Born two minutes apart, identical twins Muhammad Ibrahim and Muhammad Yusuf Mohd Yusni have spent most of their lives together, growing, learning, and carving out their own individual paths.
Recently, they marked a milestone by graduating just a day apart from each other at Monash University Malaysia – Muhammad Ibrahim earned his Bachelor of Software Engineering (Honours), while Muhammad Yusuf completed his Bachelor of Science (Honours).
Born in Kuantan, Pahang, the brothers, aged 21, grew up in Kerteh, Terengganu, in what they described as an adventurous childhood.
“A lot of our early learning came from play, curiosity and being outdoors.
“No one really compared us to each other when we were growing up as we had distinct personalities,” Muhammad Ibrahim shared.
“That helped us recognise early on that we weren’t meant to be the same in every aspect; we each had our own strengths and ways of seeing the world,” quipped Muhammad Yusuf.
By age 14, they had already begun their Foundation in Science, followed by a Diploma of Higher Education in Mechanical Engineering.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Muhammad Ibrahim’s reflections on the global shift towards education led him to pursue software engineering at Monash University Malaysia, where he discovered his talent for coding, while Muhammad Yusuf opted to study science, guided by curiosity and a desire to explore and understand the world more deeply.
“During exams, we would revise together, ask each other questions, test one another, and even try to learn a bit of each other’s subjects.
“It made the experience feel shared and less stressful,” Muhammad Yusuf said.
For Muhammad Ibrahim, having his twin on campus made a huge difference, although they were in different programmes.
“We understood exactly what the other was going through.
“It gave me a sense of support and motivation that made the harder moments easier to manage,” he said.
Behind their journey is a strong foundation of family support.
Their father, an engineer, and their mother, a retired chartered accountant turned homemaker, provided steady encouragement throughout.
“Our parents and two other siblings were always there through the stressful moments and long nights,” Muhammad Ibrahim said, adding that through every challenge, the brothers were each other’s biggest source of encouragement, as their understanding of each other is instinctive.
An aspiring PhD candidate, Muhammad Ibrahim is currently working as a research assistant at the varsity’s School of Information Technology.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Yusuf, who is already immersed in his doctoral research, is exploring the frontiers of supramolecular chemistry.
Despite being in different fields, they see potential for future collaboration.
We understand how each other thinks, which makes working together feel natural. I stepped into software engineering without a strong background in coding. I had to build those skills from the ground up through self-learning and persistence. Through these challenges, I learnt the value of independent learning and adaptability. Engineering is always evolving, and that mindset is essential.
Muhammad Ibrahim
Balancing psychology essays, chemistry lab reports and overlapping deadlines required careful planning. Resilience is one of the most important qualities to have. People often face problems that don’t have obvious solutions, but if they break them down and keep going, they find a way forward.
Muhammad Yusuf
