Malaysia is currently facing one of the worst floods in recent history, with almost 139,000 people being forced out of their homes as of Saturday (30 November), as heavy rainfall swept through several states, namely the northern Peninsular Malaysia states.
Among those affected by the floods is this TikTok user who was scheduled to take the stage to receive her graduation scroll during the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) convocation ceremony.
However, the TikTok user @pearlia39 was unable to attend what should’ve been a proud moment and milestone in her life as she was affected by the floods and was evacuated to the flood relief centre with her family.
Malaysian graduate ‘attends’ her convocation ceremony virtually from a flood relief centre
Not letting the natural disaster affect her spirit, @pearlia39 decided to ‘attend’ her convocation ceremony virtually from the relief centre and shared her experience doing so in a video that has since gone viral with over 226,300 views and 23,600 likes as of the time of writing.
In the video, she showed the livestream of the UPSI convocation ceremony on a tablet inside a tent at the relief centre.
Afterwards, the camera slowly pans to reveal @pearlia39 and her mother intently watching the livestream.
Furthermore, @pearlia39 also took it a step further by wearing her convocation robe and mortar board inside the tent.
She then waved to the cameras before the video abruptly ended.
Watch the video here:
Watch on TikTok
Malaysians were saddened by the video and hoped that she could attend another convocation ceremony in the future
In the comments, Malaysians were moved by the sight and hoped that @pearlia39 would have the chance to attend her convocation ceremony physically after the floods recede.
One commenter called for UPSI to hold a convocation ceremony specifically for those who couldn’t attend due to the floods. Another commenter echoed the same sentiment and hoped that maybe those affected by the floods would be invited to next year’s convocation ceremony instead.
Meanwhile, several commenters said that while she couldn’t physically attend the convocation ceremony, she was able to be with her parents during the trying times and asserted that her parents must be proud of her achievement regardless.
Besides that, many Malaysians wished @pearlia39 all the best in the future and prayed that she would find success.
So, what do you guys think of the video? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
