Pauh Putra, 13th June – 263 Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) students did not have to struggle going to the bus station to catch their express buses in order to return to their hometowns for Aidilfitri as buses had been booked for them to depart from the campus.

The UniMAP Balik Raya Bus Project Programme was organised by the Student Representative Council (MPP) to help students return to their hometowns and launched by UniMAP Vice Chancellor Dato' Prof Dr Zul Azhar Zahid Jamal from the Tun Abdul Razak Residential College (PFI2) at the UniMAP campus at 10.00 PM here today.

The Deputy Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Alumni (HEPA) Professor Dr Mohd Foad Sakdan was also present at the launch.

UniMAP MPP President Muhammad Amir Hakim Razali said that the programme was carried out with the cooperation of the IR-SAF bus company which provided eight buses for the programme.

“MPP was concerned with UniMAP colleagues who could not buy bus tickets as they were sold out ahead of the celebrations, so this initiative was conceived to help our friends return home.

“In addition, the fare is cheaper than the normal buses and our friends' travel costs are reduced as they need not take other public transports to get to the bus station,” he said when met after the launch of the programme.

Meanwhile, first year Mechatronic Engineering student Abdul Rafieq Haiqal Abdul Rahman who was bound for Kuala Lumpur said that he was excited to be able to go home for the celebrations with his UniMAP compatriots and did not have to travel far to catch an express bus.

He said he would be able to get to know new friends and share with them en route.

“Some would not sleep in transit because of the fun chatting before arriving at our respective destinations and eating sahur together,” he said.

Besides launching the programme, Dr Zul Azhar also spent time distributing moreh meals to students on the bus before the bus departed.