Graduation Hi-Tea for OUM Perak 13th Convocation graduates

Guest of honor YDH Toh Seri Bijaya, Orang Besar Jajahan Ulu Perak, Dato’ Shaharudin Bin Hj Nazari, seated second from left. On the left is YBhg Dato' Thong Fah Chong, Chairman of BN Ipoh Timor.

On 28 December 2012, OUM Perak’s graduates of the 13^th Convocation were treated to a hi-tea held at the Tower Regency Hotel. The event was organized by the Student and Alumni Club of OUM Perak. More than 80 people including VIPs, invited guests, friends, tutors, staff and loved ones have turned up to celebrate the 28 graduates and their family members who were present.

Puan Jamunarani A/P Nadarajah , President of the Student and Alumni Club of OUM Perak, delivering her welcome speech

Dr. Richard Ng, Director of OUM Perak, greeting Shamsul, one of its MBA graduates

Heading the list of VIPs includes YDH Toh Seri Bijaya, Orang Besar Jajahan Ulu Perak, Dato’ Shaharudin Bin Hj Nazari, who is the guest of honor. Others include YBhg Dato’. Thong Fah Chong, the BN Chairperson for Ipoh Timor, Ex-State Assemblyman of Simpang Pulai, Sdra Alex Chan Chin Chee, who is a student of OUM Perak and Sdra M. Veeran, the Perak MIC Youth Chief. A total of 20 corporate heads from the Kinta Valley have also been invited to join in the celebration.

The event started at 3.30pm with a welcome speech by the President of the Student and Alumni Club of OUM Perak, Puan Jamunarani A/P Nadarajah, who is currently doing her Master in Public Administration course with OUM. This was then followed by the speech of OUM Perak’s Director, Dr. Richard Ng. In his speech, Dr. Richard congratulated the graduates on behalf of Open University Malaysia, the Vice President of OUM, Prof. Ir. Dr. Rosli Hamir and the Director for the Centre of Student Management, Associate Prof. Dr. Santhi Ragavhan. Dr. Richard also reminded the graduates to be grateful to their loved ones and also to those who have helped them achieved their success, which include the management and staff and tutors of OUM. He also informed the graduates that they are now alumni of OUM and as such reminded them to uphold the good name of the university. He wanted all graduates to always serve the community with their new found knowledge and achievement.

Dr. Richard Ng took the opportunity to inform participants that OUM has produced more than 40,000 graduates to date with 6,271 students graduating from the 13^th Convocation held recently. He also said that OUM Perak will continue to play an important role in helping more working adults to achieve their goals of getting a degree. Besides this, OUM Perak will continue to promote healthy living style and will be organizing several Aerobic sessions opened to the public in selected districts in Perak which include Ipoh, Taiping, Manjung, Tapah and Cameron Highlands. OUM Perak will also continue to play an active role with the cooperation of the Student and Alumni Club of OUM Perak to help the society by creating awareness in Lifelong Learning.

Participants were treated to a sumptuous Hi-Tea prepared by the hotel. They were also entertained by YDH Toh Seri Bijaya, Orang Besar Jajahan Perak, Dato’ Shaharudin Bin Hj Nazari and Dr. Richard Ng who sang several karaoke numbers. There was a sketch performed by the committee members of the Student and Alumni Club of OUM Perak. Later that day, graduates took the opportunity to take photographs as remembrance. They also gave a performance towards the end by singing the song “Standing” made popular by rock star Ella.