From Guardhouse to Global Classroom: Aliff Hakimi’s Chevening Journey

For Muhammad Aliff Hakimi bin Mohd Nizam, the path to higher education was never

straightforward. Born in Alor Setar and raised in Sungai Petani, Kedah, Aliff grew up in a

modest household, supported primarily by his mother. Financial struggles were a

constant reality, but this had never deterred Aliff from pursuing his higher education.

At just 18, Aliff began working full-time as a security guard at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah,

Alor Setar, to fund his higher education. This hospital was also where his mother worked

irregularly as a Pembantu Perawatan Kesihatan.

His dream was to pursue a Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) in

Kuala Lumpur, but this was delayed several times because he could not afford the tuition

fees. The tuition fees, around RM3,000 per semester, was more than what he could

afford. Only months later did he gather enough funds from countless shifts at the hospital

to finally begin his studies in Kuala Lumpur. He continued to work multiple part-time jobs

to support his studies after enrolling, including a stint as a kitchen crew member at

Johnny’s in AEON Maluri.

Ironically, English had never been Aliff’s strength. In secondary school, he was often

ridiculed for his broken English. His turning point came when a teacher, Puan Maznah,

told him, “One day, you can be the teacher who helps students like you.” That single

sentence became his lifelong purpose.

That same purpose carried him into Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), where he

pursued English Language Studies under the Towards Inclusion Equity (TIE) Fund –

Tunku Abdul Rahman Scholarship. This scholarship not only funded his studies but also

provided a two-year leadership development programme that shaped his growth

beyond the classroom. Aliff seized every opportunity to develop himself personally and

professionally. He founded PKBL Global Talk to connect Malaysian student leaders with peers around the world, spearheaded Edukasi Emosi to teach children emotional literacy, and

later Edukasi English to empower young learners through language. In his role as Policy

Executive with Higher Education Malaysian Association (HEYA), he helped organise the

National Student Leadership Conference (NaSLeC) in 2023.

This year, Aliff’s journey took another life-changing turn. He was awarded the Chevening

Scholarship to pursue a Master’s in TESOL Studies at the University of Leeds in the

United Kingdom. Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

and partner organisations, Chevening recognises individuals with leadership potential and

proven impact in their communities. Once ridiculed for his English, Aliff had become exactly

the kind of leader the programme sought.

“I want to return to Malaysia not just as an English lecturer, but as someone who reforms how we teach language,” he says. His long-term vision is to sit on the English Language Standards and Quality Council, working to position Malaysia as a regional hub for education and facilitate UK-Malaysia Transnational Education (TNE) partnerships. The Chevening award will equip Aliff with a world-class education in the UK, as well as the valuable experience, connections and exposure that comes during his time as a Chevening scholar. Upon his return, Aliff joins a global community of 60,000 leaders, influencers, and changemakers to make a tangible contribution in his field.

Aliff with Kularetnam Vijayakumar, CEO  of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation

Kularetnam Vijayakumar, CEO of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation, added, "Aliff is

truly an embodiment of the values we inculcate in our Tunku Scholars. His grit in the face

of challenges and a strong commitment to contribute back to the country cemented our

belief in his potential. We are heartened to know that the Chevening Scholarship

recognises the same strengths of Aliff and convey our deepest gratitude to the

programme and the FCDO for furthering his dream.”

From the guardhouse in Alor Setar to the halls of Leeds, Aliff has gone from being

ridiculed for his English to earning one of the world's most prestigious scholarships to

pursue his dreams. The UK Government continues to invest in the next generation of

Malaysian leaders like Aliff. We look forward to seeing Aliff’s journey as a budding young

leader, who will advance an equitable and inclusive language education system in

Malaysia.

The Chevening Scholarship offers a comprehensive and transformative opportunity to

study a one-year Master’s degree in the United Kingdom. Applications for Chevening are

open from 5 August to 7 October 2025. For more information, visit Chevening.org.