19/06/2026

FRIDAY | JUNE 19, 2026

3 STPM 2025 results improve as national CGPA climbs to 2.88

Election director, deputy sec-gen removed from PN

Ű BY ANDREW SAGAYAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

KUALA LUMPUR: Perikatan Nasional (PN) has removed election director Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin and deputy secretary-general Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali from the coalition as part of its plan for the upcoming Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections. PN chairman Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Samsuri Mokhtar, who made the announcement on Wednesday night, said the removal of both senior leaders is an immediate restructuring of PN leadership and administrative structure. “This is as part of our preparations for the state elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan. “The restructuring, under the powers vested in the chairman by Clauses 8.3(V), (VI), and (VII) of the Perikatan Nasional Constitution, takes effect immediately and includes the following changes. “Former election director Datuk Dr Mohd Radzi Md Jidin has been relieved of his duties and will be replaced by Datuk Seri Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, who will now assume the role of Perikatan Nasional election director,” Ahmad Samsuri said in a statement. He said the appointment places one of PN’s most prominent political figures at the helm of the coalition’s election machinery as it gears up for key state level contests. Ahmad Samsuri said following Muhammad Sanusi’s appointment as election director, the latter has stepped down from his role as treasurer. “The position of treasurer will now be assumed by Subramaniam Surunaryan, who has been appointed to oversee the coalition’s financial administration and management,” he said. PN also announced that Mohamed Azmin has been relieved of his position as deputy secretary-general in order to comply with the requirements of the PN constitution. However, no replacement for Mohamed Azmin’s position was announced in the statement. Ahmad Samsuri further confirmed that an emergency meeting of the Perikatan Nasional supreme council will be convened in the near future to further strengthen the coalition’s organisational structure and preparations ahead of upcoming electoral contests. The restructuring comes as PN intensifies preparations for the Johor and Negeri Sembilan state elections, with the coalition expected to unveil further organisational and strategic measures in the coming weeks.

Ű BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI newsdesk@thesundaily.com

o Examinations council honours 18 top students, including achievers with special needs, with each receiving RM1,000 cash, plaque and certificate

Cambridge University Press and Assessment in the United Kingdom since 1982, with its standards continuing to be monitored through the STPM Certification Committee. The council also honoured 18 national top students across several categories, each receiving RM1,000 in cash, a plaque and a certificate. Recipients included seven top students from the Science stream, seven from the Social Science stream, one Orang Asli student and three students with special educational needs covering the spastic, blind and visually impaired categories. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek announced that public universities will offer undergraduate tuition fee waivers to top STPM students beginning this year. The fee waivers also applies to the 18 national top students. “I extend my deepest appreciation to all public universities for this commitment. If possible, we hope to expand this further,” she said, while expressing hope that the initiative could grow from one recipient this year to five in subsequent years. She also highlighted ongoing efforts to strengthen the Form Six ecosystem. Two new institutions – Form Six College Alor Setar and Form Six College Gombak – were established this year, bringing the nationwide total to 29 Form Six colleges, alongside 99 Mod 2 schools and 502 Mod 3 schools. Student welfare efforts included the distribution of book vouchers worth RM9.23 million to 92,291 Form Six students as of June 15. On the digital front, 18 of 29 Form Six colleges are now equipped with smart boards, with plans to extend this to all colleges progressively. Leadership development also received attention, with a National Form Six Student Representative Council established and allocated RM50,000 for national-level programmes, alongside a National Form Six Congress planned for August and co-curricular activities including the Form Six Carnival and Royal Oratory Competition scheduled for October .

SELAYANG: The 2025 Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination results have shown broad improvement, with the national cumulative grade point average (CGPA) climbing to 2.88 from 2.85 the previous year, the Malaysian Examinations Council announced yesterday. Its chairman Prof Datuk Dr Md Amin Md Taff said 1,336 candidates, or 3.50%, achieved a perfect CGPA of 4.00, up from 1,266 candidates, or 3.06%, in 2024. The proportion of candidates scoring a CGPA of 3.75 and above rose to 11.81% from 10.71%, while those attaining a CGPA of 3.00 and above increased to 46.63% from 44.97%. The portion of candidates scoring straight As in four or five subjects climbed to 3.53% from 3.09%, while the percentage obtaining full passes in four and

highest participation with 38,083 candidates. All 23 subjects offered this year recorded full-pass rates above 70%. Arabic Language and Tamil Language improved by more than three percentage points compared with 2024, while Literature in English and Chinese Language saw declines of more than three percentage points. The remaining 19 subjects maintained stable year on-year performance. Md Amin reaffirmed the international standing of the qualification, adding that STPM has been recognised as equivalent to the GCE A-Level administered by

five subjects – grades C and above – rose to 77.64% from 76.55%. The gains were achieved despite a drop in candidate numbers, with registrations falling to 40,199 from 42,861 in 2024 and attendance declining to 38,144 from 41,434. Of those who sat for the examination, 38,128 candidates, or 99.96%, qualified for the STPM certificate by obtaining at least a partial pass in one subject. Candidates from the Social Science stream made up the vast majority at 93.79%, with the remaining 6.21% from the Science stream. General Studies, a compulsory subject, recorded the

Top Orang Asli student Hazaril flanked by his parents Hassan Atin and Zahida Ima. – ADIB RAWI YAHYA THESUN

Discipline, peer and parental support help ‘special’ students shine GOMBAK: Sleeping only about six hours a night and relying heavily on assistive technology, a visually impaired STPM 2025 top achiever from Kuala Lumpur has shown how perseverance, discipline and technology can overcome educational barriers. I would ask my friends for help. Sometimes, they take photos, which I then use AI tools to scan and transcribe into text,” he said. Yeoh aspires to become a lawyer, saying that while he is interested in business, he believes the legal field better suits his strengths in strategic thinking and perseverance. “STPM is not an easy path, but it is worth it for its high-quality certificate,” he added. Hailing from Kampung Paya Mendoi in Kuala Krau, Pahang, the eldest of two siblings said staying in the hostel helped ease accessibility issues due to the distance between his home and school. “For improvements in terms of access, I think there should be more schools established with proper functions. and relatives. “At first, I didn’t really accept it. But when my teachers and friends were very supportive, I started to feel comfortable and I could see my path in STPM.”

Meanwhile, Hazaril Hakimi Hassan, 20, who has been named among the STPM 2025 national top achievers in the Orang Asli category, attributed a structured hostel routine, strong peer support and disciplined mindset management to helping him navigate the challenges of the examination. Reflecting on his academic journey, he highlighted mental resilience as one of the biggest challenges faced during STPM, particularly when dealing with difficult subjects or setbacks.

Looking ahead, he aspires to become a Malay language lecturer. He also encouraged STPM candidates not to give up and to seek support from teachers and friends throughout their studies. “If we study alone, we may feel overwhelmed. But with supportive teachers and friends, we can learn together and feel less burdened,” he added. – BY QIRANA NABILLA MOHD RASHIDI

Speaking to theSun , student Yeoh Chwen Yih, 20, said he relies on specialised learning tools, including text-to-Braille materials and laptop based accessibility software that reads digital documents aloud. In the classroom, his main challenge is accessing information written on the whiteboard. “If teachers write on the board,

“Business involves a lot of numbers, and I think it is difficult in the corporate sector. But law evaluates a person’s thinking and strategy, so I feel I have a better chance there,” he said. Yeoh also praised his teachers for being understanding and supportive throughout his academic journey.

“The government could also provide assistance to Orang Asli students who live far away from schools and face difficulties in travelling to and from school,” he said. Hazaril added that his decision to continue his studies in STPM was encouraged by his parents