KUALA LUMPUR: Permodalan Nasional Bhd (PNB) has spent three decades helping young Malaysians pursue quality education and build careers across various sectors. Its scholarship programme has supported thousands of students since 1996.
From an initial intake of just 10 students, the programme has grown to support 6,547 recipients, backed by nearly RM570 million in investment in education and talent development.
Behind the figures are young Malaysians who have gained access to opportunities that might otherwise have been beyond their reach, families whose prospects have improved and alumni who now contribute to the country’s investment, corporate and public sectors.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the PNB Scholarship Programme, reflecting the company’s commitment that extends beyond financing education to preparing young people for professional life and leadership.
Through academic preparation, mentoring, internships, international exposure and continuous development opportunities, scholars gain the skills and confidence to apply their knowledge and contribute to society.
Nurturing future leaders
The programme’s impact can be seen in the careers of its alumni, many of whom have gone on to take up professional and leadership roles within PNB and across the wider economy.
For Natrina Majid, the journey began with a scholarship that enabled her to study at Queen Mary University of London.
Raised in a humble family in Sabah, she was given the opportunity to pursue an overseas education that might otherwise have been beyond her family’s financial means.
After completing her studies, she returned to Malaysia and built her career at PNB, where she now heads its legal function.
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From scholar to mentor
A recipient from the programme’s seventh cohort in 2002, Natrina has experienced both sides of the scholarship journey, first as a beneficiary and now as a senior professional shaping opportunities for future generations.
As a member of PNB’s Education Committee, she helps select aspiring scholars, extending to others the opportunity that shaped her own career.
“The opportunity provided through the PNB scholarship has paved the way for the success I enjoy today.
“For me, contributing is not just about my career, but also about developing the generation that will carry forward the legacy of PNB and the nation,” she said.
Her journey reflects how an educational opportunity can extend beyond personal achievement, allowing recipients to help others pursue their ambitions.
Building an investment career
For Mohamad Zuwairi Abd Rahman, the journey began with PNB’s first intake of 10 scholars in 1996.
The scholarship enabled him to study at Imperial College London and laid the foundation for a career in investment. Today, he serves as division head for Public Equity at PNB.
The son of a civil servant and a police officer, Zuwairi regarded the scholarship as an opportunity to improve his family’s circumstances while opening a path into the investment industry.
He later spent almost a decade as a fund manager for Amanah Saham Bumiputera, managing and growing funds that benefit millions of Malaysians.
His career demonstrates how an opportunity provided at the start of a student’s education can eventually translate into responsibilities with a wider impact on the country.
Together, the experiences of Natrina and Zuwairi illustrate how the programme’s influence continues long after scholars complete their studies.
A growing alumni network
Their achievements form part of a wider network of alumni who have taken up professional and leadership roles within and beyond PNB.
The organisation has 333 scholarship alumni serving within its ranks, while alumni account for 30 per cent of its Management Executive Committee.
Others have built careers across government-linked investment companies, government-linked companies, ministries, public institutions and the private sector.
Their contributions also extend into public service, policymaking, academia and entrepreneurship, taking the benefits of their education into different parts of the economy and society.
Expanding education access
Over the past three decades, PNB has broadened its education initiatives to accommodate different needs and ambitions.
Its programmes now cover secondary and tertiary education, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), professional development and heritage-related initiatives.
PNB established Kolej Ilmu PNB in 1998 and introduced its first local scholarship intake in 2004, expanding opportunities for students to pursue their education in Malaysia.
In 2019, it introduced Bantuan Untuk Pendidikan (BUDI) PNB to support underprivileged students, followed by BUDI TVET in 2024.
Other initiatives include the PNB Global Scholarship Award, PNB Merdeka Scholarship Award, Yayasan Tun Ismail (YTI) Excellence Award and PNB Chartered Accountant Initiative, providing pathways from university studies to professional qualifications.
These initiatives reflect PNB’s efforts to develop talent in strategic fields while widening access to education for students from different backgrounds.
The commitment has continued through periods of economic uncertainty and the Covid-19 pandemic, with successive cohorts of scholars moving into the workforce and building careers across various sectors.
Taking scholarships overseas
PNB’s commitment to developing young talent continues with scholars pursuing degrees at leading international universities.
Muhammad Irfan Zainuri and Buellan Henry Kilah received the PNB Global Scholarship in 2024, enabling them to continue their academic journeys at University College London.
Both completed their preparatory studies at Kolej Yayasan UEM (KYUEM) before moving to the United Kingdom.
For Irfan, 20, from Bayan Lepas, Penang, the scholarship changed the direction of his academic journey.
He was on a lunch break in Gambang, Pahang, when a text message from his mother brought the news that he had received the award.
At the time, he was pursuing a foundation course in medicine at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Accepting the scholarship meant giving up his ambition of becoming a doctor and leaving close friends to step outside his comfort zone.
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“My desire to experience studying abroad was greater than those feelings,” he said.
Irfan is now pursuing philosophy and computer science, with graduation expected in 2029.
The scholarship also eased his family’s financial commitments, allowing his parents to focus their resources on his two younger brothers.
“It meant I had greater freedom to take up things that would usually strain us financially, like studying in KYUEM,” he said.
Irfan credited his parents with instilling in him the value of hard work, with his mother playing an influential role in shaping his ambition to pursue his studies in the UK.
Confidence, however, did not come easily during his secondary school years at SMKA Syeikh Abdullah Fahim in Nibong Tebal. He initially doubted his ability to balance academic studies with Quran memorisation.
Rather than relying solely on longer study hours, he adapted his learning methods to manage both commitments.
At KYUEM, he also had to adjust to studying alongside peers from diverse backgrounds. Further Mathematics proved particularly demanding, but he eventually secured three A*s and an A in his A-level examinations.
Looking ahead, Irfan hopes to help his former school improve its academic performance and gain access to funding.
For Buellan, 20, from Kuching, Sarawak, the scholarship opened up possibilities she had never considered.
“The opportunity to go overseas is something that not everyone can get. I never even thought of it as an option for me,” she said.
She applied despite believing that overseas scholarships were reserved for students who achieved straight A+ results.
Surrounded by high achievers at KYUEM, she initially questioned whether she belonged there. Her early results prompted her to reassess study habits that relied on late nights and insufficient sleep.
During a first-semester review, PNB’s education team encouraged her to find a more effective approach to learning.
“They gave one-on-one encouragement because I think they knew that I knew what would be best,” she said.
With time, her confidence grew. She eventually addressed her peers at the pre-departure event for the PNB Global Scholarship Award and YTI Excellence Award.
Buellan is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in biochemical engineering and expects to graduate in 2030.
Inspired by women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), she hopes to encourage others to pursue similar paths.
“I want to be a good role model, not only to the young, aspiring children in Malaysia but especially as a woman in STEM,” she said.
The experiences of Irfan and Buellan illustrate how scholarships can do more than provide access to overseas education. They can also help students overcome self-doubt, broaden their perspectives and develop ambitions that extend beyond their own achievements.
Passing opportunities to the next generation
As the alumni network has grown, so too has the opportunity for former recipients to share their knowledge and experience with younger Malaysians.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the PNB Scholarship Programme this year, the company launched PNB Lumina, a platform designed to connect alumni, foster mentorship and support their contributions to society.
The initiative extends alumni engagement beyond their years as scholarship recipients, creating opportunities for them to guide younger generations and give back to the community.
Continuing a legacy of contribution
PNB group chairman Raja Tan Sri Arshad Raja Uda said the organisation remained committed to investing in people and nurturing talent whose contributions could benefit society more widely.
“PNB remains committed to investing in people and nurturing future generations of talent whose contributions can create a wider impact on society and the nation,” he said.
After three decades, the PNB Scholarship Programme continues to support young Malaysians in pursuing their ambitions and building careers across different sectors.
Its legacy lies not only in the number of students supported or the amount invested, but also in the professionals developed, the opportunities created and the contributions alumni make to the country.
As former scholars take on greater responsibilities and guide those who follow, the programme’s impact continues to extend beyond individual achievement to national development.
Their journeys reflect PNB’s enduring commitment to nurturing talent, developing future leaders and building a legacy that contributes to Malaysia’s progress.