Mother's Hardship Spurs Abdul Khalim To Excel In Studies

ARAU, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Seeing his mother’s hardship as a night market vendor to single-handedly raise the family spurred Abdul Khalim Al Azizi Syahril, 25, to excel in his studies.   

He graduated with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering Technology (Machinery) degree with Honours from Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) and received the Chancellor's Gold Medal Award at the first session of the university’s 18th convocation ceremony at Dewan Ilmu, UniMAP here today.

UniMAP Chancellor, the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail presented the award to Abdul Khalim, who is the youngest of three siblings. 

Abdul Khalim, who is from Johor, said his parents separated when he was just four years old and his mother Khoirul Badriyah Badrul, 50, had to become the sole breadwinner for the family, adding that now his sister was a food stall vendor and his brother was a dentist.

“Mother sold drinks and ‘bakso’ at the night market.  She is both my mother and father. I saw how hard she slogged to earn a living for the family.  I used to help out at the stall while at school too. 

“I used to stand on upturned pails to help sell drinks when I was eight. And today, I stood on the convocation stage to dedicate this achievement to my mother,” he told Bernama after the ceremony.  

Abdul Khalim, who was also the recipient of the national ‘Wira TVET’ award last year, said he did not have a recipe for excelling in his studies but was very determined to do his best to change the fate of his family.

He obtained a Grade Point Average of 3.80 and plans to obtain a Masters with the aim of becoming an officer in a uniformed force. 

UniMAP also awarded a posthumous Doctor of Philosophy (Mechanical Engineering) degree to the late Mohd Fizam Zainon who died on Dec 31, 2022, which was received by his wife, Norsiah Ashaari.  

A total of 3,555 graduates will receive their scrolls in the four-day convocation ceremony, which started today.

-- BERNAMA