GEORGETOWN: Hard work always pays off, as Ahmad Khidir Ahmad Nazri proved when he received five awards at the SMJK Heng Ee graduation ceremony here last Saturday.
During the event, the 17-year-old took home the Student of the Year Award, Deputy Head of Prefect, first place in his class, first place in the Arts stream, as well as awards for highest marks in Bahasa Melayu and Islamic Studies.
This achievement made Ahmad Khidir one of only three Malay students at the school to receive awards for academic excellence.
Ahmad Khidir expressed his gratitude for the recognition from the school and acknowledged that achieving this success was not easy.
"It is tough to reach this level because there are only 30 Malay students in the school, and we have to compete with other students," he said.
"But I am grateful to have achieved 7A's in my Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) trial exam for subjects including BM (A+), English (A), Islamic Studies (A+), History (A-), Mathematics (A-), Science (A), and Economics (A), while I received Bs for Accounts and Mandarin."
"My target is to achieve 9A+ in the upcoming SPM," he added.
Ahmad Khidir further shared his experience of learning Mandarin, saying that he had no background in the language.
However, his mother, Fudla Yusof, 55, was determined and sent him to a Chinese-medium kindergarten and school to provide a different experience from his siblings.
"I am the youngest of six siblings, and I am the only one sent to a Chinese school," he explained.
"It was difficult at first because I had no foundation, and I was shy to speak Mandarin with the neighbours. But over time, I grew more confident."
"Alhamdulillah, I was first in my class in Year 4. Later, I excelled in the Ujian Penilaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and entered this school, which is among the best. I've also achieved first place in my class several times in Form 3, 4, and 5," he said.
Sharing his study tips, Ahmad Khidir explained that he created a study schedule, setting aside time to review two subjects each day.
"I study each subject for two and a half hours with a 15-minute break in between each session. I try to stay flexible with my time because I don't want to feel stressed.
"I also study in groups, where I teach my Chinese classmates Bahasa Melayu and History, while they teach me Mandarin. We help each other, learn, and compete healthily without any issues," he said, adding that he is also active in extracurricular activities, holding positions such as vice chairman of the Police Cadet Corps, Crime Prevention Club, Prefect Board, and Choir Group, in addition to being involved in athletics.
According to Ahmad Khidir, his recent success is not just the result of his efforts, but also from the support of his family, especially his parents, school administrators, teachers, and friends who have been with him every step of the way.
"I want to thank my mom, who takes care of me, my dad (Ahmad Nazri Noordin) who always checks on me, my siblings for boosting my spirit, and my friends for accompanying me while I study," he said.
"I also want to thank the principal, the assistant principals, my teachers, and ustaz who have taught me since primary school. And I'm grateful to the netizens who sent their congratulations and support after my sister (Siti Fatimah Azzahra, 22) posted the video on TikTok, which received so many views."
"I am truly touched because so many people are praying for me, and I wish success to everyone, especially other SPM candidates. Don't give up, keep trying, and remember those who support you and stay strong," he concluded.