TAR UMT Students Shine With Gold and Silver Wins at WorldSkills ASEAN 2025
The win brought Malaysia's tally to an impressive 13 gold medals.
Published 22 Dec 2025
Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) students once again showcased their technical excellence on the international stage, delivering an inspiring performance at the 14th WorldSkills ASEAN Competition 2025 in Manila. Representing Malaysia among the region’s best young talents, the students brought home a Gold Medal in Cyber Security and a Silver Medal in the Internet of Things (IoT), contributing to Malaysia’s overall victory as the Champion team with 13 gold medals.
The Cyber Security team — Wang Teng Zheng from TAR UMT and Mohammad Ezaly Iman Bin Ramli from UniKL MIIT — impressed judges with their mastery in enterprise security, red-team and blue-team operations and their ability to stay calm under pressure. The competition was gruelling as participants were required to work for three days without internet access, relying purely on experience and critical thinking.
Teng Zheng shared that he was “honestly shocked” to win first place, though the team believed they had a strong chance of reaching the podium. He added that their extensive Capture-The-Flag (CTF) practice allowed them to think from the challenge creator's perspective and helped them troubleshoot unexpected challenges, including an early-module setback they overcame by staying calm and carefully analysing the errors.
Their trainer, Ts Lim Mei Shyan, praised the pair for their synergy, commenting, “Wang and Mohammad demonstrated strong teamwork and a great understanding of each other. Each had their own strengths, which complemented one another very well during the competition.” She also highlighted the contribution of their coach and TAR UMT alumnus, Mr Wong Yik Han, whose deep knowledge in cybersecurity and CTF inspired the competitors.
Meanwhile, TAR UMT’s Bachelor of Software Engineering (Hons) students Ang Wen Yee and Yong Qiao Rou showcased impressive resilience in the IoT category when faced with sudden rule changes and faulty hardware. Despite these obstacles, their persistence carried them through six demanding test projects spread over three days.
Wen Yee described the moment they learned of their Silver medal win as one filled with “relief, joy and disbelief.” Elaborating on their strategy, Wen Yee explained, “We divided the tasks where Qiao Rou focused on the hardware-software integration using Node-RED and the HMI panel, while I concentrated fully on the Python programming.”
For Qiao Rou, success was rooted in agility and technical problem-solving. “The single most important skill was rapid and effective troubleshooting,” she said, emphasising that real mastery comes from achieving seamless system integration where devices, networks and cloud applications work together as one cohesive system. She later reflected on her personal growth during the experience, sharing, “My biggest personal takeaway was learning the true meaning of resilience and discipline.”
These achievements not only reflect the talent and dedication of the students but also highlight the strength of TAR UMT’s training ecosystem, which blends technical rigour with teamwork and resilience. Their victories stand as inspiring examples of what young innovators can achieve when supported by strong mentorship and a culture of continuous learning.
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Amelia Ho
Always wandering, always wondering.
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