Three Orang Asli students from Sekolah Kebangsaan Pengkalan Tereh, Kluang, Johor, have made Malaysia proud by winning the gold medal in the Creative Idea (Primary School) category at the 27th International Robot Olympiad (IRO2025) in Gold Coast, Australia.
Muhammad Fakhri Che Lah, the team’s teacher-adviser, stated that their remarkable accomplishment in creating a robot rover to investigate Mars’ surface was the outcome of careful planning over the course of a year.
He told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport following their arrival, “They prepared with continuous training in school, with pupils developing various robot designs according to the space theme before selecting the most suitable design during the competition.”
Vyonnie Jezzy James Marcel, a 12-year-old team member, stated that she did not anticipate her team winning because the task required them to respond quickly and precisely.
“There were both simple and challenging aspects. Although we had four hours, we finished the robot in three and a half. “We employed two sensors—a high screen line sensor and an ultrasonic sensor,” she stated, noting that their robot fared better than teams from fifteen other nations.
The success, according to Norhana Hamim, director of Petrosains Learning Department and Satellite Centre, showed how well Petrosains Tech4All’s inclusive approach empowers STEM education.
“What we saw today is a really significant accomplishment. When kids are provided the appropriate platform and programmes that fit their experiences, it demonstrates the programme’s efficacy,” she stated.
The triumph, she continued, also debunked the myth that Orang Asli students cannot compete internationally.
With the help of strategic alliances between Petrosains, the Education Ministry, and the Offshore Petroleum Industry Training Organisation (OPITO), the Malaysian delegation at IRO2025, which included fifteen Orang Asli primary school students, won three technical honours and a bronze medal.
