A heartfelt WhatsApp message from 67-year-old retired civil servant M. Chinnakaruppan, expressing concern over his daughter’s inability to register at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) due to financial constraints, caught the attention of many and successfully raised the RM3,000 required.
In his message, Chinnakaruppan explained that his daughter, 20-year-old Kalaimagal, had been accepted into UMK’s Faculty of Hospitality, Tourism, and Wellbeing to pursue a Bachelor’s degree. However, they were unable to cover the RM3,000 registration fee.
“The screenshot of the message was shared in a village residents’ WhatsApp group and posted on September 21. It quickly went viral, garnering widespread sympathy. Several individuals initiated a fundraising campaign, which successfully raised RM3,000 within just two hours, thanks to the generous contributions of the community,” he said.
Chinnakaruppan, a resident of Pengkalan Hulu, Perak, attended his daughter’s registration at UMK Kota Campus earlier today. Earning approximately RM700 a month, he expressed gratitude for the contributions from villagers and the public, which greatly alleviated his financial stress on the day of registration.
“In addition to supporting Kalaimagal, I also have three other children who are still in school, all while managing nerve pain and asthma,” he said.
In response, the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Student and Alumni Affairs) swiftly took action through the UMK Cakna Programme, offering RM1,000 in cash, a laptop, and essential supplies.
The family’s hardships also caught the attention of Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) chairman, Datuk Dr. Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, who has offered further support to help Kalaimagal continue her studies at UMK.
Source: Malay Mail
