SERDANG, 25 February 2026 – KPT 2025 Student Entrepreneur Icon, Muhammad Hafidz Shahril Izwan (Hafidz Vertico), demonstrated the success of student entrepreneurship by presenting RM20,000 in business zakat to the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) Zakat Trust Fund, which was symbolically received by the Chancellor of UPM, His Royal Highness Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, during the UPM 2026 Iftar and Tarawih Prayer Ceremony held at the UPM Mosque today.

Hafidz, a Year 4 student of Bachelor of Agricultural Business with Honours at UPM, explained that the zakat payment was derived from profits generated through his clothing business over the past year.

According to him, success in business is not merely a personal achievement, but also a religious responsibility as a young entrepreneur.

“As a student and entrepreneur, I believe that the sustenance earned through business should be shared. Paying business zakat is my responsibility, and I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to fulfil it at a young age,” he said.

He also expressed hope that more students would venture into entrepreneurship and make zakat part of an ethical financial management culture.

“I started small by selling clothing at my residential college. Alhamdulillah, with the guidance of my mentor, Mr. Ludinata Misnun, lecturers, and the support of CEM UPM, my business grew. I want to prove that students can be contributors, not merely recipients,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Development and Graduate Employability (CEM) UPM, Associate Professor Dr. Hizmawati Madzin, welcomed Hafidz’s initiative, describing it as an exemplary model of a holistic student.

“Hafidz’s action in paying business zakat at this stage proves that UPM students are not only competent academically and in business, but also possess strong social awareness and integrity. This aligns with the university’s aspiration to produce ethical and impactful student entrepreneurs,” she said.

The ceremony also highlighted the strategic role of the UPM Centre for Waqf, Zakat and Infaq (WAZAN) in managing the university’s welfare funds. At the same event, the Chancellor symbolically received a total of RM10.29 million in UPM Zakat Funds, which included RM450,000 from Lembaga Tabung Haji and RM200,000 from Etiqa General Takaful Berhad.

Hafidz’s initiative reflects the success of UPM’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in nurturing students who excel in business while giving back meaningfully to society.

Date of Input: 27/02/2026 | Updated: 27/02/2026 | sarahshammaddin