Perlis: What began as a nerve-wracking ordeal amid floods turned into a moment of triumph for an SPM 2025 candidate, who rose above adversity to achieve outstanding results.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Iris Soraya Mohammad Nasri, 18, from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Dato' Sheikh Ahmad, scored 6A+, 1A and 2A-, despite sitting for the examination under difficult conditions. Recalling the experience, Iris Soraya said floods that hit Perlis during the examination period forced her and other candidates to be evacuated to a hostel in a rushed operation using military vehicles. 'I was shocked as I didn't expect flooding to happen. We were anxious because we didn't know how we would sit for the exam under those circumstances.'

The exam papers arrived late, and their preparations were disrupted. Despite the challenges, Iris Soraya remained disciplined in her preparation, completing daily exercises and waking as early as 5 am to perform tahajud prayers before revising her lessons. She expressed her emotions by saying, 'I didn't expect these results. Since yesterday, I felt nervous and scared, but when I checked my results online, I cried with joy.'

Iris Soraya, the youngest of five siblings, lost her father when she was in Form Three. Her mother, who depends on farming for income, travelled daily from Kampung Kubang Beruang in Kodiang, Kedah, to send her to school. As a pure science student taking Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Additional Mathematics, Iris Soraya aspires to become a doctor, or an engineer if she is unable to pursue medicine. She said her success has strengthened her determination to achieve her dreams and uplift her family's circumstances.