UM Development : Time to walk the talk

On the 20th of February, I went to the Post-Graduate Institute (IPS) for an invitation to join a meeting on University of Malaya development master plan. The meeting was quite brief, with me expecting us to debate on the master plan, but however, the meeting was actually to announce on the need for input for the proposed draft of master plan.

It is interesting to note that on 1995, UM actually have a master plan, where most of the development we see now revolve around that particular plan. But, the meeting was about doing everything back from a scratch. It does not mean tearing everything apart, but a development that answers a few qualitative aspects. The key issues with the current campus design and planning will be addressed, and the ideal campus environment be realized.

Issues currently going around such as water shortages and poor Internet access made the students feel like there is no effort being done to UM to become a better university. Renovation of Experimental Theatre has been ongoing for years, and there is complaints that the trees has grown tall at the site of new Science faculty parking complex. I really hope that this master plan will not end up as only a plan. Half-the battle may have been won, no-planner is planning to fail.
But effective deliverance, should be practiced too, in line with effective planning.

Professor Philip Cox gave his thought on how UM should become. He is from one of the directors and the founding partners of the Cox Group, an architectural firm from Australia. As a consultant to many award winning development plans, he said that UM is a big development opportunity. He also told that to become the best university in the Asian region, we need to have the best infrastructure. But the UM development consultant agreed that sometimes political influence and financial support may be a problem.

From left: Professor Cox, Professor Dato' Dr. Mohd Amin and Professor Dr. Khaw Lake Tee

A big development opportunity, UM is. This can also be reviewed from many news reports highlighting on the development of land in UM's premier land. A few of them such as:
UM mohon kelulusan menjual tanah(19 FEB 2008)
Consortium plans gated community at UM land (20 FEB 2008)
UM poised to earn RM 312 mil from land deal(20 FEB 2008)
UM mohon kelulusan majukan tanah(20FEB 2008)
UM Submits proposal to develop 11ha of land in main campus(23 FEB 2008)

The master plan will be developed in two stages. Stage one will be around 8 weeks, where surveys will be handed out, workshops and interviews will be done to gather feedbacks from the end users. Stage two, consisting approximately 16 weeks, will be about detailing the plan and the expected time for the master plan to be completed

Development has to be focused both on physical infrastructure and human capital.

A few aspects need to be considered. How UM can be categorized as the ideal campus environment? What is the main image and identity of UM? How can development be done in an old campus such as UM? Why do our ancestors build this building here and that building there? Historical and cultural aspects too, play a role in determining how far can we develop the university.

Let's hope that this plan will not be left as only a plan. Action should be taken effectively after everything completed. If you have the opportunity to have a say, give it your best shot, so that together we can give this plan a thorough research and feedbacks, so that our next generation benefited with what's being done by our generation. Give out first-class mentality opinions. The strive to become the best will need us to be best in both academic and physical outlook.

It is time to walk the talk.