Latest news with #OpenUniversityMalaysia
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Health
- New Straits Times
Unbroken spirit: Mazwan pursues degree despite rare disease
KUALA LUMPUR: No one would fault Nong Mazwan Fitri if he gave up on his dream of earning a psychology degree, given his rare condition, but quitting is the last thing on his mind. For the past 27 years, Mazwan has lived with osteogenesis imperfecta, or brittle bone disease. The rare genetic condition causes bones to be very fragile and susceptible to fractures. Throughout his life, Mazwan has fractured over 100 bones, each one causing him excruciating pain. "The pain I experience is not ordinary. Even the slightest movement can break my bones," Mazwan told the New Straits Times. "I have faced many challenges while studying, but I keep pushing forward because I believe education is important," said Mazwan, who will graduate from Open University Malaysia next year. Mazwan has not received treatment for his condition since 2018, as his family cannot afford it. Despite the challenges, he refuses to let his condition break his spirit, especially during celebrations like Hari Raya Aidilfitri. "I celebrate Hari Raya with my family as always, even though my condition makes it more difficult," he said. Subang Jaya Medical Centre orthopaedic surgeon Dr Roshan Gunalan said brittle bone disease was caused by a genetic mutation that led to a decrease in Type 1 collagen, making bones more brittle. "Brittle bone disease is not just about fragile bones. "It can impact the skin, teeth, and even the heart, making comprehensive medical care essential." While the disease poses challenges for people like Mazwan, support groups such as the Malaysian Rare Disease Society (MRDS) strive to offer help and resources. "MRDS will take them under our wing," said the organisation's vice-president, Allida Muhammad Said. "We offer daily help through WhatsApp chats. We have a large group with nearly 40 people and families affected by the disease." Allida said there was a shortage of genetic specialists and counsellors in Malaysia. She said that genetic counselling was crucial in helping people understand complex genetic disorders and inherited health conditions. "Malaysia has only about 15 genetic specialists and the same number of genetic counsellors nationwide, far too few to meet demand."
New Straits Times
04-05-2025
- Business
- New Straits Times
Three Kajang Prison inmates receive degree, diploma scrolls
KUALA LUMPUR: Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one's education. Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM's 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here. Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours. "I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students… and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra)," he told reporters after the convocation ceremony. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge. Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison's strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success. "Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online. "There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies, such as computers, internet access, and learning materials," he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence. Meanwhile, Siva, 36, who has been serving an 18-year prison sentence since 2010, said that his achievement of graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours is due to continuous support from his family, prison officers, and lecturers. "I was pursuing diploma studies outside, but didn't complete them. After coming here, I found out that there was an opportunity to continue studying. My family encouraged me, so I resumed my studies. "Once I completed that, I went on to finish my degree and that motivated me to pursue a master's degree in Business Administration," he added.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
3 Kajang inmates achieve academic success
KUALA LUMPUR: Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one's education. Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM's 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here. Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours. 'I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students... and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA),' he told reporters after the convocation ceremony. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge. Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison's strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success. 'Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online. 'There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies such as computers, internet access, and learning materials,' he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence. Meanwhile, Siva, 36, who has been serving an 18-year prison sentence since 2010, said that his achievement of graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours is due to continuous support from his family, prison officers, and lecturers. 'I was pursuing diploma studies outside, but didn't complete them. After coming here, I found out that there was an opportunity to continue studying. My family encouraged me to take it up, so I resumed my studies. 'Once I completed that, I went on to finish my degree and that motivated me to pursue a master's degree in Business Administration,' he added. He also expressed his gratitude to all the officers for helping him find materials to finish his assignments on time.
The Sun
04-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Three Kajang inmates achieve academic success
KUALA LUMPUR: Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one's education. Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM's 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here. Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours. 'I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students... and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA),' he told reporters after the convocation ceremony. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge. Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison's strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success. 'Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online. 'There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies such as computers, internet access, and learning materials,' he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence. Meanwhile, Siva, 36, who has been serving an 18-year prison sentence since 2010, said that his achievement of graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration with Honours is due to continuous support from his family, prison officers, and lecturers. 'I was pursuing diploma studies outside, but didn't complete them. After coming here, I found out that there was an opportunity to continue studying. My family encouraged me to take it up, so I resumed my studies. 'Once I completed that, I went on to finish my degree and that motivated me to pursue a master's degree in Business Administration,' he added. He also expressed his gratitude to all the officers for helping him find materials to finish his assignments on time.
Barnama
04-05-2025
- Business
- Barnama
Three Kajang Inmates Achieve Academic Success
KUALA LUMPUR, May 4 (Bernama) -- Three Open University Malaysia (OUM) students who received their degree and diploma scrolls today proved that incarceration is not an excuse for abandoning one's education. Siva, Shankar and Suresh (not their real names), inmates at Kajang Prison, were among the graduates celebrated at OUM's 29th Convocation Ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre, here. Suresh, 31, who has been serving a life sentence since 2011 at the age of 17 as a Tahanan Limpah Sultan (LTS), began his educational journey in prison in 2014 with the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, which he passed with flying colours. 'I thought my future was over. But after sitting for the SPM at Sekolah Integriti Kajang, I was one of the top students… and was offered to pursue a Diploma in Business Management at OUM, fully sponsored by the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (MITRA),' he told reporters after the convocation ceremony. Pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration, Suresh hopes this achievement will inspire other inmates to continue seeking knowledge. Meanwhile, Shankar, 34, who earned a Diploma in Business Management, said prison's strict rules and unique learning environment did not deter him from achieving academic success. 'Suresh and I began our studies in 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to postpone them for a year and a half. When classes resumed, everything was conducted online. 'There were many challenges, but the (prison) officers and lecturers were extremely helpful. They provided various things to facilitate our studies such as computers, internet access, and learning materials,' he said, adding that he is also pursuing a bachelor's degree in business administration. Shankar, who has been in prison since 2018, aspires to start a business once he completes the remaining eight months of his sentence.
