Gathering of UiTM Alumni

It was an exciting moment for Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Alumni. The Intellectual Discourse organized by the UiTM Alumni Association was a success. The secretariate was able to register at least 500 new alumni members to its existing directory. YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the deputy prime minister was the guest of honour. Alumni members representing all the various states were there to refresh their networking. More importantly, they were there to contribute in whatever way they can to their alma mater.
It was indeed heartwarming to see the "juniors" and the "seniors" were engaged in serious discussions - how can they "pay back" to this great university. The DPM also launched two books: 1 published by members by members of the alumni association and another about the first illectual discource where the guest speaker was Y. Bhg Tuan Dr Mahathir Mohamed...

Intellectual Discourse with DPM

The Alumni Association of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) will be organising a half-day Intellectual Discourse with the Deputy Prime Minister YAB Tan Sri Dato' Hj Muhyidin Hj Mohd Yassin on Thursday, 17th May 2012. The afternoon event will be held at the FELDA Perdana Ballroom in Kuala Lumpur.

The Intellectual Discourse will see YAB Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the Education Minister discussing educational policy with the alumni. It is expected that the historic event will be attended by more than one thousand UiTM alumni. The event will also see the launching of two books by YAB Deputy Prime Minister: (i) A Coffee Table book "Malaysiaku", written to reflect the Alumni Association's first intellectual discourse series in 2010 where YBhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohammed was the guest speaker and (ii) A book of reading comprising book chapters authored by several UiTM alumni. Those other alumni who are keen to participate, kindly contact the secretariate or you can also walk in on that day.....

Congratulations All Masters Graduates

The Accounting Research Institute (ARI) and the Faculty of Accountancy also wish to congratulate our Masters graduates

who received their scroll from the King on the first day of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) convocation. A total of forty two students received their Master of Accountancy; one received her Master in Corporate Governance and twenty others received their Master in Forensic Accounting and Financial Criminology degrees. Congratulations all, we are so proud of you.

Special congratulatory message to graduates who have successfully completed their applied research in Forensic Accounting & Financial Criminology for their final semester dissertation: Abd Aziz Abdul Jalil, Ardiana Mohd Rawi, Faizah Abdullah, Jamal Shariff Sulaiman, Mohamad Firdaus Satibi, Mohd Amran Md Arif, Noor Adira Abd Razak, Norazlina Kifli, Norsuliza Sohhimy and Shahreen Mahther. Well done.

Congratulations All PhD Graduates

The Accounting Research Institute (ARI) and the Faculty of Accountancy congratulate all our PhD and Masters graduates who received their scrolls from Yang di-Pertuan Agong (the King) Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah at the Dewan Agong Tuanky Chancellor (DATC) yesterday. Special congratulations to our newly graduated PhD scholars: Associate Professor Dr Arun Mohamed (Financial Reporting)

, Dr Faizal Mohamed Yusof (Managerial Accounting & Forecasting), Dr Mohd Halim Kadri (Managerial Accounting), Dr Radziah Mahmud (Financial Reporting) and Dr Suaini Othman (Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting). Our congratulations also go to their respective supervisors - Prof Dr Muhd Kamil Ibrahim, Prof Dr Rozainun Abdul Aziz, Assoc Prof Dr Donna Davis, Associate Professor Dr Alya Sarah @ Pok Wee Ching, Associate Professor Dr Faizah Darus and Associate Professor Dr Roshayani Dato' Arshad. Well done

New Chancellor for UiTM

Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) held its 76th convocation this week. UiTM''s convocation this year involves 13 sessions at its main campus here, three each at its Perlis and Terengganu campuses and two each at its Perak and Sarawak campuses, altogether involving a total of 16,326 graduates. The convocation series ends on May 20.

Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah who was installed as the 14th Yang di-Pertuan Agong (King) on Jan 16, was proclaimed as UiTM''s fourth Chancellor, succeeding former Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who held the post for five years. In his opening speech at UiTM's 76th convocation at the university's Dewan Tuanku Chancellor (DATC) here today, Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu''adzam Shah urged staff and students of UiTM to leverage on resources, expertise and experience in various fields so as to optimise their capabilities. Daulat Tuanku (Note - NST photo)

Corporate Governance Conference

As part of its international collaboration with the Institute of Public Enterprise (IPE) India, the Accounting Research Institute (ARI), through its Corporate Governance Research Centre will be co-organising the forthcoming 4th International Conference on Corporate Governance in Asia. Themed "Corporate Governance in Emerging Economies: Innovation Sustainability, Issues and Challenges", the conference will be held on 11-12 December 2012 in Hydrabad India. The international conference will also be co-organised and co-sponsored by two renowned agencies in Malaysia: The Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance (MICG) and the Minority Shareholders Watchdog Group (MSWG). Expected participants will comprise a good mix of academics who shall be sharing their research findings and practitioners who shall be showcasing their best practices. In view of the aggressive economic growth of many emerging countries in Asia, the conference should be an interesting one. Those interested to participate, kindly contact the head of ARI's Corporate Governance Research Centre - Dr Hilwani Hariri at hilwanihariri@salam.uitm.edu.my.

ARI-INFORMM Research Progress Meeting

Four researchers from the Accounting Research Institute (ARI) are part of the Pharmacogenetics & Novel Therapeutics Research cluster of the Institute for Molecular Medicine (INFORMM) of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM). The group has been assigned a research project examining "Cost Effectiveness of HIV/AIDS Harm Reduction Intervention through Methadone (MMT) and needle & syringe (NSEP)".

Today, researchers from the cluster met to present their research progress to the Director of INFORMM, Professor Dr Rusli Ismail. To date, ARI team has concluded two Harm Reduction projects involving NSEP treatment at a non-profit organisation clinic (SAHABAT) in Kota Bharu and a public hospital clinic at HUSM. Our team has presented and published two papers and has prepared two draft papers on MMT & NSEP.

ARI Proposal Defense

The Accounting Research Institute (ARI) in collaboration with Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)Johore Campus recently organized a half day proposal defense at the Segamat campus.

The rector of UiTM Johor had recently approved the appointment of several ARI Associate Fellowship positions in the campus. Themed "Islamic Financial Criminology", eight research proposals have tentatively been approved. ARI deputy directors, Prof Dr Rashidah Abdul Rahman and Associate Professor Dr Zuraidah Mohd Sanusi were at the Segamat Campus to evaluate the research proposals and to attend the proposal presentation. Congratulations all.

Outcome-Based Budgeting: OBB

In view of the country's agenda of making Malaysia a high income nation by 2020, the government has introduced the Outcome-Based Budgeting (OBB)for all government departments at the federal, state, local authority and agency levels.

Today, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) organizes a one-day awareness seminar to introduce OBB to heads of responsibility centres at the university. The university will be giving a 1-2 year transition period to all departments, faculties, state campuses and centres of excellence to implement OBB. By 2014, all budgets must be outcome-based. Outcome or Performance based budgets use statements of missions, goals and objectives to explain why the money is being spent. It is a way to allocate resources to achieve specific objectives based on program goals and measured results.

As such, OBB includes three key components: Results Based Budgeting (RBB), Results Based Performance Evaluation and Results Based Management Information System. Outcome-based budgeting differs from traditional approaches because it focuses on results rather than the input utilization - on what the money buys and the outcome of the purchase. This enables policymakers to determine what activities are cost-effective in reaching their end outcome. Successful implementation of an Outcome Based Budget framework hinges on the integration and linkage of the Budgeting process with the Performance Management processes and consistent monitoring of outcomes.

ARI Visit to Sports Commission Malaysia (SCM)

The Accounting Research Institute (ARI) and Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM)thank Dato' Mohd Yasin Bin Mohd Salleh, Sports Commissioner of Malaysia and his officers Mohd Nazeri Gaib and Mohd Khairol for accepting our visit this morning.

Following the enactment of the Sports Development Act 1997 (SDA 1997) on 25th September 1997, the Sport Commission of Malaysia (SCM) was established on 1st January 1998. The main vision of SCM is to develop a world-class sport administration for Malaysia. Among the main objectives of SCM are: (i) to ensure effective implementation of SDA 1997, (ii) to ensure effective implementation of sport-related government policies, (iii) to educate, monitor and regulate sport associations so as to ensure compliance of the SDA 1997 and (iv)to ensure proper sports development and governance.

In fact research on sport associations is part of ARI's current research project under its "Governance of Non-Profit Organizations" sub-cluster. Three UiTM researchers comprising Prof Dr Normah Omar and Associate Professor Dr Roshayani Arshad from ARI and Mr Badrul Hisham Hussein representing the Faculty of Sports Science & Recreation attended the meeting today. In principle, the collaborative research hopes to evaluate the NPO governance of sport associations registered with SCM.