Lighthouse Club Brings Light of Hope to TAR UC Students

The prevailing uncertainty resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic has left many students shackled by financial difficulties which have prevented them from pursuing their education. However, underprivileged students can still hope for a brighter future as during these challenging times, many communities and organisations are intensifying their efforts to provide the necessary financial assistance for students to further their studies.

In particular, underprivileged students of Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (‘TAR UC’) can look forward to a financial stress-free tertiary education with the establishment of the latest student loan fund, TARC – Lighthouse Club Student Loan Fund, which was set up by The Lighthouse Club Kuala Lumpur (‘LHCKL’) recently. This student loan fund is interest-free and open for underprivileged students currently pursuing construction-related Diploma / Bachelor Degree programmes at TAR UC namely architecture, quantity surveying, construction management, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering whose family household income is not more than RM3,000 per month or who are from poverty-stricken background as a result of the death / injury / illness of a parent or guardian. In addition, this student loan fund is also open to students who are from a poverty-stricken background due to death / injury / illness of a parent or guardian previously employed in the construction industry and want to pursue a non-construction related Diploma / Bachelor Degree programme.

LHCKL is a Construction Industry society founded 27 years ago in Kuala Lumpur. It is a branch of the Lighthouse Club, a global construction industry society originally established in the United Kingdom over 60 years ago. LHCKL promotes good fellowship among its members who work in or are associated with the construction industry and provides charitable assistance to persons within the Construction Industry who suffer hardship and distress, including sponsoring students with financial constraint to pursue their studies. One of the goals of LHCKL is to raise funds to help young Malaysians to enter and progress in the Construction Industry.

The TARC – Lighthouse Club Student Loan Fund has been established with the initial amount of RM500,000, with the joint contributions from the LHCKL, the James Battersby Lighthouse Club Educational Trust and the Lighthouse Club Asia Pacific Region Benevolent Trust. These two trusts are both closely associated with the Lighthouse Club international and the respective regional branches.

Going forward, LHCKL is planning to organise a fundraiser on 21 May 2021 where one of the objectives is to continue fund raising for the said student loan fund in order to assist more needy TAR UC students.

In an interview with LHCKL held on 30 January 2021, Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Chairman of the Board of Governors of TAR UC expressed his gratitude to LHCKL in setting up the TARC – Lighthouse Club Student Loan Fund to provide this financial aid to TAR UC students. “Establishing this student loan fund with LHCKL is very symbolic as both TAR UC and LHCKL share a similar philosophy which is to provide the opportunities for underprivileged students to pursue tertiary education so as to transform their lives. With this student loan fund, both TAR UC and LHCKL will bring hope to many needy students towards a better future especially during these challenging times,” he shared.

Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei, President of TAR UC, was very grateful for LHCKL in setting up the student loan fund for deserving TAR UC students. “Although the effect of the pandemic has posed financial challenges to many, it is very encouraging to know that there are people and groups among us who are willing to extend a helping hand to others. The kindness and generosity of LHCKL is indeed commendable. I hope this will encourage our students to do their best in their studies so that in the future they too can emulate the kind gesture of LHCKL to provide opportunities for others to pursue tertiary education,” he commented.

Meanwhile Mr Bert de Munck, President of LHCKL, gave an interesting account of how the student loan fund came into being. “A member of the LHCKL shared with the club’s committee members about TAR UC Student Loan Fund programme. The member’s family established a student loan fund in 1996 and shared the success of the programme in helping many underprivileged students to study and graduate from TAR UC. In September 2019, I led a delegation from LHCKL to visit TAR UC and held several discussions which eventually bore fruit with the setting up of the student loan fund despite the delay due to the pandemic. The TARC-Lighthouse Club Student Loan Fund is also in line with LHCKL’s goal in providing charitable assistance for those in need within the construction industry,” he explained.

The TARC – Lighthouse Club Student Loan Fund is now available for qualified students who are currently studying at TAR UC. This student loan fund is also open to new students who will be commencing their studies at TAR UC for the May / June 2021 intakes and all other subsequent intakes. For more details on TARC – Lighthouse Club Student Loan Fund or other financial aid available, intake details and online application to study at TAR UC, please visit www.tarc.edu.my

For more information about the Lighthouse Club Kuala Lumpur please visit www.facebook.com/LighthouseClubKL or email to [email protected].