Against all odds: Yasodaa (left) and Yamuna said their elder brother’s success was one of the main motivators for them to succeed in their studies.
JOHOR BARU: Twin sisters S. Yamuna and S. Yasodaa lost their mother at the age of five and their father when they were seven years old.
Despite facing a challenging life, the 23-year-olds did not lose hope.
Their perseverance saw them graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from a public university yesterday.
Raised by their grandparents following their parents’ early deaths, the sisters stated that their elder brother’s success was one of the main motivators for them to succeed in their studies.
The two, who have been in the same class from kindergarten up until university, were interviewed by The Star during the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) graduation ceremony here yesterday.
“Losing both parents at a young age is a big challenge for anyone, but that is no reason to lose hope.
“Life goes on, and we need to still do the best we can,” said Yamuna.
“Our oldest brother pursued his PhD and currently works as a press secretary for a minister.
“He too had gone through a lot of challenges and persevered. We are just following in his footsteps,” said Yasodaa.
The twins’ education journey faced other stumbling blocks when Covid-19 hit; the sisters were both in the final semester of matriculation and even had to share a laptop.
“It was not easy to share a laptop, and we did have arguments from time to time because of this.
“Eventually, we decided to save up some money and buy ourselves another laptop,” said Yasodaa.
The sisters embarked on a small business venture, creating henna for clients.
Yasodaa also pursued a teaching position at a kindergarten following her matriculation.
“By the time we started our degree, we had already collected enough money to buy the laptop, which really helped us with our studies,” she said.
Yasodaa, who is now an auditor, and Yamuna, who is working as a finance executive, hope to inspire others – especially those who lost their parents at a young age – not to give up hope.
The convocation also saw Johor MCA treasurer Datuk Ng Keng Heng (pic) graduate with a Master’s degree in Occupational Safety and Health.
Ng, 57, decided to further his studies in 2022 in a bid to improve himself so that he could better serve the community.
“I decided to do my Master’s because I see it as an opportunity to grow, and it could also help me serve the people better.
“For me, every small step towards gaining new knowledge is a big achievement as it is an opportunity to grow and learn,” said Ng, who is also the Kota Tinggi MCA division chief.
Ng, who is a businessman, politician, and father of three, said that despite the challenges he faced along the way, he got support from his family, especially his wife, Datin Ong Siew Ming.
“There were times when I doubted myself and was unsure if I could finish it, but thanks to the support of my wife and loved ones, I was able to pick myself up and continue what I started,” he said, adding that he was also grateful to his supervisor, Dr Umi Aisah Asli.
