Mendaki Club Website

Aaron Maniam is currently Deputy Director at the Strategic Policy Office of the Public Service Division, where he works on scenario planning and long-term strategy formulation. He was previously a Foreign Service Officer, serving most recently as First Secretary (Political) at the Singapore Embassy in Washington DC. In 2004, he was part of a group of young Muslim professionals that set out to study the long-term challenges facing Singapore's Malay/Muslim community. He has been a resource person for the National Youth Council and co-founded Project ALPHA, a talent development programme for high-calibre Indian students, with the Singapore Indian Development Association (SINDA). He read Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Somerville College, Oxford University and International and Development Economics at Yale University, on a Singapore Public Service Commission scholarship. During his time at Yale, he was Director of Special Services with the Connecticut chapter of the Hugh O'Brian Youth Foundation (HOBY), a US-based youth leadership body. From 2006-2008, he was Director of Fundraising and Volunteer Recruitment for HOBY's "National Capital Area" chapter, and a member of the Rotary Club of Capitol Hill, Washington DC. He was a founding Committee Member (1999-2003), Vice President (2003-2005), President (2005-July 2006) and subsequently Advisor (2006-2007) of Singapore's Debate Association. He attended the Asia 21 Young Leaders' Summit in 2006 and 2007, organised by the Asia Society for emerging Asia Pacific young leaders, and was one of 25 selected to be in the 2008/2009 class of "Asia 21 Fellows". A poet, his first collection Morning at Memory's Border was one of three books shortlisted for the 2006 Singapore Literature Prize. He is currently working on several projects to systematize the teaching of leadership to secondary and post-secondary students.

Mohammed Jaleesudeen Jalal is a proud Victorian who experienced both Victoria School and Victoria Junior College. Following his NS, Jalees was given a place at NTU's School of Communication and Information. After deciding that he had enough of dancing mass dances in JC, Jalees decided to try out something that all along he only thought about but never really tried: study until the cows came home. No cows showed up, but he was placed in the Dean's List twice, inducted as an NTU President's Research Scholar and in the grand finale, presented first class honours. In between studying, he took breaks to play lead roles in his School's annual drama productions in 2004 and 2005. Jalees was awarded the Singapore Indian Education Trust Achievement Award, the MENDAKI Anugerah Cemerlang Award and the SINDA Academic Excellence Award in 2006. Jalees is now with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports. To occupy his free time, Jalees volunteers at the neighbourhood mosque by trying his level best to get hyperactive youth interested in the intricacies of tajwid. He enjoys reading books on Islamic history, contemporary politics and science, loves eating good food and hates jogging afterward to prevent fat build-up in the arteries but still does it because it needs to be done. Jalees also loves to indulge in mindless Tamil and Hindi movies and songs regularly as catharsis.

After being infused with the Acsian spirit in his formative years, Nur Azhar had the best years of his life in NUS where he was pleasantly surprised at his Honours Degree in Information and Communications Management. He is currently a Planning Officer at the Police Technology Department.Being immersed in the technological world, Azhar has a voracious appetite for new experiences both online and in the real world. As such, when he is not finding excuses to travel to the plethora of island getaways in Asia, Azhar is an avid observer of the interactions of society and the new media who believes that the Digital revolution can and will empower.He speaks and writes English, German and Malay relatively well although his proficiency may wax and wan in tandem with the moon. Believing that life must be lived to the fullest, he also hopes to do as much good to others as he can and is enjoying the personal satisfaction, development and growth in developing activities of value in Mclub.

Zahida dedicates most of her time pursuing (real or imagined) intellectual development as a graduating law student in NUS. Nevertheless, it is the repeated affirmations of the Law of Attraction - that you attract into your life whatever you think about - which fascinates her endlessly. Indeed, she enjoys being a student of Life. Having had many great years from secondary school through to university, Zahida intends to pay it forward through her involvement in the Young Minds’ Club (YMC) and Undergraduate Services (US) subcommittees. In many ways, the YMC and US can influence the development of thought and character of our youthful beneficiaries, who will be our future leaders, and therefore, a worthwhile cause. Zahida is also fond of many things. She likes reading satires, comic strips and between the lines. Quite literally or otherwise, she loves having her chocolate cake and eating it, too. Without regretting the chocolate cake, she keeps in shape by cycling to the beach, where she takes a break on a rock and breathes easy. Another form of therapy that works on her is re-organising her belongings. In one such therapy session, she discovered that she has more pairs of shoes than her years.

It all started when Mardiana was in secondary school facilitating a residential camp organized by AMP for primary school students. What was gleefully thought of as an informal slumber party turned out to be a much more exhilarating and fulfilling experience. Subsequently to relive the adrenalin rush, she mentored students under Interact Club, pushed young and old alike through personal development programs and coached immigrant and refugee women in setting up businesses - all before she graduated.

Once Mardiana started working, such activities receded to the background. But who can resist another adrenalin rush for so long? During one of the focus group discussion on globalisation, she was struck by the willingness of the community to embrace new challenges and yet uncertain of how to face those challenges. She felt an affinity towards undergraduates having just past that particular rite of passage and started working on projects targeting this age group. Working with MClub is therefore, a natural extension of continuing to do good things with good people.

Trained in Psychology, Dian Rasid is a Researcher for the Behavioral Sciences Program at the Home Team Academy (Ministry of Home Affairs). An alumnus of University of Western Australia, Dian graduated with a double degree (Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts) in Psychology and Human Movement, at the age of 20. During her 4 years in Australia, Dian took the opportunity to travel around Australia, set up an Asian restaurant and tried to be an Australian surfer/skater girl by spending her time doing water sports such as surfing, catamaran sailing as well as sand-boarding (skating on sand!). Having had enough fun, Dian went on to complete a Masters degree (with distinction) in Social Sciences, specializing in health and counseling psychology. Guided by her passion to interact with youths from various backgrounds, she became a facilitator in Young Minds' Club (YMC). At the same time, she is involved in Graduates' Tea (GT) and Undergraduate Services (US) organizing subcommittees. Beginning this year, Dian was appointed the Assistant Secretary for the Advisory Committee of the T-Net Club (People's Association) and the Secretary of the Star Mentor Group in Mendaki's Youth-in-Action programme, in which she mentors primary/secondary school students. In her free time, Dian enjoys going to the gym, plays tennis and watch romantic comedies. To de-stress, Dian goes for her weekly spa indulgence, changes her hairstyle every 4 to 6 months and spends time with her family and friends. Currently brushing up on her Mandarin and Japanese language, she hopes to be able to communicate fluently with her Japanese grandma and Hokkien grandpa, by year's end.

Hamidah Aidillah is currently a PR executive with one of the leading global PR firms specialising in communications and upholding corporate reputation. She works on a mix of blue chip clients from the healthcare, corporate, finance and consumer marketing industries.

Passionate about community causes since young. She enjoys bellydancing, an endeavour she has left a long time ago since she left Dubai. She wishes she has more time do to what she loves while still keeping her passion for her community. She hopes to contribute significantly to MClub and bring the cause to greater heights. A walking contradiction her friends say, she holds firmly to her traditional values while learning to grapple with modern day expectations.

Mohamed Rizal bin Yacob is an Engineer with Seadrill Deepwater Units. He enjoys all forms of outdoor sports, volunteering work and reading. The father of one wishes to devote his time and energy in MClub's Conversations and Contemporary Muslim Thought Series (CMTS).

Mohamed Faizal, 27, graduated from the National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) in 2005. He joined the Singapore Legal Service one month after graduation (having spent the singular month in between savoring the finer aspects of legal practice) and has since held the positions of Justices’ Law Clerk and Assistant Registrar of the Supreme Court. In September 2007, Faizal was appointed as a Deputy Public Prosecutor at the Attorney-General’s Chambers. Faizal is overall-in-charge of the Young Mind's Club ("YMC") Program. In his opinion, the YMC program has highlighted to him two inalienable truths: one, that teenagers should constantly be challenged and given opportunities outside the conventional, tried-and-tested academic environment to shine, and two, that, he derives considerable enjoyment from the constant interaction with students in such an informal, though structured, setting [he, however, stresses that he makes no representation as to whether such enjoyment of company is mutual]. Outside of his commitments with MClub and YMC, and work, Faizal has taught, in adjunct capacities, at the Faculty of Law in the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Management University and, volunteers his time in a couple of other organisations as well.In his free time, Faizal enjoys travelling and spending time with his oft-neglected loved ones. He also enjoys the occasional game of sepak takraw, though given the acutely sparing amount of time that he spends playing the game, he readily confesses that any (already limited) flexibility and skill that he possessed in his university days in the game have all but disappeared.

We'll tell you more about him soon! For now, wish Muhammad the best for his final year in NTU ;)

Nabil's interest in giving back to the community began inconspicuously early in his university days, and still persists as he soon completes law school. Lending a helping hand at Young Minds Club was an ideal opportunity to do just that, and work with kids. Alongside his other voluntary work as an Ex-Co member of the Debate Association (Singapore), Nabil looks forward to the next 2 years, and beyond, as a fantastic opportunity to balance Work of a Drew & Napier lawyer with Life.

Syahidah considers herself blessed for having been able to spend the past few years studying Biochemistry at Imperial College, though she remembers it more fondly as 3 years of enjoying London, traveling to wherever a budget flight can land her and leading a stress-free (for most times anw) lifestyle. Having had enough fun, she decided to pursue her further studies in Singapore to be closer to loved-ones. Now a student at the LKY School of Public Policy, she finds herself working much harder to learn as much as she can. New to MClub, she is keen to involve herself in programmes targeting secondary and tertiary students, whom she can relate to best (also part of her bid to cling on to her youth). In her free time, Syahidah likes to pick-up new languages, exercise with her girlfriends, and engage in her all time favourite activity – sleep.

Zalman is currently Assistant Director of the Policy Development Cluster in the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) which is responsible for long-term strategic policy thinking on issues relating to development of the Singapore Muslim community. He has been actively involved in the Muslim community sector for more than 10 years particularly in the areas of youth and religious development. Within Muis, he has played a critical role in facilitating the introduction of progressive trends of thought in Islam to the local community and injecting greater youth vibrancy within the local mosques.

Beyond his work in MUIS, he has been actively involved in Perdaus, a local Muslim organisation, since his NS days and was a pioneering member in the formation of its youth wing, Saff-Perdaus.

In 2006, he was awarded the Fulbright scholarship to pursue a Masters in Religious Studies at Hartford Seminary, a leading inter-faith institution in Connecticut, USA. Among his research interests include the dynamics of religion in modern societies, globalisation and religious resurgence and the role of religion in the public sphere. Zalman hopes to build on his learning experience in North America by enhancing the quality and depth of inter-faith engagements in Singapore as well as defining a greater constructive role for religious communities in the larger society.

He sees his new role in MClub as a further extension of his community involvement. His main focus would be to help expand the pool of future leaders for the community who are globally adept and at the same time, very deeply rooted in the community.

He is a committed father of four children, who wishes for a future Singapore which will continue to value the importance of family and community.