At 80, Lim Siew Yong believes learning new things is key to keeping up cognitive skills, regardless of age. And he kept that belief in mind as he completed his two-year Master’s programme at Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), and will be among the hundreds of younger graduates at the university’s convocation ceremony on Saturday.
“My two years research project was on rainfall-induced slope failure, which I plan to make full use of for the good of the community,” said Lim. He hopes to be able to collaborate with the university to develop an early warning system for landslides.
“This will be my way of paying back to the country for the opportunity to pursue my Masters degree,” he said to the Bulletin during an interview recently at the convocation ceremony’s dress rehearsal.
Lim expressed his gratitude to be able to study his Masters in the country, thanking His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam for the institution.
“As a self-funded student, I was able to do my Masters without having to go overseas,” he said.
Lim graduated from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom in 1969. He is currently a partner at a local engineering firm, which was involved in the design of the Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saiffiddien (SHOAS) Bridge, a project he was particularly proud of.
“We completed in time, no litigation, and also no additional claim from contractor, so it was a very successful project,” he said.
He plans to eventually pass his position on to a younger candidate before resigning and focusing on the landslide warning project with UTB. – Lyna Mohamad
