New Straits Times (Malaysia: No hurdle too big: “THE true grit and determination of several students who excelled in their exams recently resulted in Shell Malaysia rewarding them with scholarships worth RM1 Million.” (ShellNews.net) 23 Dec 04

By Delima Mohd Khalid

Dec 23, 2004

THE true grit and determination of several students who excelled in their exams recently resulted in Shell Malaysia rewarding them with scholarships worth RM1 Million.

But it seems that, over and above the strife for good grades, there were other obstacles to be overcome by some of them.

"People were always looking down on me and it felt awful." This was how Teo Chiang Wen, 18, felt a few months before sitting for his Sijil Penilaian Malaysia about a year ago.

He said, he didn't get much encouragement from his friends and even his teachers weren't expecting much from him. "I guess it was because I am an average student and they didn't have much confidence in me doing well," he confessed.

Chiang Wen however, pushed all the negative comments aside and worked doubly hard to prove everyone he could do it.

"They implied that I wouldn't be able to get a scholarship. But I did!" While Chiang Wen used the taunts to spur him into studying harder, Gun Shih Ying of Selangor, was inspired by a neurosurgeon who had saved his uncle after the latter met with an accident.

Not all the 65 students however, were driven by life changing incidents. Some confessed to being duty bound. Muhammad Firdaus of Kedah feels he needs to act responsibly as an older brother to his siblings.

"It's my duty as the eldest in my family to set a good example. It wasn't easy, but I think I've done my part at least," said the 18 year old former student of SM Agama Persekutuan Labu, Negeri Sembilan.

Indeed, dreams do come true, but like everything else, you have to work for it.