Nik Mohamad Alis Honours Late Parents’ Legacy, Pursues UPSI Degree

TANJONG MALIM, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- Inspired by the devotion of his late mother in tailoring and his father in cooking, Nik Mohamad Alis Ab Rashid chose to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Home Economics at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) after completing his Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia last year.

Having lived alone since the age of 17, he endured great hardship after losing his father in 2021 to a bacterial infection, followed by his mother’s passing the following year from complications of diabetes and stroke.

Since then, 20-year-old Nik Mohamad Alis has been living independently, renting a modest house near Kota Bharu, Kelantan, and supporting himself as a silat coach for an association, earning around RM800 a month.

“I hold on to my late mother’s words: do not skip prayers...even if I am no longer here, never skip a prayer, for Allah is the only One we can rely on and turn to. Insya-Allah, He will grant it.

“My mother also told me to be kind to people and not to worry about what others say or think. Just do good, because you never know which deed Allah will accept. Maybe that’s what brought me here today. I’ll always hold on to her words,” said one of the 4,063 new students registering at the university yesterday.

Accompanied by a relative, Nik Mohamad Alis travelled by car from Kelantan to register at the university.

According to him, choosing the Home Economics course at UPSI was not just an academic decision but a way to honour the love and sacrifices of his parents while also pursuing his dream of becoming a teacher.

“UPSI has always been my first choice since Form One. Back then, while I was active in silat, I was told that doing well in competitions might earn me a place at the university,” he said.

Nik Mohamad Alis said he had always believed that to succeed, one must generate their own drive instead of relying on others for motivation.

Meanwhile, deputy dean of Student Affairs and Alumni at the Faculty of Management and Economics Dr Khalizul Khalid said that so far, the Student Affairs Division and the UPSI Endowment, Zakat and Sedekah Office (WEZAS) have assisted Nik Mohamad Alis with his registration and study fees.

He said that UPSI regularly monitored social media for posts about students needing help so that the Student Welfare and Services Section (SKPP) could take appropriate action.

“We usually review each case before providing assistance. In the case of Nik Mohamad Alis, support has been channelled through the appropriate departments, including WEZAS and the UPSI Zakat Unit.

“There are also other initiatives, such as the Sulung programme, introduced by the Higher Education Minister, which provides assistance to the eldest child or the first in the family to successfully enter a public university,” he said.

Khalizul said that, in addition to providing assistance, UPSI would monitor the progress of these students until they completed their studies to ensure they achieved success and became independent upon graduation.

“Every semester, fee assistance is provided until students complete their studies, and academic advisors continuously support them to ensure they achieve excellence and secure good jobs after graduation,” he said.

Nik Mohamad Alis’ story, as an orphan living alone and pursuing his studies at UPSI, went viral on TikTok, drawing the attention of Majlis Amanah Rakyat chairman Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who offered assistance to ease his burden.

--BERNAMA