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A Malay student from a Chinese independent school was among one of the recipients of the Sabah State Excellence Scholarships for 2025
The scholarships were presented to the state's top SPM achievers at the Sabah International Convention Centre on Monday, 21 July.
The student's father, Professor Dr Mohammad Adam Bakar, the director of Saito Graduate School, said he believes that raising his children in a multicultural environment played a key role in their success, deliberately exposing them to diversity early on.
"I started by placing them in mixed kindergartens, then Sekolah Rendah Swasta Datuk Simon Fung, and finally Sekolah Menengah Tshung Tsin Sabah. It felt like the natural choice," the father of four told New Straits Times after his son, Mohammad Arif, received the scholarship.
Mohammad Arif (second from left) with his mother, father, and older brother, who was also a scholarship recipient in 2022.
Image via Mohd Adam Arinin/New Straits TimesOriginally from Kedah, Dr Mohammad Adam spent over two decades teaching at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) before moving to Sabah with his wife, to give their children a different upbringing
The academician said Sabah's social fabric has been a stark contrast to what he observes in Peninsular Malaysia, where ethnic silos exist in schools and social circles.
"In the peninsular, we talk about masyarakat majmuk (a pluralistic society) but ethnic boundaries are still very clear. In Sabah, those lines are blurred. People interact more freely across communities.
"I [wanted my children] to have a mixed background, rather than having all Malay friends. They should mix with others and see other cultures. I think Sabah is still the best place to do that," he said, adding that his wife, who is an accountant, is of Chinese descent.
Mohammad Arif receiving the Pelajar Cemerlang MADANI SPM 2024 award in June, presented by Kota Kinabalu MP Chan Foong Hin.
Image via @mpchanfoonghin (Instagram)Meanwhile, Mohammad Arif, 18, admitted that adjusting to a Chinese-medium school was once a daunting experience
"At first, it didn't feel good because I was adapting to a new environment. Language was a challenge.
"But after a couple of years, especially after COVID-19 settled down, I managed to get a grip, do better in classes, and be more social," the Sekolah Menengah Tshung Tsin Sabah student shared.
Now, with 9A+ and 1A in SPM, Mohammad Arif is among the state's top scorers. He plans to pursue A-Levels and aims to study chemical engineering in Australia or the UK.
He was one of 117 outstanding students awarded a scholarship by the Sabah state government, presented by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.
