Exclusive Interview with Three Students from Al-Azhar University, Cairo

UBD FM had the pleasure of interviewing three lovely ladies who went to Al-Azhar University in Cairo, and who were sent back to Brunei due to the recent protests that is still going on in the city.

The three ladies are Dayang Nurul Alifah binti Awang Haji Hassan, Siti Mutiah binti Haji Ismail and Hariyanie binti Hj Awang.

Pertemuan dengan Mahasiswi Universiti Al-Azhar

oleh Mimie Suhaimi

Seluruh dunia telah dikejutkan dengan rusuhan yang melanda Republik Arab Mesir pada 25 January 2011 yang lalu. Rusuhan semakin mengganas dan berlarutan hingga ke awal Februari tahun ini. Dengan serta merta, rakyat Brunei yang berada di Kaherah dengan selamatnya dibawa pulang ke tanah air.

UBD FM amat berbesar hati atas kesudian tiga pelajar Brunei yang belajar di Universiti Al-Azhar untuk datang ditemu-bual pada 8 Febuari yang lalu. Itu adalah satu kesempatan yang baik untuk berkongsi pendapat.

Sebagai saksi keadaan, pada awalnya mereka tidak menyangka bahawa kekacauan di Kaherah menjadi teruk sampai ke tahap itu, di mana pada 28 Febuari dikatakan hari kemarahan rakyat Mesir memuncak tinggi. Pada masa yang sama, kebanyakan pelajar Universiti sedang menduduki peperiksaan Semester. Kekecohan itu membuatkan mereka tidak dapat pergi ke universiti kerana kebanyakan jalan raya tidak dapat dilalui. Mereka juga tidak berani menggunakan jalan raya tersebut kerana mungkin dianggap mengikuti rusuhan itu.

Menurut Dyg Nurul Alifah, pelajar tahun 3 dalam Jurusan Usuluddin Aqidah & Falsafah, “Satu pengalaman yang tidak dapat dilupakan kerana pada kebiasaanya kami hanya menyaksikannya di dalam televisyen.”

Seorang lagi pelajar, Siti Mutiah Binti Haji Ismail, Tahun 3, Jurusan Usuluddin menjelaskan, “Banyak perkara yang di luar jangkaan dapat dilihat semasa rusuhan di mana semua rakyat walaupun ada yang bukan berugama Islam, tetapi semua bersatu untuk menegakkan hak asasi tanpa mengira ugama”.

Akibat perasaan tidak puas hati terhadap kerajaan kerana tiada membawa berubahan, rakyat Mesir bertindak ganas meminta pemerintah Hosni Mubarak untuk meletak jawatan dan berharap ada pemerintah yang lebih baik untuk mengganti pemerintahan kerajaan Hosni Mubarak. Pada pendapat mereka, adalah wajar bagi Presiden Hosni Mubarak untuk letak jawatan dengan serta merta kerana pemerintah perlu mementingkan kesejahteraan rakyat dalam pembangunan negara secara keseluruhan.

Berkata pula seorang pelajar akhir (tahun 4) yang mengambil Jurusan Lughah Arabiah, Haryanie Binti Haji Awang, “Saya merasakan satu pengalaman baru yang tidak pernah disaksikan selama ini. Dengan melihat kejadian in saya bertuah dan merasa bersyukur dengan keamanan Negara Brunei Darussalam yang aman damai di bawah pemerintahan Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan dan Yang Di-Petuan Negara Brunei Darussalam.”

Apabila ditanya mengenai harapan mereka selepas ini, mereka berharap dapat kembali semula ke Mesir dan semoga keadaan di Mesir kembali aman agar mereka dapat menyambung pengajian mereka.

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An Evening with Al-Azhar University Students

by Mimie Suhaimi

The global community was shocked by the unprecedented anti-government protests that swept the Arab Republic of Egypt on 25 January 2011 against the rule of President Hosni Mubarak. The Brunei Embassy in Cairo have been evacuating Bruneian students from the country since the riots.

UBD FM has then taken the opportunity to have a sharing session with three of the many Bruneian students who have been sent home under the contingency plan arranged by the Brunei government. The students from Al-Azhar University were interviewed on air on February 8.

Being a witness, initially they did not expect the chaos was going to be that severe. It was said that February 28th was the day when the anger of Egyptians had risen and became uncontrollable. At the same time, most of university students found it hard as they were on the period of semester examination. The chaos did not affect them directly, however it was difficult for them to go to university as most of the roads were blocked by the protestors. It was also dangerous as the police might think they were joining in the protests.

According to Dyg Nurul Alifah, third year student in the Department of Usuluddin Aqidah & Philosophy, "It was an unforgettable experience because we usually only see it on television".

Another student, Siti Mutiah Binti Haji Ismail, also a third year student explained, "I was surprised to see all citizens were united to uphold fundamental rights regardless of religion. It showed how they were really unsatisfied with the imbalance of distribution of wealth done by the government for human and social development of the country".

As a result of dissatisfaction against the government, the citizens forced President Hosni Mubarak to resign and they were hoping for a better change in the government to replace Hosni Mubarak’s regime. In the Bruneian students’ opinion, it is a wise decision for President Hosni Mubarak to resign immediately because the government should be concerned about the welfare of people for the country’s development as a whole.

Haryanie Binti Haji Awang, a final year student (year 4) taking Lughah Arabiah course, also said that, "For me, it’s an unforgettable experience that has never been witnessed over the years. By looking at events, we should say that we Bruneians are fortunate and grateful for the security of Brunei Darussalam that is peaceful under the reign of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Petuan Negara Brunei Darussalam."

When asked about their future expectations, they hope that Egypt will be back as normal so that they could continue their study in Al-Azhar University.