Chaiyok 5sc1!!!

Meet Azali - the 21A student

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.


Elated: Azali and Quek clowning around after finding out their results in Putrajaya yesterday.
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 when announcing the SPM and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) results at the ministry yesterday.

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 for strength every day.

SMK Hwa Lian student Quek Khai Ren was the only one to score 16 1As in the examination.

“I am hoping to obtain a scholarship; that’s why I did 16 subjects because I want to stand out from the rest who usually do 10 or 11 subjects,” he said.

Quek, who wants to study either engineering or actuarial science, said he did not want to burden his parents as he had three younger siblings.

Alimuddin said 189 special students out of 355 managed to obtain an SPM certificate.

“The best special student (blind category) is Loh Wei Siong from SMK Batu Lintang in Kuching who scored six 1As and two 2As,” he said.