Ipoh: The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination will not be postponed despite flooding in several states, as the authorities have contingency measures in place to deal with the situation, said Deputy Education Minister Wong Kah Woh. He asserted that the Ministry of Education (MOE) has established standard operating procedures (SOPs) and mechanisms to ensure candidates can sit for the examination safely, highlighting the activation of Operasi Payung (Operation Umbrella).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Wong emphasized that the necessary preparations have long been made to ensure the SPM can proceed smoothly. The existing SOPs and the activation of Operasi Payung will allow the MOE to handle any flood-related disruptions effectively, ensuring the examination runs smoothly. Wong made these remarks at a press conference after visiting the first day of the SPM written examination at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Raja Chulan.

The measures under Operasi Payung include transport arrangements, relocation of examination centres, temporary placement of flood-affected candidates at school hostels or temporary relief centres, and the use of alternative examination centres for schools impacted by floods. Wong reported that 317 SPM candidates across seven states have been affected by floods: Kelantan (72), Penang (6), Kedah (24), Terengganu (2), Perlis (45), Perak (167), and Selangor (1).

Alternative centres have been opened in response to the floods; one in the Tumpat district in Kelantan, two in Kulim and Bandar Baharu, and in Perak, Sekolah Menengah Tahfiz Darul Ridzuan, Pangkor, with 20 candidates affected by a landslide, not flooding. The affected candidates in Pangkor have been relocated to Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pangkor.

Perak education director Zulkafli Mohamed Mokhtar stated that 31,704 candidates in the state are participating in the SPM examination. To ensure safety, candidates from Sekolah Menengah Tahfiz Darul Ridzuan in Pangkor were relocated to sit for their examination at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Pangkor.

This year, a total of 413,372 candidates are sitting for the SPM, including those from government schools, government-aided schools, religious schools, private schools registered with the MOE, and private candidates.