Joining UiTM’s Rome stature

There is more to UiTM and other public institutions than the alleged advice of academicians to the Rulers against the treaty. Critics will see the many traits and achievements if only they took a less prejudiced look.

I’M happy to announce that I have recently become an Associate Fellow at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), and I confess that Rome was one of the reasons I have been appointed.

For it was here that the lecturer crafted a special interpretation, enabling the delivery of a brilliant presentation amidst regal settings in tune with experts from around the world, leading the team to victory.

This was an achievement delivered through merit and discipline, and certainly not by statute.

I am of course referring to Dr Masashi Kishimoto of the Faculty of Music who led the UiTM Chamber Choir, UiTM Men’s Glee Club and UiTM Women’s Chorale to Gold Diplomas at the Musica Eterna Roma International Choir Festival and Competition held in Rome in July 2018, where between them they sang six songs from around Nusantara and one from Finland.

These unprecedented wins rightly brought much celebration among Malaysians, especially those who were not even aware that UiTM had such a choir.

I first discovered UiTM’s musical prowess through Dr Tazul Tajuddin, who I knew through the Society of Malaysian Contemporary Composers of which I’m patron, and whose works include the celebrated Opera Puteri Saadong and an orchestration of Benjamin Britten’s sketch for Malaya’s proposed national anthem. Having joined the faculty in 2009, he is now the dean.

Since 2017 the faculty has held the Tunku Zain Composition Competition at the KL Performing Arts Centre, and I am delighted to say that – despite not having any input in the judging process – I love the two pieces that have won so far: Ard by Siti Balqis Amanina and Lucky Chuck by Muhammad Aiman Samsol Rizal.

Last year I had the privilege of joining the choir in performing Anyaman by Yew-Boon Chong (a “weaving” of three Malay folk songs) and an arrangement of the Circle of Life from the Lion King.

It is with this background that I was invited to become an Associate Fellow. On the day of my appointment a carnival was being organised by students of the faculty’s diploma programme, showcasing their talents (which in some cases have already been recognised by industry and legions of social media fans) and platforms for student interactions – in English, just as with their courses – with successful musical practitioners like singer-songwriter Altimet and guitarist-composer-educator Az Samad.

Equally, the faculty is proud of past students who have gone on to become an eclectic mix of senior government officials, accomplished musicians and celebrities.

To recap: quality lecturers, international success, recognition by the arts fraternity, engagement with industry, and a legacy of illustrious alumni.

These are just some of the outstanding achievements of the oldest music faculty in the country, which they strive to uphold despite resource constraints and increasing competition from other public and private universities: a game-changer would be the renovation of a much needed concert hall.

And yet, if one mentions “UiTM” and “Rome” in the same sentence as I did above, one is likely to trigger derision in some quarters, based on the alleged advice of one of its law professors against the Rome Statute presented to the Rulers, after which the government unilaterally announced its withdrawal from the international treaty.

Indeed, on social media there is no shortage of outraged commentators denouncing the entire university as being racist and educationally bereft. Not only that: similar negative traits are then applied to all public universities, all lecturers and all those who work for the ministry of education.

Alas, this phenomenon of collective punishment against institutions is one that equally infects the minds – or at least, tactics – of many liberals and conservatives alike.

One example is seized upon to denounce an entire institution, despite the many traits and achievements that critics themselves might actually approve of, if only they bothered to take a less prejudiced look.

Unfortunately there is no incentive to do so, because it might contradict the arguments that have already been made: saving face is more important than seeking truth.

Instead, hostile mindsets get hardened, increasing polarisation in an environment of tribal politics where race and religion dominate.

Unsurprisingly, public discourse then loses nuance, context and intellectual honesty.

Admittedly – and given that I was an ethnic minority for most of my education – I think having an ethnically homogenous educational institution is increasingly anachronistic today. But that doesn’t mean academic greatness cannot be achieved.

After all, another ethnically homogenous school – the Malay College Kuala Kangsar – historically produced many successful and progressive minds across government and industry.

I pledge to contribute what I can to ensure that the UiTM Faculty of Music will maintain and uphold its stature in the hope that many more can benefit.