KOTA KINABALU, 4 February 2026 – A total of 17 students from the Diploma in Tourism Management (HM111) programme, Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sabah Branch, recently successfully executed a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme at the Comfort Aged Care Centre in Likas on 10 January 2026. The initiative was designed to strengthen community engagement and promote awareness of sustainable practices while providing students with vital practical exposure in organizing and managing community-based initiatives beyond the university environment. Led by student Muhammad Syafiq Danish bin Dennis Emmanuel @ Mohd Dzulkiflee and accompanied by lecturers Mr. Mohd Arsy Ardy Hardy and Mr. Ahmad Fareez Yahya, the event served as a strategic pre-event for the upcoming 30th Anniversary of the Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management (FPHP) and the 10th Anniversary of the Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre (HTTC).
A primary focus of the visit was the maintenance of the centre’s urban farming area, where students worked alongside the facility’s staff to participate in several sustainability-focused tasks. These activities included cleaning hydroponic vegetable roots and tubes, maintaining the garden and aloe vera areas, servicing water pump filters and oxygen stones, as well as pruning withered leaves and harvesting fresh basil. These efforts ensured the continued functionality and cleanliness of the centre’s urban farming system, highlighting the importance of green practices in aged care environments.
The programme also emphasized social well-being through direct interaction with the senior citizens, where participants were divided into indoor and outdoor groups to facilitate meaningful storytelling sessions and physical interaction with the elderly. This exchange allowed students to gain new perspectives on life challenges while building self-confidence and bridging the generational gap. The senior citizens and staff at the Comfort Aged Care Centre contributed significantly to the programme’s success, offering advice and sharing experiences that enriched the students’ understanding of social responsibility.
Overall, the CSR programme successfully instilled the values of volunteerism and teamwork among the tourism management students. By fostering positive relationships between the university and the Likas community, the initiative aligns with UiTM’s vision of producing holistic graduates who are socially responsible and committed to sustainable development.