Visiting Malaysian Students in Prague, Czech Republic

18 Feb. 2008 - First of all, let me thank my MSD director, Mr. Ahmad Nazri Sulaiman, for his faith and support to me, as MSD try to positively respond to our MOHE Minister, Tokpa, to allocate a general attention and concern to the welfare of our Malaysian students in and around Europe. My thanks also goes to HE Datuk Abdul Aziz Mohamad, our High Commissioner and MOHE. Although the main task will be where this only MSD in Europe at the moment is the UK and Ireland, should the time and opportunity permits, it is our responsibility to keeping track our students, as far as Europe is concern. Upon the task given, I've started to make the arrangements to visit Malaysian students who are pursuing their studies in medicine in Czech Republic. My thanks and gratitudes to Mr Ruzlan Abd Malek, MARA Attache in Frankfurt, Mr. Tukiren, JPA Counselor in Berlin, and our Malaysian High Commission, who helped me with the information. I would like to thank our student, Wan Mohd Idham Jaafar, for being such a wonderful friend, to me and my wife, throughout our stay in Prague. Prague, or Praha in Czech language, is a beautiful city, the combination of exploring the new Prague and the old Prague, gave me the idea of what's freedom means to them. Down to the line of history, the separation of previous Czechoslovakia to Czech Republic and Slovakia few years back, did has an impact to the development of the country. Thanks to Yaqzan Arshad, CZEMSA (Czech Republic Malaysian Students Association) President, and all Malaysian students for organizing the visit and talk at one of Malaysian students resident, at Korlovo Namesti, right in the heart of Prague. The attendance hits 43 Malaysian Malay, Chinese and Indian students. The session started at 6.00 pm and ended around 10.00 pm, as it filled with questions and opinions. The number of Malaysian students are currently 143 students, 59 of them studying in Charles University in Prague, 45 in Charles University in Hradec, about one and a half to two hours from Prague, and the rest studying in Olomouch, another 3 hours from Prague. Most of them are sponsored by JPA and MARA, as well as private students. During this session, I learned their studies issues, their lifes and their goals. Let's be part of their enthusiasm in attaining it. I was happily thrilled to be in their arms of hospitality. I hope CZEMSA will work closely with our Malaysian Embassy towards successful upbringing of their own excellency in education. I truly believe that one day, we'll be walk in to one of their clinics in Malaysia. Hope they still recognize me by then. Each and of Malaysian students is our national mission. The visit was successful and the session motivates me to visit them again in the future. My wife also has catered quite a number of questions and issues regarding Islamic jurisprudence by Malaysian girls students. Overall, Malaysian students in Czech Republic are well managed and striving the best to become Malaysian future medical doctors. As we all know, real success comes slowly and is due to a number of different factors all coming together over a period of years. Being successful takes intelligence, natural talent, knowledge, skill, hard work, smart choices, persistence and luck. During our stay, Idham helped us exploring Prague, the new and the old. Halal food is easily available and there's three mosques in Prague. Of course, Bohemia Crsytal is Prague and Prague is Bohemia Crystal. My highest thanks and gratitudes to Idham, Yaqzan, Siraj, Noraini, and all Malaysian students in Prague. Thanks for making us feel at home in Prague. We really appreciate the memories of performing prayers in Prague Central Mosque, Charles bridge Walk, and all attractions that Prague could offer. Till we meet again in Prague.