The Ukhuwah Malindo @ Karimun 2023 program is a highly impactful initiative organized by Jawatankuasa Kolej Mahasiswa Kolej Siswa Jaya (JKM KSJ) to foster enthusiasm among students at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). JKM KSJ has taken significant steps to strengthen its partnership with Universitas Karimun, an Indonesian university.
Dr. Mohamed Azlan Bin Suhot, the Principal of Kolej Siswa Jaya, led this program, which lasted for three days (from November 28 to November 30, 2023). The program had 39 participants, including VIPs, fellows, and students. Numerous activities were held in collaboration with Universitas Karimun’s students and the Municipal of Pulau Karimun.
On November 28, 2023, a program was initiated with the creation of a mural and installation of solar panels at Pantai Ketam in Tanjung Balai, Karimun. All participants had to contribute their ideas and participate in both activities. This helped the team to visualize the entire process and understand how each task was interrelated. The mural activity was successful to around 60% completion, but the team had to stop due to heavy rain. The day ended with a briefing session by Mr Radhir Sham, the program advisor, about the activities that would be carried out the next day.
On November 29, 2023, the day’s events began in the morning and were scheduled to finish by the afternoon. Three activities were carried out simultaneously: cycling, sushi-making, and circumcision. The students were divided into groups according to their chosen activity and headed to their designated locations.
The cycling activity involved about 40 participants, including Encik Mohammed Hosnie Shahiran Bin Ismail, the Consular of Malaysia, Pekan Baru Riau, Indonesia, Prof. Ts. Dr. Abd Latif Saleh, Pro-Vice-Chancellor UTM Kuala Lumpur Campus, Dr. Muhiri S.Pd., M.Pd., the Rector of Universitas Karimun, cyclists from the Cycling Club of Karimun, fellows, and students. This activity was organised to provide greater insight and understanding regarding the scientific nature of cycling while soaking in Karimun Island’s sights. The flagging off was done at 8 a.m. at Bupati Karimun’s house, taking the participants through the relaxed 10km or the more gruelling 20km rides.
A group of 20 participants gathered at Gedung Nasional near Bupati Karimun’s house to participate in an activity involving sushi making and circumcision. The activity was led by Malaysian medical officers and supervised by Indonesian doctors and medical officers. Each participant received Rp 50,000 (RM 15) as a thank-you gift for joining the program, and the students also made them sushi. Additionally, the Universitas Karimun delegation, headed by Marde Agus, the head of the university’s student body, assisted the medical officers by welcoming the participants to Gedung Nasional and helping them make sushi.
These activities showcase the cooperation between the two countries in community health initiatives, strengthen the bond between the two sides, and promote good values and consensus with the local community and the public.
Sushi making by UTM’s and UK’s students
Next, the program continued with an opening ceremony at Bupati Karimun’s house. Dr. H. Aunur Rafiq, S.Sos M.Si, Bupati Karimun, Indonesia and Prof. Ts. Dr. Abd Latif bin Saleh, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (UTM Kuala Lumpur Campus), gave their speeches. There, the people were served Nasi Dagang Karimun’s style while enjoying traditional dance performances by UTM’s students.
In the evening, the students went to Pantai Ketam to continue the pending parts of the mural as well as the solar panel installation. Students of Universitas Karimun also helped to complete the mural. With their help, both activities ran smoothly and perfectly and were completed successfully. The success of both activities has made Pantai Ketam a bright location and one of the most attractive places in Pulau Karimun.
On the programme’s final day, Thursday, November 29, 2023, a collaborative visit was made to Universitas Karimun (UK) by a delegation from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). The Rector of Universitas Karimun, Dr. Muhiri S.Pd., M.Pd., and his management committee warmly welcomed the UTM delegation. The event began with speeches from both the Rector of Universitas Karimun (UK) and Kolej Siswa Jaya’s (KSJ) principal. The UTM and UK students performed dance performances, leaving the audience in awe. After the performances, the students had a game session where they learned more about each other’s cultures and educational institutions.
This program has instilled the values of unity, cultural exchange, and cooperation throughout its journey, from start to finish. Sportsmanship has been demonstrated through cycling events, exploration of cultural heritage routes, participation in community health initiatives, and installation of solar panels for environmental sustainability efforts. This collaboration is only the beginning, and with collective effort, it has the potential to have a significant impact and benefit not only Malaysians and Indonesians but also the global community.