Happy Eid from ULMAA

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Happy Eid from ULMAA

For the Muslim alumni, ULMAA would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri and a better year ahead.

It is good to know that there are increasing number of Islamic teaching staff in the University as the city reinforces the long standing cosmopolitan image and culture.

The world can be a much better place, if people of all religions can co-exist and collaborate in order to make a better future.

Liverpool has a perceived reputation as the capital of North Wales simply because of the significant number of Welsh people who have made the city their home but may not have forgone their root, culture and traditions. There are also significant number of Irish people who settled down in this seaport city. Liverpool may not have 80 nationalities living peacefully and harmoniously like people in Dubai, but we can see many different types of people mingling in the crowd.

ULMAA to emulate the Hong Kong Graduate Association

ULMAA to emulate the University of Liverpool Graduate Association (Hong Kong)

At the Alumni Ambassador meeting, I was fortunate to meet up with a scholar from China who was the recipient of a scholarshop from the University of Liverpool Graduate Association (Hong Kong). He is James Yu who is also the Alumni Ambassador for Beijing. I was also fortunate to meet up with Dr. Brian Jones, the Alumni Ambassador for Western USA, who is also a Legator and Donor. It is good to see that the some alumni have achieved successes in life and voluntarily donate something back to the alumni association or the University directly, in recognition of the spirit of giving something back when the time is right.

ULMAA will reach out to the alumni and corporations for donations in order to set up a revolving fund for study loan, bursary and scholarship. This is to give good outstanding Malaysian students the opportunity to study at one of the leading universities in England.

It has been a period of reckoning with the world economy at a most turbulent situation coupled with the rising prices and costs of living.

I was at the Alumni Weekend of the University of Liverpool, and had the opportunity to see first hand the rejuvenation at the campus as well as the European Capital of Culture 2008. The drastic changes are the reflection of the things to come, and the ever changing world. To stay competitive, we have no choice but to develop the culture of continuous improvement and innovation or breakthrough thinking every now and then. The changes I have witnessed speak volume of the reality of situation, and there is no time to sit back and relax. Liverpool has come a long way, with the disappearnce of the major seaport status only to see Albert Docks and the surrounding areas being more of an entertainment centre riding on the great historical heritage.

With very good public transportation system, one can live in this cosmopolitan city without really needing a car to move around. To remain healthy, it is common for people to walk miles within the metropolitan area eventhough the buses and taxis are readily available.

No doubt the food prices are on the high side, but many locals do not eat out that often. It is much cheaper to do home cooking and can control the ingredients to be used. A big Mac medium meal is GDP2.99 compared with the RM9. Based upon the purchasing power, Malaysians are generally having a much higher costs of living for sure.

My short period at Liverpool has inspired me to share with the world that it is time to perhaps change our lifestyle according in order to surive one of the most testing times of the universe.

The plan is for ULMAA to be fully functional by the end of 2008, so that it can benchmark against the Hong Kong organisation that started in 1989. We may be 20 years behind in terms of actual formation but it does not mean that we cannot catch up and be at par.

I hope the 1000 plus alumni can begin to connect with one another and make the difference. I am aware of the fact that some of them may have migrated to Singapore, Australia, China, France, England or whatever, it is still good to be in touch.

ULMAA will come up with the revised vision and missions by the end of 2008 and ready to “rock and roll”, once the Committee lineup is complete and fully functional.