By Nur Farahi’in
An event called “Kampung River Clean up 2022” was recently held by the Student Representative Council (MPP) of UNIMAS under exco “Foreign and International Relations” with the participation of international students currently enrolled at Universiti Sarawak Malaysia (UNIMAS).
This community service drew more than 50 local and international students. The goal of this event is to expose international students to Sarawak’s culture and villages. This event also aims to improve communication and bond between international and local students.
Aside from that, the activity also aims to inspire students through community service, as well as to educate them about the waste issue by emphasising that rubbish can be found wherever they are and that they must be disposed of properly.
Nova Zena Vania, 20, who is from Pontianak, Indonesia, is currently studying mechanical engineering in UNIMAS. She has lived in Sarawak for the past two years and has developed a strong interest in the local culture. While still in high school, she said she had decided to attend university in Sarawak.
“Sarawak’s development and culture are similar to our own, however this place is unique in terms of culture, and food with a variety of flavours. It is a great place to visit,” she said.
As we all know, our country has been plagued by the COVID-19 virus for several years, resulting in MCO (Movement Control Order). This has resulted in a delay in face-to-face learning.
“I am a second-year student, however I studied online during the first semester. This has hampered my ability to study to some level,” she said.
This is a great event organised by UNIMAS students to improve relationships between international students, local students, and local people.
One of the purposes of this event was to promote Kampung Stass, a village in Bau, where people can appreciate the wonders of nature. Students were divided into three groups, A, B, and C, to facilitate the division of areas. The main activity there was cleaning up the river. The volunteers removed debris from the water, cleaned out rainy drains, and cleaned up the village as well as some parts of the river.
“Since enrolling in UNIMAS this year, this is my first participation in an event,” said Nova.
This sort of activity, in my opinion, is really important for bringing international students closer together while also improving communication with both local classmates and the people of Sarawak.
This initiative can become successful with the support of university students and residents of Stass village. Students who want to do community service in the village are welcome to do so. Youth, according to the villagers, are no longer enthusiastic about doing volunteer work. Thus, the villagers value activities like this that allow young people to discover the attraction and distinction of their village.
However, international students face a number of challenges. One of them has to do with language. Sarawak’s Malay language is unique to the state. As a result, there is a communication barrier between local and international students.
However, Fatimah Fanisa Rania, 21, an Indonesian student in the faculty of applied and creative arts, was unconcerned. She has also spent two years in UNIMAS. Although she finds Sarawak Malay difficult to understand, she has started to learn some of the language with the help of a local friend.
“I don’t understand Sarawak Malay when my friends use it, but they always help me grasp some of the more commonly used terms,” she said.
Rania described the village she visited that day as beautiful, with pleasant villagers and a serene atmosphere. As a result of this experience, she learned a number of new things.
“I had never visited a village because I was born and raised in the city. I’ve never gone into a river to clean it. This is a wonderful opportunity and learning experience for me.”
The villagers value clean-up events like this because they encourage young people to become involved in environmental activity while also providing international students with opportunities to gain experience and create relationships with locals and students.
Last but not least, the MPP of UNIMAS under exco “Foreign and International Relations” highlights the idea that community service can enable students build connections with others outside of the classroom. The activities in Stass Village have been positively received by the locals. It is hoped that in the future, activities such as this would be expanded to attract more students.
• This article was written by a student from the Strategic Communication Programme at the Faculty of Language and Communication, UNIMAS.
