The*Asterisk

The Asterisk received reports this week of student abuse of INTI facility. In the space of just two days images of toilet rolls being abused were sent to us.

Bad behaviour.

First, students threw toilet rolls about at the male toilet at Academic Block A, Level 2. And then, we received images of a burnt toilet roll in the urinal at Student Centre, Level LG (next to the Hair Salon).

The images can be viewed The Asterisk's brand new Flickr page, here.

Ms. Lillian Tai of the Student Affairs Office (SAO) informed me that it costs more than RM5,500 a month to provide toilet paper for all of the toilets in the Academic Block and Student Centre.

Perhaps some of the newer INTI students should be taken back a few years to a time when we weren't provided with toilet rolls in our restrooms. Times were tough, bums were wet. I don't want those days back!

INTI's job is to provide us an education, everything else is just a perk. Unfortunately, some students' caveman-like behaviour may lead to us losing one of those perks.

If this were to happen, who can we blame other than ourselves?

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.

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.

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.

Photograph by Di Sheng Chow

The Asterisk will be bringing you new original stories next week, despite the holidays, as we strive towards bringing freedom of speech to our campus.

We will also have an exclusive interview with the Associate Vice President of Student Services and Alumni Division, Dr. Sia Ah Hiok, on the newly installed fences which have caused uproar among the students.

Among the issues that will be addressed are:

• How the installation came about
• Reaction from the student population
• What INTIMA can do

Be sure to bookmark this address and return next week for this exclusive story.

The Fourth Estate (the publishers of The Asterisk) would like to take this opportunity to wish our readers a Happy Chinese New Year and enjoy the week-long holiday ahead!

By Sandheep Nair
sandheep90@msn.com

INTIMA has welcomed its newest affiliate to the circle of socialisation, the INTI Punjabi Society (IPS). The new affiliate is reported to be under “the umbrella of the Indian Cultural Society” according to Asterisk sources in INTIMA.

The decision to allow this club to run is seen as an aberration on the part of INTIMA and the Students Affairs Office (SAO). IPS has just created an opportunity for students to take advantage of what appears to be a new loophole in the system to create clubs of differing heritage.

Will we be seeing Hakka or Hokkien cultural clubs fall under the umbrella of Chinese Cultural Society in the future? Should we expect to see a Javanese subdivision of the Malay Cultural Society sometime soon?

Only time will tell if INTIMA and SAO regret their decision.

By Sandheep Nair
sandheep90@msn.com

By Sandheep Nair
sandheep90@msn.com

When I first joined INTI in 2008, I joined the Editorial Board hoping to bring a new brand of journalism to this university. I rose through the ranks at the club and was soon editor of one of INTI’s oldest clubs. Before the days of INTI Vybes, IMPAC or even Adventure Club, Editorial Board (under the stewardship of the English Language Society) was writing stories for the INTI population.

I went on to other ventures after my tenure as Editor but my love of journalism never eroded. The long life of Editorial Board recently came to an end, the club slowly faded away into the depths of history when the newly elected 15th INTIMA announced that the club was officially declared inactive. In other words, the club I had grown to love is now dead.

Upon returning from my internship, I started a student based newspaper focused on online material to cater to the students. With help from a small but helpful interim committee, we created the Fourth Estate.
Now the fourth estate is a literary term for the press, a societal or political force. That is what this paper promises to deliver. We will strive to provide students of INTI all the information you need on what’s happening in and around INTI.

We are always on the lookout for more writers and if you would like to contribute, we’d love to have you.