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A team of Computer Engineering students from Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) has achieved an impressive milestone at UMHackathon 2026, securing the position of 4th Runner-Up among 272 competing teams and taking home RM1,000 in prize money. 

Organised by PEKOM and the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FSKTM) at Universiti Malaya, the hackathon was supported by leading industry players including Z.ai, YTL AI Labs, Etiqa, Ant International, Alphared and TRAE. Widely regarded as one of Malaysia’s most competitive university hackathons, the event brought together some of the nation’s brightest technology talents to solve real-world challenges through innovation. 

The competition unfolded in two stages: an online preliminary round followed by a physically held final round on 2 and 3 May 2026 at Universiti Malaya’s FSKTM Building and KPS Auditorium in Kuala Lumpur. 

Standing Out in a Highly Competitive Field 

The scale of UMHackathon 2026 underscored the significance of the achievement. A total of 272 teams comprising 1,103 participants competed in the preliminary stage across two domains. Only 27 teams earned a place in the finals, making advancement beyond the first round an accomplishment in itself. 

Representing APU under Team ID 178 in Domain 1: AI Systems and Agentic Workflow Automation, Team AS consisted of Mohamed Hemdan Abdelaziz Abdelsalam Safaan (Team Leader), Ahmed Elshafaay Haseb Elkhidr, Ali Mohamed Refai Mohamed Ahmed Ghalab, Omar Mahmoud Elsayed Shoair, and Youssef Ahmed Said Ahmed Ghazy. 

Competing against top university teams from across the country, the students demonstrated not only technical capability but also a strong understanding of industry needs through the development of a practical AI-powered solution. 

Introducing Komplain.ai

The team’s innovation, “Komplain.ai”, is an AI-powered complaint resolution assistant developed specifically for e-commerce support teams operating in Malaysia’s multilingual marketplace environment. 

The solution streamlines what is often a labour-intensive process. Instead of requiring customer support agents to manually review complaints, locate order information, determine appropriate resolutions and draft responses, Komplain.ai automates the entire workflow. 

Sellers simply paste a customer complaint—whether written in English, Bahasa Malaysia or Manglish—and may optionally upload a photo of a damaged or incorrect item. Within seconds, the system recommends an appropriate course of action, such as issuing a refund, arranging a reshipment, requesting additional information or dismissing the complaint. 

The platform also generates bilingual responses in both English and Bahasa Malaysia, while adapting the tone to suit the customer’s communication style. Importantly, all responses remain subject to human review and approval before being sent, ensuring accountability and quality control. 

Designed to address the challenges faced by Malaysian online merchants handling large volumes of customer complaints across multiple languages, Komplain.ai demonstrates clear commercial relevance and practical value. A working prototype of the solution is available online at komplain-test-xi2r.vercel.app. 

Innovation Under Pressure

The final round tested participants beyond technical skills alone. Teams worked through the night in campus rooms without beds, navigating long hours and limited rest while refining their solutions and preparing for presentations. 

Despite the demanding conditions, the experience fostered a spirit of resilience, collaboration and innovation. For the APU team, the intense environment became an integral part of the hackathon journey and contributed to the excitement of competing at a national level. 

Adding to the experience, top-performing teams were invited to participate in an exclusive session with Ant International’s technology leaders and Head of Talent Acquisition. Several APU team members also received direct approaches from judges regarding potential interview opportunities, extending the impact of the competition beyond the event itself. 

Mentorship Driving Success

The team’s achievement was supported by dedicated mentorship throughout the competition. 

Leading the guidance effort was Asst Prof Ir EUR ING Ts Dr Lau Chee Yong, Head of the Visionary AI Studio (VAS) within APU’s School of Engineering, whose expertise helped the students refine both their technical approach and project direction. 

Special recognition also goes to Youssef Mahmoud Elsayed Shoair, an APU alumnus currently pursuing postgraduate studies at the University. Serving as a close mentor from the earliest stages of preparation through to the final round, his advice and encouragement played an instrumental role in the team’s success. 

Building the Next Generation of Engineering Talent

Congratulating the students, Prof Ir Ts Dr Siva Kumar Sivanesan, Head of the School of Engineering at APU, said: “It is truly gratifying to see our students not only compete at this level, but do so with a solution that is grounded in real-world relevance and technical rigour. 

“Their performance at UMHackathon 2026 is a reflection of the strong engineering culture we are building at APU, and I am immensely proud of every member of the team and the mentors who supported them along the way.” 

With Komplain.ai already demonstrating strong practical potential and attracting early industry interest, the future looks promising for Group AS. Their success at UMHackathon 2026 serves as a testament to the calibre of engineering talent nurtured at APU.