Twins with outstanding SPM results share dream of becoming doctors
JOHOR BARU: A pair of twins who grew up side by side and consistently supported each other in their studies are now celebrating a joint success — both achieving straight As in the 2024 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.
Eighteen-year-old Chai Zhi Heng and his younger twin sister, Chai Yun Zhen, not only share this academic achievement but also a mutual ambition — to pursue careers in medicine.
Chai Zhi Heng said both of them studied at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sultan Ismail and were in the same class, adding that they have never been apart and have always encouraged one another.
"I admit that as a boy, I tend to enjoy playing around a bit and it's difficult to wake up at night to study, but my sister would always wake me up and remind me to revise. She'd remind me to not be lazy.
"Every day, we would study to stay focused on our lessons — that was our strategy leading up to the examination.
"We studied together, I'll help her with whatever I know, and she will help me study too," he said when met at SMK Sultan Ismail today.
Chai Yun Zhen said their father, Chai Tiang Fook, 54, is a manager at an engineering firm, and their mother, Kee Siok Boey, 49, is a housewife. She noted that their parents never monitored them during their studies.
"Our parents supported us in our studies, sent us to school and tuition, but they never interfered with our study time. They left it entirely to the two of us to study together.
"Actually, that helped us too because we didn't feel pressured," said Yun Zhen, who lives in Taman Impian Emas, Skudai.
Zhi Heng obtained 8A+ and 1A in Moral Education, while Yun Zhen scored 9A+.
Further sharing their story, Zhi Heng said that although one of them sometimes scored higher in tests or exams, they never argued or felt disheartened.
"We are always proud, and it doesn't matter who did better. I never wanted to compete with my sister.
"If she got better results than me, I wouldn't be ashamed or sad. In fact, I will still be proud," he said.
They both hope to further their studies at the same institution, with their top choice being medicine at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).
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