Language preservationist wins UM's top academic award
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah, today graced the 2024 Universiti Malaya (UM) Excellence Award ceremony, which recognised excellent contributions by university staff and corporate partners.
Sultan Nazrin, who is UM chancellor, presented awards to 59 recipients across 45 categories.
The highest honour, academic figure of the year, was awarded to Professor Dr Stefanie Shamila Pillai from the Faculty of Languages and Linguistics in recognition of her pioneering work in Malaysian English variation and heritage language preservation.
She is the first Malaysian to document and archive an endangered language in Malaysia, namely the Melaka Portuguese language, through the Endangered Languages Archive (Endangered Languages Documentation Programme).
Other award categories were the innovative alternative assessment, excellent teaching, best academic administrator, outstanding young researcher, research figure, corporate partner and excellent partner.
Present were UM vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman and pro-chancellors Toh Puan Dr Aishah Ong as well as Tan Sri Zainun Ali.
In his speech, Azuan said the event reflected the university's appreciation for individuals who have demonstrated excellence in their respective fields.
"UM has surpassed its target with grant acquisitions amounting to RM163.37 million in 2024, an increase of 42 per cent compared to the previous year.
"This growth reflects the confidence of various parties in the capabilities of UM researchers, as well as the strength of its research ecosystem, which continues to develop sustainably and with impact," he said.
Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Stefanie said she began studying the Melaka Portuguese language in 2009, with formal documentation starting in 2011.
The work has since been digitally archived and made publicly accessible.
Beyond research and archiving, she has also worked closely with the community to develop learning tools, including mobile applications, aimed at reviving the use of the language.
"In terms of research, my motto is that research should not just stop at publication but it must make an impact, on the country and especially on the community.
"I think it's really important for us to continue using our languages, to document and revitalise them because language is not just for communication, it is also how we convey our culture, practices and our ways of thinking.
"When we lose a language, we also lose a part of our soul. That's why it's so crucial," she said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
M'sian peacekeepers awarded UN Medals
Well deserved: Some of the Malbatt 850-12 personnel posing with their UN Medals. KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 155 members of the Malaysian Battalion (Malbatt) 850-12, comprising 20 officers, 134 other ranks, and one administrative and diplomatic officer, have been awarded United Nations (UN) Medals in recognition of their service in Lebanon. The medals were presented during a formal parade held in full military tradition at Marakah Camp, Lebanon, on Thursday. Leading the ceremony was Deputy Commander of Malbatt 850-12, Lt-Kol Firdaus Shah Budin, who served as the parade commander. 'The event was accompanied by a performance from the Ghana Battalion (Ghanbatt) military band,' Malbatt said in a statement yesterday. Topping the list of recipients was Malbatt 850-12 Commander, Kol Johan Effendi Mohd Shalleh, who received the medal in recognition of his leadership and significant contribution to the mission's success. The medals were conferred by United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) Sector West Commander, Brig-Gen Nicola Mandolesi, who presented the awards to senior officers and personnel of all ranks. Also in attendance was Malaysia's Ambassador to Lebanon, Azri Mat Yacob, who officiated the medal adornment ceremony on behalf of the Malaysian government as a symbol of national support and appreciation for the contingent's peacekeeping contributions. The UN Medals serve as formal recognition of Malbatt 850-12's professionalism, dedication and vital role in maintaining peace and supporting international missions in the region. Malbatt 850-12 was deployed under Unifil in November 2024 during a period of heightened security tensions in southern Lebanon stemming from rising friction between Israel and Iran. These developments significantly strained local political stability and public safety. 'The presence of Malbatt 850-12 has been crucial in supporting Unifil's mandate to assist the Lebanese government in strengthening security control and monitoring within the area of operations,' the statement said. The contingent has also built strong cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces, enabling effective operations. Beyond peacekeeping, Malbatt 850-12 has been involved in numerous humanitarian missions, including medical outreach, food aid distribution, and community engagement programmes for orphans. These initiatives have fostered goodwill with local communities and contributed meaningfully to social stability in the region.
The Sun
17 hours ago
- The Sun
M'sian woman gets RM8.9K PERKESO claim in just 3 days
A Malaysian woman who fractured her foot while on the way to work recently shared how she managed to receive her PERKESO (SOCSO) claim within just three days. @mikaylamajla said in a Threads post that she submitted her documents on 10 June this year and successfully received a claim from the Social Security Organisation (PERKESO) amounting to RM8,944. Mikayla explained that she had fractured her foot after falling into a drain while dropping off her child at school. At the hospital, doctors informed her that she had sustained fractures in seven different areas and was given two months of hospitalisation leave. That was when she decided to apply for compensation under PERKESO's 'temporary disablement' benefit. She added that she was eligible for the claim even though the incident happened while she was sending her child to school, explaining that she is a single mother. 'If any of you get into an accident on the way to the office, on the way back home from work, or even during working hours and end up in hospital or receive medical leave (MC) for more than seven days, you are eligible to claim temporary disablement benefits. This is your right,' Mikayla said. She advised that after an accident, one should first visit a clinic to get checked, then request a referral letter to a hospital. A specialist at the hospital will then treat the injury and issue a medical certificate (MC). Mikayla stressed the importance of obtaining the MC, as it helps expedite the PERKESO claim process. She also listed the required documents, highlighting that they must be submitted within three months from the date of the accident. According to Mikayla, the necessary documents include: - Form 34 - A copy of your national identification card (IC) - The original MC (make sure to obtain two original copies from your doctor) - Payslips for six months from the date of the accident - An attendance record for the month of the accident - A bank statement (from a local bank only) - A police report from a police station near the accident site - A sketch map clearly showing the route from your home to your workplace Mikayla submitted all the documents to her company's human resources (HR) department and highlighted that the Form 34 must be signed by HR before being submitted to PERKESO. She mentioned that while it is possible to send the documents to PERKESO via email, she chose to submit them in person to ensure a smoother process. 'After speaking to my family and friends, I realised that many of them who were involved in accidents during their work commute didn't know they could claim from PERKESO. That's quite sad. 'Please remember your rights as a PERKESO member,' Mikayla emphasised in her Threads post.
The Sun
20 hours ago
- The Sun
M'sian woman helps make drinks at KL eatery
A Malaysian woman's helpful act at a Kuala Lumpur eatery recently went viral after she stepped in to help make drinks not only for herself but for other customers as well. Shared on TikTok, the post explained that the eatery was short-staffed, with no one available to prepare beverages. The woman initially went in to make a drink for herself, but ended up helping with the rest of the orders as well. According to the post, a staff member informed her that his mother had briefly stepped out, leaving no one to prepare drinks for the customers. Drawing on skills she had learned from helping her late parents run a business, she got to work and began preparing drinks, not just for herself but for other patrons too. In the viral video, the woman, wearing a sling bag, can be seen carefully preparing each beverage — from kopi-o to iced coffee, iced teh-o, iced bandung, and even teh tarik. Netizens were impressed not only by her willingness to help, but also by her skill in preparing a variety of drinks while handling multiple orders calmly and efficiently. One user noted that beverage makers in eateries are just as important as cooks, adding that hiring a good drink maker can be more challenging than hiring a cook, as drinks made at home never quite taste the same as those served in local eateries.
