Students share secrets to getting top scores
KAJANG: While the road to success may be different for everyone, the ingredients are often the same.
Determination, faith and a belief in one's own potential are what will lead to good grades, said the 2024 Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) top scorers from SMK Convent Kajang.
Lhekha Raviendran, 18, said scoring 9A+ was the fulfilment of a long-standing dream.
'I honestly wanted this for so long, and I worked really hard for it.
'I tend to set really high expectations for myself.
'So when I feel like I might not meet them, I get anxious. And I was worrying that I wouldn't achieve the 9A+ I was aiming for,' she said yesterday, adding that despite this, she stayed motivated and wanted to make her parents, teachers and herself proud.
Her mother, Meenaloshini Satgunam, 47, attributes Lhekha's academic success to her unwavering commitment.
'She's a very hardworking and consistent student,' she said. Lhekha advised students preparing for the SPM to stay consistent and never give up.
'And always pray. Have faith in God that you can do it.'
For Maya Devi, 18, receiving 8As for SPM was no easy feat, as her daily schedule often stretched from 6am to 9pm, packed with school and tuition classes.
'I feel so happy and proud. I honestly didn't expect these results, especially for Bahasa Melayu and Maths – those were always my weaker subjects.
'It was a really tiring year, but I kept going because I wanted to make my parents and teachers proud,' Maya Devi said.
Her secret to pushing through was seeing the exam as part of a larger journey.
'Treat it like a game, not a challenge. That way, you will enjoy every process of it,'
Her father, Aravinthan Manogan, 42, shared how proud he was for his daughter, who will be pursuing business law, and said that her exam results were well deserved.
Meanwhile, Nurqistina Muhammad Fattahillah, 18, who scored 9As shared that she always listened to her teachers and diligently did past year's papers.
Teo Jia Ern, 18, who scored 8As and 1B+ said one of her biggest challenges came during midterms when she fractured her hand, but her determination to acquire a scholarship kept her going.
'I wanted a scholarship – that goal pushed me to try harder,' she said, adding that she is now considering applying for a scholarship with PETRONAS and advised future SPM takers not to procrastinate and start revising early.
Another student, Darsha Ravichandar, said her main motivation after obtaining 7As and 1B+ came from wanting to make her parents proud and fulfilling her goal of entering college.
'Study hard and whatever results you get, just accept it. It is not the end, you still have more to go.'
Overall, the school saw 23 students who obtained straight As in the 2024 SPM.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Rakyat Post
a day ago
- Rakyat Post
Minister Wants To Change Name Of Rafflesia Flower, But It Already Has A Local Name
Subscribe to our FREE The Rafflesia, known as the world's largest flower, is a part of Malaysia's natural and geographical identity. It was named after Sir Stamford Raffles, the British colonial official and founder of the port city of Singapore. At a Dewan Rakyat session yesterday (19 August) on the topic of government allocations for the preservation of rainforests in Malaysia, Machang member of parliament Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal raised a suggestion to change the name of the Rafflesia flower in conjunction with Hari Merdeka, as a way to break away from the country's history of colonialism. 'Rafflesia is named after Stamford Raffles, someone who colonised us, someone who is unethical, and we gave our flower his name. 'Perhaps we can decide to name it something else? We can even name it Anwar Ibrahim,' Wan Fayhsal joked. A user on Threads commenting on the matter said that any normal person can 'change the name' but it must go through a process of studies, publications, and peer studies that are approved by the international botany community. 'The power to change or designate a scientific name of a plant falls in the hands of the international scientific community,' the user said. Rafflesia already has a name in Bahasa Melayu The Rafflesia already goes by many names even before the colonist Raffles set foot on Malaysian soil. Here, it is locally known as Pakma , Patma , and Ambai-ambai , but Pakma is more commonly used. Etymologically, the word pakma originates from the word padma , which is Sanskrit for 'lotus'. It is also referred to as Bunga Bangkai , which translates to 'corpse flower' due to its unique and pungent odour that is often described as resembling rotting flesh or decaying meat. The smell actually serves a The Rafflesia is a parasitic plant. It lacks typical plant structures like leaves, stems, and roots, and instead lives as a parasite on the Tetrastigma vine. Image: Terra Cultura The flower can grow to over one meter, and some individual flowers can weigh up to ten kilograms. From the perspective of traditional medicine, the Rafflesia plays an important role in the health practices of the Orang Asli community. Certain parts of the flower, including its roots, are believed to have The flower is categorised as critically endangered The Rafflesia flower remains poorly understood due to its elusive life cycle. In its bud stage, it potentially takes about nine months to bloom. Once the bud opens, the flower's lifespan is very short — typically five to seven days. After the blooming period, the flower rapidly decays. According to a University of Oxford report in 2023, a group of scientists established a coordinated global network to study the threats the Rafflesia is facing. The study found that that all 42 species of Rafflesia are under threat. Based on Share your thoughts with us via TRP's . Get more stories like this to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.
The Star
a day ago
- The Star
Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia unveils the deep claws of Tipu Sultan's history
At the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia (IAMM) in Kuala Lumpur, the new exhibition More Than A Day As A Tiger greets visitors with the glint of steel and the weight of history. Weapons, manuscripts, and remnants of a once-magnificent throne set the stage for the story of two rulers who, in 18th century India, dared to resist the rising tide of colonial empire- building. Between 1761 and 1799, Haider Ali and his son Tipu Sultan ruled Mysore in southern India, becoming the fiercest obstacle to British expansion. Tipu, remembered for declaring, 'it is better to live as a tiger for a day than as a sheep for a hundred years', fell in battle in 1799 – yet his legacy endures through the objects he left behind. A detail of a two-shot flintlock gun, made by Asad Khan Muhammad in 1793 in Srirangapatna, India. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin Running until Jan 15 next year, the exhibition (at IAMM's Special Gallery II) gathers 93 artefacts – rare survivors of war and looting – including tiger-striped swords and muskets, letters from British generals, and a rare glimpse of Tipu's throne, which was torn apart for its gold and jewels. 'This is the largest collection of Tipu Sultan's treasures outside Britain. After his kingdom fell, many of his relics were looted by the British. We felt it was our responsibility to preserve and showcase them here,' says Zulkifli Ishak, IAMM project manager and exhibition co-curator. A dynasty in three acts The More Than A Day As A Tiger exhibition unfolds in three parts: Mysore's rise under Haider Ali, its height under Tipu Sultan, and its fall in 1799. 'This dynasty lasted only 38 years, but its impact was huge, especially in the 18th century when European powers were competing in India. Haider Ali laid the foundation, and Tipu Sultan built on it with innovation and fierce resistance,' says Zulkifli. Steel armour of the Nizam of Hyderabad, reflects both battlefield strength and ruling power. Photo: The Star/Izzrafiq Alias Haider Ali, though less remembered today, was a master strategist. His son Tipu Sultan inherited both his army and his vision of modernisation. With French support, Mysore built advanced weapon factories, producing firearms and rocket technology that outpaced Europe – rockets the British would later copy for themselves. One striking feature of the exhibition is how swiftly Mysore's material culture changed under their rule, with Hindu motifs on weapons and coins replaced by Islamic calligraphy and the omnipresent tiger. 'There are no official portraits of Tipu Sultan. Instead, he made the tiger his persona – stripes and claws appear on everything from his swords and guns to his uniforms and even the feet of his throne,' says Zulkifli. Fallen's king's treasures After Tipu Sultan's death, his magnificent throne was dismantled, its jewel-studded gold finials scattered across Britain and beyond. One surviving piece now rests at IAMM, displayed with reverence under soft light. A visitor admires an 1788 portrait of Tipu's ambassador to France, Muhammad Dervish Khan, painted by Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin 'The throne had eight tiger-head finials; only four survive today – three in Britain and one here in Malaysia. Even its wooden feet, carved like tiger paws, were prized by the British. That shows the respect they had for him, even as they looted his palace,' says Zulkifli. A 2021 British government report valued the 18th-century Tipu Sultan throne finial at £1.5mil (RM8.6mil). Another highlight is Tipu Sultan's personal sword, taken from his chamber after his death. Unlike the ornate ceremonial blades, it is strikingly plain, with only a simple Arabic invocation on its hilt. 'I was surprised when I first saw it. It's not flashy, but it reflects his character – the sword he truly used. After his death, the British seized it and presented it as a trophy to one of their generals,' says Zulkifli. Tipu Sultan's magnificent throne was dismantled for its gold and jewels. The exhibition at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia features one of the few gem-studded finials that survived the looting - even the throne's wooden tiger-paw feet were taken by the British. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin Nearby stand two cannons, their bronze surfaces still marked with tiger motifs. For two centuries they stood outside a Welsh castle before reaching IAMM – proof that even the victors valued Mysore's craftsmanship. Both sides of the story What sets More Than A Day As A Tiger apart from other exhibitions is how it pairs Mysore artefacts with records from both enemies and allies. 'Most of Tipu Sultan's history was written by the British, who often painted him as a tyrant. The French, his allies, described him with more admiration. Here, we try to balance those views by letting the objects speak for themselves,' says Zulkifli. A scroll painting of the Battle of Pollilur captures one of Mysore's greatest victories over the East India Company. Alongside treasures, weapons, manuscripts, documents, and paintings, the exhibition also showcases royal garments from the era. Photo: The Star/Kamarul Ariffin Split into panels, it shows Haider Ali and Tipu Sultan charging into battle, defeating British generals and taking prisoners – a dramatic scene that once shook colonial confidence. Elsewhere, a portrait of Tipu's ambassador to France, Muhammad Dervish Khan, painted in 1788 by Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun (best known for her portraits of Marie Antoinette), highlights another side of his legacy: not just a warrior, but a statesman seeking alliances across the world. 'Napoleon of the East' The final section of the exhibition carries a sombre tone. Letters from British generals reveal both their fear of Tipu Sultan and their relief at his death. One from Lord Cornwallis – the same general who surrendered to George Washington – admits Tipu Sultan was 'a man of great ability' who had been underestimated. A large painting of the Battle of Condore (December 1758), showing East India Company troops under Colonel Forde fighting the French and their allies during the Third Carnatic War. Photo: The Star/Izzrafiq Alias A painting of Tipu Sultan's young sons being handed over as hostages in 1792 marks the beginning of the end. Dressed in fine silk, they surrendered to the British; just seven years later, their father would fall in battle and the dynasty would vanish. A final British engraving, The Death Of Tipu Sultan, shows his lifeless body discovered among the ruins of Seringapatam – triumphant yet tragic, a reminder that history is often written by the victors. The gallery reflects this duality. Gold and steel dazzle the eye, while the texts remind visitors of loss and looting. The show captures not only the pride of Mysore but also the shadows of its fall. Workshops, talks, and conservation sessions accompany the exhibition, inviting visitors to engage with both the objects and the challenges of preserving them. 'Tipu Sultan's story is still relevant today. Even his enemies admired him, calling him the 'Napoleon of the East'. Through these objects, we see how he shaped his identity, resisted colonial power, and left a legacy that endured beyond defeat,' concludes Zulkifli. More Than A Day As A Tiger exhibition is showing at the Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur until Jan 15, 2026.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Gothic grandeur of faith and unity
Dignitaries gathering for a group photo during the opening ceremony of St Peter's Church. — Photos by ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star WITH its imposing bell towers, pointed spires and stained-glass windows, the new St Peter's Church in Kuching is an architectural masterpiece. More significantly, the striking Gothic structure is a work of faith and devotion – and a testament to Sarawak's religious harmony. The original St Peter's Church was completed in 1949 and gradually expanded over the decades. But in recent years, the timber foundation began to fail, prompting the decision to build a new church on the same site. Stained glass windows adorn the new St Peter's Church in Kuching. — Photos by ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star Reflecting on the project, St Peter's rector Father Vincent Chin described it as a journey of faith. 'From the very beginning, I firmly believed this church is what God wants, and that conviction kept me going,' he said. The RM38mil Roman Catholic church was completed last December and officially opened on June 28. Its Gothic style was suggested by Archbishop Emeritus Datuk John Ha. A stained glass panel depicting figures from the Bible. 'He wanted a church that looked traditional and referred me to the old St Joseph's Cathedral in Kuching, which was a Gothic church,' Chin said. One of the new church's most outstanding features is its stained-glass windows – 88 in total – including rose windows and panels depicting biblical scenes and figures. The windows were made entirely on site by two Italian master craftsmen. 'Each piece of stained glass tells its own story,' Chin said. 'The main piece is 11m by 5.5m, with St Peter in the centre, surrounded by the Four Evangelists and four Old Testament prophets.' The rose window featuring The Last Supper at its centre. Other windows portray the 14 Stations of the Cross, key moments from the life of Christ, and a rose window featuring the Last Supper at its centre. Local Dayak motifs were also incorporated, including four traditional shields arranged to form a cross. St Peter's rector Father Vincent Chin. The floor tiles were produced by a local factory, the main door and cross were crafted by a Sarawak wood specialist, and other fittings came from local artisans. 'This is truly a Sarawak-built church and we should be proud of it,' Chin said. Archbishop Datuk Simon Poh speaking at the opening ceremony of St Peter's Church. Other Gothic features include the bell towers, flying buttresses and arches, while the lofty interior is supported by steel roof trusses echoing the old church's design. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuching Datuk Simon Poh said St Peter's is now a landmark that reflects Sarawak's religious harmony, friendship and goodwill. The new Gothic-style St Peter's Church in Kuching is a landmark of Sarawak's religious harmony. 'St Peter's now stands proudly among Kuching's major religious landmarks – the old State Mosque, Sikh temple, Hindu temple, Floating Mosque, Anglican Church and three Chinese temples,' he said. 'It represents the Catholic community as an integral pillar in this harmony.' The lofty and spacious interior of St Peter's Church is supported by steel roof trusses. Poh also noted that Kuching was declared a City of Unity in 2015. 'This church is a sign of our desire for harmony, to contribute to society and build a better Sarawak as a model for other parts of Malaysia and the world,' he said.
