Father’s Insight Guide to Life

The importance of education since childhood and the aspirations of Dr. Ismawi in the development of knowledgeable Muslims

The charismatic figure article brings Al-Madinah International University (MEDIU) CEO, Prof. Emeritus Dr. Ismawi Zen’s life experience raised in a very poor family born in a remote area of Kampung Gedong in Simunjan district of Sarawak. In which in the 1960’s, the only effective transport is through the riverside, where the residents are said to take five days by boat to arrive at the capital city of Sarawak, Kuching.

He is the third child from seven siblings and childhood life was difficult for Dr. Ismawi’s as he had to worked to help find additional source of income due to his father sickness and could not work to earn a living. His father died when he was fourteen years old, and was agonized as he couldn’t  see his father for the last time because at that time he and his brother lived and studied in a boarding school, where a trip from the school back to hometown takes about 10 hours by boat.

Although family members and relatives suggest he dropped out of school but his mother insisted on him to pursued his education as she wanted to see him to get a good job and was able to bring the family out of poverty. And with the spirit and hopes by his late father and reminiscing his father’s firmness in the field of education made him determined to continue his quest for knowledge. And more importantly, “I wouldn’t be the person I am today, wouldn’t be where I am now if it wasn’t for my late father determination”, he told journalist during his recent interview at MEDIU’s CEO Office.

Dr. Ismawi’s expressed the most coveted changes he wish for the university as a center of mind-building in order to unite all Muslims based on knowledge and the intention to make education as the best preparation for the younger Muslims generation.