MP Steven Sim Pays Uni Expenses For Poverty-Stricken Girl Caring For Visually-Impaired Mum
He has taken the girl as his foster daughter and pledged to continue helping more young Malaysians receive an education.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 20 Sep 2024, 02:35 PM
Despite his busy schedule as the Human Resources Minister, Bukit Mertajam member of parliament (MP) Steven Sim continues his ongoing efforts to help struggling Malaysians.
In a Facebook post on Monday, 16 September, Sim shared a story about assisting a 21-year-old woman who gave up her tertiary education to care for her visually-impaired mother.
Sim said Dharsini Subramaniam received an offer to study for a degree in Software Engineering at Universiti Teknikal Malaysia (UTeM) in Melaka.
However, due to her need to care for her mother, Dharsini turned down the offer.
"Her mother is visually impaired. To make matters worse, a few years ago, her mother had an accident that resulted in a broken leg," Sim wrote in the Facebook post.
Dharsini's father had passed away due to pericardial effusion.
When she received the offer letter from the university, she learned that the registration fee alone cost RM2,000.
Including other expenses, Sim noted that the cost of completing undergraduate studies can amount to tens of thousands of ringgit.
"Dharsini couldn't bear to burden her beloved mother," Sim wrote
To support her family, Dharsini took up a part-time job at a mini market, earning up to RM1,500 a month. She uses the money to care for her mother and save for her studies if their situation improves.
"Many people chase their dreams when they are young, but Dharsini is willing to give up her dreams for her beloved mother.
"At polytechnic, she was a good student with a CGPA of 3.4. She said she wanted to work in the AI field because it is the job of the future," Sim shared, adding that securing an AI-related job could fetch a high salary once Dharsini graduates.
To help her achieve a self-sustainable future, Sim requested Dharsini to fill up the university registration form and promised to financially support her throughout her studies.
"I will pay the registration fee. I will cover the travel expenses to get there. I will buy her a laptop. If she gets a loan from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN), the funds I provide can be used to cover living expenses, including her mother's needs," Sim promised.
Dharsini's mother was moved to tears upon hearing this. She pleaded that if she were to pass away, Sim should take care of Dharsini.
"My heart shattered upon hearing this. I told her mother to be strong," Sim said.
The Bukit Mertajam MP mentioned that he has taken Dharsini as his foster daughter and pledged to continue helping more young Malaysians receive an education.
