She has been recognised by the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) as the first SMA patient in the country to complete continuous higher education at a single university, progressing from diploma, degree, masters degree to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Her remarkable academic journey of more than a decade at Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA) not only marks a personal milestone but also serves as a powerful testament to the potential of persons with disabilities when given equal access to education.
Siti Hawa, who was hospitalised with a bacterial infection and spent about 50 days in the intensive care unit at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital here last year, now breathes through a tracheostomy tube and spends most of her time resting on a bed in the living room of her home in Taman Mahkota Aman here.
Siti Hawa, who earned her PhD last year, received the award from MBOR representative Siti Nurhanim Mohd Noh in a ceremony at her home witnessed by her parents, Apandi A. Hadi and Zaidah Tamjis, both 63, as well as UMPSA vice-chancellor Professor Ts Dr Yatimah Alias.
Zaidah admitted that she was surprised Siti Hawa had successfully completed her studies up to the PhD level and earned national recognition.
"My daughter's academic journey has been long and challenging, and receiving this kind of recognition (MBOR) is certainly not easy. To me, she (Siti Hawa) is just an ordinary person, but God had His own plans and made the journey smooth for her despite her physical disability.
"Just like any other parent, I want to see my child succeed because I have been by her side throughout her journey. I know how hard she worked and the challenges she faced from her diploma years and beyond," she said when met.
Meanwhile, Yatimah said Siti Hawa's achievement demonstrated that unwavering determination and resilience could overcome challenges , and physical limitations in the pursuit of knowledge.
"She is an icon to UMPSA and a symbol of extraordinary resilience. She has proven that academic excellence is not measured by one's limitations, but by perseverance and dedication. She has become an inspiration to all Malaysians, especially persons with disabilities (PWDs).
"Siti Hawa was not only a high achiever but also represented UMPSA at innovation competitions outside the university. We had planned to recruit her as a UMPSA staff member, but for now, let us all pray for her recovery," she said, adding that Siti Hawa's PhD thesis focused on artificial intelligence and big data.
Yesterday, Yatimah also helped Siti Hawa symbolically wear her graduation robe after she missed her long-awaited PhD convocation ceremony last year while she was hospitalised with an infection. Siti Hawa's parents accepted the award on her behalf.
The New Straits Times has extensively featured Siti Hawa's journey over the years, including how Zaidah moved into UMPSA student's hostel during her daughter's diploma and degree studies to help copy lecture notes, turn the pages of reference books, push her wheelchair to classes, and feed her meals.
Due to her outstanding academic performance, Siti Hawa received scholarships for her diploma and bachelor's degree, followed by sponsorship under the MyBrain programme for her master's degree. She was also awarded a research grant to pursue her PhD.
In 2013, Siti Hawa received the Heitech Industry Excellence Award for outstanding computer science students. During her PhD studies, she was also named the recipient of the Abdullah Bin Ummi Maktum Inclusive Excellence Award.
SMA is a genetic disorder that attacks motor neurons in the spinal cord, gradually weakening and damaging the muscles they control. - NST
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