KUALA LUMPUR: Nor Fasha Natashya Abdul Rahim's dream of becoming a doctor seemed impossible at first when she declined an offer to study medicine through the Malaysian University Central Unit (UPU) system.
The 19-year-old was faced with financial constraints.
Supporting her family forced her to set aside her aspirations.
"I am the fourth of eight siblings. My mother is a homemaker, and my father has passed away. I had to make the difficult decision to reject the offer," she said.
However, her decision caught the attention of Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), who reached out to her to reconfirm her decision. One of the UMS broad of directors reached out to her and offered Nor Fasha assistance to pursue her dream.
Nor Fasha was encouraged by her family to reconsider, as it is rare for a university to reach out to applicants who have rejected admission.
"I realised that if I didn't continue my studies, our situation wouldn't change. Pursuing higher education is my path to creating a better future for my family," she said.
With support from the Sabah State Government Scholarship (BKNS) and other contributions, Nor Fasha has resumed her studies and is determined to excel in her chosen field.
Another student, Crisnanalina Jumis, also got a second chance to study at the university.
The twenty-year-old, eldest of five siblings, said she faced numerous obstacles before enrolling at UMS.
Initially, she said she considered deferring her studies due to financial constraints, including the inability to afford basic campus supplies.
"We had no money at the time. While the university allowed me to delay paying my registration fees, I still couldn't afford necessities like toiletries or a laptop," she said.
Her fate changed when her aunt, who works at a publishing company, sought to highlight Crisnanalina's story in the media.
The story went viral, prompting UMS's Student Affairs Department to step in.
"They provided essential supplies and arranged for my enrolment," she said.
On registration day, she also received a laptop and financial assistance from the Sabah Governor's Office, as well as the BKNS scholarship.
"I realised that such opportunities don't come twice. If I had deferred my studies, I might not have received this level of support," she said.