FAM alumni top Malaysia in December 2024 ACCA exams

Two alumni from the Faculty of Accountancy and Management (FAM), UTAR, achieved the top national marks in the December 2024 ACCA examination session.

Lai Jai Jun was awarded the Malaysia top mark for Advanced Financial Management (AFM), while Joshua Yap Jan Chen secured the Malaysia top mark for Strategic Business Leader (SBL). Both Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) graduates were recognised as ACCA Prize Winners for their respective papers.

Lai, Malaysia’s top scorer in AFM, said, “I am truly honoured to be named the ACCA Prize Winner for Advanced Financial Management in the December 2024 sitting. This achievement reflects the dedication, perseverance, and passion I have invested throughout my ACCA journey. I am grateful to my mentors, peers, and family for their support, and I look forward to applying my knowledge to make meaningful contributions in the field of finance and accounting.”

Joshua Yap, Malaysia’s top scorer in SBL, said, “Choosing the Accounting programme at UTAR was one of the best decisions I made. The programme combines strong theoretical foundations with practical insights from industry professionals, and the lecturers have always guided me along the way. The group assignments were challenging but invaluable in developing my teamwork and communication skills. I am thrilled to be named Malaysia’s top scorer in Strategic Business Leader, and I look forward to applying what I’ve learned as I pursue a career in tax or audit with one of the Big Four firms.”

These prizes recognise candidates who achieved the highest marks in a paper within their territory. ACCA describes its Prize Winner Awards as recognition for students who attain the highest marks on their first attempt, and prize winners are formally notified after results are published. For context, ACCA’s published pass-rate summary for the December 2024 session shows the pass rates for Strategic Professional papers such as SBL and AFM alongside other sittings.

UTAR is proud of Lai and Joshua Yap’s achievements, which reflect sustained study, strong subject knowledge, and the rigorous standards of the ACCA Strategic Professional examinations. Achieving a national first place in AFM and SBL — two of ACCA’s most challenging Strategic Professional papers — is a remarkable accomplishment and will serve as an excellent foundation for their professional careers in finance and accounting.

(Photo credit: LinkedIn)