M'sian woman, 23, admitted to university with perfect score, battles leukaemia, dies

A 23-year-old woman in Malaysia, who aced her pre-university examination, has died after a battle with leukaemia.

According to a tribute posted by the University of Malaya's Faculty of Languages and Linguistics, Cindy Wong Xin Yee passed away peacefully at 3:11am on Jul. 18.

Final stage of studies

Wong had scored a perfect 4.00 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) in her Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination, according to Shin Min Daily News.

She was studying in the Japanese Department at the University of Malaya and was in the final stage of her studies, the faulty said in their post.

With only her industrial training remaining, Wong had endured frequent hospital stays and recently underwent a bone marrow transplant, while remaining deeply committed to her education.

"She consistently attended online classes and completed her assignments whenever she could. Her strength and dedication deeply inspired her lecturers and classmates," the school said.

The faculty and the university are providing financial aid to Wong's family, the faculty added.

Wanted to be Japanese translator

According to Shin Min, Wong loved Japanese anime and had set her sights on becoming a Japanese translator.

After achieving excellent results, she gained admission to the Japanese Department at the University of Malaya and had hoped to pursue further studies in Japan.

However, in mid-2023, she collapsed due to severe abdominal pain.

After undergoing a thorough examination at the hospital, she was diagnosed with late-stage leukemia in October of the same year.