ISDEV POISED TO ADMINISTER HAJJ RESEARCH CLUSTER

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) plans to offer Hajj and Umrah Management courses at the postgraduate level through the Centre for Islamic Development Management Studies (ISDEV) in the near future. Vice-Chancellor of USM, Professor Dato' Dr. Omar Osman said this at a press conference after the opening of the Regional Conference on Hajj 2016 (RCHAJJ'16) at Gurney Resort Hotel and Residence, Pulau Pinang on 6 April 2016.

RCHAJJ'16 was officiated by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister Department, YB Senator Dato' Dr. Asyraf Wajdi bin Dato' Dusuki. He welcomed such intellectual meet on Hajj and Umrah that aimed to discuss the results of various researches conducted by scholars and experienced scientists from various countries for the operational management of the hajj pilgrims.

Prof. Syukri (2nd from right) with YB. Senator Dato' Dr. Asyraf Wajdi Dato' Dusuki (centre) and USM Vice Chancellor,
Professor Dato' Dr. Omar Osman (2nd from left).

According to Prof. Dato' Dr. Omar Osman, the sustainability of research on hajj is seen as a contribution from USM for the management of hajj and umrah to pilgrims in the future. He explained that this would also strengthen the Hajj Research Cluster administered by ISDEV through USM's collaboration of expertise with other public universities such as Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) and Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). Such endeavours involve cross-sectors and multidisciplinary expertise to pursue research for a variety of issues related to the management of pilgrims especially during the hajj season. 

VC chairs the Joint Meeting with dignitaries from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

He further added that the issues focused in the various researches on hajj embarked upon included the transfer, supervision and management of crowd as well as health problems and management. The results of such studies would enhance the safety levels, health and management of hajj procedures simultaneously providing added comfort to the hajj pilgrims so the pilgrims can focus on the pilgrimage itself.

Approximately 130 academicians, researchers and those involved with hajj management from Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Cambodia and Malaysia participated in RCHAJJ'16 organised by the Hajj Cluster.

Standing tall to provide the best  for hajj pilgrims through sustainability research on hajj.
A photo session with foreign dignitaries after the Joint Meeting.

Prof. Dato' Dr. Omar acknowledged that it was not easy to deal with people, especially those related to health and safety in view that hajj is an event that gathers the most number of Muslims from all around the world. However he expressed his hopes that the existence of the Hajj Research Cluster will enable a resolution or policy from a different perspective to be produced in the management, health sciences, technological advances and psycho-social of hajj and umrah that will be of great benefit to the government, all parties involved in the management of hajj and umrah and the pilgrims. He added that the input from scholars and practitioners who conduct field studies and are involved in crowd management can certainly add-on to the information database in search for the best solution that can be offered pertaining to hajj.

Musmuliadi Kamaruding presents his findings at the conference.

In the meantime, ISDEV was honoured to have its sole RISDEV (ISDEV Postgraduate by research) student, Musmuliadi Kamaruding to be part of RCHAJJ'16 as one of the presenters. Musmuliadi who is currently pursuing his PhD on Islamic-based Crowd Management, presented his paper on “Conceptualising Islamic-based Crowd Management - The Case of Hajj Pilgrims”.