Choong Wai Kit, son of tailor, receives Royal Education Award (Pingat Jaya Cemerlang)

GAMBANG, 26 October 2024 – Choong Wai Kit, 24, dedicated the Royal Education Award (Pingat Jaya Cemerlang) he received at the 19th Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) Convocation Ceremony for his beloved family in return for his mother’s sacrifices when raising him and his sister.

His mother, Yee Lai Shan, 52, a baju kurung tailor, remained steadfast and eager to raise him and his sister after the demise of his father, Choong Yoke Hon.

Not only that, his sister, Choong Wai Teng, 26, who works as a Sales Operations Management Assistant, is also the biggest contributor to his success today.

He said he did not want to trouble his mother and sister.

“They not only sacrificed a lot financially but also often gave me the strength to keep moving forward.

“When I was undergoing industrial training in Shah Alam, my family sponsored all my expenses during the period, and I really appreciated and loved them wholeheartedly for all their sacrifices.

“In the future, I intend to repay all the kindness that my mother and sister have given me as a gesture of gratitude,” he said.

The holder of a Bachelor (Honours) Degree in Chemical Engineering from the Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology (FTKKP) with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.92 not only spent time at university studying but was also active in debating and succeeded in becoming the overall second best debater.

“My team was named the runner-up in the 1st Hou Xue Cup National University Debate Competition.

“I started to get involved in the world of debate after joining the Chinese Language Orator Club at the university by learning the basics of debate, including how to process arguments and understand the format of the competition.

“After mastering these things, I started participating in small competitions to build confidence and hone communication skills,” he said.

With constant practice and patience, he is able to think critically and speak more fluently in front of people.

To hone his talents, he participated in the 2nd Hou Xue Cup National University Debate Competition, 4th UCSI International Mandarin Online Debate Tournament 2021 and 12th Tiong Hua Cup Intervarsity Chinese Debate Tournament Asia Pacific Open.

In addition to actively debating, he is the Head of the Multimedia Division of IEM UMPSA Student Section 2022, Treasurer of Peng Sheng 2022, Vice President of the Advanced Education Campaign to the University 2022 and President of Virtual Treasure Hunt 2.0: Mission Impossible.

He also participated in Multimedia of Webinar ‘Working Together to Prevent Suicide’, Multimedia of Webinar ‘Let's Stop Body Shaming’, Multimedia of AutoCAD Drawing Competition 1.0, Multimedia of Career Talk, Multimedia of Effective E-mail Writing, Multimedia of National Summit and Chinese Cultural Night UMPSA 2023.

In the 2024 Creation, Innovation, Technology & Research Exposition (CITRE), he won a silver medal.

The Ipoh, Perak-born lad mentioned that all facilities, learning and teaching staff provided by UMPSA have been well designed to ensure a comprehensive learning experience.

“UMPSA provides modern and well-equipped facilities such as state-of-the-art laboratories, extensive libraries and a conducive learning environment.

“In terms of learning, the curriculum is carefully arranged in line with the needs of the industry while supplying students with theoretical and practical knowledge.

“The teaching staff consists of experienced lecturers and experts who are professionals in their respective fields, who are always dedicated to providing the best guidance to students,” he explained.

In addition, he said, the value of willingness to try and explore new things, along with self-confidence possessed by UMPSA graduates, is an advantage that greatly impacts their career development.

“Through a holistic learning approach and well-planned co-curricular activities, students are encouraged to step out of their comfort zone and dare to try various opportunities, whether in terms of knowledge, skills or co-curricular activities.

“This includes involvement in innovative projects, and social activities as well as the exploration of new ideas that help hone critical thinking and problem solving skills.

“The confidence built through this experience makes UMPSA graduates more flexible, resilient and ready to face challenges in a competitive and constantly changing work environment,” he said.

According to Choong Wai Kit, their willingness to face new things with an open mind and desire to continue learning ensures that they are always relevant and able to compete in the job market.

“For example, I was entrusted with leading the Virtual Treasure Hunt 2.0 event: Mission Impossible which is the main event for IEM UMPSA Student Section and I single-handedly managed the entire event.

“With the efforts of each member, the event was successfully organised which involved more than 210 participants from more than 20 institutions and universities and it made the event with the most participation in recent years for the IEM UMP Student Section.

“Despite facing various challenges and problems, my life principle is to always think positively,” he said with a smile.

In fact, he also believes in never giving up in every difficult situation.

“Instead, we need to assess the situation wisely, taking into account the best and worst that can happen.

“By planning strategies for these two scenarios, I can prepare for any possibility that arises.

“Life often does not go as we expect, so be prepared to face various circumstances that not only help us reduce the risk of failure but also increase self-confidence,” he said.

It turned out that the approach managed to shape him to become a more mature person and prepare for the twists and turns of life more calmly.

After completing his convocation, he intends to find a job in Singapore and has now received several offers as a process engineer.

By: Nur Hartini Mohd Hatta, Centre for Corporate Communications

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