Professor Dr Zainuddin Abdul Manan·Saturday, April 29, 2017
April 28 to May 2nd 2017. Once again, it is time to pay tribute to our graduates, parents, lecturers and stakeholders of UTM.
Congratulations to graduates of this historic 58th UTM Convocation. Thank you to the vital contributors and team of crafters and engineers of the success of our graduates.
Graduates of UTM;
Next to the parents and the graduates, I might be one of those who have been very happy, excited and thankful to the Almighty of your achievements.
Trust me. I personally know how it feels. I have been there a few times before as a young graduate.
I have also been a proud father of graduates; and have been fortunate to be able to witness the graduation of my two daughters.
Over the years, I have been a proud lecturer of countless number of graduates whom I have personally taught.
I have touched the lives of many graduates in my roles as the head of department, then a faculty dean, and now, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic & International) of UTM.
In the big-picture scenario, I see this momentous event as a major victory of a team of graduates-parents-UTM-industry-government and community that have diligently worked together in this mega project of crafting a legacy of distinctive talents and a glorious civilisation.
Allow me to convey my victory address today somewhat differently. I will neither speak of our graduates’ achievements, nor of UTM’s global success. I will not deliberate on our position in world ranking. Neither will I be sharing on the glorious awards that UTM and its staff and students have received. I will not want to steal the limelight off the graduation address of the Datuk Vice Chancellor of UTM during the graduation ceremony.
Allow me to focus on an untold perspective that has been so less emphasized. Allow me to draw our attention to the “unsung heroes” at the heart of this victory parade of graduates.
Allow me to pay my highest tribute to the parents of the graduates of UTM.
Speaking as a dad, who went through a few experiences as a graduate, and now a lecturer, and a person who holds the amanah as a leader; I bear witness that, during the course of building the stars of this victory parade, the parents have been the architect and engineer of this mega-project. They are also the entrepreneur cum the project manager.
The parents are the unsung, uncommon heroes who posses the dream so big, the mission so strong that energised them to stand proudly against the test of time, the wrath of typhoons, and the most vicious of earthquakes and tsunamis.
When one after another players come and go in this incredibly daunting endeavor of talent development, parents had withstood and braved the worst of trials, head on, as the guardian, caretaker, teacher, mentor, provider and motivator; emanating an unparalleled patience, in sickness and in health, in your presence and apart (in their doa and thoughts), til death do they part.
O Children of UTM!
Know this. It would have been easy for the parents to give up on you
- when some of them were so poor that they could not afford to take care of many of your brothers and sisters (up to 50% UTM students are of the bottom 40 families)
- when you did not come home for months when you were studying in boarding school
- when you shouted at them because you were not happy that they were too protective
- when you left the house just because they could not afford to buy you a hand phone
- when you turn to your girl or boyfriends because your mom or dad did not understand you.
- When you failed in your first attempt at college, and you look for your rich girl-boy friend’s financial help to bail you out, but in the end, it was your poor dad who sold his bike to send you back to another college.
- When you met with an accident because you chose to race on your motorbike, no matter how they pleaded at you. In the end, it was not your girl friend, but your mom and dad, far away from town who came to your rescue..
It would have been easy for them to give up on you when the thousands of opportunities showed its way.
But, like a serial entrepreneur – your mom and dad smiled, and soldier on, battling tsunami and typhoon to see your dream (not theirs) come true.
I regard our parents as the serial entrepreneurs so immune to pains and sufferings; possessing the determination most steely, to see through their mission. With a razor-sharp focus, they only know of an outcome – the success of their sons and daughters who will one day be the guardian of the family, the pride of the society, and the heroes of the nation.
Dear graduates; words would surely fail to express our gratitude to the entrepreneurial parents who possess the ultimate value, mission and mission.
It may neither be easy for young graduates to comprehend nor appreciate my meaning, until you all be the ones chosen to head this mega project of nurturing people – until and unless you all become parents. One day, when you have reached one of the key milestones of life, that is, when you have a family and children, remember my message.
O Graduates of UTM!
Savour and be proud of your success today. But remember, today is just a milestone of a long, arduous journey.
Take your parents as the great role models.
Plan your future for generations to come. Plant it with big dreams and water it with the true-north vision and mission of building a value-driven entrepreneurial culture within yourself and your family, an exemplary tradition for the society, and a noble civilization for the universal well-being and prosperity.
If you stand steadfast, dressed with ethics and integrity to battle challenges that come your way, I have faith that you will reach the pinnacle of happiness and success, Insha Allah. May Allah accept all our efforts, and grant us distinctive success in life, and the life hereafter.
Professor Zain A Manan, DVCAI, UTM
