When Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Steven Sim learned that his former University of Malaya (UM) lecturer had been diagnosed with colon cancer, he made it his personal mission to ensure the academic received the treatment he needed.
Upon discovering that Dr Kamal, a visually impaired retiree, required RM20,000 for the surgery and could not afford it, the minister stepped in to pay for the procedure entirely out of his own pocket.
A devastating diagnosis
Sim came to the aid of his former lecturer following the sudden cancer diagnosis. The lecturer, Dr Kamal, is a visually impaired retiree who was dealt a devastating blow after being diagnosed with colon cancer and informed that he required around RM20,000 for surgery.
Sharing the story, Sim said he has known Dr Kamal for more than two decades, dating back to his university days.
“I’ve known Dr Kamal for more than 20 years. Although I wasn’t a History student, I would visit the History Department every week to serve as a reader for Encik Kamal, a blind lecturer who was pursuing his PhD at the time. We’ve stayed in touch ever since.
“Last month, I was shocked to learn that Dr Kamal had been diagnosed with colon cancer. He told me he needed around RM20,000 for surgery. As a retiree, he simply couldn’t afford the cost. I told Dr Kamal not to worry about the expenses and to focus on getting better. As for the money, I would find a way,” Sim said.
“I fulfilled that promise”
Sim later fulfilled his promise to Dr Kamal by paying for the surgery entirely out of his own pocket.
“Dr Kamal was admitted to the hospital and is preparing to undergo surgery in two days’ time. I helped settle the RM20,000 needed for the procedure. This came from my own pocket, not from any government allocation,” he wrote.
Sim also reflected on the numerous challenges Dr Kamal and his wife have faced throughout their lives. Despite being visually impaired, Dr Kamal was described as having made a lasting impact through his contributions to educating generations of History students at the university.
“When I visited him in the hospital, Dr Kamal embraced me and repeatedly thanked me. Through tears, he said that I had been helping him since my student days and had continued to do so even after becoming a minister. But the truth is, I am the one who has gained far more from Dr Kamal.
“From learning alongside him while he was pursuing his PhD, to now being able to play a small part in his recovery, I believe I am the one who has come out richer in the end. And I promise that, just like I did 20 years ago when we were at UM, I’ll be there to read for Dr Kamal again.”
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