SINTOK: Sarawak-born social media influencer Emina Kulasic Bong Ei Min, 24, who juggled being a celebrity with her education, has been chosen as the recipient of Universiti Utara Malaysia’s (UUM) Royal Education Award today. Sultan of Kedah, Al Aminul Karim Sultan Sallehuddin Sultan Badlishah, presented the award to the Bachelor of International Affairs Management graduate at UUM’s 37th Convocation Ceremony, held here today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, even though Emina is a popular local influencer, boasting 59,200 followers on TikTok, social media remains her second choice for her career. Emina advised against making being an influencer the primary goal in life, emphasizing the importance of having both Plan A and B. “Education should be the main agenda, as it allows us to achieve our ambitions, inspire others, and share knowledge,” Emina, who currently works as an executive at a digital communications firm, told reporters when met today.
An orphan, Emina was raised by her aunt from age 11 after her
mother passed away from lung cancer, and attributed her resilience to her past experiences in facing various challenges. “I became pretty independent while studying here. I lived alone, and my friends were a big source of support for me. I stayed strong because of them, although honestly, I teared up seeing friends with their parents who came to celebrate their success. Regardless, I have to stay strong, and today I had friends by my side, going on stage to receive our degrees and awards together,” said Emina, a former UUM’s Student Representative Council secretary-general.
Fellow Royal Education Award recipient, Muhammad Shuib Rosli, 23, from Kulim, attributed his academic success to good time management. “The most important thing is to manage time wisely. I was also active in extracurricular activities at the university, while at the same time, I am an avid reader,” said Shuib, who graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.94 in Philosophy, Law and Business. He is currently working as a p
art-time book translator while awaiting a permanent job offer and plans to further his studies at a higher level.