His Royal Highness Al Wathiqu Billah Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin Ibni Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Mukhtafi Billah Shah and Her Royal Highness Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Terengganu Sultanah, today consented to complete the launching of the WIFIdx (The Women ICT Frontier Initiative).

WIFIdx is the acronym for United Nations Women ICT Frontier Initiative, an initiative by the organization aimed at ICT reinforcement for women. It was first launched in 2016 under the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development (APCICT) in Incheon, Korea.

Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Zamri Ibrahim, UMT Vice Chancellor, said WIFIdx is intended to create more women entrepreneurs in Asia and the Pacific, through the ICT capacity development, and empower women in the field of communication and information technology.

He said the initiative also supports micro, small, and medium entreprises that seek to utilize digital technology.

WIFIdx has been implemented in 12 countries in the Asia Pacific, including Armenia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, India, Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

“Alhamdulillah, UMT is grateful for being given the trust by the UN WIFIdx Secretariat to implement WIFIdx in Malaysia for the duration two years, with KPI.

“In addition, UMT will work with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development to implement the WIFIdx programme throughout the country”.

WIFIdx is placed under the responsibility of Professor Dr. Shamsul Bahri Abd Razak, who will act as a medium between UMT, WIFIdx, and the community.

The launching of WIFIdx was completed by Her Royal Highness Sultanah Nur Zahirah, UMT Chancellor, and witnessed by Professor Ts. Dr. Mohd Zamri Ibrahim and Mr. Kiyoung Ko, Director of Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development.

The launching took place during the Royal Evening Meal, held in conjunction with the 22^nd UMT Convocation Ceremony, at Taman Tamadun Islam, Kuala Terengganu.

To ensure the financial wellbeing of UMT students, especially those in the asnaf category, every year UMT has carried out various efforts to increase its zakat fund.

Contributions from various agencies including corporations have come in several forms such as zakat money, education aids, and project grants. These are for supporting students’ education and development at UMT.

Therefore, at the event today a mock cheque of RM1,762,213.60 was presented to as a symbolic representation of the amount of contribution made by Etiqa Family Takaful Berhad, Tabung Haji Negeri Terengganu, MAIDAM, MBSB Bank Berhad, Maybank Islamic Berhad, PETRONAS, Bank Rakyat, Maybank Islamic Berhad Kuala Terengganu, and RHB Bank Berhad.

Also present at the Royal Evening Meal were the Menteri Besar of Terengganu, Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Ahmad Samsuri bin Mokhtar; Terengganu State Secretary, Tengku Seri Bijaya Raja; Pro-Canselor of UMT, Tan Sri Samsudin bin Osman; Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Mohd Zuki bin Ali; Chairman of UMT’s Board of Directors, Professor Dr. Mohamad Salmi bin Mohd Sohod; and Mr. Kiyoung Ko, Director of Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development.

For the record, 2,775 graduands will participate in the Convocation Ceremony that will be held in six sessions from 20 – 22 October. Among the graduands, 89 will receive the PhD degree, and 153 master’s degree. A total of 2,432 will be conferred bachelor’s degree and 101 diploma degree.

The ceremony will be held at Sultan Mizan Hall, UMT. His Royal Highness Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin and Her Royal Highness Sultanah Nur Zahiran will grace the event.

Published by:

Corporate Communications Office

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT)

19 October 2024 (Saturday)