a process of deification has taken
place and that the country is today a united,
independent and secure Vietnam, free from
outside interference. Perhaps in that insight lies
the understanding the group were looking for.
National Association 2 April 2011
of Gifted Children of Malaysia
nd
Fourteen members from the National
Association of Gifted Children of Malaysia
(NAGCM) came to visit our campus on the
morning of Saturday 2nd April.
Led by NAGCM President, Pn Zuhairah Ali, the
children, aged between 8 and 14 years old, were
given a series of presentations at Chemistry
Lab 4 on the Saturday by Mr Graham Hanson,
which included small group practicals and
graded thinking exercises designed to keep
these gifted children interested in science.
On the following day, 23 students of KYUEM
engaged in two activities designed to stimulate
“active discussion” with the students who were
divided into small groups.
These activities, which were built
around the philosophy of science,
allowed students to participate in
active discussion with the idea of
improving their overall communication skills.
Teachers Amran, Paul and Faye helped out
throughout the weekend sessions from which
each and every one of the participants came
away feeling an increased boost in their overall
interest in the sciences.
On top of that, they all certainly felt that
wonderful passion for science that Mr Hanson
is so well known for, and how his sheer
enthusiasm for the subject rubs off amongst
these young and gifted students.
7
At 7.00am on March 5 members of the Natural
History Club left college and headed for Ulu Bendul
& Gunung Angsi in Negeri Sembilan.
to Ulu Bendul
Arriving at about 10.30am, the group registered with
the Jabatan Perhutanan office for a permit to hike up
and set up camp at Gunung Angsi.
Two members of the group then succumbed to
exhaustion. They stopped to rest before going back
down.
The group soon began to conquer the 825m mountain,
spotting many butterflies, including 3-Tufted Jungle
Kings, Archdukes and Rajah Brooke Birdwings, also
a few Common Fauns and a Malaysian Owl. During
the climb they also got the chance to see a huge
‘Robber Fly’ and several Skink Lizards.
The remaining members continued, and soon
reached ‘Lazy Dog 2’, which they discovered from
another sign, was only 37 minutes from the peak.
Initially the climb took them through the hills, closely
following the river. They then stopped to rest and
have a quick lunch at Kem Tangga Batu. The trek up
then got steeper, almost vertical before they had to
cross another river, during which they joked about
having a free Fish Spa treatment.
After several stops, they reached a fallen log named
‘Lazy Dog 1’ on which they rested and snacked and
wondered how much further it was to the summit.
Then they saw a sign that said ‘just another hour
to reach the peak’, which helped them regain their
enthusiasm even though they knew there was still
that 60-degree climb ahead.
The next section was even more tough, steep and
rugged, with tree roots obstructing their way up,
which the group soon nicknamed ‘Stairs of Despair’.
8
Natural History
The climb was to get even harder, as they were
reminded by Mr. Boler. How true, as they needed to
use a rope to climb an almost vertical rock to get to
the peak, now only 27 minutes away.
At 2.45pm, the group reached their goal. Much to their
delight they gathered and enjoyed lunch as much as
they enjoyed the mountain surroundings.
Hearing thunder, the group headed back at about
3.10pm.
On arriving back at their campsite, the rain for sure
came down.
The members of NHC were glad to arrive back in
quicker time at 6.30pm, although the descent proved
a slippery affair indeed.
They then had ‘Magi-Mee’ as Douglas, Mr. Boler’s
son, calls it, after the Fried Rice earlier in the evening.
That night there were no activities for the group. Even
Mr Boler and some of the students
It was certainly not
as rosy as you think
Club Trips
and Gunung Angsi
if there were any planned everyone was just too tired
to even keep their eyes open.
The next day they awoke and enjoyed a breakfast of
bread & Nutella and hot milo, before everyone jumped
into the river for a two-hour dip during which not even
the freezing water could dampen their spirits.
Mr. Boler then showed how successful his overnight
light trap had been, having trapped a few
colourful pyralid moths, predatory wasps and
a large black cicada.
Later, at Taman Ular Sawa, the group had a
chance to touch python “Salwa’, a very active
snake and one not drugged as pythons
normally are while on show.
The group then got to learn more about
Malaysian herbs on visiting the Herbs Park
where they also viewed more butterflies,
among them Great Ornage Tips and
Magpie Crows.
At about 1pm the group headed for home
to arrive at College at about 5pm.
The two-day trip was truly an exciting
adventure for all in the group. In
fact, there will be many more such
opportunities, and more should join in.
They ar
e not kid
A pretty campsite
ding… it
’s the R
EAL thin
g!
9
2011 OPEN DAYS
12th March 2011 & 9th April 2011
Two Open Day sessions were held over the last couple of months –
the first on March 12 and another on April 9.
On both Saturday morning occasions, we at KYUEM received many
eager visitors who took their places at Lecture Theatre 2 after light
refreshments at the Common Room.
And it was a real surprise when a packed bus showed up at our
already full car park, but well on time!
We soon found out that it was the group of 20 over girls from the
Sekolah Seri Puteri in Cyberjaya led by teacher Pn Azurah.
They had arranged for the visit except that they were not sure of
their time of arrival.
The girls were pleased to make it for the second Open Day
session… and in a bus of their own too!
The eagerly
anticipated
House Trips got
underway on
the weekend
beginning
Friday, April 15.
15 th
A
pril
20
House Trips
11
The two-and-a-half-day annually
organised trips saw
a good number from each of the
four houses register
early for the outings so as not to
miss out on the fun.
And what FUN it was for all! Mos
t of the students
knew what they were in for, and
in truth they knew
very well they were in for a treat.
The group from Garnet settled
for nearby Pangkor
Island in Perak, while Topaz mem
bers headed across
the peninsula for Kuantan in Pah
ang.
Diamond House meanwhile ven
tured the furthest
when they chose Pulau Perhentian
off the east coast
state of Terengganu. Those from
Sapphire decided
to go up nor th to experience Bat
u Gelugor on the
touristy island of Penang.
10
On their return, most members
of the four houses
had the same thought… and und
erstandably too, as
they wished they could have stay
ed just a little while
longer!
s
d
n
a
e
h
t
B
f
o
e
l
t
t
Ba
22nd February 2011
Great Hall, the venue of this year’s
event, soon saw itself hosting a good
crowd with students enthusiastically
taking their places for an evening of
entertainment and fun.
Entertained they were indeed,
especially when members of the
Dining Hall staff took over the stage to
produce some great entertainment.
Theirs was definitely an act that got
the crowd into the mood for some
enjoyable moments of both music
and fun.
Four bands took on each other on the
night of February 25 with Sepolesen
eventually proclaimed this year’s
winner.
And sure enough, the participating
bands did not disappoint. They
certainly possessed rhyme and
rhythm… and a lot of umph too!
DikireBarat
t it i o n
C om p
9th March 2011
Boys and girls representing the four houses put up
a superb show of talent as well as showmanship in
the annual Dikir Barat competition at Great Hall on
the night of March 9.
It was an absolutely colourful night, and it belonged
to our very own members of the Malay Cultural
Club who worked long hours to come up with such
a highly successful night of entertainment for all
present.
This year’s edition saw a stiff contest which was
won by Topaz House and the group from Diamond
House who won the Traditional Dance and the
Dikir Barat categories respectively.
11
L adies’
Night
19 th April 2011
Ladies’ Night was staged at Great Hall of Kolej Yayasan UEM on April 19.It is an event to promote the Islamic way of
life in accordance with the holy Quran and the As-Sunnah. It creates a friendly Islamic ambience in the College and
provides an opportunity to learn about and understand the role of the hijab.
The Director of Ladies Night, Syaza Zuhairah Mohd Zubir followed by Puan Noor Shila did the honours of delivering
speeches to welcome all.
Organised by MUSCOM, the events for the evening included nasyeed, dance, singing performances and an
Interhouse Fashion Show while there were booths with games such as dance pad, traditional games and musical
chairs and sale booths selling different kinds of hijab.
During the event, the Queen Award was given to Haizumawati Jamil while the Princess Award was won by Najwalhuda
Nuawi and Little Princess Award gained by Munawwarah.
The Ladies’ Night committee also held Hijab Week from 18th April 2011 until 24th April 2011. The programme was
very successful as even non-muslim girls joined them by wearing hijab too.
Over 200 students and employees of UEM Group of Companies were
gathered at Kolej Yayasan UEM on Saturday 23 April 2011 to witness the
launch of the Group’s inaugural green project – Living Green.
The project kicked off the Group’s five year sustainability plan, which
recognises and affirms a group-wide responsibility for environmental, social
and economic performance.
23th April 2011
Living Green, one of the Group’s carbon offset initiatives, is meant to expose
all in attendance to the importance of the environment and how to better
manage environmental impacts by adopting good environmental practices.
The project saw Group companies coming together with Projek
Penyelenggaraan Lebuhraya Berhad (Propel) championing logistics and
manpower; Kualiti Alam Sdn Bhd sponsoring t-shirts; and PLUS Expressways
Berhad, UEM Land Holdings Berhad, UEM Builders Berhad, Cement
Industries of Malaysia Berhad (CIMA) and UEM Group Berhad funding five
gazebos for the college.
In addition, 50 fruit trees including durian, mangosteen, matakucing, jackfruit
and rambutan were purchased by students and planted on campus grounds.
This eco-living concept is hoped to provide an outdoor living and learning
opportunity to the college community. All proceeds from the project are for
Yayasan UEM to contribute towards its green initiatives.
YBhg Dato’ Izzaddin Idris, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive
Officer of UEM Group, in his speech, recognised the potential for
students to make a constructive contribution to environmental
conservation at KYUEM.
12
“Once you become aware and conscious of environmental
issues, you will be empowered to be part of the solution.
It is my hope that the students of KYUEM, together
with the people across the UEM Group, will take a
step forward and be part of the global movement
towards a stronger, cleaner and greener future,” he
said.
18th June 2011
KYUEM proved a learning institution of excellence yet again when 96% of 213 graduating students
who received their completion of studies certificate at a grand ceremony at Great Hall on June
18, gained conditional offers from prestigious universities such as Cambridge University, Imperial
College London, London School of Economics, University of Warwick and University College,
London.
The Saturday morning occasion was graced by YBhg Dato’Sri Nazir Tun Abdul Razak, Group Chief
Execitive of CIMB Group, who gave a rousing speech to encourage and inspire the students.
Five outstanding graduates received Special Awards. They included Mohd Afiq Anuar who was
awarded Scholar of the Year; Muhammad Faiz Zulbadli who received the Academic Excellence award
( Science ); Heng Wei Ling who won the academic Excellence Award ( Arts ) while Mohammad Zamri
Abdul Rahman and Sara Irina Rijaluddin received the Male and Female Sports and Co-Curricular
awards respectively.
Subject Awards were presented to top students for each of our academic subjects. The recipients
were Loy Pik Shian (Accounting), Irina Mahmad Rashid (Biology), Esther Ng Feng Ying (Chemistry),
Muhammad Hakim bin Jaafar (Computing), Soh Jiaming (Economics), Abdulaziz bin Azman (English
Language), Heng Wei Ling (English Literature), Muhammad Faiz Zulbadli (Further Mathematics),
Mohamad Faiz bin Ab Rahman (History), Mohamad Afiq bin Anuar (ICT), Ahmad Luqman Abdul
Fatah (Islamic Studies), Sheikh Ahmad Arif Sheikh Bahnan (Malaysian Studies), Lim Xue Han
(Mathematics), Krizun Loganathan (Moral Studies), Hong Chuen Yen (Physics) and Lim Shu Yi
(Psychology).
Scholar of the Year
Academic Excellence Awar
Science
d-
Eighteen students received the Duke of Edinburgh International Award for Young People, Bronze
Award, in June 2011.
The Royal Life Saving Awards 2011 saw 2 recipients of the Instructor’s Award and 8 who were each
awarded the Royal Life Saving Society Bronze Medallion.
Witnessing the award ceremony were YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Abdul Shukor Abdullah, Chairman
of Board of Governors KYUEM and member of the Board of Trustees of Yayasan UEM; YBhg Tan
Sri Dato’ Mohd Sheriff Mohd Kassim and Members of the board of Trustees; YBhg Dato’ Izzaddin
Idris, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of UEM Group; Members of the Board of
Governors; and YBhg Puan nor Rubaiha Mohamed Nor, Chief Executive Officer of Yayasan Uem
and KYUEM.
In his official address the Headmaster, Mr Neil Sutherland congratulated all students as he went on
to say that while the academic is important, the mission of KYUEM is to provide a holistic education
where students must also excel in co-curricular activities. Specifically designed programmes to
develop analytical and critical thinking skills for decision-making are included in our academic cocurriculum because these qualities are not only sought after by top universities worldwide but by
leading corporations as well.
Academic Excellence Awar
dArts
Sports and Co-curricular Award Male
He also introduced his successor, Mr Donald Wilkinson, during his speech.
A warm and friendly affair, Awards Day this year will be remembered by one and all who left KYUEM
for university life in a foreign land.
Sports and Co-curricular Award
Female
13
2011 EC
TRIP
19 th - 22nd June 2011
75 eager Biology students of KYUEM accompanied by 17 teachers and staff were given a
real treat when they were plucked from their cozy chalets in Lembah Beringin for a threenight adventure at Lenggong, Perak, one of Peninsular Malaysia’s most important areas for
archaeology, as excavations there have revealed many traces of Malaysia’s prehistory.
The group departed KYUEM at 9am soon after all equipment and luggage were loaded onto
the buses.
After a comfortable journey up the PLUS Highway, arrival at Nur Lembah Lenggong,
Training & Recreation Village was at approximately 1.00pm. Once unloading
and checking in was done, lunch was served before the students and teachers,
who were divided into nine separate groups, went about their respective tasks.
First and foremost, they set up traps such as mammal, insect pitfall and light traps on day
one.
On the following day they got out into the open to measure and observe changes in the
diameter of a tree over a 6 hour-period due to cohesive-adhesive forces, while there were
opportunities to appreciate the diverse population of tropical butterflies.
They even took samples of sun shade leaves. Soil studies were also undertaken by alternating
groups, an exercise to note the differences in pH and humus content between soil closer to
and soil deeper below the ground surface. All groups were also required to observe flowers
and how they attract a rich variety of insects.
Cave exploration seemed the highlight of this year’s Eco Trip. Students explored Gua Kelam,
Gua Putri, Gua Kajang and Gua Kelawar to name but a few. Gua Kelawar, where human
habitation is evident from 10,000 years ago, was particularly interesting. It is located at Bukit
Kepala Gajah, a limestone massif which also includes Gua Gunung Runtuh where Perak
Man was found. Perak Man, the oldest human skeleton found in Malaysia, was discovered
in 1991 and the skeleton has been dated to around 11,000 years old.
Exploring the cave was an exercise requiring courage from one and all. For many it might
even have been a once in a lifetime experience. Dark passageways, through stalactites and
stalagmites, required one to walk sideways. It was necessary to stoop to avoid the former,
but even this and the feeling of oxygen deprivation only added to the sense of achievement.
On the last night they were there, students had a bbq dinner, which needless to say, they
really enjoyed. The three days were so absolutely fun-filled that they went by in a flash.
Before they knew it, it was time for the finale. The journey home, though long, is nevertheless
pleasant.
14
Editors
Neil Sutherland
(Advisor)
Kasthuri Thilaga
Pierre V. Sibert
Norazlan
Mohd Nordin
15
A member of UEM Group
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