UPM General Staff Union Supports New VC | Universiti Putra Malaysia
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UPM general staff union supports new VC

By Siti Hajar Zainal & Kuah Guan Oo
Pic by Noor Azreen Awang & Mohd Hasrul Hamdan



Serdang, 15 April (UPM) – The general staff union (Kepertama) of Universiti Putra Malaysia (U{M) fully supports Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Fairuz Ramlan as the new Vice Chancellor and pledges to play its role as the 3rd pillar to uphold the research university.

This was stated by Hj Mohd Zailani b Hj Abdul Razak, president of the 2,300-strong general staff union (Kepertama or Kesatuan Kakitangan Am Universiti Putra Malaysia) when asked to comment on the two meetings between the union with the new Vice Chancellor.

Prof. Datuk Dr. Mohd Fauzi had held a dialogue with the union leaders on 20 March 2013 when he also handed cheques from the insurance to the families of two UPM staffers who had passed away. He was accompanied by the executive adviser to Kepertama, Datuk Umar Usman.



He said while he and his exco of over 30 members would strive to work for an efficient administration, he also hoped that the management would take action to resolve any problem arising.

He said the new Vice Chancellor, in his speech at the meeting, told them that several decisions were made at the meeting of the university council with the departments pertaining to improvements to career developments for all levels of the staff.

Prof Datuk Mohd Fauzi also told them that UPM would be focussing on urban agriculture since the majority of Malaysians were now residing in urban areas.

While urban agriculture would make for food security and a decrease in food import bills, it would enhance the image of UPM which has a niche in agriculture.

Hj Zailani said among the issues raised at the question-and-answer session with the exco of the union was the question of promotion whereby they had asked that seniority be considered for promotion or the excellent services award.



The union also requested that the children of their members be given priority to study at UPM and to be employed to work when there were vacancies.

They also asked that certain university staff quarters be renovated while the members were allowed to use the university’s transport in certain situation like dead in the families. 

On the question of the security guards whom Kepertama considered as members of the UPM family, he said these workers could not unionize by law though they played the important role of looking after the security of the university.

Kepertama, he said, had proposed that the 26 roads leading in and out of the two campuses (North and South campus) be reduced, while the guard strength is increased and the gate pass for students and staff be introduced for more effective control and crime prevention.

“There would be some complaints from the students and staff initially when some roads are closed but they would taper off when they see the effectiveness of the security arrangement,” he said,

The Vice Chancellor said UPM has allocated RM5.5 mln to install CCTV cameras for the whole campus, while route B has been set aside for visitors.  

UPM staff and students would be given passes for all three routes – A,B and C – under the new arrangement.

 

Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Fauzi also told the meeting about the UPM mobile clinic to share and impart knowledge about urban agriculture and the plans to generate more revenue from the Taman Pertanian Universiti (or University Agriculture Park) from the present RM4.2 mln a year.

The golf course generated RM1.8 mln while the palm oil was being re-planted.   

To another question, the new Vice Chancellor said UPM was trying to upgrade itself as a National Food Security Centre. It would also work to become a Halal hub.

Later, Prof Datuk Mohd Fauzi handed a cheque from Takaful Ikhlas Sdn Bhd to Puan Anizah Omar, wife of the late Junaidi b. Jaafar, a lab assistant with the Agriculture Faculty.

The second cheque from CIMB Aviva was handed to Puan Rabunah Chat, wife of the late Saidin b. Othman, an administrative assistant from the Sports Centre.

Hj Zailani said the union has arranged for five types of insurance for its members to purchase in accordance with their needs. – upm

Shz/kgo


Date of Input: | Updated: | amir_peli

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