Cancer patient leads guard-of-honour at Unimas’ convo

KOTA SAMARAHAN (Nov 4): Mohamad Shafiee Suhaili, a 38-year-old battling Stage 4 colon cancer, stood tall as he led the guard-of-honour at Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas)’s 28th convocation.

Shafiee, an alumnus of Unimas, commanded a 120-member parade lasting around 30 minutes, displaying resilience and dedication that inspired everyone in attendance.

Despite his illness, Shafiee was determined to fulfil his role, leading the salute to Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

“It’s an incredible honour to lead this salute, especially as an alumnus. This moment brings back memories from my own days here and fills me with pride to see new graduates take the same path,” he said when met by reporters today.

Shafiee, who also led with the Reserve Officer Training Unit (Palapes) at Unimas, described the emotional significance of standing face-to-face with the Governor.

“When I was doing the salute, I just stared at his eyes, not his clothes, the whole time,” he added.

He shared that he began experiencing severe symptoms in May, including abdominal pain and difficulty with digestion.

Following surgery, doctors initially diagnosed a tumour, which later revealed itself as stage-three colon cancer. In mid-October, it progressed to stage-four, spreading to his liver.

Since then, Shafiee has undergone treatment and is currently reliant on a stoma bag to manage symptoms.

“Being in this role required careful preparation – I’ve adjusted my diet, avoiding spicy foods to prevent disruptions during the ceremony.

“Cancer brings its own challenges, including digestion issues, so I had to plan carefully,” he said.

Despite regular hospital visits and ongoing treatment, Shafiee’s commitment to his role remained steadfast.

“I’m deeply grateful to Unimas for allowing me this honour.

“Being back here at Unimas and witnessing these young graduates is truly uplifting,” he said.