Sibu: For most students, preparing for university is an exciting milestone. For 22-year-old Steven Lias Sidi, it is nothing short of a triumph against life’s harshest odds.
Blind since the age of 11 after a severe fever robbed him of his eyesight, Steven has spent more than a decade navigating a world of dim light and darkness. Despite the challenges, he has never allowed his disability to extinguish his thirst for knowledge.
This week, Steven’s perseverance received a boost when Sibu MP Oscar Ling Chai Yew presented him with a special financial aid package to support his studies at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), where he will soon pursue a degree in Social Sciences.
“Steven’s story is truly inspiring. Despite his condition, he has worked harder than most to achieve his dreams. I hope this small contribution will motivate him further,” Oscar Ling said after handing over the aid.
Steven’s journey has been far from easy. He lost his father during childhood, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, his mother also passed away. Since then, he has lived with his grandmother, who has been his pillar of support.
Determined to continue his education, Steven moved from Julau to Sibu at Form 1 and completed his secondary studies at SMK Sungai Merah. With the help of caring teachers who painstakingly recorded lessons and later produced braille notes, Steven studied tirelessly by touch – letter by letter, page by page.
His efforts paid off. In SPM, he achieved 3As, 2Bs and 1D. In STPM, he scored a CGPA of 3.09, earning 1A-, 1B+ and 2B-. Achievements that, for a blind student competing in the same classroom as sighted peers, stand as a testament to sheer determination.
As he prepares to step into UNIMAS at the end of this September, Steven carries not just his dreams but also the hopes of his late parents and the encouragement of a community that has rallied behind him.
