The*Asterisk

This story is a follow up to The Asterisk’s previous story about the engineering students’ fee schedule.

The engineering students previously faced some issues regarding the fee structure for their January 2011 semester.

The Asterisk can proudly reveal that the Finance Office have now divided the fees and fixed the previous mistake. The new fee schedule accounts for a three semester calendar year based on a four year engineering degree program.

The Asterisk commends Finance Office for the quick response in the matter. The one week response shows that for all the complaints, the INTI departments do have the potential to respond quickly.

This situation did in fact prove that “where there is a will there is a way.”

Students interested in finding out the new fee schedule are gladly invited to the finance office to get further enlightenments.

Students interested in finding out the new breakdown of fees are invited to visit the Finance Office.

By Naheeda Suddoo
dragon_241291@hotmail.com

By Yugaataran Muniandy
yuga07_1902@yahoo.com

INTI IU’s Accommodation Office has been all over our headlines regarding the new fences installed by the management of INTI IU. Students have been so hung up regarding the fences that many have failed to take not of another important issue.

The Asterisk received reports from students of overcrowding in the hostel blocks so INTIans’ favourite paper paid a visit to AO in order to get a response.


Senior officer at AO, Ms Susan Low Pei Ling said that the INTI Hostels can accommodate up to 3660 students at any one given time. During the March and May intakes however, the number of students who need to be accommodated on-campus exceeds the limit.

AO overcame this problem by placing the extra students in Desa Palma, the residential apartments outside of our campus.

Currently, AO has placed students in around 10 apartments in Desa Palma. The rates for these rooms are similar to the amount a student pays for the on-campus accommodations.

Susan also stressed that they do not give preferential treatment to either local or international students when it comes to hostel room bookings. AO’s policy is that rooms are given on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

This coming May will be an important date in my personal calendar. It would mark my third year as an INTI Nilai student.

Since joining the institution in May 2008, I have witnessed my dear college being taken over by the largest for-profit education service in the United States. I have also witnessed countless graduations, scholarship presentations and academic award ceremonies.

I am also one of the lucky students still in INTI IU who was here during the governance of the 12th INTIMA, one of INTIMA's most successful terms. The term of Calvin Chung and co will be remembered for a term of student support.

As I sat in the INTIMA Council Room on Feb 9, I thought of what the past terms have tried to achieve.

The 12th term, lauded as one of the best terms, probably didn't have the best club scene however.

The 13th did miracles for the clubs but didn't cover themselves in glory as the representatives of students as a whole.

The 14th tried to strike a balance, but in a term where Laureate began the 'new INTI makeover', the term wasn't able to meet expectations on both fronts.

Yet as I sat there, watching Kenny Ng lead the council meeting in the absence of Sree Shaarmen, I wondered if INTIMA had finally found the balance it needs.

This INTIMA term will probably be judged on how they deal with the fence issue (their first real issue). I however am looking forward to what Vice President of Activities Kenny Ng can do to heal the ailing club scene in INTI.

Kenny Ng (centre)

As he stood in front of the council, confident of his new regulations, I believed that this is the man, the lost piece of the puzzle that the great 12th term lacked.

His stern regulations have resulted in a more organised club scene while his history with STACT club and his achievements with it also means that he is well respected and supported by the council. That's the balance.

He supports his regulations well, giving fair reasons for their implementation but he has not passed the litmus test just yet. The Leadership Training Camp (LTC) ended with mixed reviews and as we approach March, we have not seen a memorable innovative event yet.

King Kenny has six months to turn all that potential he has into fruition. If he gets that right, the 15th term will be remembered for more than just exciting exhibition weeks.

The Crooked Asterisk is a column written by editor-in-chief Sandheep Nair. The views of Sandheep are strictly his own and do not reflect the views of The Asterisk or the general INTI population.

The Asterisk is back and better than ever this week.

We have decided to cover the issue on everyone's mind; the fences.

The Asterisk writers have been hard at work in getting you the information you need to stay well informed on this issue.

If you would like to read up on the issue, here are the articles:

- Students' Side: Wall of Anger
- Management Side: Wall of Miscommunication
- "No need for petition" - Dr. Sia

The Asterisk will continue to update you on the latest developments while our columnists will also weigh in on their opinions regarding this story!

Watch this space.

By Sandheep Nair
sandheep90@msn.com

Dr. Sia Ah Hiok, Associate Vice President of Student Services and Alumni Division has questioned INTIMA’s reasoning to petition for the removal of the fences that have been installed in the rear blocks of our campus.

(Standing, right) INTIMA President Sree Shaarmen

INTIMA started gathering feedback from the students regarding the issue of the newly installed fences since before Chinese New Year. The student government, now in its second semester, is hoping to gain support for their campaign to take down the fences.

“If students are not in favour of the fences, INTIMA will start a petition and hopes to receive 2,000 signatures to show our dissatisfaction,” said Sree Shaarmen, President of the 15th INTIMA.

Dr. Sia though believes that the student government is a representation of the students and need not petitions to further their initiatives.

“INTIMA as a body is there to represent all of INTI’s students. I do not understand why they would need 2,000 signatures when they themselves would be enough,” she said.

By Thomas Liew
thomaslsy92@gmail.com

The student's are not the only ones upset by the fence issue.

An interview with a student helper from Accommodation Office (AO) has helped unveil another side of the story of this controversial event. According to them, the move to put up the fence was quite a sudden move which they were not informed of. They said their duty was not to make a decision of what to do but more rather, to carry out the orders from the higher authorities of INTI.

Clustering of students based on gender will be enforced whereby female students will occupy the blocks in the rear of the fence while the male students will occupy the forward halls of residence.

However, as a result of miscommunication, the students were left in the dark but as Accommodation Office was quite clear in being only the employee who carries out orders quoting that it was “unfair to just blame them only.”

(Above) Dr Sia

“It is important that the students think objectively and rationally and to use critical judgment,” says Dr. Sia, Associate Vice President of Student Services, citing that the students move to spread rumours and rash conclusions based on speculations is quite unnecessary.

The issue of erecting the fence was further complicated by the fact that the decision to raise it up, bypassed the key figures of the management. As such, it can be said that INTI’s senior management was not informed by this.

The management is currently looking into the matter and has urged students to put aside their speculative and emotional mindsets and address this problem together, rationally and objectively.

By Thomas Liew
thomaslsy92@gmail.com 

Has anyone noticed INTI International University’s latest trend?

That’s right; the roads which encircle INTI’s halls of residence are now sprouting fences. The question everyone has been asking? WHY?

Many students have been ranting and raving about the erection of the fences being an uncertain future and a highly probable obstruction to their campus life. With no prior information of the fence until after the erection of the fence, it is no surprise why rumours have been spreading like wildfire.

The infamous fence

Students have been extending numerous blames and demands for clarification on this matter. Comments and views on this issue flood the inbox of INTIMA as well as the INTIMA Online Forum and website. INTI has yet to release an official statement despite construction already beginning on the site.

“I just paid for my room and I like it very much so there is no way AO is going to move me out,” says Ameerudin, a second semester Physiotherapy student who currently resides in Block P.

Another student, Symone Lee mentioned that it will definitely diminish the conducive learning environment INTI has and that students will find it rather difficult to commute around without trudging on restricted areas.

“I am shocked that INTI is willing to do this to us. Our parents have paid thousands of Ringgit and this is what they do to us. Unbelievable!! INTIMA should do something about it” says a student who only wanted to be known as Tung.

In a recent council meeting, the student government had mentioned that they will do their best to ensure that the fence is taken down. INTIMA President Sree Shaarmen stated that the fence “will definitely obstruct the campus life and this would eventually lead to it being diminished.”

According to him, it is like the formation of colonies within INTI itself. Clearly, the students of INTI are extremely dissatisfied with the fence and the lack of clarification about it.