PETALING JAYA: A top STPM scorer has been rejected by public universities from taking electrical engineering courses, allegedly due to his physical disability.
Lim Chin Hong from Ayer Hitam, Johor scored straight As in Pengajian Am, Physics, Mathematics and Chemistry in the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) exams last year.
However, when Lim, a science stream student from SMK Yong Peng, applied to public universities, all the engineering courses he selected were removed from the system, forcing him to pick other options against his will.
“A student’s physical condition should never be a reason to deny him the chance to pursue his passion and career,” said MCA president Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
Lim was diagnosed with haemangioma, a tumour in the blood vessel of his right knee, at the age of seven.
After surgery, he relied on crutches as his right calf shrank. In 2023, he underwent the amputation of his right lower leg.
Academic limbo: Dr Wee meeting with Lim at a coffee shop to hear the STPM student’s story. — Picture courtesy of Dr Wee’s Facebook
“Despite these challenges, Lim persevered and achieved an outstanding 4.0 CGPA in STPM with the dream of becoming an electrical engineer.
“What matters most is capability, commitment and academic excellence, and Lim has proven all of these with his results,” Dr Wee stressed, adding that as an engineer himself he has met many people in the profession with disabilities who were given equal opportunities.
“Engineers are not confined to working on sites. They can also contribute in areas such as design, consultancy and marketing,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday.
Dr Wee, who is the Ayer Hitam MP, said that he, along with Yong Peng assemblyman Ling Tian Soon, would support Lim in exploring alternative opportunities.
“We will also request that the Higher Education Ministry review its policies to determine if Lim had been unfairly discriminated against due to his physical disabilities,” he said.
