Rohana Abdullah, whose inspiring life story once touched the hearts of Malaysians, has achieved another milestone by graduating from the Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) under its Anak Emas Scholarship Programme.
The 22-year-old, who became UTeM’s first recipient of the Anak Emas Scholarship, completed her Diploma in Computer Science with distinction, earning a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.88.
Her achievement was celebrated at the 21st UTeM Convocation Ceremony held yesterday, graced by UTeM Chancellor Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam, who is also the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka, and Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
Rohana’s story first went viral in 2021 when she shared that she had been raised by her foster mother, Chee Hoi Lan, since she was two months old after being abandoned by her biological mother. Chee’s commitment to raising Rohana in accordance with the Islamic faith earned widespread praise as a reflection of Malaysia’s unity in diversity.
Rohana’s journey was not without challenges as she struggled for years to obtain Malaysian citizenship before finally receiving her Citizenship Approval Letter, thanks to the assistance of several parties, including former Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Moved by her perseverance, UTeM, under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Professor Datuk Ts Dr Massila Kamalrudin, offered her a fully funded place at the university through its Anak Emas Scholarship, introduced three years ago to support high-achieving students from underprivileged backgrounds.
“Rohana’s success is a testament to the goals of the Anak Emas UTeM Programme. Our mission is not only to provide financial aid but also to ensure students have a supportive and conducive learning environment to achieve excellence,” said Dr Massila.
Expressing her gratitude, Rohana said she was deeply thankful to UTeM for the opportunity and support given throughout her studies from 2022 to 2025.
“I am truly grateful to be part of the Anak Emas UTeM programme. It allowed me to focus on my studies without worrying about financial burdens,” she said.
Rohana is now pursuing her Bachelor of Computer Science (Software Development) with Honours at UTeM, continuing her academic journey with renewed determination.
The 21st UTeM Convocation, held over three days beginning November 1, saw 3,278 graduates receiving their diplomas, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees and doctorates.
-EDUCATION TVET ASIA