Proud moment: Dr Wee (left) and party youth chief Ling Tian Soon (right) with Lim.
JOHOR BARU: Heartbreak has turned into joy for top scorer Lim Chin Hong, as his dream of getting into a local university is realised following months of rejection.
He said he was turned down by many institutions of higher learning because of his physical condition, where part of his right leg was amputated due to a tumour.
But with the intervention of MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong, who championed his case, Lim finally secured a place to study electrical engineering at Universiti Malaya (UM).
Lim, who scored a perfect CGPA of 4.0 in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), said he is grateful to be able to pursue a degree in electrical engineering at his dream university.
“I have always wanted to study engineering at UM, and I know I have to work twice as hard as others to make the dream a reality.
“I gave it my all, and when I got my STPM results, I was very happy, thinking it would at least give me a chance to take the course I wanted at the university.
“But my hope was dashed when I realised engineering courses were not made available to me as I was applying to public universities through the UPU system.
“Now, after months of disappointment and waiting, I have got what I wanted. It is such a huge relief and I am very grateful,” said the 20-year-old in an interview.
Lim was diagnosed with haemangioma, a tumour in the blood vessel of his right knee, at the age of seven.
In 2023, he underwent the amputation of his right lower leg and is now using crutches.
The plight of the SMK Yong Peng student was first highlighted on Aug 18, when Dr Wee shared his story on Facebook.
Lim said he had initially chosen computer science-related courses despite having little interest in them.
“It is not fair for us not to be given the same opportunities as our peers just because of our disabilities.
“I am very grateful to Dr Wee and MCA for highlighting my story, which helped me get the offer from UM and several other private universities,” he said, adding that he hopes his journey will inspire others.
Lim also expressed his gratitude to Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir for helping him secure a place at UM.
“However, I hope the ministry will improve its policies to better protect students with disabilities in the future,” he added.
Earlier, Dr Wee expressed his gratitude after Lim finally received the offer from UM.
“What has happened here must serve as a reference, a precedent case, to pave the way for a policy that truly protects the rights of the physically-challenged community.
“The phrase ‘no discrimination against OKU’ cannot remain mere lip service. It must be proven in practice,” said the Ayer Hitam MP in a statement.
Lim, who is from Ayer Hitam, scored straight As in Pengajian Am, Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry in the STPM exam last year.
After Dr Wee revealed Lim’s story, the top scorer received overwhelming support from universities and a philanthropist, with several offering him full scholarships.
“After I highlighted his journey, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology were the first to offer him a place in his preferred course with full scholarships,” he said in a Facebook post on Aug 20.
Dr Wee said Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation and UCSI University later made similar offers, while another organisation and a Singaporean philanthropist pledged to cover his education expenses in full.
