SERDANG, Nov 27 - "Do not think that Malay language studies have no career opportunities in the future," said Siti Nurhana Shafirah Mat Nazir, a graduate of Bachelor of Arts in Malay Language and Linguistics with Honors from the Faculty of Modern Languages and Communication (FBMK), UPM, at the 47th Convocation Ceremony of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Session 2, today.

 

She, who has been passionate about the Malay language since her school days, acknowledges facing societal perceptions when choosing the language program as her primary choice at the beginning of her academic selection. She believes university students should seize opportunities to strengthen their soft skills while on campus.

 

"When on campus, take the opportunity to present in class projects and actively participate in clubs because this adds value for students, which is crucial in boosting self-confidence and time management," she said.

 

Siti Nurhana Shafirah, 23, currently working as a broadcasting journalist at BERNAMA TV, mentioned that although she wasn't a communication student, she managed to overcome obstacles and is grateful to have a career she dreamed of.

 

"I am thankful to the senior journalists at BERNAMA TV for providing various guidance and assistance during my internship there. During my internship in the Sports Department, they noticed my talents, including communication skills, which became an advantage for me. From there, I was entrusted to undertake duties as a broadcasting journalist, newsreader, and program host," she said.

 

"As a linguistics student, I can apply my skills, and a journalist's thinking needs to be critical and creative because this career faces different challenges and situations every day," she added.

 

"The role of a broadcasting journalist is not

glamorous, and it cannot be denied that it is a very important career because we need to channel information accurately to the public," she concluded.