By: Amirul bin Mohd Sukarno
GOMBAK, 30 MAY 2023: On May 30, marked the conclusion of the IIUMSU election, and on June 6, the official results were announced. A total of six central seats, 11 general seats, and 15 office seats that spanned Gombak, Kuantan, and Pagoh campuses were open for contention. However, compared to last year’s election, the number of candidates contesting for the open seat was far less than expected.
A total of 12 candidates submitted their nomination forms to contest the seats. Two for the central seats, four for the general seats, and six for the office seats, with all of them having won uncontested for their respective seats, resulting in a rather unexciting election campaign compared to previous years.
This year’s election also shared its own twists and turns of events. Previously, there were two candidates for the Deputy President 1 seat, Muntasir Aznan and Yuveraaj Pillai, which would have resulted in the only seat that students had to vote for. But the only presidential seat candidate at that time, Alif Halimi, had decided to withdraw his candidature due to personal reasons. As susch, Muntasir Aznan had decided to withdraw from the Deputy President 1 seat and take on the President seat instead, and Yuveraaj Pillai maintained his position for Deputy President 1.
Muntasir Aznan, after winning the president’s seat despite the absence of competition, is optimistic about his new role and expressed gratitude towards the support received by the students. He is definitely looking forward to the challenges ahead and to achieving great things for the Student Union, according to his Twitter account.
With that being said, despite the majority of the students being simply unperturbed by these significant changes in events, the newly elected IIUM SU officers remain hopeful that they can effectively buckle down on their responsibilities and address the students' concerns to bring about positive changes.
The rather quiet election campaign has presented an opportunity for the IIUM SU to engage with students more and inquire about feedback to make sure that students' voices are heard, ultimately increasing participation in future elections.***
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