A familiar energy has taken over the campus once again: communities from Sunway College and Sunway University were successfully piled together for the highly anticipated Student Council Townhall 2.0 (SCTH 2.0) that occurred on Wednesday the 20th, May 2026, by the Sunway University Student Council (SUSC) and Sunway College Student Council (SCC).
The Buzz Outside JC1
Before the event began, students from various backgrounds and leadership roles were excitedly gathering outside JC1 for registration. The registration flow was seamless, as attendees were segregated based on VIPs (including representatives of Student Leadership Bodies and Clubs & Societies), general sign-ups, and walk-ins.
Registration
Source: Sunway Echo Media
While the crowd was visibly smaller compared to the high turnout of the previous town hall, the atmosphere outside the hall demonstrated that the desire for open dialogue was still very much alive. Having to witness students actively networking and interacting with one another while waiting for the doors to be opened was a testament to the strong sense of community and unity on campus.
Entering JC1
As the doors officially opened at 6:32 p.m., the seats inside JC1 were quickly filled. Upon entering, attendees were greeted by the sight of the joint council lineup, all poised and fully prepared on stage. Once everyone had settled into their seats, the event began.
Council Lineup All Prep and Ready
Source: Sunway University Student Council (SUSC)
An official photography session took place to commemorate the event. Following this, emcee Mithra welcomed the audience and officially kicked off Townhall 2.0 with the opening remarks.
Group Photo
Source: Sunway University Student Council (SUSC)
The Core Mission: Transparency, Engagement, and Communication
Mithra introduced the core aim of SCTH 2.0, emphasising that the event was built to enhance transparency between SUSC, SCC and Sunway students. Thus, this event is a platform to promote open discussions regarding the progress and potential resolutions, in addition to fostering increased engagement and communication between the councils and the various communities within Sunway.
Emcee Mithra
Source: Sunway Echo Media
With the purpose of the event clearly established, the stage was set to officially introduce the forces behind these initiatives – the student representatives themselves.
Introducing the Council Lineup
SUSC Representatives:
- Lee Xiao Xuan – [President]
- Shereen Chang Gek Yeen – [Vice President]
- Keeshanthini A/P Suparamani – [General Secretary]
- Sasmeethaa Nagulan – [Treasurer]
- Kellyann Lai Pei Ling – [Academic Affairs Department Director]
- Dashvin Kumar A/L Suresh Kumar – [Extracurricular Department Director]
- Dev Dhanesh Hari Krishnan – [External Relations Department Director]
- Matthew Wong Zi Xuan – [Public Relations Department Director]
- Chong Zjern – [Student Relations Department Director]
- Natsai Victoria Chidavaenzi – [International Student Relations Department Director]
SCC Representatives:
- Wong Bry Yan – [President]
- Lim Janiel – [Vice President]
- Lim Wee Cheng – [General Secretary]
- Syed Ahmad Arif bin Syed Edi Sazaly – [Treasurer]
- Jason Tan Zhi Qiang – [Academic Affairs Department Director]
- Goh Chian Yin – [Advertising & Promotions Department Director]
- Leong Han Wen – [Community Service Department Director]
- Lim Chii Feng – [Extracurricular Department Director]
- Sheshwind Raj Sara A/L Sarawanan – [Social Relations Department Director]
- Shanice Chiew – [Student Welfare Department Director]
Council Lineup
Source: Personal Photo
Presidential Opening Remarks and Past Initiative Recap
Following the lineup introduction, the floor was given to the Presidents of both councils to deliver their opening remarks and recap their past initiatives that have made an impact on student life, since the last bi-annual town hall in November 2025.
The SCC President, Wong Bry Yan, opened the segment by reaffirming that the Townhall serves as a safe, inclusive space for students to directly engage with both councils.
Over the past semester, SCC’s efforts have heavily focused on student engagement, professional networking and student well-being through their past initiatives, including:
- SCC 101 (By the Social Relations Department): An orientation segment designed to introduce incoming college students to the SCC and the campus facilities, such as the Student Hub.
- Byte into Business (By the Extracurricular Department): An event focused on promoting networking and connection among students from Sunway Business Schools with industry leaders in accounting, finance and entrepreneurship.
- Inside Nightingale Bay: An awareness campaign via SCC’s social media platform focusing on the support and mental well-being services available on campus at Nightingale Bay.
Wong Bry Yan, SCC President
Source: Sunway University Student Council (SUSC)
At 6.50 p.m., SUSC President Lee Xiao Xuan (Xuan) took the stage and highlighted the massive scale of student engagement throughout the semester, kicking off with Freshman Fiesta, which welcomed over 1,500 new students to Sunway University with Beatwave Bash and Golden Groove themes for the January and April orientation, respectively.
Xuan recapped on their past initiatives, including:
- Welfare Wave: Side Questing (By Student Relations Department): A 3-day campaign held at the Observation Deck, encouraging students to explore new interests that could ignite into new hobbies like drawing, painting and flower making. This campaign featured interactive activities like Creative Hub, Stamp Quest, as well as the Start Small, Think Big investment workshop hosted by Miss Isabel Zin and the Explore and Earth Startup Geek and More entrepreneurship workshop featuring speakers from Sunway I-Labs, Future Labs and also Koh Camp.
- International Student Workshops: To cater to the welfare of international students in Sunway, high-impact collaborations with parties like Maybank for a Financial Wellness Workshop with Maybank and the International Office for a Know Your Visa Workshop were made possible.
- Council Royale: Collaborations were not just limited to the Sunway campus, it went far beyond. In collaboration with Taylor’s University Student Council (TUSC) and Monash University Student Association (MUSA), a massive, mystery-based interuniversity team-building game experience successfully united student associations from 7 different universities and different Student Leadership Bodies, including Taylor’s, Monash, Asia Pacific University, UCSI, INTI and University Malaya.
Lee Xiao Xuan, SUSC President
Source: Sunway University Student Council (SUSC)
From Dialogue to Action: Management Outcomes from SCTH 1.0
A highlight of the event was the transparency regarding the outcomes from the management meeting, with Xuan addressing critical issues and concerns that were brought up in the previous SCTH 1.0 held in November 2025. The councils provided a comprehensive, interactive online flipbook booklet containing the extensive breakdowns of the updates on campus matters, follow-up actions taken, as well as ongoing improvements to enhance student welfare and experience.
Some key highlights from the management outcomes included:
- The appropriate use of AI in academic work: The Centre of Academic Development (CAD) and AI in Education Committee (AIEC) are in the process of developing comprehensive guides. These frameworks aim to ensure the ethical use and seamless integration of AI and Generative AI within teaching, learning, and assessments.
- Mitigating peak-hour BRT waiting times: The council successfully escalated the issue to Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, the owner and operator of the BRT under RapidKL, in response to the severe congestion during peak hours. Actions have since been taken whereby bus deployment has been scaled up, and the transit frequency during peak windows has been improved. Furthermore, operational improvements, including stronger crowd control, real-time dispatch monitoring, and enhanced platform conditions, have been implemented.
- Revamping the Sunway MyCampus App: Acknowledging student frustrations with the outdated interface and confusing navigation of the application, Facilities and IT Services were notified of the urgent need for a more user-friendly interface. Initial improvements have since been made shortly after, successfully integrating additional features such as a general search bar. While the application remains a work in progress, strategic consideration for future upgrades has been taken into account.
- Campus-wide Wi-Fi upgrades: The widespread complaints regarding slow Internet connection on campus initiated the major infrastructure upgrade within the campus network. Both university and college campus Wi-Fi networks are expected to complete the upgrades past Q2 of 2026, providing significantly stronger coverage for critical areas, including the library basement.
- Resolving the International Student Visa Renewal Delays: The council clarified that the recent bottlenecks in student visa renewals stemmed directly from the high processing backlog at the EMGS Shah Alam office. SUSC took this matter further by initiating the “Know-Your-Visa” Workshop, allowing affected students to interact directly with senior EMGS Managers and official representatives. Complementing this effort, the International Office has launched a new Digital Dropbox system to expedite document collection and submission, ensuring that there is zero internal administrative delay.
- International Student Working Opportunities: There were concerns raised regarding the strict employment restrictions for international students. One of the solutions the council proposed was to implement the International Student Ambassador Programme. Due to the fact that this initiative operates as a voluntary and non-employment-based role, an internal committee consisting of SISA, SUSC, and SCC is actively conducting surveys to gather student feedback regarding working opportunities. High-level discussions with the relevant parties have already advanced this initiative to the drafting stage, developing systematic guidelines that outline structured, workable hours and fair financial compensation in strict accordance with Malaysian law.
Stay Tuned for More From SCC and SUSC
Xuan also highlighted some exciting upcoming initiatives for students to look out for in the coming months. This includes SCC’s Echoes for Earth 2026 campaign on environmental sustainability awareness in conjunction with World Environment Day, and Earned, Not Given – a community-centric collaboration with Shelter Home for Children designed to foster financial literacy, marketing skills and engagement with the community.
Furthermore, the highly anticipated Respect Campaign 2026 is also in the works to raise awareness surrounding disability advocacy and socioeconomic sensitivity, while proudly celebrating the diverse cultures that enrich our campus. Yet, the momentum doesn’t stop there. SUSC’s flagship event, built upon the pillars of “The Giving Sunwayian” movement, SunFest: Harvest of Wonders.
Addressing Student Concerns Head-On: Padlet and Live Q&A
When the clock struck 7:02 p.m., the floor officially opened for the long-awaited Padlet Q&A and Live Q&A sessions. Moderated by emcee Mithra, the segment allowed students to directly voice pressing concerns, which were addressed on the spot by the relevant directors and presidents with absolute transparency and calm professionalism.
Academic Affairs
- Is there any public documentation of SUSC and SCC’s work?
Answer: Yes. SUSC and SCC have decided to introduce a new initiative known as the Student Council Town Hall (SCTH) Booklet, which includes the outcomes from SUSC and SCC’s meetings with management. This information will be available to all students.
- There is a concern from some students that certain lectures are cut down to 30 to 40 minute sessions instead of their expected 2-hour duration.
Answer: Thank you for letting us know about this issue. We would advise you to fill in an Academic Feedback Form or raise this concern directly to SUSC, so we can escalate this issue to management or the Dean of your school.
- The Department Heads and Programme Leaders are separated from Timetable Services, making it hard for students to make their own study plans outside of the given timetable and default subject combinations. Is there any way to address this?
Answer: We are currently discussing this matter with each Programme Head on how to improve the timetable system. Additionally, the Heads of Department (HOD) of your school may not be well-informed on every programme if each school has many programmes. However, we acknowledge that you should be able to get clarification for any concerns regarding your timetable. We will definitely bring this up to management, but students are encouraged to reach out to their student representative for help as well.
- Are Student Programme Representatives (SPR) and Student Cohort Representatives (SCR) chosen randomly? To my knowledge, SPR and SCR used to be headhunted by Programme Heads, but it seems that they are randomly selected now and given a mere title.
Answer: We would like to clarify that Student Programme Representatives (SPR) and Student Cohort Representatives (SCR) are different systems. SCRs are selected on a volunteer basis, whereas SPRs are nominated by the Head of Department or Programme Lead. To be an SPR, there are certain requirements, such as GPA.
Student Relations
- There are some concerns regarding the smoking and vaping area outside of Sunway College. Many smokers crowd that area, and it’s uncomfortable for students who are passing by. Is there any way to fix this?
Answer: Unfortunately, that area is outside of Sunway University and Sunway College Management’s jurisdiction. Despite this, we would like to assure everyone that Sunway is strictly a smoke-free campus. The security guards are also tasked to move smokers away from the campus gates if any cigarette or vape smoke wafts onto campus grounds.
- There are insufficient tables and charging sockets in the Sunway Square Campus. On the same note, would it be possible to extend the closure time of the Sunway Square Campus beyond 7 P.M.?
Answer: We would like to clarify that Sunway University is merely a tenant in Sunway Square Mall, and the facilities there are technically not under Sunway University’s control.
Extracurricular
- Is it possible for Sunway’s clubs and societies to have more initiatives, activities and member recruitments?
Answer: Previously, the Clubs and Societies Fair (CNS) were held 2 times a year. Now, it is held 4 times a year, which allows students to engage with Sunway’s clubs at a higher capacity. Most of the clubs and societies are currently open for recruitment, so if you’re interested in joining, please feel free to contact them. If you do not receive a reply, you can reach out to us, and we will help you to get in contact with the clubs.
- I would like to inquire about Club and Societies bookings at Sunway Square Campus. Can we have a procedure for the bookings, and may I know when it is open for events?
Answer: We would like to reiterate that the facilities of Sunway Square Campus are not under Sunway Education Group’s control. Hence, there is no existing procedure for bookings at Sunway Square Campus. However, any changes will be updated to students via iMail.
- What’s the criteria to book the Avenue of Achievements for an event?
Answer: The possibility of booking the Avenue of Achievements (AOA) for an event is entirely dependent on the nature of the event, with certain considerations being made, for example: Is the booking of AOA necessary? Will it bring any particular benefits to students?
Specifically, there is a department in Student Life known as the Branding Department that will approve these requests. If you would like to book AOA, we encourage you to write a proposal.
Things got heated when someone questioned the appointment procedure of SCC’s Executive Committee (EXCOs).
Question: There are public elections for the appointment of SUSC’s EXCOs, while SCC has no elections, instead relying on an internal selection process. How do you ensure the fairness and transparency of this process?
Answer: We understand your concerns, but we work closely with Student Life and Sunway Management to ensure that it is a fair process. We also try to ensure that there is diversity within the team by including representation from different programmes.
Follow-Up Question: If that’s the case, how do we ensure that the current EXCOs do not have undue sway upon Student Life and Sunway Management’s decision in SCC’s EXCO selection?
Answer: It is not only the EXCOs of SCC who are involved in this discussion, but each department’s Head of Department (HOD) are deeply involved in the discussion as well because they are the ones who understand their members the best.
There were no follow-up questions after this.
Behind the Scenes of Padlet Q&A
Source: Sunway University Student Council (SUSC)
SCTH 2.0’s Conclusion
As the Q&A session drew to a close and the final remarks by the Vice Presidents of SUSC and SCC, Shereen Chang Gek Yeen and Lim Janiel, students began to filter out of JC1. However, the work for SUSC and SCC did not end there. Each department’s respective directors and members took up various posts around JC1, allowing an opportunity for attendees to engage directly with each department to voice their concerns.
Live Engagement with Attendees
Source: Sunway Echo Media
SUSC and SCC Executives
Source: Sunway University Student Council (SUSC)
And with that, Student Council Townhall 2.0 draws to an end. We look forward to SUSC and SCC’s further initiatives, and thank them for their continuous efforts in listening, advising and advocating for everything student-related.
Written By: Felicia Kong & Sarah Wong
