AHMAD MASLAN RECEIVES PHD IN COMMUNICATION AT UUM’S 38TH CONVOCATION

SINTOK, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- Deputy Works Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Maslan today received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Communication at the second session of Universiti Utara Malaysia’s (UUM) 38th Convocation Ceremony held at Dewan Mu’adzam Shah here.

Ahmad, 59, was among 879 graduates who received their degrees at the session, which were conferred by the Raja Muda of Kedah, Tengku Sarafudin Badlishah Sultan Sallehuddin.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Ahmad expressed gratitude for completing his PhD after four challenging years, thanking his family including his wife, as well as lecturers, supervisors and friends.

“Today’s convocation is truly historic for me and my family. Hopefully this can serve as a reminder that pursuing knowledge is a lifelong effort… and may it inspire many others. I like this university,” he said.

Ahmad said one of the main challenges during his four-year study period was the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced him to attend online classes while fulfilling his responsibilities as an elected representative.

“My challenge during COVID-19 was having to attend online classes. When travelling to my constituency, sometimes I had to stop at R&R areas just to join lectures. Then there were exams for two core subjects, Research Methodology and Academic Writing.

“Alhamdulillah I obtained A+ for both subjects. Then of course came the many processes like presenting seminar papers at international conferences, writing, proposal defence, quantitative analysis, thesis writing and meeting my supervisor,” he said.

Ahmad said his PhD research focused on government communication in relation to the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Meanwhile, former remand detainee under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA), Mohd Razin Razali, was also among the graduates who received their degrees from the Raja Muda of Kedah during the same session.

Mohd Razin, 35, who received a Master of Science in Management, said he was detained under SOSMA in 2022 and was freed last April after the court found him not guilty.

“When I was remanded, I was already in my second semester. I am grateful to UUM for helping me achieve my dreams and to the Prisons Department of Malaysia for allowing me to continue my studies,” he said.

Mohd Razin said he was thankful to have completed his studies despite facing challenges, including limited access to academic references while detained.

“I studied outside the campus and did not have access to the library, but I received help from my supervisor, who often brought materials for me to read and study,” he said, adding that his mother’s encouragement played a major role in helping him finish his degree.

He said his determination to prove that inmates could still have aspirations and deserve a second chance in life motivated him to complete his studies successfully.

Asked about his future plans, he said he intends to pursue a PhD in the same field.

A total of 6,832 graduates will receive their degrees across nine sessions of the convocation ceremony, held from yesterday until Nov 13.

-- BERNAMA