KOTA KINABALU: Two months before the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, Ahmad Nabil Abidin's father suffered from a stroke which left him partially paralysed.

However, this was not an excuse for the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Agama Kota Kinabalu student not to excel in the examination and eventually be named as Sabah's SPM 2021 top scorer (category A) after scoring 9A+, 2 A and 1 A-.

Ahmad Nabil, 18, who came to collect his result slip with his mother and wheelchair-bound father, Abidin Ali Hasan, 53, could not hold back tears when he received the results from Deputy Education Minister II Datuk Mohamad Alamin.

When met by reporters at his school, Ahmad Nabil said although he was sad because his father was ill, it did not dampen his spirit from excelling in his studies.

"I never considered my father's health problems as a burden but I take it as a motivation to succeed and become a doctor one day," he said.


Also present at today's ceremony was state Education Department director Tah Nia Jaman.

Asked about the secret behind his success, Ahmad Nabil who hailed from Kampung Pimping, Membakut said: "There is no secret...I studied like others and most importantly, I always seek my parents' blessings.

"I did not expect to become the best student because many of my friends have better potential. However, I'm thankful for this success," he said.

Ahmad Nabil added that he planned to apply for a scholarship, including from the Public Service Department, to fulfil his dream of studying abroad.

-- BERNAMA