Ice-cube seller’s daughter gets scholarship from King

Gan Siaw Chin, 24 will pursue a masters degree in bio-process engineering, specialising in cosmoceuticals.

KUALA LUMPUR: The daughter of an ice-cube seller was one of 12 students selected to receive the Yang di-Pertuan Agong’s scholarships for her masters studies.

Gan Siaw Chin, 24, the eldest of seven siblings from Segamat, Johor, considered herself lucky to be given the scholarship and grateful that she could continue her studies to the masters level at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor without worrying about finances.

“I can now focus fully on my studies. I am currently in the second semester of my masters degree in Bio-process Engineering, specialising in cosmoceuticals,” she told reporters after receiving her scholarship from Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin at the Dewan Rakyat Lounge, Parliament House here today.

Besides Gan, five other students were selected by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Scholarship Committee for scholarships in science and technology, as well as law.

The scholarships will enable them to pursue their studies to the masters and doctorate levels in local and foreign universities.

Another recipient, Nor Kamal Ariff Nor Hisham Shah, 25, will continue his masters degree in Horticulture Studies at the Cornell University in the United States.

Four other recipients at the masters degree level are Afifah Mohamed who will be studying Science and Technology at Imperial College London, United Kingdom; Shivanand Sivamohan (Law, University of Harvard); Syazreen Sophia Abdul Halim (Environmental Science, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)) and Seow Khai Jou (Biotechnology, UTM).

Six recipients will be pursuing doctorate studies. They are Siti Nur Kamaliah Kamarudin (Intelligent Systems, University of Oxford); Roszaharah Yaacob (Forensic Science, USM); Mohd Azrul Salleh Putin (Genetics, Universiti Putra Malaysia); Norkasmani Aziz (Advanced Materials, Universiti Malaya); Ng Wai Hoe (Cell and Molecular Biology, USM) and Chua Hooi Chin (Computer Science, USM).

The scholarships were introduced by the government in 2006 through the Public Service Department and are awarded to Malaysians who excelled academically and produced creative and innovative works besides obtaining places in notable local or foreign universities.

The students are not bonded to serve with the government but must contribute by serving in Malaysia for five years.

- BERNAMA