KUALA LUMPUR, 14 October 2016 – As an alumni member of an institution, regardless of our role or status in life, we need to contribute towards establishing a peaceful and blissful society.

“It is hoped that all this is done not because of our appointed position or the title given, but more of our willingness to be committed to our duties, and to be faithful and trustworthy in fulfilling the responsibilities entrusted upon us.

These are the words from the Outstanding Alumni Figure of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Dr. Chandra Muzaffar who stressed that the world would be a just and peaceful place if every community group embraces good ethics.

Chandra delivered a speech on behalf of the other Alumni members chosen to receive the Outstanding Member Award at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Alumni Association Dinner Ceremony – AUSM Awesome Night – recently which was attended by His Royal Highness Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Syed Putra Jamalullail, the USM Chancellor and Her Royal Highness Tuanku Tengku Fauziah binti Al-Marhum Tengku Abdul Rashid, the Raja Perempuan of Perlis.

According to Chandra, a major part of the problems affecting mankind today would be the failure to uphold the trust given as the higher one’s position in an organisation, the bigger the responsibilities entrusted to the person.

"Being an educational institution, the university is entrusted with the development of the country; as is the case for a family institution, where such responsibilities of caring for the members would be entrusted to the head of the family," explained the President of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST).

He added that, trust needs to be a priority in our daily lives and putting trust ahead is a challenge for all the Alumni members who are also assets of society.

Apart from Chandra, another member who was selected as an Outstanding USM Alumni Member was Datuk Dr. Zurinah Hassan, the first female to be chosen as a National Laureate. She is also a writer, a poet and winner of various local Literary Awards such as the ‘Hadiah Sastera Perdana’, ‘Hadiah Sastera Kumpulan Utusan’ and ‘Hadiah Buku Perpustakaan Negara’.

Other Alumni members chosen as Outstanding Figures included Tan Sri Dr. Madinah Mohamad, who is the former Secretary-General of the Malaysian Education Ministry and having vast experience in the civil service since 1981 in various Ministries and international bodies (UNESCO); Tan Sri Abu Kassim Mohamed, who previously served as the Chief of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) and Kishva Ambigapathy, who is the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Youth Council for the term 2015-2017.

Translation: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin / Photo: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa