His father’s hospitalisation pushed him to excel in Singapore Polytechnic

31 May 2018

Singapore Polytechnic (SP)’s Diploma in Marine Engineering graduate, Muhammad Khairul Afiq Bin Juma’at. The Lee Kuan Yew award winner shared about his rebellious past, where he would often skip remedial classes to hang out with his friends at the internet cafe. As a result, his grades were affected. The turning point for him came when he received a phone call from the hospital informing him that his father had been admitted after sustaining injuries at work. The experience made him realise the fragility of life, and he decided to turn over a new leaf. Khairul also shared that he was inspired by his grandfather, who is a ship painter, to join the maritime industry. During his time in SP, Khairul interned at Bourbon Offshore Asia, and his superiors were so impressed with his work ethic that they offered him a full-time position within the company. Despite his busy schedule, the 20-year-old still makes time to volunteer at En-Naeem Mosque, where he helps out at events and teaches the younger children to recite the Quran. Moving forward, Khairul will pursue a Degree in Maritime Studies at Nanyang Technological University after completing his national service.

[Retrieved from Berita Harian, 31 May 2018, p.16]