Writer: Kuroshini A/P Sathurugnan Saravanan
Editor: David Ling Chun Sing
KMUKM meets Vice Chancellor HEPA for project proposal
Source: Jawatankuasa Residensi Luar Kampus (JRLK)
BANGI, 31 Oct - Kesatuan Mahasiswa Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (KMUKM) resolves on-campus accommodation issues by taking the initiative to establish a student council for the new 13th college and off-campus residential in October 2023.
‘New semester, same problem’. The start of every new semester, the students of The National University of Malaysia (UKM) face the same issue with their accommodation. The lack of capacity could not accommodate the overwhelming number of student intakes and this is a recurring issue which saddens the students.
Therefore, the youth organization of UKM, KMUKM takes an initiative to solve the accommodation issues faced by the students by establishing a student council for the 13th college and off-campus residential. The 13th College, known as Kolej Idris Al Marbawi is located off-campus to accommodate the students that failed to be placed in an on-campus accommodation. The student council does not only serve the students of the 13th college but also the students of off-campus residentials.This is an effort to encourage student involvement in university activities as well as give the affected students a chance to redeem their accommodation for the upcoming semester by earning more merit points.
Founder of Jawatankuasa Residensi Luar Kampus (JRLK) , Anis Athirah said, ‘The feedback we have received regarding this initiative is positive although it is a bit slow.
By being the student council for the 13th college and off-campus residentials, the students are given another chance to gain more merit points which will benefit them in their next application for on-campus accommodation.
‘The feedback has been slow because it is only reaching the audience that follows up the issue and does not reach a bigger audience,’ she adds.
Some UKM students themselves think that this initiative by the KMUKM has its benefits and has a positive impact towards this issue. It may seem a little slow but the progress to curb this issue is there. Slowly but surely.
Emmyllisa, 21, third year student of UKM said, ‘Establishment of the student council for the 13th college benefits the off-campus students as they have a trustworthy entity to rely on.’
‘The 13th college serves as a cheaper alternative for students who stay far from campus, especially students who identify themselves in the B40 category’, said Muhammad Salman, 21, third year student of UKM.
Maisarah, 22, third year student of UKM said, ‘The 13th college is a good start to overcome this issue. However, it would be best if the students with their own transport are given a room in this college and students that do not own their own transportation would be prioritized for on-campus accommodation.’
Individuals that signed up for the student council of 13th college had to undergo an interview with the KMUKM members to ensure that the chosen student council are dedicated and passionate about executing the task given to them.
