Kuala Lumpur, 20 September 2010 - “Love thy neighbour” is a phrase that has become almost cliché over the years. With today’s busy lives, especially in Kuala Lumpur, neighbours have become people we rarely see or are thought of as strangers we should not trust too readily. So how can we possibly love our neighbours?

To the Yap family, who lives directly across from UCSI University’s north wing, “neighbourly” feelings have not been strong toward UCSI. The family has been frustrated with cars being parked recklessly around their house and inconsiderate students relaying “universal hand signs” to them when asked to move their vehicles. To put an end to their problems, the family contacted the local vernacular paper hoping the press could assist them to find a solution.

When the Group Corporate Affairs (GCA) office was alerted by the press about the situation, a thorough investigation was done. In addition to providing the best services possible to our students and clients, the UCSI Group prides itself on being an asset to the local community and quickly sought to remedy the problem. After a personal visit to the complainant’s home, a plan of action, a few moon cakes and a sincere apology, the fences between the Yap family and UCSI were mended.

Citing the Chinese proverb, “A good neighbour nearby is better than a distant relative,” Mr. Yap said he wished to put an end to all past misgivings and extend a hand of friendship to UCSI.

“I am just a forthright person,” he said. “By sticking my neck out for neighbours who choose to be quiescent about issues that affect us for fear of reprisal, all I really wanted was for UCSI to know that we must live together as one happy community. After all, good neighbours are supposed to be taking care of each other.”

The GCA team promised Mr. Yap that his views would be shared with the rest of the UCSI family – let us love our neighbour as ourselves by not doing to them what we do not wish to be done unto us.  The next time we park our car, we’ll park it right!