KUALA LUMPUR: The desire to improve her family’s social standing became the driving force for Orang Asli student Roziana Tan Beng Hai to emerge as one of the top scorers in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination.
Roziana, a student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Tanjung Gemok, Kuala Rompin, Pahang, said it was sheer hard work and discipline that led to her being named the 2024 STPM Best Student in the Orang Asli category by the Malaysian Examinations Council (MEC).
“My inspiration is to improve my family’s social standing, and then elevate my social status... so that I can stand tall as a great Orang Asli,” she said.
She said this after the 2024 STPM, Malaysian University English Test and Malay Language Proficiency Certificate for Foreign Nationals Outstanding Student Award Ceremony here today.
The awards were presented by Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.
Roziana, who obtained 4As with a perfect cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 4.0, said her life, which is full of hardship - such as the lack of electricity and internet in her village and a daily school commute of nearly one hour - only strengthened her resolve to the point of being willing to stay in the school hostel for a year and a half to focus on the STPM preparation.
Asked about her plans, Roziana said she had put Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) as her top pick to further her education in economics, which is her field of interest.
“I am keen on economics, so I plan to study in that field... UKM is my preferred choice because it is one of the best varsities in Malaysia,” she said.
Meanwhile, for Nik Muhamad Ahnaf Rujhiee Raja Anuar, the 2024 STPM Best Student in the Special Needs (blind) category, revision and practice were the keys to his success, in addition to often asking teachers if there were things he did not understand.
“I always asked my teachers if I didn’t understand anything. Over time, I managed to have a better grasp of the subjects and, alhamdulillah, it paid off today,” said Nik Muhamad Ahnaf, who obtained 4As with a CGPA of 4.0.
Another top STPM student, Ahmad Hanif Roslan attributed his keen interest in history for propelling him to excel in the subject and be named the Best Student in the 2024 STPM History Subject.
“For me, history is an interesting subject. I never get bored reading about history, although others may feel otherwise. But I know that we can learn a lot from history,” he said.
Earlier, MEC chairman Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff announced the 2024 STPM results, which recorded a national CGPA of 2.85, the highest ever recorded since the examination’s inception.
He added that a total of 1,266 candidates, or 3.06 per cent, achieved a CGPA of 4.00, an increase of 150 candidates compared to 2023.
