the inkSlingers

Thursday, 29 October 2015

IS#30:291015(2)

News

Jonathan Yabut
Shares Success
Secrets

>3

For internal circulation only

News

Feature

A Race to End
Slavery

Living a Life of
Irrational Fear
> 11

>4

Bus Fare to Remain Unchanged

By DARIUS SHU CHEN KEONG
SUBANG JAYA: Taylors University
(TU) has decided to replace
Wawasan Sutera with a new bus
operator on 17 November with the
same bus fare of RM1.50 per trip.
Vice President of Facilities,
Environment Health Safety and
Administration Murali Rajoo said,
To ensure our commitment to
students, the price will remain
atRM1.50.
He said the university pays
Wawasan Sutera RM47,000 a month
for six shuttle bus services.
However, this amount was found
to be only sufficient to cover the
costs of petrol, maintenance and
salary without profit, he added.
The
university
therefore
allowed the bus operator to charge
students a fare of RM1.50 per trip as
additionalincome, Murali said.
Murali added that they are looking
into adding more routes to reduce
parking problems.
The current routes will remain
but we are exploring 10 additional
pickup points which will be
announced soon, Murali said.
The termination of Wawasan
Suteras contract was due to the
unauthorised use of a TU bus to
ferry rally-goers to the red shirt
rally on 16 September.

TU students hope for better bus services in the future to accommodate the large number of students.

Murali said TU has invited various

bus companies to present their
proposals for shuttle bus services.
Were currently conducting
background checks on these new
bus companies to ensure they
are not affiliated with the current
operator, Murali said.
According to Vice-Chancellor and
President of TU Professor Datuk Dr
Hassan Said, they are reviewing the
new bus operator proposals.

We will ensure that the level of

service should be equal or better
than the services given by the
current bus operator, Professor
DrHassanadded.
School of Hospitality, Tourism and
Culinary Arts student Hu ZeHao, 19,
said, There are only two time slots
per hour and that is just not enough.
Hu added that the destination
routes are also very limited and
prefer it to reach further regions.

School of Biosciences student

Shazleen Ahmad, 21, said, I think
free rides should be offered to
students as we have paid a lot for
our resource fees.
It would be good if the buses could
be more punctual too, she said.
Shazleen also agreed that
there should be more time
slots with an increase in shuttle
buses to accommodate the large
numberofstudents.

According
to
School
of
Communication student Ooi Jia
Yee, 20, the training provided
participants with knowledge and
skills related to digital marketing.
Ooi said the programme gave
her basic knowledge of Google
Adwords, an online marketing tool,
as well as a deeper understanding of
the advertisements that appear on
digital media.

The focus on digital marketing

is related to the commercialisation
of social media, according to SOCIT
student Chan Wai Hoe, 20.
Chan said the frequency of
advertising across digital platforms
proves its importance.
Advertising on social media
triggers and draws you in, he added.
School of Engineering student
Abdul Aleem Seeni Mohamed, 20,

said the programme offered him

skills on a more practical level.
My family is in the business
field, said Abdul Aleem, adding
that learning digital marketing
skills could help his familys textile
business expand.
Abdul Aleem added that he is
interested in learning new things
even if they are not related to his
current field of study.

Students Learn About Digital Marketing Platforms

By YEONG XIU HUI
SUBANG JAYA: Taylors Universitys
(TU) School of Computing and IT
(SOCIT) collaborated with Google
Malaysia to provide TU students
an opportunity to learn about
digitalmarketing platforms.
Google
Ignite,
a
training
programme by Google Malaysia,
conducted a series of workshops
last month for students on
LakesideCampus.

NE W S

October 2015

DVC: TU Fee Reflects its Value

By OW JI JING

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SUBANG
JAYA:
High
quality
experience is one of the reasons
behind Taylors Universitys(TU)
fees,
Deputy
Vice-Chancellor
Professor Dr Pradeep Nair said.
Education is intangible. The
price is determined by the value in
terms of experience and return of
investment, he said.
He added, Its value is determined
by the fact that students actually
get higher salaries and greater
recognition for a degree.
A recent Tracer Study done by
the Ministry of Higher Education
Malaysia showed that fresh
graduates from TU command
higherwages.
He added that the lecturer to
student ratio is kept at an optimum
amount so that students will have a
great learning experience.

For example, the ratio for

medical students is one lecturer
to eightstudents, Professor Dr
Pradeep added.
The value is also determined
by the additional opportunities
in programmes such as the
SHINE Awards, student mobility
opportunities and extracurricular
activities, he said.
He added that TU is a private
entity and therefore, it is
entirely dependent on fees from
thestudents.
We do not get any financial aids
from the government, thus we have
to charge a certain amount so that
we can sustain ourselves and have
some surplus, he said.
He added, With the surplus, only
then we are able to reinvest in the
university, and for every ringgit

earned from the students, we give

50 cents back to the university.
The remaining 50% are kept in
a reserve so that we can invest in
something new, he said.
However, some students think
that the education price in TU is
expensive and its service does not
reflect the fees paid.
School of Architecture, Building
and Design student Harris Aziz, 22,
said, The education provided is
what I expected but when it comes
to service and maintenance, TU has
a big room for improvement.
Design School student Raymond
Yau Poh Chuan, 20, said, We want
to know exactly how our fees are
beingutilised.
I hope that TU management
could explain that to the students,
Yauadded.

Co-organising chairmanKanicen
Nix said, More than 180 participants
have competed in the contest despite
the haze.
Kanicen said, Although many
did not turn up at the last minute
but I think that the response was

still better than what we had

originallyexpected.
He added, The haze became
worse yesterday but we decided to
go ahead since it had turned slightly
better today.
Kanicen said the organising team
had prepared first-aid kits and
an ambulance on stand-by at the
campus roundabout.
One of the participants, medical
assistant Muhammad Khuzairie
Muhammad Rosli,28, said, My
friends and I decided to take leave
from work to participate although
its hazy because fishing competition
is seldom organised in the city.
Co-organising chairman Kay
Fairuz said, We are hoping to make
this a yearly tournament.
Businessman
Mohd
Khairil
Janudin, 27, won the tournament
with a 54cm-long snakehead fish.

Fishing Contest Receives Good Responses Despite Haze

By FOONG KAH MEI
SUBANG JAYA: Metropolitan Anglers
Tournament 2015 heldat Taylors
University on 4 October received
good responses from participants
despite a very unhealthy Air
Pollutant Index reading of more
than 200.

Muhammad Khuzairie carefully handles the fish that he has caught.

TU Students to Represent Malaysia in Malta

By OW JI JING
SUBANG JAYA: Three Taylors
University (TU) students will
represent Malaysia at the Common
Purpose 33Sixty Malta programme
from 17 to 20 December to explore
ways to stop people profiting
frommigration.
Designed for young leaders from
Commonwealth aged 18 to 25, the
33Sixty leadership programme will
be held in Malta.
The TU students participating in
this event are School of Engineering

student Melanie Yong Ze Siin, 21,

School of Communication student
Elisabeth Chen Siew Hoon, 22,
and School of Education student
LumKitMay, 21.
Chen said, I hope to understand
challenges and obstacles faced by
both the local government and
international political bodies alike.
Life Skills Development specialist
Dorcas Lam Yarn Pooi said,
They will attend the programme
with 97 young leaders from the

Commonwealth to explore the

migration issue.
She added, These young
leaders will meet world leaders
and also visit detention camps for
illegalimmigrants.
The students are currently
exploring
partnerships
with
companies who are willing to invest
in the cause, Lam said.
She said, They will use their
experience to give back to the
TUcommunity when they return.

NEWS

October 2015

Yabut: Focus on One Big Thing

By DARIUS SHU CHEN KEONG

SUBANG JAYA: The Apprentice Asia
winner Jonathan Yabut encouraged
students to focus on one passion for
a successful future career.
If you look at successful people
today, they focus on one big thing,
make a name out of it and work hard
for many years, he said.
Yabut said students should start
envisioning, debating and listing
down what they want in their future
as early as now.
Humanity was never made to
multitask, he said at the 2nd iLead
Conference on 3 October.
He added, What I dont like
about our generation is that we

are all made to believe that we can

becomeeverything.
Yabut reminded students that
they do not have to say yes to every
opportunity of success.
If we are too ambitious, we
would not succeed at anything at
all, he said.
Yabut said grit was his motivation
to success.
No matter how many times you
fall down, you must learn to love the
failures and commit to get that goal
accomplished, he said.
He added, It is your responsibility
to harness grit and when you focus
hard on it, you will reach the goal

because you want it that badly. This

is what separates successful people.
Taylors Business School student
Chen Zi Juin, 20, said, Jonathans
talk was what a lot of student
leaders and the Gen-Y needed to
hear as weseem to define success
the wrong way.
Chen added that some of their
definitions of success are a product
of their parents generation but
now they have to learn to prioritise
opportunities and know which ones
to let go.
Taylors Business School student
Ajeeta Rathakrishnan, 20, said,
Jonathans talk was great as it was

very nice to see a passionate man

speaking about his achievements.
School of Hospitality, Tourism and
Culinary Arts student Said Azizov, 20,
said, I was very motivated during
the first session because Jonathan
Yabuts vision of life matches mine.
The talk has not only motivated
me to change, but also to have
stronger beliefs, to envision success
until my goal is reached, he said.
He added, The greatest leader is
the one who creates new leaders.
I was very satisfied with the
2nd iLead conference and I hope
everyone learn to use it as a trigger
to be an inspiring leader, he said.

Underdogs Win Adventure Race

By LEE TING
SUBANG JAYA: Team In Haze came
out as champions over thethreeday Adventure Race despite being
the underdogs.
Adventure
Race
Organising
Chairman Mohamad Haris Mohamad
Subki said, I definitely did not
expect them (In Haze) to win at all.
In Haze team member Lewis, 20,
said they had no strategy coming
into the race.
We just wanted to have fun.
We didnt aim to win at first
because wewere in one of the last
positionsat the end of the second
day, Lewis said.
According to Lewis, the turning
point for them was the second
lastchallenge where participants
had to work together to make
alantern.
I do not know why but we
finished it in five minutes, making
us the fastest, he said.
In Haze team member Calvin
Tanata, 21, said the reason they
succeeded was probably because

they did not expect or pressure

themselves to win.
I guess slow and steady really
wins the race, Tanata said.
We saw that some were so into
the win that they started making
mistakes, he added.
Tanata said the toughest part
for him was not the challenges
but waking up early for the
5.30amstart-off.
Paradigm
Shifters
member
Oswald Tee Mak, 18, said he would
not let his teams forfeit stop him
from enjoying the race.
Oswald said his team had to
forfeit on the second day due to his
teammates injury.
I decided to go on with the
race without my teammate just
to experience the rest of the
challenges, Oswald said.
Oswald, who is also part of
the media team, added that he
was thankful that the organisers
allowed him to tag along just
fortheexperience.

The race was definitely an

adventure that really tested our
physical and mental limits and
allowed us to do things we normally
would not do, Oswald said.
Adventure Race is an annual event
organised by the Sky Adventure Club

to promote Malaysian tourist spots

and culture.
Forty-one teams raced across
Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh
and Perak with the hope to be
the winners of The Adventure
Race2015.

where start-ups can seek for

potential investors from four
experienced Lion investors-cumpanelists who will watch their
business project presentations.
Traquer, a mobile application
that aims to enhance bus safety and
promote awareness, was thought up
four years ago.
My friends and I had planned
a trip to Penang but our parents
disapproved due to safety reasons
as we were taking a bus, Shi Jin said.

During the journey, we decided

to observe the bus and that is
when the solution of creating
Traquer was thought about,
ShiJinadded.
Shi Jin said Traquer enables bus
passengers to check the speed and
location of the bus.
Traquer also enables bus
passengers to give comments or
complaints to the bus operator
about any cases of misconduct,
headded.

Shi Jin said, This application

also helps bus operators to monitor
drivers performance.
He said they hope to contribute to
the society by reducing bus accident
rates though this application.
Shi Jin presented the project
on behalf of the team on
21OctoberinHangzhou.
Dean of SOCIT Professor Dr
Hiew Pang Leang said, Traquer
has potential as it can address the
concerns of public transport users.

Tanata (left) and Lewis delighted over their unexpected win.

Photo Credit: Darius Shu Chen Keong

Road Safety App Traquer Makes Lions Den Shortlist

By LEE JIE YIN
SUBANG JAYA: Traquer, an app
created by the team Little Hunter
from Taylors University School
of Computing and IT (SOCIT)
was shortlisted in Lions Den at
Hangzhou, China.
The winning team consisted of
team leader Ting Shi Jin, 19 and
members Ting Shi Chuan, 20, Ahmad
Shahid Nassir Rogers, 21, and Janice
Chau Sian Lu, 20.
Shi Jin said, Lions Den is a subevent of World Entrepreneurship

NE W S

October 2015

24 Hour Race to End Modern Slavery

By LAW CHENG JING
SUBANG JAYA: Running To Stop
The Traffik will organise the 24
Hour Race KL with a mission to end
modern slavery by fundraising and
raising awareness.
The race starts from 9am on
14 November until 9am on 15
November at IGB International
School, Kuala Lumpur.

Executive Director of 24 Hour

Race KL Cindy Leow Thung Thung
said, We hope to instill motivation,
drive and leadership into the minds
of the youths.
Leow added that she hopes to
inspire the younger generation to
become front-liners to tackle the
issue of modern slavery.

Students
will
challenge
themselves to experience the
hardships that slaves face on a daily
basis, Leow added.
Leow added that there would
also be a 24 Hour Music Festival
with local artists, a food festival and
inter-school bonding activities such
as water balloon fights.

Participants of the Hong Kong 24 Hour Race 2014 run with the mission to end modern slavery.
Photo Credit: 24 Hour Race

According to Leow, all the

money raised will go towards two
anti-slavery beneficiaries which are
SUKA Society, Malaysia and Circus
Kathmandu, Nepal.
She said these organisations focus
on rehabilitating child victims of
slaves back into society by educating
and giving them support in terms of
physical and mental well-being.
We are expecting to raise
RM600,000 for our anti-slavery
beneficiaries and were looking
forward to attract 800 runners
and 150 marshals and 600 tickets
to be sold for our music festival,
she added.
Leow said there will be prizes
for the fundraiser who collects the
mostfunds, the most active school
and so on.
We also want to focus on
rewarding youths in an engaging
manner that transcends their
limitations, Leow added.
According to Leow, they currently
have 20 schools signed up for
therace.
Some of the schools that have
signed up for the race are Taylors
International School, Taylors College
Subang Jaya, Nexus International
School and IGB International School.

TU Management to Add ReWIND INTELLECT Launches New

Systems Upon Request
Teaching Engagement Scale
By KRISHNA KUMAR APPARAO

SUBANG JAYA: Taylors University

has made the lecture capture system,
ReWIND, available in classrooms
and will add more upon requests
for a better interactive learning
experience in lectures and tutorials.
The main aim of ReWIND is to
increase students participation in
blended learning activities, said
ReWIND representative Donny Yeo
Chuan Hoe.
We recently added the lecture
capture system at BG.16 and E6.10
upon request from various schools,
Yeo said.
Yeo said the video quality
depends on the constant download
bandwidth which allows the videos
to stream without needing to buffer.
School of Engineering student
Shakeera Mohd Sham, 22, said, I
find this system convenient as it
shows lectures that are taught in
class, even when I miss lessons.
However, ReWIND needs to
be improved for smoother access
because it is slow even when I
have a stable internet connection,
Shakeera said.

By KELLY CHENG CHIALI

Shakeera using the ReWIND

system.

School of Communication student

Nurul Farhanah Zolkefli, 22, said,
ReWIND is efficient for me, but the
video quality needs improvement.
It also helps me in my studies as
I get to revise what I have learnt in
class, she said.
However, she added that lecturers
should use the microphone to get
better audio quality for ReWIND
recording purposes.

SUBANG JAYA: Integrated Teaching

and Life-Learning Centre at
Taylors University (INTELLECT)
haslaunchedtheTeaching
Engagement
Scale
(TES)
to
assess the efficacy of lecturerstudentengagement.
The assessment has replaced
the previous course evaluation
survey, which were conducted on a
voluntary basis.
INTELLECT Director Assoc Prof
Dr Tang Siew Fun said, The biggest
difference now is that students are
required to take 10 minutes to fill up
the TES during class hours.
Tang added that this new
approach is to combat the low level
of student participation in course
evaluation surveys.
Tang said she is confident the new
system will receive at least 70%
participation from the students.
Only then will the findings of the
survey be representative enough for
us to interpret, Tang said.
Tang said lecturers who received
poor feedback will undergo internal

and external trainings to improve on

their teaching methodology.
She said, TES creates a selfregulating
ecosystem
where
lecturers are constantly mindful of
their performances.
Of course, this can only happen
when students themselves play
theirroles in giving proper
feedback, she added.
School of Communication student
Valerie Bong Li Hwa, 18, said, This is
a good initiative because I would not
remember to do the surveyunless
being reminded to do so in class.
TES is a system designed to
cultivate professional development
among lecturers based on the
Teaching Excellence Framework
(TEF), a new feature to fill in the
lackings of the previous course
evaluation used.
For a well-balanced feedback
system on part-time and full
timelecturers, TES uses the
assessment
from
four
key
stakeholders, which are self,
students, peers and superiors.

October 2015

NEWS

Haze Cripples Largest TU Run Event

By KELLY CHENG CHIALI
SUBANG JAYA: Unhealthy Air
Pollution Index (API) reading of 172
forced a last-minute cancellation of
My Partner Advisor (MPA) Charity
Run on 27 September.
The 8km-run with about 1,500
participants, the largest in Taylors
University, was cancelled about
anhour before the event was
scheduled to start.
Organised by Scholars@Work
under Mission Aspiring Better Lives
Everyday (ABLE), the run was held
to raise funds and create awareness
for the Handicapped and Disabled
Childrens Association of Klang
(HDCAK), Selangor.
Mission
ABLE
Chairperson
Melanie Yong Ze Siin said they
already had a contingency plan a
day before in case the haze worsens.
Our team unanimously decided
that if API reaches 140, we will cancel

the run and announce itthrough

Facebook and SMS, Yong said.
Riding for Disabled Association
committee
member
Cheryl
Victor, 38, said Mission ABLE
teamsprompt action and engaging
communication was comparable to
other nationwide marathons.
Around 500 people attended
the Move On Hope charity bazaar,
originally
scheduled
to
run
concurrently with the marathon.
School
of
Communication
student Nicole Joy Sim, 20, said,
I came tocollect my goodie
bag and toshow support to my
friendswhoworked very hard for
this event.
The run raised approximately
RM40,000 for HDCAK and also
donated sponsored food items
including bread and milk to five
other charity homes in Klang Valley.

Student helper Simon Foo Wei Ming, 23, arranges items on sale at a
booth during the charity bazaar. Photo Credit: Mission ABLE

Lecturers Share Innovative e-Learning Systems

By TEH WOON YA
SUBANG JAYA: Taylors University
(TU) lecturers and students from
11 schools shared their experiences
using different innovative e-learning
systems during the Teaching and
Learning Festival 2015.
The Design School (TDS) lecturer
Charles Sharma Naidu Achu Naidu
incorporated a gaming system in
class by implementing Classcraft, a
role-playing application.
Whenever students fulfilled
a task or answered a question
correctly, they will be rewarded with
experience, health points, power,
and gold pieces in Classcraft, which
can be used to upgrade their avatar,
Charles said.
This application encouraged
students to collaborate with one
another, and let me keep track of
their learning progress, he added.

TDS student Foo Sher Ming, 18,

said, With the reward system in
Classcraft, I strived to achieve better
score to customise my avatar.
American
Degree
Transfer
Program (ADP) lecturer Dr Wong
Yau Hsiung implemented a new
blended learning system, Kahoot!
last semester.
Kahoot! is a free game-based
student response system with
attractive features to make learning
interesting, fun and engaging,
DrWongsaid.
He said Kahoot! encouraged
friendly competition, with rewards
for five students who scored highest
marks by answering questions
accurately in shortest time.
ADP student Kwan Fu Xuan, 18,
said, Kahoot! is different from
traditional and boring teaching

styles, and I found myself improving

after the system was implemented.
After attending Dr Wongs
session, Centre for Languages
lecturer Sujatha Krishnan said,
I will consider implementing
Kahoot! inmy classes, as students
attention will be higher when they
becomemore involved in the
learning process.
Festival organiser Lim Chee
Leong said, This is a signature
annual event organised by the
Integrated Teaching and Lifelong
Learning Center at TU from 22 to
23September.
This year, we invited lecturers and
students to share their e-Learning
and First Year Experience to gain
different viewpoints, he added,
noting that approximately 30
lecturers attended each session.

SPART tackled social issues such

as abortion, homosexuality and AIDS
in their first three plays which were
rotated between groups of audience
in LT22, LT4 and Experimental
Theatre simultaneously.
SPART
Co-Director
Surayyn
Selvan said inspiration from Artistic
Director of Theater Three Sixty
Malaysia, Christopher Ling led the
team to try site specific theatre,
which was something new to them.

Surayyn said, The hardest part

was to let go (of convention) and
we werent really keen at first as it
scared us.
He added that site specific
acting meant audience rotated
instead of plays, which gave a
different perspective and a more
intimatesetting.
Surayyn said the team set aside
the worries and decided to try
something new.

Charles shares his experience

implementing Classcraft in classes
during the festival.
Photo Credit: e-Learning Academy
@ Intellect

SPART Amazes Audience With New Direction

By LYANA ROSALINI MOHD YUNUS
SUBANG JAYA: Taylors Society of
Performing Arts (SPART) amazed
audience this year with a new
direction consisting of five au
courant topics, three different
locations and one big surprise from
their SPART directors.
They
received
multiple
standing ovations throughout the
showcase from 7 to 10 October at
TaylorsUniversity Lecture Theatre
(LT) 20.

SPART
directors
surprised
audience and SPART members with
The Wolf, the last play that was only
made known to directors and cast.
SPART Co-Director Esther Tan Jen
Chze said, Each of the scripts were
written for a purpose as we wanted
to put our message out there.
She added, It was never for
personal gain or about making
money, but for the love of theatre
and the love of SPART.

NE W S

October 2015

Architecture Students Encourage Senior-Junior Bonding

By DARIUS SHU CHEN KEONG
SUBANG JAYA: School of Architecture,
Building and Design (SABD) finalyear students encouraged building
relationships between students
from different semesters through
various activities at the Chaparty
event on 3 October.
President of T-Ribe (SABDs
committee team for Chaparty) Jolene
Hor Wei Fern said, We want to
strengthen the relationship between
seniors and juniors because this can
really help students to excel.
We realise that university
life shouldnt only be about
assignments, Hor said.
We want the students to look
back at this chapter of their lives
and talk about it someday.
Hor said the event was successful
because everyone took some time
off from their work to bond with
each other and build long lasting
relationships to cherish.

Chaparty
Project
organiser
Garnette Dayang Robert said the
committee came up with a Mamak
theme for this event.
We wanted an atmosphere
where people feel comfortable and
could mingle around.
Its also a place that we could all
relate to. Thats when we decided

on the theme of Mamak that

represented our aim, Garnette said.
Garnette said the Chaparty
event has brought the team closer
to students from other semesters
as they went through various
challenges in organising this event.
SABD student Chia Sue Hwa, 19,
said, One of the most memorable

School of Architecture student Jack Too Mun Fai, 19, (left) performing a
class dance themed Milo Ais. Photo Credit: SABD T-Ribe

moments I have was when a few

seniors voluntarily shared their
words of wisdom with the crowd.
Chia said there was a sense
of sentimentality in the air as
it reminded everyone why they
belonged in SABD.
This event was definitely a
success because everyone was
socialising and cheering, Chia said.
School of Communication student
Annabel Michael, 19, who attended
the event said, I think it was a really
good initiative and the organisers
did an amazing job for this event
despite their busy schedule.
School of Engineering student
Darren Lee Jun Weng, 21, said it
would be good to have similar events
in other schools.
It is a great way to bond,
make new friends from different
semesters and we can improve our
soft skills too, he added.

Digital Engagement Centre Mentees Engage Students to Apply to TU

By LAW CHENG JING
SUBANG JAYA: Taylors University
(TU) students are given the chance
to engage with school leavers and
encourage application to TU.
Under the Digital Engagement
Trainees Mentoring Programme
(DETMP), students can be mentees of
the Digital Engagement Centre, Sales
Planning and Development(DEC).
DETMP was initiated in August
by DEC to let TU students actively
engage
with
customers
or
school leavers by making calls to
encourageenrolment.
Mentee of DEC and Taylors
Business School student Rachel
Zahn, 19, said, We would call up
the students and tell them about the
scholarships that we are offering

here in TU and encourage them

toapply.
We would also explain the courses
that they are interested in for better
understanding, Racheladded.
Rachel said contact information
and customer leads were gathered
from TU booths at high school Open
Days, with high school students
providing contact information that
were later used by the mentees to
make the calls.
Rachel added, The mentees
would be able to benefit from
this programme, such as better
communication skills.
She also said the overall
programme is designed to improve
interpersonal skills.

This programme is a preparation

for our future work environment
and the best thing about it is you
dont need to leave the campus to
get these experiences, she added.
Taylors Business School student
Cheong Kar Mun, 20, also a mentee,
said, This programme has helped
me boost my confidence and
enhance my communication skills.
I was nervous when I was
making calls in the beginning
of the programme but slowly it
gotsmoother as time goes by,
Cheong said.
She added, The language barrier
is one of the challenges I faced,
as I had difficulties explaining to
students in Malay and in Chinese.

Cheong said she had to deal with

different types of people while
conversing through the phone.
You have to deal with the way
they reply, regardless if they are
polite or rude, and you have to deal
with rejection too, Cheong added.
Cheong said the mentors of the
programme are very friendly and
comfortable to work with.
DEC Content Manager Executive
Zechariah Bux said, The mentees will
get a certificate of recognition at the
end of the mentoringprogramme.
This
mentoring
programme
is open to all students who are
interested in developing their
interpersonal communication skills
by engaging with school leavers.

The initiative aims to set up a food

redemption system where students
could purchase meals to be given
out to others who needed them.
Thian said, For now, we are
working with Temptations and DIB
so it is food-related, but we do not
want it to end there.
This is still at its testing period
and depending on the response, we
may have different initiatives so that
kindness as a lifestyle does not end
there, said Thian, adding that they
hoped to encourage students on
campus to make kindness a habit
within their daily life.

Students could purchase a T-shirt

and sponsor a meal at the same
time for RM25, according to the
Pay It Forwards official Facebook
announcement on 5 October.
Thian said proceeds from the
T-shirt sales would be used as
funding for any costs incurred by
Pay It Forwards projects.
Thian added that the initiative
was set up to be sustainable and
could be passed down to juniors in
the future.
Pay It Forward organising
chairperson Joel See Yue Jian said
the initiative will create a sense

of belonging among students by

providing them with a platform to
help others.
Pay It Forward is led by about 20
students from various schools such
as TBS, School of Communication
and School of Hospitality, Tourism
and Culinary Arts.
At the moment, we are not
recruiting anyone to help out with
this initiative.
We will start recruiting from
January to May next year, See said.
For more information on Pay It
Forward, visit their Facebook page
at www.facebook.com/PIFtaylors.

Students to Have Opportunity to Pay It Forward

By YEONG XIU HUI
SUBANG JAYA: Students have been
given a chance to share acts of
kindness by taking part in the Pay It
Forward initiative.
The student-run initiative started
mid-October,
in
collaboration
with Taylors Universitys (TU)
student-run restaurant Temptations
and the TU branch of Deaf in
Business(DIB)cafe.
According to one of the founders,
Taylors Business School (TBS)
student Raymond Thian Sie Yee, 22,
the initiative was first conceived to
help students who could not afford
meals on campus.

October 2015

FE AT U R E S

Through the Eyes of a Janitor

By KELLY WONG YEE LIN

Everyone has their own life story.

A story that you can call your own,
one that defines who you are.
Taylors University (TU) janitor
Tamil Shallvi K. Subramaniam has
her own story to tell too.
Tamil has been working as a janitor
in TU commercial block for half a
year. Before this, she was working
as a guard in a primary school, but
she had to look for another job when
the school decided to change the
security management.
I studied until Form 3, but I had
to stop because my family was poor,
Tamil said.
She added that she loves studying,
and if she was given a chance to
finish her studies, she would want
to venture into the sciences as it was
her favourite subject.
Adulthood was also not exactly a
bed of roses for Tamil. She lost her
husband 10 years ago and has no
children. She is now renting a house
with a few housemates.
Most women at Tamils age would
be thinking of retirement, or maybe
just staying at home and taking care
of their grandchildren, but Tamil did
not have the privilege to do so.
Tamil works every weekday from
7am to 7pm and from 7am to 5pm
on Saturdays. Even with the long

hours, her income is just enough to

cover monthly expenses.
It is hard and tiring on weekdays
because many students will walk
by (the hallway) and use the toilet.
Ihave to make sure they (hallway
and toilet) are always clean so that
nobody will complain, Tamil said.
Age being a factor, Tamil also said
she suffers pain on her arms when
working, but she has to endure the
pain as she knows it is her job to
ensure the cleanliness of the toilet.
When asked about the challenges
she faced, Tamil said students
nowadays are irresponsible. This is
due to their mindset of thinking that
this is what janitors are paid to do,
which is to help them clean the mess
they have made.
She added that a lot of female
students did not properly dispose
their used sanitary pads and tissue
papers into the dustbin.
They need to know that it is
their responsibility to throw them
(used sanitary pads) nicely into the
dustbin, Tamil said.
Tamil said because of these
irresponsible students, sometimes
she felt taken for granted as a janitor.
There were also a few encouraging
moments for Tamil when some
students actually greeted and

thanked her after using the toilet.

She also shared a specific moment
that made her feel appreciated.
Just a month ago, a Malay girl
by the name of Farah bought me a

Subway sandwich in the morning

and thanked me personally for what
I am doing, she said.
A janitor is an occupation
that is not highly acknowledged
by students. Some of us might
also associate janitors with the
words dirty and low class. We
tend to be too ignorant, until the
point we become inconsiderate
towards them.
But, one thing we should all
remember is that they are humans
too, and they are to be treated with
respect regardless of their job.
Think of it this way, we will not be
enjoying our facilities in campus if
not because of them.
A janitor like Tamil has taught me
that sometimes it is alright to serve
and not deserve. The moment
we stop thinking about what we
deserve, and start thinking about
how to serve and help others, this is
actually the start of humility and the
end of ego and pride.
Amazing how one can learn life
lessons from a janitor, right?
Do stop and thank the janitors if
you happen to pass by them. A word
of thanks and encouragement will
definitely make their day better.
After all, it does not cost a single
penny to say a word of thanks.

other religions and beliefs, he thinks

that the headscarf does alter his
perception towards these women.
Man added, Before I get to
know girls with Hijabs better, I
would assume that they are closedminded. If I had the choice, I would
avoidgetting to know them even
though I do know a few Hijabis who
are cool.
Contrary to this, there are people
out there who take the Hijab as
merely another piece of clothing
item. Some also believe that women
in Hijab are just like any other
ordinary human.
Undeniably, women in Hijab carry
a form of responsibility in which they
need to guard themselves and being
more reserved at certainthings.
School of Computing and IT
student Ahmad Shahid Nassir
Rogers, 21, said, It might indicate
that the person could be more
reserved at certain things
respectfully and understandably,
but its the same case with people

who wear religious clothing. Its

nothing out of the norm.
Even when there are pools of
thoughts out there who do not wish
to befriend Muslim women with
Hijab, there are some who are not
affected by it.
Ahmad Shahid added, I would
totally befriend a girl wearing
the Hijab.
School of Communication student
Aisyah Mustapha Kamil, 21, said,
Most people respected my decision
and some people say I looked better
without it.
Aisyah Mustapha also mentioned
about how her life has changed after
she started covering up. She inspired
many girls on social media which
made her realise that she made the
right choice.
The Hijab is merely another piece
of clothing on a womans body it
does not signify who and how she is
as a person. We should never forget
that a Hijabi is still a person, like
everyone else.

Tamil cleaning the hallway.

Fitting in: Life with a Hijab

By FARAH NADHIRAH MUHAMMAD KHAIRUN
To most people, the Hijab is
synonymous to Muslim women.
To Muslims however, the Hijab is a
symbol of her faith.
Wearing the Hijab is not as simple
as covering your head with a piece
of cloth indefinitely, it is more
thanthat. Though compulsory
as stated in the Quran, with the
modernisation of the world
making that choice of covering up is
no longer an easy one.
As forward thinking as the world
gets, the mindset people have of
women in Hijab, at times still remain
negative. The Hijab is not something
that is accepted in todays culture.
Living in a diversified culture does
not always mean that we accept each
cultural norm there is out there.
In certain cases, there are people
who have shallow perceptions
towards women in Hijab. Some of
these shallow viewpoints would
be that girls in Hijab are not smart,
introverted, not outgoing, poor and
even bald. Fitting in becomes harder,

especially for Muslim girls who wear

the Hijab.
School of Architecture, Building
and Design (SABD) student Anis
Nabila Amir Hamzah, 21, said, After
a few days in college, I started to
realise that certain people have a
stigma that we are nowhere close to
being smart.
No woman should be defined
through her appearance Muslim
women included. A Muslim womans
personality, behaviour and attitude
does not depend on the scarf that
covers her head.
Due to this stigma of donning a
Hijab, a lot of Muslim women find it
difficult to ever be ready to cover up.
Anis Nabila added, There were
new friends I made in college who
treated me differently. Different in
the way that they made judgements
solely on my physical appearance
which did not signify who I was.
SABD student Benjamin Man, 22,
said even though he respects Muslim
women just as he respects women of

FE ATUR ES

October 2015

Time to Move Out, Racial Renting!

By LEE TING
At some point in life, we need
to leave the safety of our home to
beindependent.
As
if
searching
for
an
accommodation that suited all your
criteria was not hard enough, you
sometimes find yourself turned
away at the door just because of
your skin colour.
Yes, racial discriminating renting
exists and the first to be affected are
international students.
A lot of places put up
advertisements that read Chinese
only which I think is unfair,
said School of Communication
(SOC) student Luqman Hamsa
Abdullah, 28, who is of African
Americandescent.
Luqman said it was not hard for
him and his wife to find a place, but
getting the owner and agent to trust
them was.
Finding a place to stay was fairly
easy for my wife and I. However,
the agent would constantly stop
by thehouse to look for damages,
Luqman said.
Former School of Engineering
student Khayat Taylor, 26, from
Arab, found out that some
landlordscharge unfair rental fees
to foreign tenants.
A lady I called offered to let me
rent her place. But because she
sounded sketchy, I asked a Chinese
friend of mine to call as well. When

he did, he was offered half the price

of rent she offered me, Khayat said.
Racial discrimination happens
not only to international students
but locals as well.
Coming from Penang, SOC student
Joshua Michael Joseph, 22, said he
faced racial discrimination too.
When I first contacted the agents
to look at the place, all will be fine
because I spoke fluent English.
But when I show up, the agent and
owner actually went, Oh, you are
Indian? Joshua said.
Property agent Gigi Wong Zi Wei,
said landlords choices are usually
made based on past experiences
with tenants of different races.

Most start out with no

preferences but because they have
had bad experiences with particular
race groups, they decided to cut
their losses and rent to those they
want, Wong said.
Wong added that landlords
alsobelieve it is easier to
communicate with those of the same
race as themselves.
Former
American
Degree
Programme student Natasha Lee
Mei Ann, 21, actually found a house
that fit her budget and criteria, but it
turns out that the landlord does not
want to rent to non-Muslims.
Because the landlord was a
devoted Muslim, he preferred to

rent to Muslims only as he wanted

to keep the house halal. I told him
that I am not much of a drinker and
I do not eat pork but he still would
not budge, Lee said.
Though it is hard to believe,
people of different race and religion
can actually stay together.
I live with an Indian and a Muslim
(now), Lee said. One does not eat
beef and one can only eat halal. It
is not hard; we just have a set of
dinnerware and cooking utilities
that are designated for ourselves.
For landlord Norman Hadi
Marjuki, he does not believe
in racial discrimination.
Actually, I do not mind renting to
any race and gender as long as they
are responsible, Norman Hadi said.
However, Norman Hadi said he
understands that the landlords,
especially those renting by rooms,
would set such preferences because
they are thinking of the comfort
of all their tenants. Making them
all from the same race and gender
allows the tenants to feel safer and
get along easier.
Perhaps nothing much can be
done by us students now, but the
experiences may be a blessing
in disguise. To know that racial
discriminating renting exists, it will
allow us to think twice about doing
the same in the future when we
become landlords ourselves.

You can always see them burying

their heads in books or laptops,
studying for their exams or finishing
up a mountain of assignments.
Roommates as such take silence is
golden to an entirely different level.
You would not want to interfere
them or else you might have to face
some annoyed faces.
If you want to have a conversation
with them, the best topic would be
about studies their favourite!
The Superstar
The Superstar roommates live by
the motto No Music No Life and
they think they are the next winner
of The Voice.
You might encounter roommates
who love singing non-stop, but with
an out-of-tune voice, causing others
sleepless nights.
When they are in a bad mood, have
bad grades or just had a breakup,
they would express their emotions
and feelings through theirsinging.

However, if you are lucky enough

to find a Superstar roommate who
actually sings well, you will be able
to listen to a free concert then!
The Ghost
You might see them the first
time when they move in, but you
would not see them much after that.
Sometimes, you might even wonder
if they are still alive, or maybe you
should make a missing person
report to the police.
People in this category are always
out of the house. They are either
too outgoing or too busy. When
you finally get to see them, it will
never be more than a few minutes.
Otherwise, it will be during the wee
hours of the morning when they
return to the dorm.
The LOL
You might also encounter
roommates who have the loudest,
funniest and most unique laughter
in the world. They are the ones who

would bring laughter and make up

your day!
Roommates as such love to
laugh out loud especially when
watching TV shows or series. You
might get ashock due to their
sudden laughteror end up laughing
together with them.
It is even funnier when they have
a combination of a funny laughter
and a unique gesture. Some of
themwould clap their hands
loudly,or randomly hit everything
around them.
There are many other types
of
roommates
besides
the
onesmentioned.
If you are lucky enough, you might
meet someone who could end up
being your perfect match and you
get along magnificiently.
If you meet the perfect roommate,
stick with them as long as you can
as it will truly be a match made in
roommate heaven.

Joshua looking for rooms to rent only to find there are racial preferences.

Types of Roommates You Might Encounter

By LAW CHENG JING

In your campus life, staying with
different people under one roof
would probably be a wonderful
experience, or a bad one.
The thought of staying with new
individuals and having to get used
to their habits can be challenging
anddreadful. It is sometimes
inevitable that conflict might
arise between roommates due to
differences in personalities.
If you have gone through this, you
would realise that you are able to
meet various types of people, some
who might end up being your best
friend, or some you might not feel
comfortable staying with.
Here are a few types of roommates
you might come across:
The Scholar
For this type of roommates, the
library is their second home. They
think that the most important thing
in their life is their studies and
nothing else matters more.

October 2015

FE AT U R E S

Students Work on Improving Lives through Technology

By YEONG XIU HUI
In the opening speech at
ImagineHack, Taylors University
(TU) Agents of Tech (AOT)
president Janice Chau Sian Lu said,
Technology is the closest thing we
have to a superpower.
ImagineHack, an event organised
by AOT, was held from 27 to 28
September at Lakeside Campus.
In line with ImagineHacks theme
of Smart City, participants armed
with technological knowledge and
app development skills put their
superpowers to good use as
they committed to a 24-hour nonstophackathon.
It is inevitable that society has
become increasingly dependent
on technological advances and
digitaldevices.
Head of Cloud Ecosystem
Development at IBM, one of the main
sponsors of the event, Vincent Ler
said in his speech that the current
smartphone is more powerful
than the computers used to send
astronauts to the moon in 1969.
Aspiring ideators, designers and
developers pooled their ingenuity to
make full use of the digital technology
within their grasps, in the form of
smartphone applications.
Tunku Abdul Rahman University
student Ang Wa Shen, 22, shared
about the idea and application his
team worked on throughout the
24hour period.
It is a social community app
basically, for people to post their
enquiries and seek community
help, said Ang, adding that its
design is similar to a digital notice
board which allows people to post
sticky notes if they needed help.

Ang (second from right) and his teammates show the prototype of their mobile application to the panel of
judges (seated) at ImagineHack.

Ideas that were presented ranged

from more personal use based,
such as the one Ang and his team
proposed, to applications that could
be implemented on a national scale.
Universiti Teknikal Malaysia
Melaka (UTeM) student Kelvin Loo
Kie Feng, 22, teamed up with two
fellow UTeM students to design a
carpooling application that included
a reward and redemption system
for users who frequently offer
carpooling to others.
Pitched ideas ranged from life
diaries and health monitoring
applications to various transportrelated applications, such as one
which digitalised the current public
parking system into a paperless
version, providing convenience and
ease of use.
Amongst some of the more
intriguing ideas was an alarm clock

application, specifically to be used

in transite, or when travelling with
public transport, to make sure you
did not miss your stop.
Yet another application was
proposed to facilitate the search for
parking spots in such a way where
users that needed a parking spot is
paired with users that were leaving
a parking spot.
While some participants came
fully prepared and teamed up with
ideas to work on, others chose to
attend the event alone.
School of Computing and IT
student Lakshana Bunghoo, 19,
attended the event not only out
of curiosity to tap into the minds
of her peers, but also because she
believed in the necessity of further
improvements to current systems.
According to FBI data, 70% of
youths know how to do some form of

hacking. This shows how important

safety is as a priority when it comes
to technology. Networks can be good
and bad, she said.
She elaborated that while
technology is beneficial, ample
caution must be taken when
planning and executing technologyrelated concepts. Undoubtedly, such
advancement has its risks.
The event witnessed university
students embracing technological
advancements and putting great
thought into how to build a better
community through the use
oftechnology.
It remains to be seen just how far
technology as humanitys collective
superpower can be utilised.
However, those who dream of saving
the world could fulfill their dreams
to some extent by using technology
to improve our lives.

not authorise the bus service for

thispurpose.
Boycott Taylor! No excuse! Take
our money then spit at our face!
said Ong Phaik Kim, a Facebook user.
Stop your children from going to
this racist Taylors University. Teach
them a lesson and make them pay
for their so-called mistake, said
Aubrey Tan, a Facebook user.
These are just a few of the long
list of comments that affected TUs
reputation tremendously.
Of course, TU was not completely
without blame. They could have done
better in terms of communicating
with the bus operator to prevent
this from happening. However, the

fact that Facebook users ignored

the official statement and continued
to criticise TU was unfair to
themanagement.
This is just an example as to
how keyboard warriors could
spread hatred and damage an
organisationsreputation.
They tend to voice out their
opinions based on emotions,
which normally only spark more
hate within the community. They
often overlook the fact that words
hurteven though they are not
spoken but typed.
Besides, most of them do not
bother doing a simple fact-check
before sharing information, which

often results in sharing rumours

orhalf-truths.
None of these actions bring any
good to the community. Instead, we
should strive to do the opposite.
As they say, make love, not war.
Do or say things that actually lift
people up, and not bring them down.
Let us be generous of our
affirmations instead of criticisms
and be respectful when conversing
with another person, be it in virtual
or real life.
The next time you want to speak
or comment, think about the truth.
If none of them are present, then
perhaps it is not necessary to be said
or in this case, typed.

Behold, The Ever-So-Brave Keyboard Warriors

By OW JI JING
Have you seen people who are
extremely outspoken on a cause on
the Internet, but do not do a thing
about it in real life?
These people are called keyboard
warriors. They voice out their
opinions boldly only when they are
comfortably hiding behind their
computers and mobile devices.
On 16 September, MalaysiaKini
posted a picture of a Taylors
University (TU) bus transporting
participants of the Red Shirt rally. It
caused an outrage from the public
towards TU management.
Keyboard warriors criticised the
TU management despite the fact
that TU has clarified that they did

10

FE ATUR ES

October 2015

Hello, My Photo-Filtered Self!

By DARIUS SHU CHEN KEONG
Have you ever had a moment
where you are totally in awe of the
gorgeous photos as you scroll down
your Instagram feed?
Back in those pre-Instagram days,
all of us used to post photos with
random poses without the need of
any filters.
Well I hate to burst the bubble, but
those photos actually depict reality
because we did not care so much
about how perfect or beautiful they
were, we just post them.

Then came filters that took the

world by storm and instant photo
editing apps which changed the way
we look at photography.
Now it is nearly impossible for us
to post photos online without even a
slight touch of editing. The number
of edited photos are more than
expected, and the hashtag #NoFilter
for raw, unedited photos are few and
far between.
We spend so much time crafting
and beautifying our photos to

School of Communication student Liew Zu Xing, 21, editing her photos

before posting up on Instagram.

perfection, trying to please others,

to compete or to stand out. Are we
trying to showcase our ideal selves
in order to boost our confidence?
It is an undeniable fact that
majority of social media users
prefer posting the perfect versions
of themselves as such photos
somehow gives them satisfaction
when they receive compliments,
said School of Biosciences student
Lalitha Ambighai, 22.
Lalitha pointed out she was not
affected by any of these perfect
photos as it would only make her
judgemental and insecure.
If youre confident with your
authentic image, photo enhancement
of any kind would not be necessary,
Lalitha said.
However, Taylors Business School
student Stanley Chin Jun Seng, 20,
said, I somehow prefer to see more
edited photos on my social media
because they look more interesting.
Chin also added his thoughts
about people posting these perfect
selfies as a way to enhance their
self-confidence through the number
of likes on social media.

School of Biosciences student

Thara Kalila Mohd Firdaus, 21,
said, I do not mind seeing both
filtered and unfiltered photos on my
social media as it adds variety and
showcase creativity, but it is up to
the users personal preference.
Thara Kalila also expressed how
posting a good photo of yourself can
somewhat be positive.
Some people argue that posting
edited photos may contribute to
narcissism and being vain but youth
nowadays have so much more to
handle in their lives so I believe
being proud of yourself for a photo
is much better than hating yourself,
Thara Kalila said.
Technology has changed our lives
in a holistic manner, but maybe it
is time to reflect upon ourselves
that once in a while, there is
simply nothing wrong in posting a
#NoFilter photo, even if it has a little
imperfection to it.
We need to know that we do not
always have to post edited photos
because our generation should
learn to express the reality. After all,
we are only human.

Most importantly, be kind even

when it feels hardest to be, because
that is when it matters most.
19 November: Have a Bad Day
No one likes having a bad day
but they happen anyway. It can get
a little annoying to be constantly
told to have a nice day while in the
middle of a bad one.
This day was started to encourage
service staff to greet their customers
with have a bad day rather than
have a nice day, but it can also
serve as a reminder to people that it
is okay to have bad days.
Mark this day with a little
forgiveness for yourself and others it is alright to have bad days.
Appreciate the bad days for what
they are worth; without them, how
would we know that the good days
were good?
21 November: World Hello Day
We are often told that the digital
generation with our eyes glued to
our smart devices has lost touch
with talking to people in person.
Time to practise, then!
World Hello Day began when
two university students in 1973

decided that world conflicts were

better handled if people could just
communicate properly, so they
encouraged making an effort to
greet people daily.
Take this a step further and use this
opportunity to reconnect with those
you have had misunderstandings
with, perhaps with a heartfelt letter.
We forget the power of a genuine
smile and a warm greeting as a
wayto melt even the coldest of
forgotten friendships. Use this day
to make amends.

Days to Celebrate this November

By YEONG XIU HUI
Whoever said November was
boring forgot about these holidays.
While October and December
might get the hype of Halloween
and Christmas, there is plenty to
celebrate in November (apart from
Diwali this year).
3 November: Sandwich Day
It is easy to prepare, convenient to
carry and quick to consume.
Sandwiches are a beloved go-to
food for students. Sandwich Day
also honours John Montagu, the 4th
Earl of Sandwich who was credited
to having created the concept.
If you want to shake things up,
celebrate this day by making a
sandwich you have never tried
before or come up with your own
unique concoction! Anyone up for
French toast slices stuffed with
baked beans, bacon and eggs?
7 November: Book Lovers Day
If you needed an excuse to indulge
in a good book, this is it.
Book Lovers Day falls on the
first Saturday of November, so tell
yourself that it is time you rewarded
yourselfwith pages from your
favourite tales.

From well-worn pages of an old

favourite to the pristine, untouched
ones of a newly anticipated
book, there is enjoyment to be
found in spending time with
yourimagination.
Or use this day to clean out your
shelves and donate some books to
the nearest orphanage, childrens
home or charity centre. A person
who appreciates the joy of reading
should share that with others.
13 November: Kindness Day
A little kindness goes a long way
in making the world a brighter place.
Started in 1998 by the World
Kindness Movement, this day
encourages good deeds without any
form of prejudice.
Make it a habit to spread some
kindness, even on campus.
Leave some change in the vending
machine for the next person. Help
lecturers with their bags. Offer
the security guards, janitorial and
maintenance staff a drink or a
snack. Leave classrooms clean and
organised for the next class. There
are just so much that you could
actually do.

Handwritten letters could turn

enemies into friends. Photo Credit:
Darius Shu Chen Keong

FE AT U R E S

October 2015

Living in Fear: Phobias

11

By NADYA SULAIMAN

When you hear the word phobia,

what do you think? Fear, terror or
distress? Ridiculous, irrational or
silly? Living with several phobias is
not easy.
Phobias may seem outrageous
to you, but it feels a lot more real
and terrifying to those living with a
phobia. It is more than just simple
fear but classified as a common
anxiety disorder that plagues just
about anyone.
Fear escalates to a whole new
level. You cannot bear to think about
it, much less to even talk about it.
Sooner or later, you come to
think about how you would become
a burden to everyone around
you. Maybe even face ridicule for
something you have almost no
control over. And that is part and
parcel to what simple phobia can do.
According to the American
Psychological Association, phobias
are usually derived from negative
life experiences. Usually developed
in childhood, it is difficult to pinpoint
when a phobia began.

What defines the difference

between phobia and simple fear
is that a person with a phobia,
when confronted with it, will cease
tofunction normally and fall into
total panic.
You may think I am exaggerating,
but I have both Trypophobia and
Bdellophobia, the fear of holes and
leeches. How could we avoid looking
at something as common as holes?
From patterns on a blouse to
just empty lotus pods, I grow more
terrified with every sight.
Trypophobia was theorised to
have been derived from the natural
reaction where the brain associates
holes with diseases or danger
such as holes made by insects and
diseased wounds.
Retail Executive, Chin Yuen Yue,
19, faces the same fear. My skin
crawls, I feel nauseated, it feels
disgusting and I would do almost
anything to avoid looking at clusters
of holes. To me, it feels like theres
something living inside them,
shedescribed.

Fear consumes the mind. Photo

Credit: michelemmartin.com

Trekking through a damp jungle,

the one thing that actually frightens
me half to death is a leech and I can
seriously say, I would cut off my limb
if one so much as touches me.
At first, people laugh, but
eventually the fear persists and
they start looking at you with

concern. Humans are naturally

afraid of theunknown or things
they do not understand. Naturally,
you find yourself segregated from
society and so you hide your fears in
falsebravado.
Here is the icing on the cake:
There had been actual cases of
people dying in fear.
In 2010, Danielle Goldberg,
26, who had claustrophobia, was
trapped in an elevator during a twohour blackout. Giving in to her fears,
she suffered a heart attack and died
shortly after being rescued.
Being in fear for a prolonged
amount of time could trigger panic
attacks that push the sympathetic
nervous system into full overdrive
with the heart beating so wildly that
it cannot handle the exertion and
eventually leading to immediate
cardiac arrest.
So when you see someone
terrified of flowers, butterflies or
rainbows, remember that they are in
terror. There is a legitimate reason
for theirsilliness.

How My Bullies Helped Me

By FARAH NADHIRAH MUHAMMAD KHAIRUN
Ever since I was a child, my mom
taught me that no matter who you
are and what you do, forgiveness
goes a long way. I grew up holding
onto that belief.
When I was 13, I went to a high
school where I knew nobody and
nobody knew me. I was just an
ordinary girl who had a tough time
fitting in. That was until the day I met
this group of girls I called friends.
At first, everything was fine. No
one dared to say a word because
everyone fit somewhere in the circle
so it was harder for me because I
was the newbie while these girls
had been friends for years.
It was not easy to please them but
that did not stop me from trying.
As time went by, nothing I did was
ever enough for them. Everything
was criticised. The more I spoke, the
more I got shushed. The choices I
made were never right in their eyes.
There was a time when they would
gather in a circle around me listing
down all my faults and flaws. When
teachers adored me, I was mocked
for trying too hard. Even having boys
admiring me was a huge deal when
we clearly know that those choices
were not mine to begin with.

Blocking out the voices. Photo Credit: socialjusticesolutions.org

Time passed and I was already

in my third year of high school.
Ironically, nothing changed. I was
still the outcast even though I was
accepted. That was when I began
to accept the fact that I was never
enough for these people. I told
noone about it because no one
would listen.
One day, I woke up thinking to
myself when will I ever stop letting
these girls step all over me and how
long do I plan on wasting my life
away for people who do not even
care about me?
That was when I decided to make
some changes in my life. I went

online and all I got was just ignore

them, they are not worth it. I got an
answer to my question but somehow
it was not what I was looking for.
When people say that mothers
know best, they are not joking. I
opened up to my mom and she said
two words that would haunt me for
the rest of my life forgive them.
I thought hard about forgiving
and finally saw the truth behind
it.If I retaliated and treated them
the waythey treated me, it would
mean that I was no different than
mybullies. However, if I forgave
them I would be doing them and
myself a favour.

Forgiving them meant that I

forgave them for tormenting me
during my highschool years and I
released myself from the shackles
of hurt theirwords were causing
me. It wasnot an easy road to walk
through but I was certain that it was
the right one.
After that, anything they said
did not hurt as much anymore. I
never fought back, instead I just
smiled and walked away every time
they tried to attack me. I became
someone with confidence. Walking
and eating alone was not an issue
for me anymore. I was content with
who I was and where I was heading.
My friends saw the changes in me
and maybe they realised that I was
no longer a target. The bullying still
went on, occasionally. It just had no
effect on me anymore.
We are still friends, five
years downthe road and the
bullyingobviously stopped since
everyone grew up and headed in
different directions.
At the end of the day, forgiveness
does go a long way. Had it not been
for my bullies, I would not be who I
am today. So now, I can tell everyone
that my bullies actually helped me.

12

FE ATUR ES

October 2015

In the Mind of Hannibal Lecter

By NADYA SULAIMAN
Watch in horrified fascination as
human meat is cleaved gracefully
from the bone in cannibalistic
delight to make the most appetizinglooking meals that leave audiences
feeling conflicted.
In soft dulcet tones, Hannibal
Lecter
states
matter-of-factly,
I mustconfess to you, Im
giving serious thought...to eating
yourwife.
Peculiar culinary tastes aside, he
has charmed his way into the hearts
and minds of fans throughout the
world. Sophisticated, intelligent
and cultured, he is a character
that the audience have always
foundengaging.
But what makes this twisted
character so appealing?
University student Mabel Huang
Xin Lei, 23, an avid fan, said, He
is more than just a murderer, he
nurtures relationships with the
people around him. We cant help but
wonder at his amazing abilities and
his knack at manipulating people
into believing his stories. Hes not
mindless, he always has something
planned and we cant help but be
curious about what hell do.
Besides questionable morals that
shake the foundations of the human

fictional world, Gullhaugen said.

His character in the books and
movies is an excellent illustration
of the cold mask some have thought
that psychopaths have. Because
it is a mask. Inside the head of the
cannibal and serial killer were
tenderness and pain, deep emotions
and empathy.

I must confess to you,

Im giving very serious
thought...to eating
your wife.

Deceptively charming Hannibal Lecter from the TV series, Hannibal.

Photo Credit: Sky.com

psyche, he is undoubtedly a present

day enigma.
Psychopaths were once viewed as
emotionless and icy cold. However,
psychologists have discovered
that there is more to it than meets
the eye.Lecter has shattered
preconceptions to what makes a
person the way theyare.
Its not just about being a
murderer. Hes also being human
in a twisted sense. He has his

little moments and needs to be a

complete perfectionist in everything
he does, Huang said. You never
know what he will do next. He is just
so unpredictable.
A researcher at the Norwegian
University of Science and Technology
Aina Gullhaugen believes that
Lecterwas portrayed accurately in
the franchise.
Hannibal Lecter is perhaps the
most famous psychopath from the

There were times when I would

spend an hour a day just going
through the interactive experience
of the books. These walkthroughs let
us search for items from important
scenes in the Potter books. At the
same time, it would unlock stories
of so many characters, stuff that we
did not think anyone would have the
time to think of even writing it.
What about those exclusive little
snippets that were personally
prepared by JK Rowling? Nobody

can forget the time she gave us an

insight on the current state of our
favourite characters lives through
Daily Prophet reporter, Rita Skeeter.
Those were the best things that
Pottermore had to offer. Now, the
interaction is gone.
I am an avid reader and I am
not complaining that some of the
new articles posted in the New
Pottermore were enlightening.
There are even more stories of
our favourite characters such as

Perhaps
Lecters
lasting
impression was due to his creator,
Thomas Harris efforts of imitating
real-life serial killers in every detail
of Lecters character.
With a tragic childhood sparking
his frenzy of insanity, Lecters
history of being forced fed his own
little sister at a tender age shows
how moral degradation captures
audiences interest in a way normal
horror flicks do not.
Jump scares and random bursts
of ghosts cannot compare to the
cold indifference to the sanctity of
human life.
Lecter continues to baffle people
with the mystery of psychopathy.

New Pottermore is a Potterbore!

By LEE TING
It is undeniable that the Harry
Potter fandom is a huge, unbreakable
force. So much so that JK Rowling
decided to give Potterheads the
chance to be part of the magical
world through Pottermore in 2012.
So when news came that
Pottermore was being reborn,
many Potterheads, myself included,
were psyched. Not just the fact that
they were giving us a certificate
to provewe were part of the
old Pottermore, I could not help
thinking, how would a perfect
website be made even better?
Come 22 September, Pottermore
was refreshed and it was definitely
not how I pictured it.
Gone were all the interactive
aspects of Pottermore.
I remembered the excitement
of visiting Diagon Alley to buy
ingredients for my potions and then
going back to the Common Room
to meet my fellow Housemates (go
Slytherin!), all while enjoying the
novelty of collecting house points
for the coveted House Cup.

The new Pottermore lacks the interactivity the old one had such as
brewing your own potions for House Points. Photo Credit: Alix West

the Potter family and JK Rowling

originals. But there lies the problem.
That was all there is.
It has simply turned into a
Buzzfeed kind of website where
there are articles after articles
and lists such as Seven times the
Invisibility Cloak came in handy.
Simply put, Pottermore is no
longer magical anymore.
Well, let us give Pottermore the
benefit of the doubt. Perhaps it is
still too new. They did promise us a
chance to be sorted into the Houses
once again and to find out what our
Patronus will be something that I
am definitely looking forward to.
So far, those are the only
promisesof interaction with no
definite release date.
I guess my expectations were
set too high, especially since it
was supposed to be a revamp of
a great community website. I am
disappointed in the upgrades, but I
will still keep my hopes up for the
good part of the old Pottermore to
make its reappearance.