DR. TAJUDIN ALI - GERMANY, HERE I COME

ONE ON ONE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SUCCESSFULL
PHD HOLDER.

BY: Akmal Radzuan@akmalduanz

1.Can you tell a bit about yourself and your family?

First and foremost, my name is Mohd Tajudin Bin MohdAli, now as you know, I am deputy dean of the faculty of applied science in UiTM Shah Alam. I have Doctor of philosophy in organic synthesis, from Germany. Since I was a child, i born at Kampung Sri Chantek, Muar, JohorDarul Takzim. My father as tappers and my mom as housewives. i grew up in a modest family. My family are not rich people but we as family are happy together. weas family not have a lot of money but grateful for what we have. I have 5 siblings and among of them, I am a person in my family that holding PhD. Since I was a child, I am very familiar with hard situation and always grateful in everything that I have. Now I have a happy family with five children with my lovely wife and happy with my career.

2.Can you tell about the history of your education before PhD studies?

My first school at Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Bukit Aping Timur, Kota Tinggi. Since I was a child ,I’m always walk to school, through a rubber plantation nearby my house. When I was form one until form 3, I was studied at SMK Bandar Eastar.in my studies ,my achievement in academic and co-curriculum also good.in academic, I am always perform my studies and participate any activities  in school. When I in form 3, I’m good actors and always joined the cast in my school and perform the show and drama. For me, there  are a lot of benefit to join casting and become actor because, it will built our self- confidence, and self - image. we are also must knowing detail about the script and put a soul in any character that we must have to act in drama. In form 4,Im studied at SMK Dato Sulaiman and say with my uncle which is my close relative. My father are not so well in health at that time. My school not so far away from home and easy to reach it. My uncle is government employees and there are a lot of activities when I live with my uncle. In the evening, my uncle taught me about farming and gardening. My uncle taught me to plat sugarcane, brinjal and gardening in fruit orchard. There are small orchard nearby house owned by uncle. When in form 4 and form 5,I have participate in computer programming and become the winner of computer programming in my school.im also a leader and as a chairman of the computer association and counselling club in my school. Since I was form 4, I am always active in organisation and become leader in the association. Alhamdulillah, after SPM, I continue studying at matriculation under University Putra Malaysia, Serdang. About 2 years I have spent time my studies at matriculation. Before this, I also want to take a degree in medic but after that, I further my degree studies in chemical industry in University Putra Malaysia .I also ask any senior and friends about what course that ideal for me in degree studies and I have decide to studies in chemical industry. Since my degree studies from 1990 until 1995,there were a lot of moment and studies and get know and meet people with other races which are china, Indian and other country. I can also know more about their culture and how their studies and their achievement. During undergraduate studies, I have scholarship and I do not want to upset parents. Usually, never asked unless given by parents about financing. I was active in the association. I was a member of the club committee  of students and become exco in external and internal relation after winning vote. I also become director of project in study visit in Indonesia and have a chance to visit about three institution at Indonesia. There are a lot of obstacle to lead in this project but everything  become alright. In my view, good to participate with any organization and important to have a platform to show your talent and how you become leader. To become a leader, we must have confidence and follower. We must also become good leader, honest and always positive thinking. whenparticipate with many organization, we can also meet everyone and we can know our potential in become leader and hope about our programme or activities will be success. I also join in Islamic  association as medium to separate kind deed and good for me toward be a good muslim and learn more things about Islam.

3.How you started to further studies in PhD studies?

After finished my degree studies, I doing my practical at glass factory. I also have been work as quality control officer in factory, I was married with my lovely wife.at that time. After that, I attract to be a teacher and enter teaching course under graduate in `Maktab PerguruanRaja Melewar’ in one year. At this time, I also have a house and my financing also stable. After finished my studies as teacher, I have posting in ‘Sekolah MenengahKebangsaan Kubu Baru’ in 1998 and after I have diploma on education, I am becoming teacher at that school. About three years as a teacher, i have resigned.I want to be lecturer and I get opportunity to be pat time lecturer at UiTM. As a lecturer, I am also want further my studies in master at University Putra Malaysia ,masterstudies in natural product. After I finished my master at UPM,I continue as full time lecturer at UiTM Shah Alam.For me become lecturer is very good career and opportunity to expand my potential and get more experience.

4.Germany is place of your studies destination. How your experience doing PhD at Germany?

I have desired to continue my studies until PhD. Therefore, I decide to studies at German .In Germany, I have studied at University of Regensburj. There are many moment at Bayern, Germany, the place that I have studies for 4 years and stay with my family. Bring the whole family at there and before that, I have survey in this place and find a house to be stay with my family.There are a lot of people that familiar with Germany help me to find a place and a house to be stay with my family at there. During I and my family at Germany, many activities also we have done together. we also have connection with Malaysian student and people at Germany also nice with us and very friendly. My family have stay at Bayern, Germany about three and a half year, until I finished my PhD at the university.my son also know and can speak Germany language. My children also have an education at Germany school during 3 and half year in PhD studies.

5.During PHD, what the obstacle and challenges until you become a doctor of philosophy?

During studies, there are a lot of obstacle and challenges for me. i must pass all subject in Germanylanguage and English language. After that ,I can really continue my studies to get PhD. At Germany, I must have learn about Germany language. For me, so hard to learn language that no familiar and take a long time for me to understand ,learn and speak in Germany.Sometimes, The professor in Universities also strict when marking paper. During examination and test, I am always ask the prefect of examination about the question .I am not clearly understand about the question in Germany language but, when answering the examination, English language allowed. All question in Germany but when we answer the question, we can use English or Germany language .I am also always study and do research about the subject and understanding in Germany language to make me comfortable and confidence. I am also frustrated after failed the examination and I must have a repeat test in in certain paper to make sure I can continue my PhD studies.

6.You are married and have family, so how do you manage yourself, education and family? 

I am always grateful because during my studies, my family always support me and when a holiday, I always brought family to holiday in various place, I think about more than 10 country during 4 years, my family and I stayed in Germany that we already have visited  at there. Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Belgium,Amsterdam, United Kingdom and Bahrain are the country that we have visited and holiday at there.my family and I optimize any chance when stayed in Germany, At Germany also there are many attractive place that always we visited which is in Munich. Munich is the place that are one of biggest town at Germany and have better technologies. We also visited the garden and orchard in Munich .I am also managed to spend time with my family when I have a holiday break and manage my schedule in studies.

7. What is the best and bad experience during your PhD studies

The most memorable moment when I get scroll in PhD studies and get the title of Doctor philosophy .There are passion, sacrifice  and hardworking during my studies at University of Regensburg. Finally, I finished the most higher achievement in academic. Alhamdulillah and very grateful My tear going down and my soul, my family, my parents that guide me from child are like follow the rhythm of my achievements. Something nice and bad happen to us, and my bad experience when I failed in test that I must take another tie to make sure I got succeed to studies in PhD. i almost frustration and feelto go back to Malaysia and stop the studies but ,there are also, many people support me, my mother, father,my wife, and my family also friends have support me and I also thinks positive and any problem will be solved. I am not give up and just think positive all the way I do.

8.What Inspire you in life to succeed?

For me, if everybody can do, why not me. That word also remind me to always positive and not giving up.InsyaAllah , everything can be settled successfully .i am always look something positively and don’t think negatively. we must believe in what we do and confidence in other country that not familiar before. if we think negatively, bad happen can come. The mind and body also not healthy if always think negative and not positive to face anything happen to us. Besides that, for motivation, my idol is Dr.Mahathir, former Prime Minister in Malaysia. For me, I respect with him, his vision, idea and contribution are brilliant and make Malaysia known around the world and success. For me as a leader, we must have a idea that difference from other and have a good vision and mission.

9.During your career as an educator, what award that ever received?

I have an award with my son in innovation award in national organized by Malaysia innovation foundation. The product known as Taj’ s 3D Chemistry Scrabble​.Product created by me and my son, Saidatul Farihah Binti Tajudin. Idea and original concept by me and we discuss more briefly to  succeed this product. Objective on this product are actually for students play while learning. Student will easy to play and learn about chemistry subject which is have symbol ,reactivity and periodic table. Maybe a lot of students feel very hard to learn chemistry and basic in chemistry subject but this product will make students fun and learning more easy about chemistry. Innovation start from problem.my son also have a problem to learn in chemistry subject that contain many symbol and formula. therefore, we created this product to make fun and better learning process in chemistry subject. This chemistry scrabble ideal for all student .When students always play this scrabble, the student will easy to mesmerize. The combination of hand and eye make easier to student understand in chemistry subject.

10.Recently, you appeared on television in channel RTM 1 to introduce the festival. Can you tell about it?

I have introduce the festival of science technologies and innovation. I am also introduce this festival aim for attract student towards science and technologies. Regarding to government aspiration to improve and make more people to attract with science and technologies and nowadays, technologies are better and give benefit to us. This festival also one step to help government to achieve aspiration and attract people toward science and technologies. About my product,Taj’s 3D Chemistry Scrabble also will be shown at the festival and we introduce and give a product to chosen school in Malaysia. The scrabble also will be known and can be used as academic purpose, fun and learning process in school or home.

11.For the next five years, what are your plan for your career?

I think, I will become politician or businessman in the next five years. I am attract to join political in Malaysia.For me politic is evolution, not revolution. Therefore when I step up in political arena, I must come from bottom, and then if have potential I want to be success as a good politician to contribute any god and brilliant idea for people and must have an aspiration with clear vision and mission to make better country and help other people. I think as a politician, I must contribute something and not only for self but for all people. For me to be a leader ,we must have knowledge, empathy and kind deed.

12.What your advice to the student to succeed in academic and to be successful leader in the organization?

As a student, we must have objectivity and motivation in studies. We  must know what will we can get after 3 years,5 years or 10 years. We must have clear vision and mission in our studies and ambition in the next year.When we become a successful people, we can beexample for others and parents and our family will be proud .We must grateful and as a muslim, always pray and hope the best. For be a good leader, for me a good leader must have knowledge ,kind, have follower and have a clear vision in the organization or anything that we do. As a leader, we must show our potential and credibility. Always be kind with other and confidence in any aspects. As a leader, we must have a good vision,brilliant idea, and educated .Anyone can be a leader ,buta good leader can be example for everyone.