Over 100 members from 17 media organisations in Penang descended on the main campus for the ‘WOU Media Appreciation Night 2012’.

GUESTS REGISTER AND CHOOSE THEIR T-SHIRTS.
This was the second such event organised by Wawasan Open University – the first was held on 2 June 2010 – to recognise and thank the media for their invaluable support.
The ground floor foyer of the Albukhary Building was the perfect setting for the buffet dinner that saw makeshift stalls erected to serve pasta, mee, satay, fried spring rolls, desserts, and other foods.

OVERVIEW OF THE BUFFET TABLE.
Despite the slight drizzle, a good number of guests turned up for camaraderie, good food and a fun evening. Every member of the media received a goodie bag containing a few WOU items.
WOU Vice Chancellor Prof Dato’ Dr Ho Sinn Chye, in his welcome address, remarked that this function afforded an informal, relaxed atmosphere for WOU senior management to become better acquainted with the media.

PROF HO WELCOMES MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA.
He said that WOU, through its four Academic Schools, offers more than 40 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and strives to better serve students through its nine Regional and Sub-RegionalCentres . He highlighted the upcoming Open Days and the new Bachelor of Management (Hons) with Psychology programme for the coming January 2013 intake.
The informal part of the evening started with the ice-breaker table game which saw groups rushing to locate a list of items, as directed by the emcee, the ever-bubbling Samuel Low from Marketing. Lending a helping hand with the game was Clement Justus Gomez from Regional Operations.

THE SUN REPORTER BERNARD CHEAH (3RD FROM RIGHT) WINS FOR HIS GROUP.
The crowd was entertained by the performances of the seven contestants who participated in the karaoke singing competition. The judges were Director of Educational Technology and Publishing Grace Lau, the Director of Learning & Library Services Kamsiah Mohd Ali, and Director of Marcom and Regional Operations Chong Kong Hoong.
Emerging champion in the singing competition was reporter Rudy Syareme Sheriffudin from Harian Metro who sang his own composition and walked away with RM150 cash. Runner-up was Senior Reporter Tan Hu Chuan of Nanyang Siang Pau who rendered a Chinese number to win RM120, and third was reporter Mohd Iskandar Othman of Sinar Harian who won RM100. The winners received their cash prizes from Prof Ho.

WINNERS OF THE KARAOKE SINGING CONTEST.
Several guests from the media also went home with lucky draw prizes, a total 30 altogether. The grand prize winner of an Apple iPad was Kwong Wah Yit Poh chief reporter Tan Kean Ming, while the second prize, a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, went to The Star journalist Cavina Lim, and the third, a Pensonic Microwave oven, was won by The Sun Bureau Chief (Penang) Aaron Ngui.

THE TOP THREE LUCKY DRAW WINNERS.
The event was also graced by Wawasan Education Foundation chairman Dato’ Seri Stephen Yeap and Datin Seri Irene, the four deans, and a few Heads of Department. The senior staff of WOU chatted and mingled with guests from the media throughout the evening.

MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA POSE WITH PROF HO AND DR SEAH SOO AUN.
The night ended with a group photography featuring Prof Ho and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Operations) Dr Seah Soo Aun with members of the media, to the background music of ‘Oppa Gangnam Style’