UKM convo: Disability no obstacle to higher education success

KUALA LUMPUR: The success of 11 graduates with disabilities who received their degrees at the recent 50th Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) convocation ceremony proves that impairment is never an obstacle for them to excel in their studies.

The ability of Mohamad Hafizzudin Mohd Fadeli, 30, to obtain a Master’s degree in plant biotechnology dispels negative perceptions that visually impaired persons like him cannot succeed in the field of science.

According to a UKM statement, Mohammad Hafizzuddin, a teacher in a private school, had lost 80 per cent of his vision in 2008 due to glaucoma and was registered as legally blind in 2010.

“When I decided to study science, everyone doubted me and said that this field is very difficult for people with disabilities, but this was not an obstacle for me to succeed,” he said.

Wheel-chair bound Nur Ashikeen Iqbal, 32, who has completed her Master of Business Administration (MBA), was also determined to further her studies despite being paralysed from the waist down after a hit-and-run accident 14 years ago.

She said a positive attitude to continue succeeding in life and focusing on personal gains became the driving force behind her success.

Ashikeen plans to venture into business to open up employment opportunities for more people with disabilities.

Wan Abdul Hasib Wan Arif, 24, who is visually and speech impaired and who also completed his MBA, admitted that the group presentations were one of the biggest challenges as he had difficulty speaking clearly.

However, he refused to give up and used the text-to-speech application as a tool for the presentations and proved that he did not have to be too dependent on others.

“I intend to do my doctorate with the aim of helping people with disabilities in the field of education and also in the employment sector depending on their abilities,” he said.

Wan Abdul Hasib hopes that people with disabilities will be able to contribute to the community as a workforce and reduce society’s stigma of persons with disabilities, especially in the public and private employment sectors. — Bernama