ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS- Kedah student scores 21 As in SPM

By KAREN CHAPMAN

PUTRAJAYA: SMKA Yan student Azali Azlan has set a new record by obtaining 21 As – 20 1As and one 2A – in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination.

He has beaten the record set by former SMK Ulu Tiram student Nur Amalina Che Bakri who scored 17 1As in 2004.

Azali Azlan of SMKA Yan set a new record by obtaining 21 As - 20 1As and one 2A - in the SPM examination.

Education director-general Datuk Alimuddin Mohd Dom said Azali was the only student who took 21 subjects.

"We encourage students to take between eight to 10 subjects but because it is an open certificate, we cannot stop students from taking more subjects if they feel they can cope," he told reporters Wednesday while announcing the SPM and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) results at the ministry.

He said one student each took 19 and 18 subjects respectively, two took 17 and 10 took 16 subjects.

Azali, 17, who wants to study biotechnology either in the United States or Britain, said he wanted to thank his teachers from kindergarten to secondary school.

"My success is not mine alone as I could not have done it without my parents and all my teachers," he said.

Asked why he took so many subjects, he said he wanted to prove to himself that he could do it, adding that he had obtained 18 1As and 3 2As in the trial examination.

Azali said he performed the solat hajat and fasted during the entire examination period, adding that he had dates and drank honey water for strength every day.