USM APPROACH THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY
SUNGAI SIPUT, 26 March 2016 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), through the Maal Hijrah and Maulidur Rasul Committee, Islamic Center Engineering Campus plays a role in educating the Indigenous Temiar Tribe in Kampung Landap, Sungai Siput.
The two-day programme is the team’s second visit who also calls themselves Team My Pusat Islam which involves staffs from different backgrounds and fields.
According to the Project Director, Zabri Daud, the programme aims to share sustenance and blessings bestowed by Allah SWT in addition to strengthening brotherhood while enlivening the new surau recently built.
“We are grateful with the change that is clearly demonstrated by the Indigenous community here for example in terms of wearing attires which cover their aurah and their passion to explore the teachings of Islam,” said Talib.
He added that among the input of the programme is congregational prayers, tahlil (a form of dhikr), admonition, azaan competition (call to prayer), ablution and recitation in prayers, cooking, spring cleaning, health screenings and sports for ukhwah.
“Such programmes would certainly engage the university community in education which would enable them to contribute to the community”, he explained.
The Director of the Islamic Center, USM, Professor Dato’ Dr. Muhammad Idiris Saleh who was present with his wife to officially launched the Tabung Dewan Ilmu for the benefit of the village community said, through the programme, the USM community could find a variety of ways to provide more effective assistance.
“The indigenous community has since developed and this has been proven by the birth of many scientists and scholars amongst them,” he elaborated.
He said that efforts should be continued to focus on the educational attainment of the indigenous children which could lead them to further their studies at the university level.
Meanwhile, a freelance preacher, Wan Mas Indra Juja, 33, is happy that the programme with the indigenous community would expose them to the way of life dictated in Islam.
“Programmes with the indigenous community are a good approach that can be used to combine the variety of expertise to engage with the communities in remote areas,” said the Deputy Kadi for the indigenous Muslim community in the area.
The native of Kampung Landap said, the indigenous community has a high potential to succeed in the education field if provided continuous training and exposure.
Wan Mas Indra who converted to Islam at the age of 17 years old had also faced challenges and obstacles in conveying the message to the community.
“For me, there is no easy way to succeed other than being earnest in the pursuit of knowledge,” he said who had trained for five years at the PERKIM Dakwah Islamiah Institute (IDIP).
Also present at the closing cereomy were the Director, River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC) who is also the Chairman of Staff’s Welfare and Sports Club (KKSSK), Professor Dr. Nor Azazi Zakaria, Deputy Director of the Islamic Center USM Haji Md Yusof Abdul Rahim dan Indigenous Development Department Officer (JAKOA), Kuala Kangsar District, Che Maznah Mohd Yusof.
Teks: Mohd Kamil Ashar / Foto: Bani Faidzzainami Baniyam