SIBU: Despite losing his eyesight to glaucoma, Imenwell Isak overcame all odds to achieve a good result in the STPM 2022 exam.
His father, Isak Ngau, 46, is also blind and is the chairman of the Sarawak Society for the Blind.
Imenwell of SMK Matang Jaya, Kuching, scored a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.50.
He is one of two disabled people recognised by state Education director Datuk Dr Azhar Ahmad for their achievement on Thursday (July 13).
The other was Sia Hui Xin of SMK Sacred Heart.
"I lost my eyesight to glaucoma when I was 16 years old. If I had sought medical treatment earlier, I might not have gone blind," Imenwell said.
He said despite his handicap, he is very determined to succeed in life starting with his studies.
A football enthusiast, his ambition is to become an educator.
He will be applying to further his studies at Universiti Malaya as he said it has the best facilities for a disabled person.
Asked how he managed to do well in his studies, Imenwell said that it was due to his father's serious efforts.
"He spent several thousand ringgit buying a special digital device for blind persons like me to read and write. I usually spend about two hours revising every day," he added.
A humble Imenwell expressed his strongest appreciation to his many teachers for his feat.
"I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the teachers at my school (SMK Matang Jaya) for their sacrifices while teaching and educating us throughout this STPM preparation.
"Disability is not an obstacle for us to succeed, I want people out there to know that if there is will and effort, then nothing is impossible that we cannot achieve," he stressed with his mother Christina Nyohen, 45, also by his side.
