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Webinars and Talks Issue no. 2 | 2022

“Historians too can write novels”
- History Department Seminar Series

On 17 June 2022, the History Department welcomed its By Dr Nur Dayana Mohamed Ariffin
first on-site seminar since Covid-19, presented by
academician, poet, novelist and social activist, Professor
Nor Faridah Abdul Manaf from the English Department,
International Islamic University Malaysia. The seminar was
organized by members of the History Department,
Professor Sivacandralingam Sundara Raja and Dr Tan Miau
Ing, and attracted scholars from the Faculty of Arts and
Social Sciences and Faculty of Law.

Professor Faridah focused on the power of creative writing
in presenting history, through poems, novels, essays
enabling historians to “soften the edges” and deliver
valuable arguments and information to a larger crowd.
Professor Faridah, who reminded her audience that Speaker poses with delegates and participants
"understanding other people's history humanises us", has
herself produced a few creative works, with her latest novel
being Wanita Rawa Terakhir, an exploration of women’s
lives from the Rawa community.

The book was inspired by data from five years of research
with colleagues, Dr Fauziah Fathil and the late Dr Wan
Suhana Wan Sulong, both from the History and Civilization
Department at International Islamic University Malaysia.
The lively discussion that followed the presentation
attested to the excitement from students on the prospect
that they too can be writers. Speaker poses with delegates and participants

Journey of a Diplomat

By Dr Khoo Ying Hooi

On the 21st of April 2022, the Department of International
and Strategic Studies, together with the International
Relations Society of Universiti Malaya (IRSOC) and the
International Relations Office of Universiti Malaya (IRO)
organized the "Journey of a Diplomat" webinar which
featured the High Commissioner of Malaysia to the
Commonwealth of Australia, H.E. Dato' Roslan Tan Sri
Abdul Rahman. A total of 81 students participated in this
webinar. Dr. Khoo giving welcoming remarks in presence of Dr. Roy and H.E.
Dato' Roslan
The webinar began with welcoming remarks from the background to become a diplomat; other fields of study
Head of the Department of International and Strategic were just as relevant. H.E. Dato' Roslan discussed his
Studies, Dr Khoo Ying Hooi, followed by the featured journey into the diplomatic core and ended his speech by
speaker H.E. Dato' Roslan Tan Sri Abdul Rahman, who sharing some misconceptions about being a Malaysian
shared his humble beginnings from a military family. While diplomat with the audience. After a quick Q&A session, H.E
his father was a high-ranking officer in the Royal Malaysian Dato' Roslan and his on-ground staff conducted a virtual
Armed Forces (ATM), His Excellency was more interested tour around the Malaysian Embassy in Australia. The
in literature during his university years. This proved his webinar was concluded with closing remarks by Dr Khoo
point that you do not need an international relations Ying Hooi.
7 | Pulse @ FASS