- connecting our global alumni network
12 February 2025
Break barriers and build bridges!
When Muhammad Razlan was just 10 years old, he lost his eyesight completely because of early-onset glaucoma. Taking this in his stride, Razlan went on to graduate from UniSA with a commendation, participate in the Adelaide City marathon, and represent Australia in Goalball. His passion for inclusivity and accessibility has made him a well-known advocate for the visually impaired community in Malaysia, where he was recently awarded the prestigious Distinguished Young Alumni Award.
Muhammad Razlan Ibrahim Mukthar
Talent Management Lead, Genashtim
Bachelor of Business
The UniSA alumni team sat down last month with Razlan (Muhammad Razlan Ibrahim Mukthar) who, in November last year, was the first UniSA alum to be awarded the prestigious Distinguished Young Alumni Award from the Malaysian Australian Alumni Council (MAAC).
Born in Butterworth, Malaysia, Razlan recalls how following a life-changing diagnosis of glaucoma at a young age, he lost his eyesight completely by the age of 10. Learning braille from the age of seven Razlan decided early on, he didn’t want being blind to define him or hold him back.
With this mindset and fast forward to 2015, Razlan was accepting a place at the University of South Australia (UniSA) to study a Bachelor of Business. Unlike many University acceptances, this one was publicly supported by his community, politicians, and local businesses who rallied around to provide Razlan with support and ensure his academic dream could become a reality.
“Studying at UniSA was an incredible experience for me, academically and personally. During my diploma study, I had to work hard to access reading material and textbooks, but at UniSA, the study material [and] books were digitalised, which made it easier for me to complete my studies.”
After gaining tools and support from the Royal Society for the Blind (SA), Razlan was navigating Adelaide, his daily routines enabling him to memorise his way around campus and the city's layout. Not shy of a challenge and far from anyone’s expectations, Razlan was soon running around the city!
“One of my fondest memories is taking part in the Adelaide City marathon, and the University of South Australia Student Association (USASA) partnered me with another student who acted as a runner guide during the marathon, which was a first for me; I was very proud to represent UniSA” recalls Razlan.
and positive mindset and break barriers and build bridges”.
In 2022, with his degree and the UniSA Chancellor Commendation for exceptional academic achievement under his belt, Razlan was selected as one of only ten individuals to attend "Architecture Beyond Sight,” a workshop at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London (UCL). Thus, taking his career experience into another dimension – and it hasn’t stopped there. These foundations were to become the stepping stones into a HR profession – where Razlan is now working as a Talent Management Lead at Genashtim, an organisation with the purpose of providing sustainable and meaningful employment for the disadvantaged, especially those from less-developed economies.
Razlan’s passion for creating an inclusive and accessible world within his professional career, coupled with his determination to explore his interests despite his blindness, has unwittingly made him a well-known advocate for the visually impaired community in Malaysia. Having got involved in goalball and winning gold in the 2017 and 2019 Australian Goalball Championships, Razlan attributes a healthy mindset and attitude towards keeping fit.
"It is not just my work, but I encourage people with a vision impairment and people with a disability to help foster awareness. I do that by promoting fitness activities and conducting outdoor walking events for both the sighted and the visually impaired. One of my proudest moments was organising a "Walk for Empowerment," which included people with vision impairment, as well as those who were hearing impaired and the general public. After the walk, we arranged blind futsal and blind goalball, showcasing to the participants the activities available to those visually impaired while encouraging an active lifestyle!” says Razlan.
“Studying at UniSA was a vital part of my life, which shaped my curious mindset and gave me the skills to take on a professional career. It helped me build my confidence and showed me how to be resourceful and prepare for a challenging world, it has changed my life. I attribute my work in my professional career and community engagement back to UniSA because my time at UniSA was the enabler to what I am currently doing”.
So what are Razlan’s last words of advice to those reading his story, “just go for it with a big smile and positive mindset and break barriers and build bridges”.
