SON’S SUCCESS REMINDS MUM OF LATE HUSBAND
She’s sad husband can’t see son receive USM Vice-Chancellor’s Gold Medal award
THE mother of a Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Vice-Chancellor’s Gold Medal recipient tried to hold back tears upon learning of her son’s achievement.
Norezah Othman, 52, was very proud of Mohd Hazim Abdul Manaf, 23, who reminded her of her late husband who died 17 years ago.
“Thinking of Hazim’s success moves me to tears because it brings back memories of my late husband as they look alike,” she said.
Hazim, a physics graduate from Kulim, Kedah, would be awarded the medal under the Outstanding Student Leader category at the university’s 56th convocation, which will be held from today to Sunday at Dewan Tuanku Syed Putra here.
“My husband was a policeman who died of a stroke when Hazim was 6. Since then, I have been the breadwinner of my family. I raised two kids, Hazim and his brother, an engineer at a factory in Kulim,” she said.
For Norezah, it was a proud moment to see Hazim donning his graduation robes and surrounded by reporters. Then she realised her husband was not there to witness the moment.
She said Hazim looked more like his father as he grew older.
“I remind him to show gratitude to his elders, especially his late father, who sacrificed to raise the two of them. I always remind them not to forget him once they succeed in life.”
Norezah said the challenges she faced after the death of her husband motivated her to raise her children well.
Hazim, who regarded USM Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Dr Asma Ismail as his role model, aspired to become a lecturer.
He is an engineer at the factory where his brother works.
Bachelor of Science in Housing, Building and Planning graduate Shoong Wing Fai, 23, was the other winner of the USM gold medal.
Bachelor in Applied Sciences graduate Muhamad Azlan Shah Adnan, 23, will receive the Rulers’ Council Royal Education Award in the Bumiputera category.
The non-Bumiputra category of the award will be presented to Bachelor of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages graduate Ngoi Hui Chien, 23.
A total of 6,979 graduates will receive their scrolls.
Asma said two figures would be conferred honorary degrees.
The first is Tan Sri Tan Khoon Hai, who has 40 years of experience in auditing, accounting and corporate financing.
Tan will be conferred an honorary doctorate in industry, while former Mara chief director Datuk Seri Ibrahim Ahmad will be conferred an honorary doctorate in education management.
USM will also confer two of its academic members with professor emeritus titles.
One of them is former vicechancellor Professor Tan Sri Datuk Dzulkifli Abdul Razak.
“Another recipient is Professor Dr Mashhor Mansor, an expert in ecology and biodiversity from the Biological Sciences Studies Centre. Mashhor is well known for his primate research and is founder of the Malaysian Primatology Association,” she said.
The first session of the convocation will be chaired by USM Chancellor and Raja of Perlis Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail.