Hall of Fame — Ms Nur Irdina Jailani
Irdina Jailani, affectionately called ‘Irdina’ or ‘Dina’ by those close to her, is cherished for her warm-hearted generosity and strong leadership. Her wide range of experiences further strengthens her reputation as a role model to many, inspiring admiration and respect from those who look up to her.
Hailing from the ‘Land Below the Wind’, this Bisayan girl has spent her whole life in Beaufort, Sabah, where both of her parents are from. However, many often mistake Irdina for someone from West Malaysia due to her atypical accent when being around her Peninsular friends, given that she spent her secondary years in a boarding school in Selangor. Being away from home from a young age has taught her many lessons about independence, resilience, and that 'distance makes the heart grow fonder’.
Growing up in a family of teachers, Irdina initially considered law to be a distant concept, a perception that changed after her SPM results, in which she scored with flying colours. After thoughtful deliberation, she realised that law was the natural choice to pursue in higher education. Yet it was not until her time in Foundation in Law that her decision to truly pursue law in her undergraduate studies was cemented. Irdina was encouraged to dip her toes into the daunting waters of the legal field as she became convinced that law was what she had been longing for since her high school days as a Science stream student.
“I liked how studying law is always rooted in logic, and how the law can be influenced by cultures, politics and even religious beliefs.”
As someone actively involved in multiple extracurricular activities and juggling various roles, Irdina is no stranger to the challenges of time management. Although Irdina practises what she preaches — always planning ahead — she readily accepts that there will be days when things go in the opposite direction of what one may have planned. Nevertheless, Irdina firmly believes that what matters most is how one overcomes these hurdles to stay on track.
While Irdina can be seen as someone confident in every step she takes, she too has her own doubts and insecurities. The law faculty is known for its competitiveness, so it is only natural to conflate one’s self-worth with leading major organisations in the Faculty. Irdina has had her days of questioning her own capabilities and falling into the dark side of ‘what will they think of me?’ According to Irdina, the remedy can simply be the presence of a strong support system who reminds you that everything is okay even when things are beyond your control. To climb further, Irdina advises never being afraid to seek feedback from seniors and peers, as this paves the way to self-improvement.
“There were some moments of self-doubt, particularly while helming my leadership roles. However, having a strong support system is important – we are often too hard on ourselves, and sometimes it takes a friend to simply make us realise that everything is alright.”
Would you mind sharing some study tips or hacks that you find helpful and always rely upon?
As much as Irdina enjoys being involved in student-led organisations and charity organisations, she is not one to take her degree lightly, as evidenced by her achievements of being a four-time Dean’s List recipient. When asked to share her main study hack, she emphasises on attempting past year questions to test one’s familiarity and understanding of the syllabus, and later to arrange consultation sessions with lecturers, mainly those who will be marking your answer sheets. This is to ensure that a student is able to deliver answers or arguments according to the examiner’s expectations. Since we are accustomed to paperless assessments throughout the semester, Irdina also reminds us to practice with hand-written answers. Moreover, tutorial classes should not be overlooked. While some students may attend less diligently due to the absence of participation marks, Irdina views tutorials as invaluable opportunities to reinforce knowledge and clarify any questions on the subject matter.
Beyond Irdina's impressive academic achievements, she also served as the President of the University of Malaya Law Society (UMLS) for the 2022/2023 tenure and had been an active member since 2020. When asked why she chose to engage with UMLS specifically, she revealed an interesting backstory — her original plan during her first year was to apply to both UMLS and the University of Malaya Law Review (UMLR)!
However, as she had many other commitments at the time, she was only able to complete her interview tasks for UMLS and had to forgo her application to UMLR. Every cloud has a silver lining, and Irdina feels that this incident may have been a blessing in disguise, as her plate was already quite full with UMLS alone.
In her first year, the lack of an orientation programme due to the pandemic left Irdina and her peers with limited information about the various clubs in the faculty. Nevertheless, Irdina sought an organisation that would offer a broad range of activities all in one place, and UMLS fit the bill perfectly. Another detail that sparked her interest in UMLS was noticing that many well-regarded seniors were involved in the society, leading her to believe that it must be an outstanding organisation. Her instincts proved correct, and now, Irdina herself is recognised as one of the most admired seniors in the faculty, celebrated for her exceptional leadership in UMLS.
Irdina always looked forward to the UMLS weekly meetings
While being president is a prestigious role, the adage ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ is especially true. Every position brings its own challenges, and for Irdina, a major one was adjusting from an online or hybrid environment to a fully physical setting. She had become accustomed to the way things were during COVID-19 and many faculty policies were in limbo due to the ‘new normal’. The drastic alteration to the mode of running the organisation marked a period of uncertainty for Irdina and consequently, Irdina had to forgo some of her goals for the tenure and instead focused on laying down the groundwork to help the organisation get back on its feet for the interests of the students. Despite that, she withstood these hurdles and managed to lay down the blueprint as the baton to be passed forward to the upcoming executive committees to run the extra mile.
John C. Maxwell asserts that one of the core principles of true leadership is selfless leadership — the act of putting others' needs before one’s own agenda. Irdina exemplifies this ideal. Serving as the bridge between the faculty and students is no easy task. Throughout her presidency, Irdina had to be available at all times to address students' needs and concerns, even while managing her own personal challenges — a sacrifice that often goes unnoticed and unrecognised.
“I can confidently say that I would not be the person I am today without UMLS.”
‘Hidup Mati Lawsoc!’ chant with the UMLS 2022/2023 Executive Committee
Irdina recalls her three years in UMLS as an experience that threw her in at the deep end, particularly when it came to developing the confidence to engage with renowned individuals and expand her network. A task she now takes by the horns. In the past, she used to dread the thought of speaking to esteemed figures or even making a phone call — to the point where she would rehearse what to say and dial numbers with a pounding heart!
Now, she no longer finds these scenarios dreadful. UMLS taught her to adapt to delivering speeches on various occasions and speaking on behalf of the students in front of different stakeholders. The organisation has significantly enhanced her personal development, both in intrapersonal and interpersonal skills, to the point where Irdina would not hesitate to choose UMLS all over again.
Law school has trained Irdina to face her public speaking jitters — she has not beaten them, but at least they are friendlier now
Irdina’s greatness knows no bounds. In addition to her 'hustling' in the faculty, she has also developed several initiatives aimed at providing welfare services to the community, which have earned her features in various articles. Her initiatives — ‘Mask Kitani’ and ‘Bah Bantu Siswa’ — were founded during the pandemic, a time when Malaysians faced numerous challenges, yet there was little action to address them.
“This motivated me to do something within my capacity, even if the impact is relatively small.”
One of her initiatives, ‘Mask Kitani’, aimed to provide reusable face masks to rural villages that lacked access to them when the government mandated their use. By commissioning the masks from local tailors, the project not only addressed the immediate need for masks but also provided much-needed support to struggling businesses in the community.
Irdina with some cheeky recipients of ‘Mask Kitani’, back in 2020
With the same circle of friends, Irdina also oversaw the launch of ‘Bah Bantu Siswa’, aimed at providing internet allowances to assist university students in Sabah during the e-learning period. This initiative resonated deeply with Irdina, as she recalled having to stay at her grandparents' home during the start of her freshman year due to the lack of cellular connection at her own home in Beaufort, Sabah.
The reality of independently pioneering charity programmes is far more challenging than it may seem. A significant obstacle Irdina faced was fundraising, as it was unlikely to secure substantial amounts of money during a time of global financial strain caused by the pandemic. However, after securing an agreement for support, Irdina partnered with a local Sabahan NGO, ‘Pertubuhan Kebajikan Impak Komuniti Sabah’ (PIKOS), to ensure the smooth running of the initiative and eventually secured a five-figure funding. Irdina is deeply grateful to PIKOS’ founder, Mr Davylandon Rubbin, for his constant support.
“I was happy to make a small shift in the space and inspire other youths to do the same.”
Another noteworthy initiative is the Helping Out Plus Education (HOPE) project, which was established following the subject GIG1005 – Social Engagement course, where Irdina served as the project director. Throughout this initiative, Irdina and her peers raised funds for Madrasah Darul Tahfiz Sri al-Ain while also delivering educational lessons to the refugee children studying there.
The task was far from simple. Irdina had to oversee the programme remotely from Sabah, while the project took place on the ground in Sungai Buloh. The distance meant she missed key moments, such as interacting with the refugee children and managing the donation handover. Despite these challenges, Irdina and her committed team overcame the obstacles and successfully brought the project to completion.
With her diverse experience in organising charity events, Irdina advises starting with two basics. The first is to have a capable team, with each member’s role strategised after considering their strengths and weaknesses. The second is to have clear objectives regarding what is intended to be achieved within a pragmatic timeframe.
Spreading her wings further, Irdina continued to demonstrate her extraordinary abilities in mooting — a pivotal aspect of law school. She has attained several distinguished accomplishments in mooting, such as achieving First Runner-up in the KPUM x Shearn Delamore & Co E-Moot Court Competition 2022 and the Novice Arbitration Mooting Competition 2021. Additionally, her team represented Malaysia and was recognised among the Top Three Teams in the Asia Cup International Moot Court Competition 2022.
Irdina made her first foray into the world of mooting through the annual Route to Moot programme, which later became her stepping stone. She has achieved far more than the initial reason that drove her to moot — to improve her oratory and research skills.
If one were to ask Irdina about her cherished memories from her mooting journey, the friendships forged throughout the competition would be her answer. She treasures the moments spent preparing for the competition — late-night hours finalising submissions, fiery intellectual discussions, and in-depth post-mortem sessions. The empty shelf for the Champion's trophy is not something Irdina regrets or frets over, as she believes the time spent with her teammates, who later became friends, as well as the experience garnered hold far greater value. She and her friend, Nisa Qistina, also make it a running joke that they were stuck in a "First Runner-up curse”. While Irdina humbly brushes it off, the position of First Runner-up itself is a significant achievement, adding yet another honour to her long list of accomplishments.
Irdina as a guest judge at the annual mooting demonstration organised by University of Malaya Moot Club
Irdina believes that an exceptional mooter is someone with good articulation and eloquence —the ability to deliver thoughts in a structured and persuasive manner. This is especially important when answering questions posed by the judges without getting tongue-tied. She also stresses that adopting a conversational style of delivery is more effective than tying oneself to a script. Irdina emphasises that the key is to not simply finish your points but to convince and influence the judge to rule in your favour. The key takeaway to excel in mooting is to ‘know your stuff inside out’, allowing you to handle your submission even if you have to deviate from the script.
“With the limited time given, the moot is akin to a performance and you would want to please your audience as much as you can.”
You have also held legal internships with esteemed firms, namely Messrs Skrine and Messrs Sreenevasan. Can you please share what was the experience like?
Irdina’s path crossed with Messrs Skrine as she was attracted to the firm’s stature as well as the nature of the work it offered, particularly the hybrid working arrangement at the time. This suited Irdina’s busy schedule, as she was juggling moot competitions and University of Malaya Law Society elections. Despite these commitments, she never missed the opportunity to apply her mooting skills in the internal moot competition alongside her partner, Belinda Lim, where they later received the Best Memorial Award for Respondent. Irdina believes that while there was limited exposure given that it was a structured internship, it was nonetheless a valuable starting point for a first-time intern like her.
Irdina also undertook an internship at Messrs Sreenevasan right before commencing her final year to gain experience working in a relatively small firm, in contrast to a larger one such as Messrs Skrine. Unlike her previous internship, this time she was exposed to files across various areas of law and had the opportunity to attend court hearings as well as client meetings. A memorable moment during her internship was witnessing a duel of words between Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevasan and another distinguished advocate, whose sharp and inspiring oral submissions in court left a lasting impression on Irdina. Irdina also appreciated the mentorship provided by the lawyers as well as the warmth of the staff members.
Irdina with Dato’ Ambiga Sreenevesan — her time at Messrs Sreenevasan solidified her decision to pursue a career in law
In addition to her experience with the two firms, Irdina, being a Yayasan Khazanah scholar herself, also completed a two-month internship at the Legal Department of Khazanah Nasional Berhad. Unlike conventional law firms, the Legal Department serves a single client: the company itself. This gave Irdina a unique experience as she was able to dabble in different areas of laws which ultimately serve Khazanah Nasional Berhad’s strategic interests. During her time there, Irdina had the opportunity to conduct research, review agreements, and also produced a write-up on the data protection regime in the People’s Republic of China. For students aspiring to gain insight into corporate life in law, Irdina highly recommends Khazanah Nasional Berhad as the ideal choice.
Broadening her horizons beyond the confines of law, Irdina possesses the mind of a polymath — one whose interests span across multiple disciplines and who appreciates a diverse array of topics. She encourages students from the faculty to not limit themselves to mooting or debate competitions when it comes to extracurricular activities and as their means of travelling abroad, as there are many opportunities available to explore outside the realm of law.
Two such opportunities that Irdina had the privilege of experiencing were through the Young Southeast Asian Leaders’ Initiative Academic Fellowship (YSEALI) and the UNIQLO Global Management Programme (GMP). The former saw Irdina representing Malaysia in a fully funded, month-long fellowship at an American university, focusing on the theme of civic engagement. Irdina fondly recalls the unforgettable experiences she gained during her time in the United States which include, participating in classes and activities related to civic engagement, interacting with local communities, engaging with the local government, and enjoying the customary cultural events that accompany international programmes. As a YSEALI alumna, she was later invited to attend the Alumni Summit, with her flight tickets this time taking her to Bangkok, Thailand.
“I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to give YSEALI a shot for an opportunity of a lifetime. Not only will you learn a lot about the theme you’re in, you will also forge life-long connections with youths from the United States and Southeast Asia.”
Irdina with her fellow Malaysian representatives in YSEALI at Badlands National Park, South Dakota
The second programme that secured her flight tickets to travel again was the GMP, a programme designed to bring together youths from all over the world to Tokyo to learn more about UNIQLO and its parent company, Fast Retailing. It provided a platform where students could present solutions for case studies, while also engaging with the different perspectives and solutions brought to the table by other students from around the world. Irdina’s groupmates, in particular, comprised students from the Philippines, Taiwan, Pakistan, and France, with their mentor also hailing from France. This experience gave Irdina the chance to collaborate with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Additionally, the traveller side of Irdina enjoyed the vibrant city life of Tokyo during her week-long stay.
Irdina with her cohort members at UNIQLO City, Ariake, Tokyo
Irdina also had the unique opportunity to be part of Yayasan Tan Sri Profesor Ahmad Ibrahim (YTSPAI) and Majlis Hal Ehwal Wanita dan Keluarga Malaysia (HAWA), two organisations to which she continues to contribute today. With YTSPAI, Irdina had the chance to delve deeply into the realm of legal aid while working to promote legal awareness among the public. Meanwhile, her work with HAWA centred around initiatives aimed at empowering women and supporting underrepresented communities — causes she remains passionate about to this day.
Irdina strongly encourages students to seize the opportunity to explore platforms which extend beyond the legal discipline. As someone with a bag full of memories and friendships forged with people from across the globe and different fields, she guarantees that these experiences will be lifetime opportunities that enrich one with both knowledge and insight.
As an individual with a busy schedule, how do you typically manage when life becomes overwhelming, and how do you balance your friendships, external commitments, and academic responsibilities?
When there are too many things on her plate, Irdina takes a step back to have pauses, or as she refers to them, her ‘slow days,’ which involve relaxing at her apartment and having casual meet-ups with friends.
Irdina's secret to balancing everything is to always plan ahead. This approach helps her anticipate future academic and extracurricular commitments and deadlines. An empath at heart, she also values her relationships with family and friends, whom she stays in touch with through weekly lunch meetings and phone calls. These practices have consistently helped her manage the hustle and bustle of her law school journey whilst not losing touch with individuals that mattered to her.
Irdina firmly believes that her friends have been integral to her success. She credits her close-knit circle for being a strong support system — her cheerleaders in moments of triumph and a refuge in times of despair. Beyond emotional support, Irdina and her friends have also helped each other grow academically and professionally, whether through exchanging notes in preparation for assessments or offering recommendations for various opportunities.
Last but not least, she thanks her parents and family, whose unwavering support and trust have been the foundation of her success to this day.
Thanks to the trust and independence given by her parents – Dr Jailani and Ms Halimah – Irdina is able to chart her own path
Irdina is also grateful to her friends who have stood by her through both the good times and the challenges — Anis Nadhira, Azza Izatul, Zaihasnisha, Ashley Voon Hsien Mei, Lee Shi Yi, Abby Si Xin Yi, Kamiliacheng, Adibah ‘Adawiyah, Charmaine Denisha Lionel, Nisa Qistina, Yong Wern Wern, Shasmeethaa Nair, Zaatil Syaima and more. She also remembers her mentors and seniors who have generously shared their knowledge and wisdom on both law and life — Tan Sri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, Dato’ Edwin Paramjothy Michael Muniandy, Khairul Anwar Hairudin, Ignatius Joel Nathan, and Hanis Hazidi.
Irdina with some of her closest friends in law school — Anis Nadhira, Zaihasnisha, and Zaatil Syaima
External Relations officers of UMLS 2020/2021 — Yong Wern Wern, Lee Shi Yi, Shasmeethaa Nair, and Ignatius Joel Nathan — have been significant figures in Irdina’s journey in law school
Managing the demands of law school alongside extracurriculars, personal responsibilities, and meaningful relationships, Irdina has consistently shown remarkable leadership, commitment, and a keen pursuit of knowledge. Her impressive accomplishments in mooting, impactful charitable initiatives, and ability to balance academic and personal challenges establish her as a genuine role model for her peers. As she advances in her legal path, Irdina’s journey serves as an inspiring reminder that, with the right mindset and support, one can surmount any challenge and leave a positive impact on both their own life and the lives of others.
Written by Snora Munandai.
Reviewed by Rabiatul Insyirah and (Adele) Soh Chien Yi.