Muhammad Nur Hisham bin Md Haron, or more fondly known as Hisham, grew up in Sik, a small town up north of Malaysia in the land of paddy fields, Kedah. Fuelled by his humble beginnings coming from a low-income household, much of his motivation to succeed today is driven by his commitment to providing his family a better life.
Now an accounting student minoring in public policy at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Hisham balances working towards his professional career in auditing and a passion for public policy.
Our Role as a Malaysian Citizen
This aspiring policymaker has an interest that started early on in his schooling days, during which he would participate in public speaking and parliamentary debates representing his school. “I think it’s very important for all of us to learn public policy because every policy made by the government will have the ultimate impact on the people” he shares. However, now more than ever as a JPA scholar, he explains that he shoulders more responsibility in keeping himself informed and involved. “We are sponsored by the government – all the tuition fees, flight tickets and monthly allowances are paid by the rakyat”, he elaborates.
As a member of the student wing of a Malaysian political party, he advocates for student issues such as concerns on water supply at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and stateless children in Sabah and Sarawak. Though far from home, he continues to contribute virtually wherever possible. This aligns with the spirit of MyHeart, which encourages all Malaysians abroad to give back to the nation from wherever they are.
In addition, being part of the International Bureau of the Youth wing of the said political party connects him with Malaysian students globally from the USA and Jordan who share the same aspirations and political ideology to represent their student community.
The Future of Public Policy in Malaysia
In sharing his views, Hisham has a positive outlook on what’s to come for Malaysia, “Honestly, we are on the right track because we have many long-term policies that are currently being implemented, such as Dasar Ekonomi Madani, the National Energy Transition Roadmap, the New Industrial Master Plan, and Dasar Gaji Progresif.” To him, the focus should be on the welfare of the people, not the development of skyscrapers and the like.
Being Part of a Malaysian Community
Just like many Malaysians we’ve spoken to, Hisham shares the same sentiment of the importance of staying connected to Malaysians abroad. Taking care of the relationship among themselves is important, especially in times of need. Referencing a recent road accident involving five Malaysian students, Hisham explains that fellow Malaysians were ready to assist in handling many things. “Ustaz Idris, the imam of Masjid An-Nur, is one of the Malaysians in New Zealand who helped a lot in handling things for the students. When in need, they are ready to help”.
The strong bonds of Malaysians across borders and the sense of unity wherever they are in the world is heartwarming. MyHeart continues to grow its community of Malaysians globally – creating a space for them to stay in touch and collaborate. Speaking from a student’s point of view, Hisham finds MyHeart to be a great platform to leverage on building connections with professionals in his field.
As a proud Malaysian, Hisham hopes to see more youths keeping up with current affairs and taking an interest in understanding how public policies impact the people of Malaysia. Understanding the importance of keeping our audience informed, MyHeart continues to find ways to bring the latest news on Malaysia’s development through monthly newsletters, bite-sized social media content and sharing of news articles on the portal.
Looking ahead, Hisham hopes to build a career in audit upon graduating. Exciting times await this driven student, and we hope to see him continue thriving and making Malaysia proud.
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