Visually impaired lecturer graduates after years of struggle, sacrifice and support
KUALA LUMPUR: Behind every success is a great support system, what more if one undertakes the rigorous process of earning a PhD.
More so if they do not have the same capabilities as everyone else.
For visually impaired Noorilham Ismail, 35, it meant the world to get all the help needed to complete his doctorate.
While he managed writing a big part of his thesis, his 31-year-old wife Zarifah Arsani helped with the technical parts, including footnotes and bibliography.
She also tagged along on his research trips to the United States and United Kingdom in 2023 to scour archives for detailed information for his thesis.
All the hard work paid off when Noorilham, who lost his sight eight years ago due to a severe fever, was conferred a doctorate for his research on foreign policy, specifically the United States’ role in the Falklands War, at Universiti Malaya (UM) on Saturday.
The second of three siblings has Human Resources Minister Steven Sim to thank for in terms of financial assistance.
Noorilham initially funded his PhD with his own money and later with scholarships, but he still fell short.
He said Sim stepped in to help him continue his studies and graduate on time.
Well done: Sim congratulating Noorilham at the convocation ceremony in Universiti Malaya. Looking on are his wife Zarifah (left) and mother Salimah Kasim (right). — RAJA FAISAL HISHAN/The Star
The minister said he was introduced to Noorilham two years ago by a close lecturer friend in UM who is also visually impaired.
“Noorilham was in the midst of obtaining his PhD and my friend told me about his financial struggles.
“At that time he had to finish his last thesis in America, which was costly,” he added.
Sim said with the monthly RM300 Noorilham and Zarifah received from the Welfare Department being hardly enough, he met with the couple to extend some financial help.
“Every month, I chipped in an additional RM1,000 allowance,” Sim said, adding that he also gave Noorilham RM15,000 to complete the final phase of his thesis.
Sim said he was extremely proud of Noorilham finally earning his PhD.
“Not only does he now have a stable income, he has also vowed to be a good educator to all, regardless of race or religion,” he said of Noorilham, who is a lecturer at UM.
Sim presented Noorilham with a pair of headphones and a Manchester United jersey after the latter’s graduation.
He was among 686 graduates conferred doctorates at the convocation ceremony by UM chancellor Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah.
The Perak Ruler described PhD graduates as a minority who had the determination, will and ambition to continue to “explore the Sahara of knowledge and dive into the ocean of knowledge”.
Proud moment: Chin holding her scroll at the convocation ceremony.
Star Media Group deputy executive editor Christina Chin was also conferred a PhD for her research titled “Malaysian Public, Users and Stakeholders’ Perception of e-Cigarettes and Vape (ECV): A Gender Analysis”.
UM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azuan Abu Osman said with the world becoming increasingly advanced, there was an opportunity for the graduates to create something never achieved by their predecessors.
He said UM not only produced scholars who mastered theories, but also those able to “lead hearts and lead the times”.
A total of 11,356 graduates will be receiving their scrolls at UM’s 65th Convocation Ceremony until Dec 10, a record for the university.
