Family's hardship motivates student to score 9A+

CYBERJAYA: Realising the hardship her family has to bear, Anis Suraya Abdullah of Sekolah Seri Puteri here, who obtained 9A+ in the 2016 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, is determined to provide a better future for both her parents.
Anis Suraya, who aspires to become a pharmacist, said her recipe for success was making thorough preparation from the very beginning.
"No last minute study for me," said the student from Jeli, Kelantan who has been selected to study in Sekolah Seri Puteri under the special project for the poor students.
Anis Suraya also owed her success to Sekolah Seri Puteri alumni who had given her moral and financial support especially during weekends.
"They took care of my needs knowing that I am away from my family and it was not easy for my parents to visit me here," she said.
Anis Suraya added that it was important to share knowledge with others.
"You cannot be selfish. In fact you will know the subject better by teaching others," she added.
For Reena Iffatul Camelia Reezal Merican who scored 9A, creating an organised study schedule was the key factor to her success.
"Before the SPM, we also have group studies, peer coachings and night classes which helped us alot," said the second child of Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican.
Reezal Merican, who accompanied his daughter to collect her result slip, said he was proud of her achievement although time with his children was limited due to work constraints.
Meanwhile, Sekolah Seri Puteri principal Nur Aishah Abdullah said a total of 167 students sat for the SPM last year of which 58 scored A in all subjects and five students scored 9A+.
In SEREMBAN, Maryam Qanitah Rosli, 18, another student under the special project for the poor, scored all As for the 11 subjects she sat for in the 2016 SPM.
Maryam, a student of Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan Labu (SMAPL), near here, said she did not buy any additional reference books but only depended on books in the school library.
"My mother only earns RM900 a month as a teacher at Sekolah Kebangsaan Nyatoh, Rantau so I just have to learn to make do with whatever is available," said Maryam Qanitah whose father died when she was five.
Maryam said she would have her meals and focus on her studies while in school, because once she was home she had to help her mother with the daily chores and tend to her younger siblings, aged 12 to 16 years.
Despite her excellent results, Maryam intends to study in a local university to be near her family.
"I hope to get a scholarship to further my study at Universiti Malaya. My interest is in actuarial science," she said.
In KOTA BHARU, Nuriffah Ramizu, 18, who was left partially paralysed following a stroke proved her illness was not a hindrance when she obtained excellent results in the SPM.
Nuriffah a student from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Panchor Perdana was named the best SPM candidate with special needs in Kelantan after scoring 8As in the examination.
According to Nuriffah, she suffered a stroke due to a respiratory tract infection five years ago, two weeks before sitting for her Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) examination.
"That year I had to sit for the UPSR in the hospital under tremendous pressure as I was forced to write with my left hand.
"From then on I started practising using my left hand to prepare myself for the Form 3 Assessment (PT3)," she told reporters when taking the her result slip at the school here yesterday.
Nuriffah, the second of four siblings, said she also had to allocate more time for her studies compared to others as she had to undergo physiotherapy exercises every week at the Raja Perempuan Zainab Hospital (HRPZ) II.
"I do not want my physical disability to stop me from doing well in my examinations," said Nuriffah who intends to continue he studies in accounting.
In NILAI, Kolej Tunku Kurshiah (TKC) top student Anis Nur Athirah, Sukari 18, believes sharing knowledge with her peers had helped her to score excellent results in the SPM.
"Group studies and teaching my fellow classmates was the best and most effective technique for me.
Anis Nur Athirah from Kota Baharu, Kelantan, hopes to major in accounting at the London School of Economics.
She was among 62 TKC students who scored all As in all subjects.
TKC emerged as best fully-residential boarding school nationwide and was also Negri Sembilan's top school for SPM 2016.
In BAGAN SERAI, Huda Yasruddin, 18, daughter of a freelance preacher was the only student who obtained 11As for SPM 2016 from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama (SMKA) Kerian.
According to Huda, she owed her success to her parents and teachers who were always there to encourage her.
"I believe in making early preparations and would wake up at 3am each day to do my revision," she said.
Huda is now planning to pursue studies in medicine at the International Islamic University Malaysia to achieve her ambition of becoming a doctor.
Her father, Yasruddin Osman, 50, said the excellent results achieved by his third child was indeed unexpected and something to be proud of.
In HULU TERENGGANU, a 'kampung' boy from Sekolah Menengah Sains Hulu Terengganu (SAHUT) not only managed to obtain 10As in the SPM but also scored an A in the Japanese language paper.
Wan Muhammad Hafizuddin Wan Ramli, the son of a stall operator, said he had been taking this additional subject since he was in Form 3.
"I spent most of my evenings coaching my peers who are weak in their studies ... during the day I will be busy carrying out my duties as the head prefect," he said.
"When I was sent to Japan on a student exchange programme, I wanted to be an engineer, but now I am more interested in dentistry," he said.
Meanwhile cleaner Yani Mat Ali, 48, expressed her joy and happiness on learning that her daughter Nur Suhaila Salim, 18, had scored 9 As.
Nur Suhaila, also from Sekolah Menengah Sains Hulu Terengganu (SAHUT), however, was not present to collect her results as she was in the United States on a student exchange programme.
In BESUT, Muhammad Lukman Afif Johari, 17, of SM Imtiaz Yayasan Terengganu who emerged as top student said memorising the Quran has helped him in his achievements.
In KUANTAN, Syaheeda Mohd Shafee, 18, who obtained excellent results said the loss of two close family members last year had spurred her to do her best for the sake of her family.
"I promised my father to get all As in the SPM while my brother had always challenged me to follow in his footsteps to enter university.
Syaheeda who is the youngest of five siblings said she intends to pursue further studies in Australia in accounting, if she managed to get a scholarship.
For South Korean drama and music fan Tan Jasss Key who scored 6A+s dan 5As she believed in having a perfect balance between having fun and studying hard.
Tan said she was lucky that her parents Tan Tai Kuan, 46, and Tan Fui Bee, 46, gave her the freedom to organise her study timetable as well as paid for her eight additional classes.
Meanwhile for U. Ruthmesha Ashvind, who obtained 10As, the secret of his success was completing all homework and giving full attention in class.
"It will be difficult trying to study on your own at home if you don't pay attention in class," he said.
He said he was now contemplating whether to take up medicine or accountancy to follow his father's footsteps.
In MALACCA, Muhammad Syauqi Md Sham said he worked hard to do well in his studies to ensure a better future for his family.
Muhammad Syauqi, the son of a labourer, said he hoped to continue with the excellent results in the Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) this October.
For Tan Yoke Teng of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Gajah Behrang, the 11As he scored was a total surprise.
"I never dreamt I could do this well," he said.
In IPOH, Chiang Wai Cheng who is suffering from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy was not deterred when doctors told him that he would not live very long. Inspite of the genetic disorder which he had suffered since he was seven, Wai Cheng, 19, had not stopped trying to do his best.
Wai Cheng, a special needs candidate of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tanjung Rambutan here, scored 6As and 3B+.
"Never give up and always think positive. Since my mother died from breast cancer two years ago my father had sacrificed alot.
"I dedicate this achievement to my father who was willing to quit his job to take care of my brother and me," he told reporters.
Meanwhile, an Orang Asli SPM candidate from SMK Raja Chulan Randy Ohera Othman, 18, hoped that the 7As he achieved would serve as an encouragement to other Orang Asli students.
"For the Form 3 Assessment (PT3) I only managed to score 3As. I was so frustrated and was determined to do better for the SPM," he said adding that he was interested to pursue accounting studies.