HERI KUSMANTO PASSED WITH FLYING COLOURS

Heri Kusmanto's calm disposition during his viva

7 March - Alhamdulillah, by the grace of Allah SWT, another ISDEV PhD student passed his viva on 21 February 2013 with flying colours. This time is the turn of Heri Kusmanto, who writes on Islamic-Based Civil Society in Indonesia: Political Accommodation and Democratization of Muhammadiyah and Al-Wasliyah in North Sumatera. He is supervised by Dr Mohammad Zaini Abu Bakar and ISDEV Director, Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh.

Posing with the Board of Examiners

The Board of Examiners unanimously recommended his thesis to be nominated for the Outstanding Thesis Award. He is the 10th ISDEV PhD student to have achieved such high recommendations.

The chairperson for Heri Kusmanto's viva which was held at the Mc Clintosh Room, IPS, was Professor Abdul Khalil H.P Shawkataly from the School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia. Assoc. Prof. Intan Hamshimah Mohd Hashim, Deputy Dean (Research), School of Social Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia represented the Dean. The external examiner was Professor Dr. Badlihisham Mohd Nasir, from the Institute of West Asian Studies (IKRAB), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia while the two internal examiners were Dr Zahri Hamat and Dr Fadzila Azni Ahmad.

The examination in session

As the normal tradition of ISDEV, prior to  the viva, Heri Kusmanto went through a thorough mock viva at ISDEV the day before. Then just moments before the viva in the morning, ISDEV lecturers and students gathered at the USM Mosque to perform solatul-hajat for Heri Kusmanto, to seek the help of Allah SWT in positioning him in the benefit of himself and Islam. Alhamdulillah, Allah SWT has answered ISDEV's appeal by passing him.

Congratulations Heri Kusmanto!

(left - right) ISDEV Director, Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh,
ISDEV Deputy Director, Dr. Zakaria Bahari and
Heri Kusmanto during the mock viva