Graduand aggrieved, unable to fulfill grandmother’s wish to celebrate convocation

PAYA BESAR, 6 November 2022 – While other graduands rejoiced at the presence of parents and family members at the convocation ceremony, it was the opposite for the graduand of Bachelor of Occupational Safety and Health with Honours, Nur Shafiqah Zakaria, 25, who was aggrieved when her late grandmother’s desire to see her receive her degree at the recent UMP 17th Convocation Ceremony was unfulfilled.

The eldest of the two siblings admitted it was a huge ordeal, her late father died when she was four years old and her brother was 40 days old.

She said that when she was nine years old, her mother passed, and at that time her brother was only four years old.

“Being an orphan when I was a child was very painful.

“However, we are grateful to have lived with grandma in Terengganu.

“She took on the responsibility of being a parent to my brother and me.

“Sometimes our relatives help us,” she said.

It is still fresh in her memory that when she was offered to continue her study at UMP, her late grandmother was the happiest person and always encouraged her to succeed.

At first, Nur Shafiqah found it difficult to decide to continue her study, thinking about the financial burden during the study.

“Alhamdulillah, I received assistance from the Public Service Department (JPA) and UMP; it eased the burden of my grandmother.

“Our joy was short-lived when grandma fell ill at the end of the semester and a week before the exam, I took care of my late grandmother in the hospital,” she said, holding her tears.

She was at that time determined to always be by the side of her late grandmother.

However, she said on 26 January 2021, her grandmother took her last breath at Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Terengganu.

“To be honest, I feel like giving up but I put my best foot forward because I want to prove my success to my late grandma and be strong for my brother.

“I always hold on to the promise of Allah SWT that Allah will not test if we cannot afford it.

“I always tell myself not to get driven by emotions and believe Allah SWT’s plan is the best,” she said.

Nur Shafiqah would like to thank her relatives, UMP lecturers and friends who are always on her side when in need.

Now, she serves as Junior Executive of Protégé-GEES at Petroliam Nasional Berhad (PETRONAS) since August.

In this meaningful convocation ceremony, she was accompanied by her husband, Mohamad Hafizi Harun, her relatives and her brother.

By: Nor Salwana Mohammad Idris, Corporate Communications Division, Chancellery Department

Translation by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, Engineering College/Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology