By: Azman Zakaria
SERDANG, Jan 12: “I studied hard as I wanted to repay all those who supported me financially throughout my studies. I am truly indebted to them,” said the recipient of the Royal Education Award (Bumiputera), Putera Mohamad Iskandar Jamil.
“I faced financial problems in my first year of studies,” he said.
Putera Mohamad Iskandar, 24, from the Bachelor of Horticultural Science programme, Faculty of Agriculture, received the Royal Education Award (Bumiputera) from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Chancellor, His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, at Session 5 of the 44th Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Convocation Ceremony, here today.
Putera Mohamad Iskandar said his intention to repay the kindness was deep in his heart, which motivated him throughout his studies.
“It is difficult for me to describe the situation where I did not have enough money... I had to save up and plan my finances carefully in my first semester.
“Alhamdulillah, in my second semester, I began receiving financial aids from the Centre for Management of Waqf, Zakat and Endowment (WAZAN), UPM, the Veterans Affairs Department, the Melaka State Education Trust Fund (TAPEM), and the Public Service Department (JPA). This had allowed me to focus solely on my studies.
“I wanted to repay them, and that was my motivation. My way of repaying them was by studying hard,” said the fourth child of seven siblings, who is planning to further his studies by getting a master’s degree.
Putera Mohamad Iskandar, who hails from Sungai Rambai, Melaka, said he was stunned when he received a call from UPM on December 10, informing him that he received the award.
