KUCHING: Sarawak has once again made its mark at the national level when Mahalakshmi Vimala Murugaiah was named one of the recipients of the Malaysian Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Association (MACRA) Top Student Award 2025.
The award was presented during the MACRA 25th Anniversary Dinner held recently at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
A former student of Kolej Vokasional (KV) Matang, Kuching, Mahalakshmi began her journey in the field of refrigeration and air conditioning by pursuing a certificate programme.
Upon completing her studies, she advanced to the Diploma in Teknologi Penyejukan dan Penyamanan Udara, graduating with a commendable CGPA.
Encouraged by her mother and supportive lecturers, Mahalakshmi took a bold step and applied for university admission. To her delight, she was accepted into Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM), Johor, where she is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Technology in Refrigeration and Air Conditioning with Honours.
She is now doing her internship with Prihoda Malaysia.
Sharing her motivation, Mahalakshmi said: “The reason I studied hard and actively took part in co-curricular activities and innovative projects was to make my mother who is a single parent proud, as she has sacrificed a lot for me and my brother.
“I also wanted to prove that vocational school students are equally capable of excelling at the university level. I hope my journey will inspire more vocational students in Sarawak not to stop at Diploma.”
Her achievement stands as a source of pride for vocational schools in Sarawak and an inspiration for vocational students across the state.
