Kota Kinabalu: PETRONAS’ education sponsorship under its Powering Knowledge programme has opened doors for deserving Sabahans to pursue higher study in disciplines related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and other fields.
Being awarded the sponsorship is life-changing for many of the recipients, especially those from underprivileged families whose financial constraints would typically be a stumbling block in the pursuit of their dreams.
Chris Ezekyiel Nelson, 18, was in a car with his grandmother when he first received the good news on his mobile phone.
“When I received the notification that the results of the PETRONAS education sponsorship application would be out on the website in 10 minutes, I was so nervous that I immediately logged on to check,” he recalled.
What happened next was surreal. “Upon finding out that I was one of the successful applicants, I was so excited and started shouting with joy, shocking my grandma who was driving. And she was very happy when I told her about the sponsorship offer,” said Chris.
Chris was one of the 116 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2022 top scorers from Sabah who were awarded the sponsorship at a ceremony held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on 14 October 2023.
In total, 600 SPM 2022 high achievers nationwide received the sponsorship to pursue tertiary education at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS and other leading local and overseas universities in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, China, and Japan as well as, starting this year, South Korea.
Sharing his studying techniques, Chris said that he prefers to jot down notes rather than read textbooks.
When he learns about a subject and there is too much information, he explained that he would summarise the topic by writing notes. This makes it easier for him to revise for his exams as he no longer has to refer to his textbook. Listening to sentimental or instrumental songs also helps him focus while studying.
Chris, who will pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering at Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, believes that the company has paved the way for young talents to grow and to contribute to society.
“Some of us are given the opportunity to study abroad under this sponsorship programme. This experience will definitely help broaden our knowledge and perspectives, the chance to encounter new experiences and learn more about the cultures of other countries,” he said.
Meanwhile, Tawau-born Nurul Atirah Patawari, who will be taking her degree in Economics at Universiti Malaya, thanked PETRONAS for believing in her potential.
“I feel very happy because being a PETRONAS scholar had always been my dream. I can’t believe that I am here today, receiving this scholarship with my other friends,” she said.
Nurul had lost her father to Covid-19 when she was 16 years old. Since then, she was raised by her mother and her brother, who is in the army.
“My biggest inspiration is my mother because she always encouraged me to study well to achieve great results. She also told me to actively engage in extra co-curricular activities because that was one of the requirements for the sponsorship,” she said.
Unlike Chris, Nurul prefers to read textbooks. She said, “I am not used to writing notes or drawing mind maps. I love reading and self-studying. Additionally, I don’t attend tuition classes for SPM. I prefer to learn directly from my teachers.”
Nurul is active in public speaking and has participated in various fora. She represented Sabah in the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka’s (DBP) Youth Forum Competition 2022 and won the Best Panel Award.
Another recipient, Siew Tien Lun from Sandakan said he kept his expectations low when applying for the sponsorship as he initially thought his results were “not good enough”.
Thanks to the opportunity given by PETRONAS, Siew is set to pursue a degree in Accounting at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
“I have always wanted to be an accountant. My teachers back then encouraged me to take up accountancy as I find joy in doing Mathematics even since primary school,” he said.
Siew said his parents, who are hawkers, are his biggest inspiration. They taught him about the importance of having self-confidence and good communication skills.
Thanks to his parents’ encouragement since he was small, Siew said he has improved his language proficiency and built his self-esteem by having conversations in English with foreign tourists who buy food from his parent’s stall.
Over 10,000 hopefuls applied for this year’s sponsorship, and following a rigorous evaluation, 600 individuals who embody academic brilliance as well as outstanding leadership qualities, agility, problem-solving skills, collaborative spirit, and vision of excellence were selected.
They would be pursuing their tertiary education in disciplines that include Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering, Geophysics, Accounting, Marketing, Law, Data Science, and Data Engineering.
The sponsorship aims to assist deserving Malaysian students to realise their potential and contribute to the growth of PETRONAS and the nation.