CYBERJAYA: For cancer survivor Muhammad Asif Shaik Saffarudin, his goal was simple yet profound: To ease his parents’ worries and fill their hearts with pride.
Muhammad Asif, 23, was diagnosed with early stage acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) when he was only 10, and was declared cancer-free when he was 17.
However, the youngest of three siblings not only managed to complete his tertiary education at the Multimedia University (MMU), but also did it with highest honours when he was conferred the Chancellor’s Award, while topping his electronic engineering class.
“When I was receiving my (cancer) treatment, I wondered if tomorrow would be my last day or not, like would I even be able to make it to secondary school, let alone university.
“But I wanted to stay optimistic, so I instilled in myself a sort of value that I had to make the most out of the time I have.
“This drove me to study hard, join events and programmes and try to improve myself constantly,” he said after MMU’s 25th convocation ceremony at its Cyberjaya campus here yesterday.
Born into a middle-class family reliant on a small food business as their sole income source, the Penangite explained that his upbringing was marked by his mother’s steadfast belief in the power of education.
“My mum had this dream that all her children would one day become doctors, lawyers, engineers, and change the quality of our family’s life.
“Despite financial constraints, my mother spared no effort in ensuring her children had access to education.
“Even though there were times when we didn’t have enough money to even eat, she would spend money to buy books for us,” he said.
Parents’ pride: Muhammad Asif posing with his award alongside his parents Mahbobah and Shaik Saffarudin Mohamed Yahaya at MMU’s 25th convocation ceremony in Cyberjaya. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
Elaborating on his illness, he said he had undergone a two-year treatment for his condition with the initial six to seven months being relatively manageable.
However, during that time, a treatment complication led to severe side effects, including a spike in blood sugar levels.
“After that, I was admitted to the ICU (intensive care unit) and from then on suffered a host of health problems.
“But sometime in 2012, I started recovering from the side effects. Though I had experienced memory problems, problems with concentrating and retaining knowledge, in the face of it all, I proved that even though I didn’t go to school in Years 4 and 5, I still managed to score 5As in the Primary School Achievement Test (UPSR).
“Morning to night, I would just study. If you saw me in the hospital at the time, I would just be studying,” he said.
His mother, Mahbobah SP Kassaly, 47, said she was proud of her son’s achievement and had always encouraged him to keep studying despite the challenges he was going through.
“I’m so proud of Asif and very happy to see his achievement today.
“Not only has he overcome so much, I always encourage him to study well so that he can achieve something like today,” she said.
Muhammad Asif said limits are a social construct that everyone must push past.
“Despite the world being cruel, we always have people who love us and support us. With that in mind, there is no limit that anyone can place on you.
“The times when we feel the most hardship, remember that it’s not an excuse to give up on your dreams,” he said.
The Chancellor’s Award – the highest accolade presented to the top student of the graduating class at MMU – recognises outstanding academic achievements, significant extracurricular contributions, and leadership.
At the same ceremony, Pahang Ruler Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Tengku Ampuan Pahang Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah were conferred honorary Doctorate Degrees of Management in recognition for their contributions to the field.
His Royal Highness reflected on the significance of the award, saying that it was a recognition for all the people of Malaysia who contribute to the stability and prosperity of the country.
“Knowledge is constantly developing along with technological advancements and global changes.
“Don’t stop learning even if you have a degree. Lifelong learning is the key to remaining relevant in a world that is constantly changing,” said Sultan Abdullah.
MMU’s three-day long convocation that ends tomorrow will see 3,657 graduates receiving their diploma, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate scrolls.
