FSSH Strategic Talk 1/2023: Islamic engagement in Social Sciences and Humanities – 16 July 2023 (Sunday)

There is a strategic talk by two guest speakers from University College of Yayasan Pahang: Assoc Prof Dr Azhar Ramli – Deputy VC of Student Development and Community Diplomacy and Assoc Prof Dr Amran Muhammad – Dean, International Institute of Islamic Civilisation. The session is divided into 2 parts: a talk and a forum. FSSH dean, Prof Dr Arieff Salleh Rosman is the moderator for the forum.

There are some academic staff who were chosen to join the session i.e. compulsory. But there are others who come on volunteer basis. Other than academic staff, students are also invited. But it is examination week so it is understandable that some students could not come. Those who came are PhD students (with no final examination).

Strategic talk is meant for staff enrichment and enhancement of FSSH branding. This is aligned with FSSH 2030 vision. Thus, it is essential to be ready from now to fulfil FSSH 2030 objectives. One of the aims is to have 15% of academic staff with Professor status.

Among FSSH Itqan project’s aims are:

  1. Attractive branding.
  2. Great talent.

PART 1: Talk by Assoc Prof Dr Amran Muhammad

There is a movement in renewal and revival Islamic knowledge. One of the steps is through engaging research in Islamic revealed knowledge with sciences. There is a need of paradigm or platform in which the understanding of al fiqh al akbar as the fundamental of Islamic sciences should be enhanced. The root of Islamic sciences is known as kalam which comprises of usul al din, al fiqh and al akbar. This should be the fundamental knowledge. The root of Islamic knowledge is related to Iman (‘aqidah). The trunk of the tree of Islamic knowledge is usul al fiqh (al fiqh al awsat). The branches of Islamic sciences include fiqh (fiqh al amal and al zahir), tasawwuf (fiqh al qalb) and such which related to shariah (Islam) and akhlaq (ihsan).

All propositional knowledge is based on analytical knowledge (nazari, ‘aqli and mantiqi) which is related to realistism as compared to textual literary knowledge (based on naql, nassar and khabar) which is related to literalism and mystical/ metaphysical knowledge (zauqi, ilham and kashf) is related to spiritualism. The balance between analytical, textual and mystical knowledge is crucial to benefit human beings and civilisation.

As Muslim, being a consumer of knowledge is not enough. We need to be able to be analytic and scientific inviduals to ensure that we are able to navigate between logic, philosophy and revealed knowledge.

Phases of learning tawhid are divided into 3.

  1. ‘Aqidah: the discourse on the fundemantals of the ‘aqidah without the detailed discussion on the rational and textual demonstration.
  2. Usul al din: the discourse on the aspects of ‘aqidah in the light of rational and textual demonstration.
  3. Kalam: the discourse on various sects of ‘aqidah, particularly erroneous sects of elucidating their discourse, correcting their confusion and refuting their claims.

Go visit Kalam Research and Media.

PART 2: Strategic forum

Free floating discussion. There will be a seminar in collaboration of FSSH UTM and University College of Yayasan Pahang in September 2023.

What doesn’t kill you make your stronger…..

Someone gave me a newspaper article about teachers’ behavior in implementing punishment. This person just wanted my opinion about the right way to punish students. Well, to differentiate what is right or wrong is a bit tricky. It is contextual. But if you want to see punishment from psychological perspectives, in specific operant conditioning (a theory by B. F Skinner), you will see that punishment does not have to be physical.

When I was 10 years old, I was struggling with double digits multiplication. I vividly remember the incident well until now. To cut the long story short, I was called in front of the class with another 3 students. I only remember one out of the three students. One of them is N because she stood on my left side. There was no one standing on my right side. After so many years, the incident seemed like a dream, or more like a nightmare. It felt as if that incident never happened in my life even though sometimes the memory still bugs me once a while. This is what we call as repressed memory. Even though the idea of repressed memory is controversial, but in my case, it is as if subconsciously I purposely wish not to remember it. This is quite logical if we refer to Freud’s defense mechanism of repression.

I never met the teacher again after I left primary school. I know some of my friends had met her once or more than that. I feel there is no need to meet her. I still respect her as a teacher but what she had done is unforgettable. That is for sure. Someone told me that I need to move on. After all, this teacher already passed away. Lesson needs to be learned. Every time I teach a relevant topic, I will use that as an example of what a teacher should not do. In a way, that incident gives me ideas to be a better teacher. For that, I thank her (arwah Cikgu N) for that. Al – fatihah.

Mata CPD (terkini mulai 2 Mei 2023)

CPD bagi tahun 2023 telah diubah berdasarkan keputusan Mesyuarat Jawatankuasa Pengurusan Universiti Bil.8/2023 bertarikh 2 Mei 2023. Matlamat asal Pelaksanaan CPD bagi Staf Akademik dan Staf Pengurusan, Profesional dan Pelaksana (PPP) masih lagi sama iaitu ianya selaras dengan Latihan Berasaskan Kompetensi (Competency Based Training) di Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

Matlamat pelaksanaan CPD

Pelaksanaan CPD berasaskan kompetensi untuk staf UTM diwujudkan bertujuan untuk memastikan staf menghadiri latihan mengikut komponen CPD yang telah ditetapkan selaras dengan keperluan kompetensi yang diperlukan oleh staf UTM.  Selain itu, ia juga dapat membentuk staf yang berpengetahuan tinggi, berkemahiran dan mempunyai sikap positif melalui kehadiran ke program/kursus yang lebih menyeluruh.

Pengiraan mata CPD yang baharu

Universiti telah menambahbaik penetapan Mata CPD dengan pengiraan mata CPD baharu yang lebih terperinci dengan menentukan keperluan CPD tahunan berdasarkan kompetensi yang dibangunkan. Staf hanya perlu menghadiri latihan bagi memenuhi jurang kompetensi serta pemilihan peserta kursus lebih tepat mengikut keperluan kompetensi. Cadangan pengiraan Mata CPD baharu bagi pelaksaan CPD selaras dengan Latihan Berasaskan Kompetensi (Competency Based Training) sebagaimana di dalam pekeliling dilampirkan.

Walau bagaimanapun pelaksanaan Mata CPD bagi Staf Akademik mengikut pecahan pada tahun 2023 ini, adalah separuh daripada 42 mata iaitu 21 mata. 

Peratus dalam Laporan Penilaian Prestasi Staf Akademik (eLPPT)

Di dalam Laporan Penilaian Prestasi Staf Akademik (e-LPPT) sebanyak lima (5) peratus tanpa mengambil kira komponen CPD yang telah ditetapkan di dalam Jadual 2 akan diberikan kepada staf yang telah mencapai 21 mata. Pengumpulan Mata CPD mengikut pecahan bagi staf akademik akan dilaksanakan sepenuhnya mulai tahun 2024.

Pelaksanaan hari latihan umum peringkat Universiti: Hari Selasa petang

Pelaksanaan penetapan Mata CPD selaras dengan Latihan Berasaskan Kompetensi (Competency Based Training) bagi staf UTM ini berkuat kuasa mulai tahun 2023. Sehubungan dengan itu, seluruh warga Universiti berstatus tetap dan kontrak (lantikan UTM) sahaja adalah diminta mengambil maklum mengenai perkara ini.  Selaras dengan pelaksanaan Latihan Berasaskan Kompetensi (Competency Based Training) ini, hari Selasa petang sebagai hari latihan umum peringkat Universiti kepada semua staf UTM.

Pembatalan MyCPD yang berdasarkan Pekeliling lama (2018)

Dengan berkuat kuasanya Pekeliling Pentadbiran pada tahun 2023 ini, Pekeliling Pentadbiran pada tahun tentang 2018 Pelaksanaan Sistem Pengumpulan Mata MYCPD Pengurusan Profesional dan Pelaksana (PPP) UTM adalah dibatalkan.

English tuition 2023…. it’s back!!!

Several students received As on their SPMs this year. The first four are the “usual” ones. The predictable. I am quite pleased of them and their accomplishment. I was a tough taskmaster, especially when it came to the boys. For obvious reasons (no need to elaborate).

Ita stated that after they received their SPM results, they inquired as to why I was not present at school. The truth is that I had something I couldn’t escape at UTM and couldn’t leave. I went to school (without fail) when the SPM results were announced before the pandemic (2019 and 2020). There were a number of causes for this. One of them was that I promised “something” to those who improved their grades (trial and actual results). Given that some of them come from a particular background, a small monetary reward would be very welcomed.

This year 2023 will be my fourth year to be entrusted with teaching tuition class again. Yup. But this year, I’ve decided to try something new. I’ve created a self-exploration board game, notes, questions, and worksheets. Let’s see how things go this year! The students are unique, and I should take the time this year to get to know them better. Unlike last year, I believe I was a little aloof with them. I don’t want to form any attachments with them, but they could tell I had favourites among them. After all, I am a human person.

The student to whom I paid special attention was a little version of myself. A loner, quiet,….. (fill in the blank). She has these features with which I could identify as a younger myself. Looking at her brings back memories of taking SPM more than 20 years ago. It was one of the most difficult moments of my life because of familial issues I was dealing with at the time. But my late mother was a firm believer. She thought that as long as I learn something, I will not fail, regardless of my grades/marks. I miss my mom!

How to claim dental and spectacles (as in 2023)?

Here are the steps to make your claim if you (or your dependents such as children) receive dental treatment such as scaling.

  1. Log in to MyUTM portal
  2. Under Working at UTM section, scroll down and select “Dental and spectacles”.

3. Click Welfare and Services, then select Application -> Select Dental -> Select Application for Dental.

4. Fill in the details such as Clinic name and date of treatment. Save.

5. Add attachment of the scanned original receipt.

6. Click Treatment. Select the treatment or service that rendered to you in the Detail Treatment.

7. Add attachment accordingly (*compulsory). The attachment is the scanned version of the original receipt. So, make sure you scan/snap a picture of the receipt before you submit the original receipt to the person in charge.

Note: Make sure you print out the Borang Rawatan Pergigian. Fill in the form as necessary. To save you time from going to the dental clinic twice, before you get the dental treatment, print the form and bring it with you when you get the treatment. The form requires the signature of the dentist with official stamp.

To claim for glasses/ spectacles, you can follow the same steps of 1 and 2. Just choose “Spectacles” instead of Dental for Step 3. Unlike dental claim, (what I personally did) I printed out the form (Borang Tuntutan Pembelian Cermin mata) before collecting my new spectacles from the optometrist.

UTM Open Day