After a day at home since safely back from Jakarta on Thursday 17/1, I am now away again, this time at Marriot Hotel in Putrajaya. The occasion, from 19-20/1, is the Meeting of Professors' Seminar organised by the Council of the Universiti Islam Malaysia in collaboration with Majlis Profesor Negara. I am here to represent Universiti Sains Malaysia, nominated by the Office of the Vice-Chancellor.
Occasion such as this is entertaining indeed. I meet a lot of old friends and make many new friends from other universities - updating and exchanging news and ideas. I too learn new things from learned speakers, such as from the Distinguished Professor Dato' Shamsul Amri Baharuddin of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Professor Datuk Paduka Muhammad Abu Bakar of Universiti Malaya.
At this Seminar I learnt many new terms such as plural, mixed and differentiated society, and intended society (masyarakat idaman aka masyarakat yang diidamkan) from the former, as well as pro-establishment professors versus pro-professor establishment (referring indirectly to the position that needs to be taken by Majlis Profesor Negara), people's general election (pilihanraya rakyat), and 'king-ised' people (rakyat dirajakan) from the later.
Both speakers were trying to figure out the kind of Malaysian socio-economic political phenomenon in 2020, based on previous and current experiences, in line with the theme of the seminar. The issues they raised might have been known, but the way they presented their analysis and come up with conclusion is amazing indeed.
The first day of the Seminar ended just now with a dinner, attended by His Highness the Sultan of Selangor, who seemed to be very happy and has a long chat with the participants, from the dinner room till the lobby of the hotel.
The first day of the Seminar ended just now with a dinner, attended by His Highness the Sultan of Selangor, who seemed to be very happy and has a long chat with the participants, from the dinner room till the lobby of the hotel.
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