Siti Hasmah: Varsity life an avenue for students to express themselves

15/01/2003 

Siti Hasmah: Varsity life an avenue for students to express themselves 

CYBERJAYA, Tues. - University life should be an avenue for students to express themselves and become resourceful and creative besides gaining intellectual knowledge. Multimedia University chancellor Datuk Seri Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali said today students must seize the opportunity to cultivate additional skills such as communication, public relations, leadership and organisational skills through co-curricular activities organised by campus societies and clubs. Dr Siti Hasmah, who is wife of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad, said: "With adequate knowledge and skills, university students will be able to play a more significant role in ensuring that our country is at the forefront of the knowledge era, thus enabling us to maintain our competitiveness. "Knowledge is fast becoming an asset and a powerful engine in various enterprises globally. As such, it is imperative that students assimilate and incorporate knowledge, skills and technology in their daily lives and jobs when they have graduated," she said at the launch of MMU's E-Week 2003. Present were MMU president Prof Dr Ghauth Jasmon and E-Week organising committee chairman Lim Ji Fong. Dr Siti Hasmah said MMU was making every effort to prepare its students with the knowledge and technology to succeed in today's world. On E-Week 2003, to run from today until Jan 17, Dr Siti Hasmah said the event was to keep students abreast of the latest developments in the engineering field. "With such fast-paced innovations, we must constantly upgrade ourselves. Many activities have been arranged including a career fair, science fair, circuit design competition and many more." The annual E-Week is organised by the university's Engineering Society. Besides the career and science fairs, seminars and talks by engineering companies will also be held. Dr Siti Hasmah said she was heartened that more girls were taking up engineering. "They are taking it as a challenge. Engineering is not just about Science, Physics and Mathematics but is more than that." Jasmon said the university was trying to attract more people to take up engineering, which has long been perceived as a "dry" and "frightening" field. "We have to try to soften the public view of engineering. On our part, we are striving to develop the curriculum to ensure that engineering graduates turn out as well-rounded individuals."