KOLEJ PERMATA pintar students come from all walks of life and from all over the country. Here are some of their aspirations:
Mohamad Danial Mohd Firdaus, 17, Level 2 (equivalent to Form 5)
“I’M from Kuching, Sarawak. I’m the youngest of three siblings, I have two sisters. My parents are government servants. I previously studied at SMK Lundu in Kuching.
Why the move from Lundu to Bangi? I want to learn more. In my old school, the environment is the same from Forms 1 to 5. At PERMATApintar, I encounter new experiences and gain new knowledge. It was hard at first being away from the family but telecommunications tools help me overcome homesickness (and in my research and reference for my studies).
I like medical biology and languages. I speak Bahasa Malaysia, English and Mandarin, and I am learning Korean. My current research is into micriobiology, specifically on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus which is an infectious or communicable disease usually found in hospitals. I am taking the testing procedure and applying it to the community at PERMATApintar. It’s all about cleanliness and hygiene. I want to see the standard of cleanliness and hygiene at PERMATApintar.
I will be sitting SPM as I want to continue with my undergraduate studies locally. I’m planning to join the ASASIPintar pre-university programme and then on to the medical school in UKM. I would like to pursue my postgraduate studies overseas.”
Rahazimah Alzaharah Abu Bakar Sadiqin, 16, Level 2
“I AM from Putrajaya, though I was born in Kedah. I’m the eldest of three siblings. My dad works for Malaysia Airlines while my mum is a housewife. I studied at Sekolah Seri Puteri but I joined PERMATApintar last year — I skipped PMR. I will start my major in molecular biology with a specialisation in genetics at Boston University in the US this month.
Last year I was selected for the Fast-Track programme with 22 participants and we sat the SAT (a standardised test widely used for college admissions in the US), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language — a standardised test of English language proficiency for non-native English language speakers wishing to enrol in US universities) and SPM Bahasa Malaysia and Sejarah papers. We applied for admissions to universities late last year and sponsorships early this year.
I am looking forward to studying at Boston University. I have lived abroad with my family before. Also, I know a senior at Boston University. Last year I took part in the World Scholars Cup in Dubai. I attended the recent Dunman High Model Asean Plus Summit in Singapore.
The training at PERMATApintar is different from that of my former school. We are treated like adults by our instructors and they make sure we become independent in more ways than one. I am ready for new challenges.”
Inderjit Kaur, 17, Level 2
“I WAS born in Kuala Lumpur, but stayed for many years in Alor Star, Kedah. I live with my mum and elder sister. My parents are divorced. I studied at the cluster school, SMK Seri Bintang Selatan in Kuala Lumpur, which has a niche in robotics.
My interests are robotics and neurosurgery, and I’m planning to combine both of them. Today we have robotic limbs but we don’t have the ability to control the nerves yet. However, if you have knowledge in neurology, you could do that. I won a bronze medal at the World Robotics Olympiad. I have also observed a neurology surgery live and it is what I want to do in the future. I believe as PERMATApintar students, we must do something beyond the ordinary... something more difficult.
Being here at Kolej PERMATApintar is like being with family. Compared to my former school, no one here points out that I am ‘weird’ as we all are. Being in the company of others, who are also acknowledged as gifted, heightens confidence and pushes us further to do our best. We don’t compete for better grades. We encourage each other to better ourselves.”
Law Wen Xuan, 17, Level 2
“I AM from Ipoh, Perak and have an elder brother. I use to attend the all girls school, SMJK (C) Perempuan Perak. At PERMATApintar, I have friends from all races for the first time.
Classes are conducted differently here. We are not spoon-fed, the teachers let us explore the fields we are interested in rather than just give notes and exercises.
I am interested in medicinal chemistry and have been offered a place at the University of Illinois in the US. But I am still waiting for sponsorship. I have a sponsorship offer but it is for a different course. I will wait and see what happens next.”