Graduands on their way to Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong
Sik
UTAR Registrar Yim Lin Heng leading the Guest of
Honour procession
Lim Yook Sai, who has earned his Bachelor of
Science in Construction Management, says he wants to continue to a master’s
degree. Lim, 70 years old with three grandchildren and who was a former
inspector of works in construction, said, “It has always been my dream to
have a degree but I had to put this off due to family commitments.”
Bachelor of Science (Hons) Construction
Management graduate Lim (right) receiving the scroll from Tan Sri Fong
Lim was one of the 2,470 graduates who received
their scrolls at the 22nd UTAR Convocation held at the Dewan Tun Dr Ling
Liong Sik in UTAR Kampar Campus from 25 to 27 March 2016. They received
their convocation scrolls in four sessions and graduated from 77 programmes
comprising 61 Bachelor Honours degrees, 14 Master’s degrees, and two PhDs.
UTAR 22nd Convocation in Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong
Sik
The convocation also celebrated the academic
accomplishments of the pioneer batches of graduates from the following two
programmes: Master of Engineering (Electrical) from the Lee Kong Chian
Faculty of Engineering and Science and Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Digital
Animation from the Faculty of Creative Industries.
Of the 2,470 graduands, three received their
PhDs, 52 received their Master’s degrees, and 34 received their Bachelor
Honours with Distinction, while the rest received their Bachelor Honours
with Merit and Bachelor Honours degree.
The Convocation was declared open by UTAR Council
Chairman Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik. Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UTAR
Education Foundation Tan Sri Dato' Dr Sak Cheng Lum, UTAR President Ir Prof
Academician Dato' Dr Chuah Hean Teik, other UTAR Council and Board of
Trustees members, university partners, and guests were also present at the
ceremony.
Tun Ling (left) and Prof Chuah delivering their
convocation speeches
The Guests of Honour for the four sessions of the
convocation were Retired Judge of the Court of Appeal and former President
of the Malaysian Bar Council Tan Sri Dato’ V.C. George for Session One,
Editor-in-Chief of Chronicle of Malaysia and Trustee of Eco World Foundation
Philip Mathews for Session Two, Founder and Executive Chairman of Silverlake
Group of Companies Goh Peng Ooi for Session Three, and UTAR Council Member
Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn for Session Four.
Guests of Honour, clockwise from top left: Tan
Sri V.C. George, Mathews, Tan Sri Fong, and Goh
The scroll presenters were Member of the Board of
Trustees of UTAR Education Foundation Datuk Oh Chong Peng for Session One,
Member of the Board of Trustees of UTAR Education Foundation Tan Sri Lee Oi
Hian for Session Two, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of UTAR Education
Foundation Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Sak Cheng Lum for Session Three, and Member of
UTAR Council Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn and Member of UTAR
Council-cum-Minister of International Trade and Industry II Dato’ Seri Ong
Ka Chuan for Session Four.
Datuk Oh presenting the scroll to Master of
Communication graduate Inderjit Kaur
Tan Sri Lee presenting the scroll to Banking and
Finance graduate Tong Yik Liang
Tan Sri Sak presenting the scroll to Bachelor of
Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery graduate Sarveen Prasad
Dato’ Seri Ong presenting the scroll to
Accounting graduate Chua Poh Ling
Tun Ling introduced the Guest of Honour for each
convocation session. He congratulated the graduates on their outstanding
achievements and advised the graduates to be self-motivated and continue to
enrich themselves with knowledge. He added, “While striving to achieve your
personal and career goals, I advise you to always respect and appreciate
diversity, and uphold good ethics and values that display an ideal character
wherever you go.”
In his speech, Prof Chuah said, “Academic prowess
or technical knowledge is undoubtedly crucial. However, equally important
for life and success are other non-academic aspects such as soft skills,
life skills, ethics, professionalism, and values. The university has always
taken great care in equipping our students with soft skills and life skills,
which complement their technical skills, to greatly sharpen their
competitive edge. All the university’s efforts are driven towards grooming
and guiding the students to become holistic graduates with sound technical
knowledge and other exemplary skills and qualities who can contribute
positively to society, nation, and even humanity. This is clearly explained
in the university’s Pillars of Education and they give true meaning to the
holistic graduates that the university aspires to produce. The Pillars are:
Virtue and Morality, Knowledge and Intellect, Physical and Mental Health,
Sociality and Humanitarianism, Aesthetics and Harmony, and Creativity and
Innovation.”
Tan Sri V.C. George gave an inspiring speech to
the graduating students, saying, “At 85, I consider myself to be
middle-aged. However, you are young and the world is out there waiting for
you to explore and invade, waiting for you to conquer! The possibilities are
endless and many opportunities are available. Go forth with a positive mind
and discover your capabilities. There will be hurdles, obstacles, barriers,
and resistances. However, particularly as you have been privileged to have
received a high quality education, you should always be positive and you
will overcome those hurdles, to go on and try even harder to achieve your
life’s ambition.”
Mathews motivated the graduates and said,
“Wherever you are and whatever you choose to do, never compromise in your
pursuit of excellence. Pursue excellence relentlessly. Always aim to do the
best, to be the best you can. You should also always be focused and always
remember that success comes to those who never quit trying.”
Goh congratulated the graduates and said, “Do
what makes you happy and not what you think will make you rich. You may have
heard that money cannot buy you happiness but I am proof that happiness can
make you money. I was drawn to Mathematics; I excelled in it but at school I
was never the ‘top boy’. Being first was not important. What mattered to me
was learning. I enjoyed it, therefore I excelled in it. Life is short. Make
it count by doing what you like.”
Tan Sri Fong advised the graduating students, “As
you pursue your dreams, sometimes it’s good to reflect on what you have and
what you want to do and perhaps re-align your goals. Think seriously on what
you want to be years from now and how you want to achieve it and then set
your plan in place. It is not always that good things just happen along the
way. Sometimes we may be on the wrong path and need to make some
adjustments.”
The convocation also witnessed the conferment of
the Honorary Doctorate for Doctor of Accounting and Auditing and the
Honorary Doctorate for Doctor of Corporate Management to Members of the
Board of Trustees of UTAR Education Foundation Datuk Oh Chong Peng and Cheng
Hooi, Paul Geh respectively for their exceptional contributions and
leadership in the fields of accounting, auditing, finance, taxation, and
corporate management.
Datuk Oh (right) receiving his Honorary Doctorate
Degree from Tun Ling
Paul Geh (right) receiving his Honorary Doctorate
Degree from Tun Ling
Viviane Chee Shu Vei, a graduate of Bachelor of
Science (Honours) Quantity Surveying, said, “I am currently working in the
construction firm known as Ireka Engineering and Construction Sdn Bhd as an
Assistant Quantity Surveyor. UTAR has provided me a stable platform when it
comes to getting a job as the market believes that UTAR produce graduates
that are ready for employment. Besides, UTAR has provided us a strong basic
understanding in the subjects we learnt and also opportunities to master
soft skills to prepare ourselves for a better future. I really appreciate my
parents’ help throughout my four years of study and I want to thank them for
standing by me through thick and thin while continuously encouraging me to
strive for what I want.”
Prof Chuah posing with some graduates
Graduates of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of
Surgery smiling with Prof Chuah (standing fourth from left) and their
professors
With the addition of 2,470 graduates from this
22nd Convocation, the number of the university’s alumni now stands at 43,028
since its inaugural convocation in 2005.
Chinese Studies student Sim Wen Qin performing a
saxophone jazz piece
English Education student Alison Yoon (left) and Microbiology graduate Yang Shun Kai singing Sejahtera Malaysia
Yang (left) and Marketing student Foo Ching Lin, Evelyn singing Shining Light
From left: Biomedical Engineering graduate Nurul Izwazi, Public Relations student Ch’ng Jing Yan, and Foo singing the Jalur Gemilang
Musical interlude by UTAR alumna Lai Hey Yue and
Accounting graduate Mok Yee Men
Biomedical graduate R.J. Kevin performing the Shining Light
Graduates in jubilant mood
Journalism graduate R. Yashwini with her family
and friends
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