For Muhammad Firdaus Mohd Padli @ Mohd Padzli, 23, the one-off donation from Maybank Islamic Berhad (MIB) through Yayasan Pelajaran MARA (YPM) was a blessing that eased his financial burden while pursuing his studies at Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL).
Hailing from Kedah, the youngest of four siblings expressed deep gratitude for being selected as a recipient of the Skim Dana Ehsan Pendidikan (SDEP), which he plans to use to settle his outstanding tuition fees.
“I feel truly touched that, out of so many students, I was chosen for this assistance. This support will help me focus on my studies, especially in covering my fees,” said Muhammad Firdaus, a final-year Bachelor of Multimedia student at UniKL Malaysian Institute of Information Technology (UniKL MIIT).
Muhammad Firdaus’ journey has been far from easy. Both of his parents are unable to work due to severe health conditions—his mother is a cancer survivor, while his father has lost his eyesight.
Once, his family led a comfortable life as successful furniture business owners, but a financial crisis forced them into bankruptcy.
“They now live alone in our hometown, and they need to visit the hospital every month for follow-up treatments. Thankfully, my eldest brother, who works in Penang, has taken on the responsibility of supporting them,” he shared.
However, Firdaus holds on to a personal dream—to complete his studies, secure a good job in the northern region, and be there for his parents.
“I owe them everything. They sacrificed so much to raise me, and I want to repay them one day,” he added.
Despite financial challenges, his eldest brother has supported him whenever possible.
Muhammad Firdaus is among 88 recipients of SDEP, with the official handover ceremony held on 17 February 2025 at UniKL City Campus.
The initiative was made possible through the sponsorship of MIB, Ekuiti Nasional Berhad (EKUINAS), Co-opbank Pertama, and Yayasan Pelajaran MARA (YPM).
