Amid the gradual return to normalcy in everyday life after two years of COVID-19-related disruptions, ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) students and affiliates from Malaysia have once again proved their mettle by performing well in the December 2022 examinations.
Congratulating all students for their achievements, ACCA said the reopening of the country’s economy had enabled students to return to onsite locations of Approved Learning Partners (ALPs), making their interactions with their lecturers easier and more effective.
The professional accounting body revealed that among 107,142 students who sat for the ACCA December 2022 papers globally, many Malaysians made it to the top 20 in worldwide placements, with six of them claiming global top spots.
Notably, the ACCA Qualification top scorers were Lim Hui Ning and Jeevanandini R Karunagaran, who earned global #1 spots for the Financial Management and Advanced Financial Management papers respectively.
Meanwhile, amongst the Foundation in Accountancy students, Luqman Hirzan Bin Masri, Ahmad Imanul Nor Afandi and Nur Afrina Khairul claimed #1 in Malaysia and globally for the Recording Financial Transactions paper while Muhammad Faris Izzuddin Bin Mohd Ridza ranked first for Management Information.
As for ACCA Affiliates, local top spot went to Lim Zhi Shao, and followed by Nicole Tan Ze Nee and Kwong Pei Yee in the second and third places respectively.
Andrew Lim, Portfolio Head, ACCA Maritime Southeast Asia said, “Following the shifting of the COVID-19 pandemic to the endemic phase, students have returned to onsite learning where they can participate in richer discussions and interact more effectively with their lecturers as well as other students to enhance their own knowledge and skills.
“On that note, we are very proud of the fact that many Malaysians have continued to excel in ACCA examinations, which attract thousands of aspiring candidates from all over the world each year. Suffice to say, an ACCA qualification enhances one’s employability, as it is recognised globally as being the most prestigious qualification in the accountancy profession,” he added.
Lim highlighted that ACCA students and members, known for their competencies and skills, remained highly sought-after by employers in a variety of industries across the world.
“This means even in the toughest of economic times, such as these that we are currently facing in the post-pandemic era, ACCA students and members can be assured of job security, as accounting and finance skills remain indispensable in the modern business world,” he said.
“The comprehensiveness of the ACCA qualification ensures that our students and members are continually equipped with the necessary technical skills and up-to-date knowledge that meet evolving market needs. This not only helps them stand out among other candidates in job applications with their resumes, but it also opens doors to many exciting career opportunities and progress across industries and geographical boundaries,” he added.
Various studies and surveys showed that the demand for accounting and finance professionals across the world remained strong, even as the global economy emerged from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In Malaysia, accounting and finance has been listed among the top 10 most in-demand skills in 2023 by job search portal, GrabJobs. This is due to the huge presence of largest multinational financial firms in the country. Data by the Malaysian Department of Statistics also showed strong demand for such skills which had consistently ranked among the top five hottest jobs in the country. For instance, in the third quarter of 2022, accountants and auditors ranked third in terms of highest job vacancy nationwide,” he added.
Top scorer Lim Hui Ning, a student from Sunway TES Centre for Accountancy Excellence (CAE), said her accomplishment was attributable to her supportive lecturers and her own hard work. She said, “To be well-prepared for the exam, I started my revision on the first day of the commencement of the semester. I would ensure that I finished the ACCA past year questions, including those established on the ACCA website. In addition, I made use of the ACCA Exam Practice Platform to help me adapt well to the exam format. These efforts boosted my confidence while sitting for the exam.
“The ACCA qualification, which is a globally recognised qualification, will provide me with the opportunity to work abroad in the future. As we get to learn a wide range of knowledge and skills, our career options are not only limited to accountancy-related jobs, but they also extend to the finance and management fields as well,” she added.
For Jeevanandini R Karunagaran, another top scorer, consistency was key in achieving good results. The OSJ Global student, who is also working full-time at Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), said, “I made sure to master each topic thoroughly, and allocated ample time for revision of past year questions. I work full-time in TNB, and juggling full-time work and part time studies was very challenging. However, I put my heart and mind to it, placed trust in myself and embarked on this journey. I had to make sacrifices along the way to ensure I stayed on track towards my goal. The success is indeed very rewarding and fruitful.
“ACCA prepares you in a holistic manner for all the challenges that are out there in the corporate world. With ACCA, you will be well-equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills that will make you a valuable employee,” she added.
Muhammad Adib Mohamed Noor, who ranked #1 in Malaysia for Performance Management and also Taxation, said he felt absolutely grateful for this achievement as it has been his dream to achieve #1 since he started with ACCA.
“I feel great relief that all his hard work had paid off. I prepared for the exam by redoing the entire BPP revision kit and going through all the notes provided by my lecturers and the ones I made myself,” said the student from INTEC Education College.
Commenting on his accomplishment in the foundation level, Muhammad Faris Izzuddin Bin Mohd Ridza said, he felt on top of the world when he saw his results and credited his accounting teacher in high school as his motivator and influence because she showed him that learning accounting can be fun and not always boring.
“Pursuing accountancy is the right choice for me as I enjoy calculation. ACCA will be a stepping stone to build my career to help my family and have a better future. I believe that with an ACCA qualification, coupled with the soft skills that I have, I am able to ask for a high position in a company and earn a decent salary in the future,” he said.
To help students gain valuable insights on how to chart their career pathway towards their dream jobs, ACCA provides a helpful digital tool, accessible by all its students and members; for more information on the Career Navigator tool, log on to http://careernavigator.com/gb/en.html.
