Hard work takes Nur Zahirah from motel rooms to NZ courtroom

KUALA LUMPUR: By day, she worked towards becoming a lawyer; on weekends, she helped her family sell kuih and cleaned motel rooms to make ends meet.

That determination has now paid off for Malaysian Nur Zahirah Khairudin, 25, who recently made her mark as a qualified lawyer in New Zealand after being formally admitted at the country's High Court.

The second of seven siblings, Zahirah holds a double degree in Law and Arts, majoring in Japanese Language and Culture and Linguistics, from the University of Canterbury in Christchurch.

She is now set to begin her legal career at a law firm in Auckland, becoming one of the Malaysian Muslim women in hijab to enter the country's legal profession.

Recalling her journey, Zahirah said her interest in law began while she was still in secondary school in Malaysia.

"When I was in secondary school, I joined an English debate club and realised that I was naturally drawn to law.

"I have always enjoyed reading and investigating, which further strengthened my decision to pursue this field," she said when contacted.

She sat for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination before moving to New Zealand with her parents, Khairudin Mohamed, 59, and Zarita Abdul Razak, 56, and their family eight years ago.

Unlike many students on scholarships, Zahirah funded her studies through a student loan, having obtained permanent resident status.

However, balancing her living expenses and studies meant she had to work to supplement her income.

"Weekends were packed with helping my family make and sell kuih, as well as working part-time cleaning a motel.

"At the same time, I had to devote myself to lectures, academic assignments and preparations for the bar examinations.

"It was not easy balancing physical work with a demanding academic schedule, and there were times when I experienced extreme exhaustion.

"But I held on to one principle — there is no easy path to success without hard work," she said.

She said her modest family background did not deter her from pursuing her ambitions in a foreign country.

Instead, discipline, family values and her faith became her main sources of strength.

"I had knowledge, hard work, prayers and the sacrifices of my parents, who always believed that education could change our family's circumstances.

"Being in a foreign country, I knew I had to work harder and push myself further.

"I also never forgot my parents' guidance, particularly their emphasis on praying together and remaining humble throughout my six years of study here," she said.

Nur Zahirah's achievement has since drawn praise on social media, with many expressing admiration for her perseverance and determination to pursue her ambition despite the challenges she faced.

She is now set to begin her legal career at a law firm in Auckland, where she plans to specialise in family, coronial and immigration law.