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Kota Kinabalu: Kimson Albert, who hails from the deep interior of Kalabakan, has defied the odds and proved that one’s underprivileged background is not a hindrance to pursuing higher education. 

The 22-year-old was among 4,712 University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) students who took their oaths for the university’s 29th new intake for the 2023/2024 session, Tuesday.

Son of humble oil palm farmers in Kg Murut, Kalabakan, Kimson, who has two younger brothers, is taking up Geography in the university’s Social Science and Humanities Faculty to realise his dream of becoming a geography teacher. 

His enrolment in UMS was meaningful as his quest for tertiary education was filled with setbacks. 

Coming from an underprivileged family, he had to work and save money for two years before applying for his studies in UMS. 

“I first applied for university studies after I finished my STPM in 2020. I was accepted into Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), but my parents asked me to reject the offer because of the far distance.

“I tried to apply for Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) as well, but I didn’t get through the virtual interview due to limited internet access in Kalabakan. 

“Due to my family’s financial situation, I decided to work instead and apply for university another time. I worked for two years in 2021 and 2022. After saving enough money, I applied for UMS.

“I saved enough to be able to pay the whole semester’s fee worth RM2,235 and spend over RM1,000 on essentials such as my luggage bag. I also bore the cost of travelling here from Kalabakan,” he told reporters after the oath-taking ceremony at the UMS Chancellor Hall, here, Tuesday, adding that he worked as a Malaysian Civil Defence Force personnel. 

Kimson, who pursued STPM in SMK Umas Umas and scored a CGPA of 3.17, aspires to improve his family’s standards of living when he becomes a teacher one day. 

“I am taking up Geography because I want to be a Geography teacher. I have always loved the subject and did well. There is also less competition among graduates to become teachers for this subject, compared to Bahasa Malaysia (BM).

“I do aim to change my family’s financial situation, (I feel this responsibility) as the eldest son,” he said.