Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has received more than RM150,000 in donations from various parties to fund several university programs.

The donations were presented during the Majlis Sungkai Perdana UMS 2024, attended by the wife of the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Sabah, Toh Puan Norlidah RM Jasni.

The event, held at the UMS Islamic Centre, was also attended by UMS Board of Directors Chairman, Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan, and UMS Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr. Kasim Mansor.

Among the donations received by UMS was RM80,000 from Etiqa Family Takaful Berhad, which will be used to develop the Islamic Corner collection at the UMS Library.

Additionally, UMS received RM10,000 from the Sabah State Baitulmal Corporation (PBNS) and RM64,000 from Tabung Haji (TH) to support students in the UMS Professional Huffaz Al-Quran Program.

The donation handover also marked the launch of the UMS Professional Huffaz Al-Quran Program.

Meanwhile, 16 UMS students, consisting of first- and second-year students, were selected as the first cohort for this program, organized by the UMS Faculty of Islamic Studies in collaboration with the UMS Islamic Centre.

Earlier, Toh Puan Norlidah also distributed zakat to 16 recipients, consisting of eight UMS staff members and eight students.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) is set to improve its water supply, with a planned increase to approximately five million litres per day.

UMS vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said this enhancement would involve a combination of external supply and internal resources.

Four million litres per day will be provided by Sabah Water Department, with the remaining one million litres per day expected from the completion of eight tube wells on campus.

The addition of the tube wells aims to complement the existing supply, addressing the needs of the 22,000 individuals on campus during the day, including residential students.

This information was shared during the UMS Premier Breaking of Fast event.

The move comes as a response to previous challenges in water supply, primarily from the Telibong Water Treatment Plant in Tuaran, which struggled to meet demand.

The situation has improved slightly with the completion of the Telibong 2 Phase Two project last year and subsequent pipeline works.

Kasim said six of the tube wells funded through a RM3 million grant announced by the prime minister last year are now operational.

Final installations and pipeline connections to the residential colleges were on schedule, with full completion expected by April.

Universitas Tanjungpura, Pontianak, Indonesia (UNTAN) visited the Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy (FBEA) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) on March 4.

The primary objective of this benchmark visit was to explore potential collaboration avenues in academic activities, research endeavors, and postgraduate opportunities at UMS.

The delegation, led by Dr Rosyadi, S.E., M.Si, included over 20 postgraduate students.

They were received by Dr Noor Fzlinda Fabeil, Deputy Dean for Students Affairs and Postgraduate at UMS.

Dean of FBEA UMS, Associate Professor Dr Mohd Rahimie Abd Karim, extended a warm welcome to the UNTAN delegates, whose institution was established in 1959.

Both parties sealed their commitment to collaboration by signing a Letter of Intent, outlining plans for academic exchange activities, joint research initiatives, and facilitating mobility for staff and students.

The session was joined by Dr Izyanti Awang Razli, Postgraduate by Research Coordinator, and Dr Allif Anwar, Postgardue Coursework Coordinator, and Associate Professor Dr Zaiton Osman, former dean at UMS Labuan International Campus.

During the visit, Datu Razali Datu Eranza and Andy Lee Chen Hiung shared insights into FBEA's mobility program.

As coordinators for mobility programs, they elaborated on their experiences in managing inbound mobility programs from various countries including China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, South Korea, Gabon, and Cambodia, resulting in FBEA winning active mobility awards for six consecutive years.

The day's agenda also included a session for postgraduate students from both universities, facilitated by Andrew Sean, head of the postgraduate students' community association.

This session aimed to foster an exchange of experiences, explore potential collaborations, and discuss future activities.

Dr Rosyadi and the UNTAN postgraduate students were captivated by the scenic landscape of UMS and the splendor of the renowned 'Pink Mosque' on campus.

Before departing for Sarawak the following day, they enjoyed a comprehensive campus tour.

This collaborative endeavor marks a significant step towards enhancing academic cooperation and fostering mutual growth between UMS and Tanjungpura University, Indonesia