KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Amid the happy throng of parents at the International Islamic University Malaysia's 25th convocation here yesterday, religious teacher Rustamin Amak Jamilah cut a forlorn figure.

As he walked up to receive the scroll for the Bachelor of Business Administration (Honours) degree from Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, the entire hall fell silent.

The scroll was not his but that of his daughter's -- Safawati, who died on July 17.

The university had flown Rustamin, 54, his wife, Mailah Sarum, 42, and their two sons from Ranau, Sabah to receive the degree on Safawati's behalf.

Rustamin said Safawati, the eldest of nine children, was a research assistant at IIUM's Department of Business Administration when she died of Systemic Lupus.

The chronic disease, commonly known as Lupus, results in the body's immune system turning against its own healthy tissues for reasons that are still unknown.

Choking back on his emotions, Rustamin said: "My daughter was a go-getter.

"Despite undergoing heart surgery when only 8 years old, she always strived for the best. After the surgery, she led an active life, excelling in her academic and co-curricular activities, until this condition developed while she was doing her matriculation studies."

Rustamin said his daughter told him doctors had diagnosed her with a blood disease that could not be cured.

"Only my daughter and I knew about this condition and she stubbornly refused to put aside her studies and work to seek treatment.

"Now that she is gone, all we have are memories of her."

Saifuddin, who handed a donation from the lecturers and staff of IIUM to Rustamin, said Safawati had been an excellent student.

"She graduated with Second Class (Upper) Honours with cumulative grade point average of 3.559. She received the best student award in information technology from the university's Department of Business Administration."

A total of 3,350 undergraduate and 879 postgraduate students received their scrolls on Saturday and today at the IIUM Gombak campus.

NEW STRAITS TIMES