SPM grading system, changed!

This morning, I saw this article in Sin Chew newspaper.


Sorry if the picture is blurry. But anyways, it's about the modifications made to the SPM grading system. Now the best possible grade for SPM is no longer the A1, but it has become the A+. Here is the new grading system:

Highest possible grade:A+
Conversion of old grades to new grades:
A1->A
A2->A-
B3->B+
B4->B
C5->C+
C6->C-
D7->D
E8->E
G9-G

The new grading system will be used from this year's SPM onwards. Apparently, the MOE (Ministry of Education) introduces this new system to determine the more eligible students to receive scholarships (or just to differentiate the really good students from the good ones). Sure, this system makes life more easy for the government and they won't receive so many complaints, but it's gonna make the lives of us students difficult. Why? Here are my opinions:

-Now, we will not aim for an A1 for every subject, but an A+, which is arguably more difficult to score then the A1. This is because the marks required to get an A1 are not really that high, seldom reaching 80 marks and above. This will indirectly put more pressure on ordinary good students who are just aiming for that borderline A1.

-Even if you got straight A1s for the old standard, your result slip will not look good as you may get some As and A+ mixed up together. Lets say if you get all A1 according to the old standard, but less A+ than A, you won't feel good for yourself.

-The standard for scholarship for good courses has been raised. Straight A1s used to get you the better courses like medicine, but I wonder now do you need straight A+ to get into the good courses? Can a student with straight As get the good courses they were aiming for? Maybe only the straight A+ students will be sent to the better countries like UK, Australia but the straight A student will be sent to India, Russia etc.

In a nutshell, fuck this new grading system for SPM. Hopefully the MOE can make some good decisions and modifications towards this system for the benefit of everyone. So please tell me your opinions.