KUALA LUMPUR: Despite seeing his friends getting into universities for their degrees while he was doing diploma, Datuk Dr Budiman Mohd Zohdi never let jealousy get the best of him.
This, he said, as he believed that he was also heading in the same direction as his friends, just that his journey was different.
"I started with an unsatisfactory Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia result. Nonetheless, I had the opportunity to further my study at the diploma level at Politeknik Kota Baru in Kelantan.
"Back then, I was jealous with friends who managed to get into universities to further their studies degree level.
"Yet, I was able to handle it wisely and worked hard until I got my Master's degree in 2001," he said.
Today, Budiman received his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Open University Malaysia (OUM) during the university's special convocation.
He received his scroll from OUM Pro-Chancellor Tan Sri Azman Hashim.
Sharing his journey, Budiman who is the political secretary to Communications and Multimedia Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa, said his ambition towards getting a PhD started when he was 30-year-old.
"It was 20 years later that I finally managed to fulfil that dream.
"My PhD journey was never an easy one and it would not have been a successful one if not for my persistence and unwavering support from family, friends and supervisors.
"OUM itself plays a big role in helping people like me by facilitating the administrative arrangements so that the learning process was organized and on time," he said.
Asked about his unforgettable experience during his PhD journey, the former Sungai Besar Member of Parliament and Sungai Panjang assemblyman said it was during the data collecting process.
"I had to interview 12 informants, which later had to be turned into verbatim transcription. It was an exhausting process and I fell asleep a few times with the earphones on.
"After that, the challenge was to find time to write my thesis and be consistent about it, as well as to write in academic style when all these while my writings mostly political writing."
If he was asked to do it again, Budiman's reply was; "I'm not confident to say yes."
Also receiving his PhD was Seri Alam district deputy police chief, DSP Dr Mohd Roslan Mohd Tahir.
Sharing his experience, Roslan also said his PhD journey was not an easy road.
"It required my commitment and dedication to be able to complete my PhD.
"Despite being in the police (which people perceived as being strong), I cried a few times throughout my doctoral journey. Just imagine that," he said.
Both Budiman and Roslan were among the 2,088 OUM graduates from 20 programmes who will receive their scrolls during the convocation from today (Feb 19) until Monday (Feb 21).
They were among 7,549 graduates that were supposed to graduate in 2020 and 2021, but the ceremony was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
From the list of 7,549, 42 of them are PhD recipients, 1,690 Master's degrees, 4,768 Bachelor's degrees and 1,049 diplomas.