| Universiti Putra Malaysia

Touching mother, sad to receive her late daughter’s degree

By: Azman Zakaria


SERDANG, Jan 10: “My heart was very touched and sorrowful when I walked up the stage of the convocation hall to receive a degree on behalf of my daughter who passed away.

"She was supposed to be here to celebrate her success, but she’s no longer alive. However, I accepted the fate," said Norliza Abdullah, mother of the graduate, Nuraida Sabrina Shamsul Anuar, who passed away on June 11, 2020

Norliza, 50, from Sungai Petani, Kedah, received the Bachelor of Computer Science degree on behalf of the late Nuraida Sabrina from the Pro-Chancellor of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr. Ir. Muhamad Zohadie Bardaie, at the 44th UPM Convocation Ceremony at the Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Cultural and Arts Centre, UPM here, today.

According to Norliza, based on the post-mortem, her 23-year-daughter passed away due to lung inflammation or pneumonia.

The late Nuraida Sabrina, eldest of four siblings and hope of the family, was attacked by pneumonia in the final weeks of her practical training in Sungai Petani.

She said her feeling was mixed with sadness not only because her daughter could not celebrate the success but also because of her husband Shamsul Anuar Omar (father of Nuraida Sabrina).

She said her husband passed away about eight months before the passing of Nuraida Sabrina.

“However, as a mother, I am very proud of Nuraida Sabrina's achievement and the sacrifice of my late husband.

"When I saw other graduates receiving their degrees, I imagined as if my daughter was also receiving her degree," she said.

“Throughout my walk from the seat at the back of the hall to the stage, I imagined the face of my late daughter. It’s even gloomier when there was music accompanied when I walked on stage,” she said.

She said her daughter was healthy and showed no signs of sickness, but she suddenly could not walk and could only talk before passing away the next day.

"She was the role model for her siblings. That is why my three children and I came from Sungai Petani to celebrate the success of my late daughter even though the degree certificate could be sent to us by post.

“She worked hard… she studied for six years, two years at Banting matriculation and four years at UPM. She’s interested in the field of computers and aimed to develop database,” she said.

She thanked UPM and her late daughter’s friends, who helped and gave words of encouragement to them and their family.

Norliza, a housewife, said she may have to work to support the family and her children's education. Her three children, Nurul Hannah, 22, is studying at Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP); Maisarah, 18, at Sekolah Menengah Teknik Alor Setar; and Ain Nadira, 12, at Sekolah Kebangsaan Sungai Layar, Sungai Petani.

Nurul Hannah, on the other hand, said that she and her siblings made their sister as a role model to succeed in academics. - UPM   

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