FIRST QUARTER OF 2014: 4 EXCELLENT PhD THESES AND STILL COUNTING

After Suraya Ismail passed with flying colours in her viva voce in February 2014, three other RISDEV (Postgraduate Research Mode) students have also done ISDEV proud. They are Wan Anisah Wan Endut, Radieah Mohd Nor and Mohamad Helmi Hidthiir who had received outstanding accolades for their theses not just well-written and researched but excellently defended as well.

A prepared and composed Wan Anisah Wan Endut (front)

On 14 March 2014, located at C23, School of Social Sciences, Wan Anisah Endut had to defend her thesis entitled "Perakaunan Zakat Saham di Malaysia: Asas dan Kaedah Amalan"  (Zakat Accounting of Shares in Malaysia: Fundamentals and Methods of Practice).

The tense atmosphere while Wan Anisah answered the questions posed by the examiners

 
 

Her viva session was chaired by Datuk Dr. Abdul Khalil Shawkataly from the School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia while her internal examiners were Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh and Dr. Zakaria Bahari. Dr. Nor Hafizah Selamat (represented the Dean) while Dr. Zahri Hamat, (her supervisor) and Dr.Fadzila Azni Ahmad (her co-supervisor) were also present that day. Wan Anisah impressed her examiners with her calm yet poised disposition in answering the questions posed to her.

 A very calm disposition exhibited by Radieah

On 1 April 2014, both Radieah Mohd Nor and Mohamad Helmi Hidthiir had to brave though their viva voce at C06, School of Social Sciences on the same day but at two different slots. Radieah's viva was held in the morning which saw her defending her PhD Thesis on "Asas-asas Pengurusan Kemiskinan Mengikut Umar Abdul Aziz" (Fundamentals of Poverty Management According to Umar Abdul Aziz).

Part of Radieah's panel of examiners (from right to left) Dr Zahri, Dr Zaini, Professor Norhashimah and
Dr Nor Malina Malek

Radieah managed to exhibit her profound knowledge on the research that she embarked upon which had given a positive impression to her examiners. The examiners consisted of the Dean of School of Social Sciences, Dr. Nor Malina Malek, Dr. Zaini and Dr. Zahri Hamat were the internal examiners while Prof. Dr. Joni Tamkin Borhan from Academy of Islamic Studies, Universiti Malaya (UM) as the external examiner. Her viva was chaired by Professor Norhashimah Hashim of the School of Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia.

Mohamad Helmi confidently answers the questions posed

In the meantime, Mohamad Helmi Hidthiir's turn to face the examiners for his viva voce took place in the afternoon. A confident Mohamad Helmi managed to impress his examiners with his research on "Financial and Liquidity Risks Underlying Debt Financing Modes and Economic Conditions: An Empirical Analysis of Islamic Banks in Malaysia" with an air of confidence yet acute humility that he showcased while defending his thesis.

 Prof Joni Tamkin (left) posing a question

Mohamad Helmi is the student of Dr. Zakaria Bahari with Dr. Fadzila Azni Ahmad acting as his co-supervisor. Associate Professor Dr. Intan Hashimah Mohd Hashim served as the representative of the Dean while the external examiner was also Professor Joni Tamkin of UM. The two internal examiners were Professor Muhammad Syukri Salleh and Dr. Zahri Hamat.

Mohamad Helmi (four from right) with the panel of examiners 

So far the theses that have gone for viva voce in 2014 have been mentioned to be of high standards and deserved to be nominated for the best thesis award at least at the university's level.

Congratulations to them!