Life in the 1960s was vastly different and quite unimaginable by the youth of today.
With past times ranging from playing in the river and climbing trees, many children then were also expected to help their families make ends meet.
That is the life experienced by many Malaysians, including Mr Choo Kong Yu who had to help his parents run their small food stall business, and take care of his four younger siblings - all while keeping up with his studies.
As recollected by Mr Choo, education was perceived to be the key to a brighter future, but not everyone is accorded such privilege back then.
“After finishing high school, I hoped to further my studies and do better to change my life and my family's lives, but I was unable to secure a place in any local university. A few of my good friends showed me a brochure promoting TAR College's courses. Without a second thought, I quickly applied and got accepted to study the Certificate of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering course” said Mr Choo.
Despite wanting to further his studies to the Diploma level, Mr Choo was financially unable to further his goals. Not giving up, he worked for a year and received assistance from the TARC Student Loan Fund to help him enroll for the Diploma in Engineering programme.
Mr Choo (left) receiving his diploma after completing his Diploma in Engineering with the then TAR College.
“I am grateful to TAR College and my lecturers for supporting my goals and introducing me to the TARC Student Loan Fund that helped me complete my higher education and earn the passport to a better world!” he said.
Mr Choo has certainly secured a better future for himself, now that he has become the Executive Director of Y&L Metal Group. But he has not forgotten how TAR College, now known as Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT), changed his life. So, when an opportunity to give back to TAR UMT came, once again he did not think twice.
On 11 March 2023, Mr Choo established a new student loan under the TAR UMT Student Loan Fund alongside 65 other new student loans, during ‘A Celebration of TAR UMT Upgrade and Its Student Loan Fund Donors’ dinner event held at TAR UMT’s KL Main Campus.
“I hope this loan fund will be able to help some deserving students and relieve them of their financial burden while allow them to have a chance to focus on their students. I believe every student who benefit from the TAR UMT Student Loan Fund deserve a chance to create and shape a better world tomorrow,” said Mr Choo, who established the TARC-Y & L Metal Components Sdn Bhd Student Loan.
Mr Choo (leftmost) presenting a mock cheque to Tan Sri Chan (second from right) for the establishment of the TARC-Y & L Metal Components Sdn Bhd Student Loan as Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj Ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj, Sultan of Selangor (third from left) witnesses the exchange. Accompanying them are (from left) Datuk Seri Ir Dr Wee, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liow and Prof Ir Dr Lee.
The celebratory event was graced by the presence of Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj Ibni Almarhum Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Alhaj, Sultan of Selangor, and Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia Tengku Permaisuri Norashikin, Tengku Permaisuri of Selangor.
Also present are Datuk Seri Ir Dr Wee Ka Siong, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, TARC Education Foundation, Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Chairman of the Board of Governors, TAR UMT, and Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei, President of TAR UMT.
Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, Member of the Board of Governors, TAR UMT and Chairman of TAR UMT Alumni Council, announced that a total of RM23 million were raised from the 66 new student loan funds, bringing the total number of student loans under the TAR UMT Student Loan Fund up to 119. This has exceeded the initial target of 100 student loan funds and RM10 million.
“Over the years, numerous loan recipients have successfully completed their education goals and achieved their dreams. It is thanks to the selfless contributions from our many donors that many of our students were able to continue and complete their higher education studies at TAR UMT and have access to brighter future and careers,” said Tan Sri Chan in his opening speech.
Since its inception in 1979, the TAR UMT Student Loan Fund has disbursed close to 15,000 loans with a total value of more than RM57 million to needy and deserving students.
