by : Suziana Che Wil

Translation by : Siti Nur' Ain Feisal 

SERDANG – Menggamit Kenangan Alumni Reunion or MEKAR in collaboration with UPM Dulu Dulu Facebook has organised a hi-tea ceremony at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Arts and Cultural Centre’s Grand Hall on 20 May 2023.

The ceremony managed to gather 800 UPM alumni which seemed the ceremony has been shifted to a reunion, celebrating the return of alumni to their ‘home’ after a long period of time. 

MEKAR series 13 has reunited the alumni since the last 20 years. This programme is also the highlight of the UPM Alumni Day 21 May celebration. On 21 May, which has been gazette as UPM Alumni Day, has organised various activities and programmes in an effort to bring back alumni to alma mater and contribute towards the development, sustainability and sharing with the university and students. 

With the strength of vast alumni who have succeeded in various fields, especially agriculture, UPM desires to pioneer as a public university in Malaysia that maximizes the involvement of alumni in bringing the university’s vision and mission to become an internationally reputable university.

MEKAR UPM Dulu Dulu was initiated by the administrator of UPM Dulu Dulu Facebook when he expressed the idea to Alumni Relations Centre pertaining their hopes and goals. For Shahrudin Mahadi, UPM alumni need to form unity and respond to the UPM Vice-Chancellor mandate in his 2023 narrative, uniting alumni strength, hence, a contribution of RM50,000.00 was handed over to Dato’ Prof. Dr Mohd Roslan Sulaiman.    

This contribution will be partly used to realise the construction of Rumah Kasih Alumni@BPP for students’ accommodation project. A free and comfortable accommodation will be executed with the contributions from the alumni.  

According to the Director of UPM Alumni Relations Centre, Assoc. Prof. Dr Arba'ie Sujud, the effort brought by the alumni is a noble effort and should be continued in the future to participate in the role of alumni in the survival of the university.

"The effort pioneered by the administrator of UPM's facebook page, Shahrudin Mahadi has shown success and the objectives of his organization have been achieved. "The return of these alumni is not just about wanting to meet with old friends who have not seen each other for almost 20 to 30 years, but the trust they have brought in that has become so meaningful that by making a significant contribution to the survival of the students, it turns out that the UPM alumni have played a big role.

Together attended the ceremony was UPM Vice-Chancellor, Dato’ Prof. Dr Mohd Roslan Sulaiman, Deputy Vice Chancellor Student Affairs and Alumni, Prof. Dr Arifin Abdu, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic and International, Prof. Dr Ismi Arif Ismail, distinguish alumni, YAM Dato’ Seri DiRaja Syed Razlan ibni Almarhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail and UPM Alumni Association President, Dato’ Raihan Sharif.

Date of Input: 29/05/2023 | Updated: 03/07/2023 | suziana.wil