LONDON 30 Mac – Sufiah Yusof, seorang kanak-kanak pintar matematik yang pernah menggemparkan dunia apabila layak memasuki Universiti Oxford pada usia 13 tahun, tidak putus-putus ditimpa nasib malang.

Selepas bapanya, Yusof Farooq dipenjara atas kesalahan melakukan serangan seksual ke atas dua gadis berusia 15 tahun yang mengikuti tuisyen matematik di rumahnya, Sufiah pula kini dilaporkan menjadi pekerja seks.

Tragedi yang melanda kanak-kanak genius itu dibongkar oleh wartawan News of the World yang menyamar sebagai pelanggan, di flat murah yang didiaminya di belakang lorong di Salford, Manchester.

Sufiah dikatakan terbabit dalam kegiatan tidak bermoral itu, untuk menyara hidupnya sejak beberapa tahun lalu.

Entah di mana silapnya, gadis dengan senyuman menawan itu yang kehebatannya sepatutnya menjadikan dia wanita kaya, terpaksa memilih jalan itu untuk terus hidup.

Menurut akhbar itu, Sufiah dilaporkan mengiklankan 'khidmatnya' melalui Internet dengan tawaran 130 pound (RM830) untuk setiap sesi.

Dengan memakai nama samaran Shilpa Lee, dia antara lain menggambarkan dirinya sebagai 'pelajar bijak dan seksi' yang menyediakan perkhidmatan setiap hari dari pukul 11 pagi hingga 8 malam.

Dalam iklannya, menurut tabloid tersebut, Sufiah juga menyatakan dia lebih gemarkan 'lelaki tua yang budiman'. Seorang bekas rakannya menyifatkan tindak-tanduk gadis itu sebagai: ''Sesuatu yang sungguh menyedihkan.''

"Dengan otak luar biasa yang dimilikinya, dia tidak mempunyai masalah untuk mendapat wang, sebaliknya hidup dia musnah dan menjadi tidak terkawal," kata bekas rakannya lagi.

Selepas tiga tahun belajar di Universiti Oxford, pada usia semuda 15 tahun, Sufiah mencetuskan kegemparan apabila menghilangkan diri.

Dalam e-mel kepada keluarganya, dia menyifatkan hidup dengan bapanya 'umpama dalam neraka'.

Ibu Sufiah, Halimahton berasal dari Muar, Johor manakala bapanya, Yusof berasal dari Pakistan.

Sufiah hanya ditemui dua minggu kemudian di sebuah kafe Internet di Bournemouth dan bekerja sebagai pelayan hotel.

Dia enggan kembali ke pangkuan keluarga dan diletakkan di bawah jagaan sebuah badan sosial sebelum kembali ke Oxford untuk menyelesaikan pengajian matematik peringkat sarjana.

Dia berkahwin pada 2004 ketika berusia 19 tahun dengan peguam pelatih, Jonathan Marshall, 24, tetapi rumah tangganya hanya mampu bertahan selama setahun.

A 12-year-old boy and his 16-year-old sister have arrived at the University of Warwick to study degrees in mathematics.
Iskander and Noraisha Yusof are among the UK's youngest ever undergraduates. Accompanied by their father Farooq, they met lecturers and tutors and said they were looking forward to student life.

Maths tutor Alan Newell says that the brother and sister have done "extraordinarily well"

Maths tutor Alan Newell emphasised that no concessions had been made on admitting the brother and sister because of their young age. "We've had the best entry class that we've ever had. The standards are very high and Iskander and Noraisha both did extraordinarily well." Iskander received a grade A in maths A level when he was 10, and a B in further maths a year later.

He also gained grade 1 in a special paper set by the University of Warwick. He is the same age as Ruth Lawrence was when she accepted a place at Oxford 14 years ago. "It doesn't really matter and it doesn't bother me," he said. "When I'm with my friends I talk about other things. I am just looking forward to getting on with the course." Noraisha, who hopes to go on to do research in mathematical biology, said she had chosen Warwick because it was one of the top three centres for mathematics in the country. "I don't think it is a problem coming to university this young," she said. "I have already done my A levels, what else could I do?" Noraisha gained grade As at A level in maths and further maths before she was 15. Runs in the family Their siblings are also high achievers. Sister Sufiah, 14, is just beginning her second year at Oxford University and their four-year-old sister Zuleika is expected to sit her maths A level by the age of six.

Maths researcher Farooq, 40, and his scientist wife Halimahton, 41, gave up their careers to educate the children at home in Northampton. For the family of seven, who are all devout Muslims, each day begins with prayers, followed by exercise to focus the mind and body. All five Yusof children are also talented tennis players. The eldest, Isaac, 17, was number four in the UK for his age, while Noraisha won the Northamptonshire women's title at the age of 12. Mr Yusof describes his children as self-motivated, mature youngsters, driven by the desire to succeed and compete with one another.

All five were talking before the age of one and reading by two, but they are not considered exceptionally gifted by their Malaysian parents. Mr Yusof believes all children can achieve given the right encouragement, and is currently in negotiations for a book deal recounting his teaching approach.



Sukarnya Menjadi Genius


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Adi Putra

Semasa kecil, emak beberapa kali mengingatkan saya tentang seorang kanak-kanak genius yang sudah mampu membaca surat khabar di usia tiga tahun. Mohd. Shukri Hadafi, nama diberi.

Kanak-kanak istimewa ini kemudiannya diambil berlakon oleh Jins Shamsuddin di dalam filemnya Menanti Hari Esok (1976/7) dan filem itu sentiasa menjadi titik yang mengingatkan saya kepada adanya seorang kanak-kanak pintar di usia yang hampir sama dengan saya, sebagai inspirasi untuk berjaya.

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