Kota Kinabalu: SM All Saints’ Luminaries emerged champions in the Shell NXplorers Malaysia 2025 Sabah Challenge at Plaza Shell, Thursday. Sekolah Menengah Sung Siew’s Triangle earned the first runner-up spot. Both the teams will represent Sabah at the national challenge next month.
Shell NXplorers is a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) driven initiative by Shell that empowers students to develop sustainable solutions to address real-world challenges in the food-water-energy nexus with bold, innovative thinking.
“It is truly enriching to watch our young minds come alive with ideas that matter. Their creativity and teamwork show us what is possible when students are given the space to think boldly and work together,” said Sabah Shell Petroleum Company Limited (SSPC) General Manager Wong Kim Mun.
“At Shell, we are deeply committed to nurturing our Sabah youths by equipping them with the skills and mindset needed to solve complex challenges and lead the way towards a more sustainable future,” he said.
The champion team comprising Clarissa Ruth Manji, Olivia Lee Ya Chen and Enzo Armadini Rezare Rousallini Abdullah invented Lookcar – a child safety system that prevents children from being left unattended for too long in vehicles.
Using Passive Infrared and human presence sensors, it detects movement inside the car. The system immediately triggers a buzzer and sends alerts to parents via Telegram.
If no action is taken, LookCar escalates by transmitting the car’s Global Positioning System location to firefighters through Global System for Mobile Communications.
Compact and placed between car windows, it acts a safeguard against preventable tragedies.
“Being named State champion is an incredible honour and we are grateful to Shell for giving us the chance to grow, not just in knowledge but in how we think, solve problems and work as a team,” said the excited members of Luminaries.
“This experience has shown us the power of collaboration and creativity in addressing the sustainability challenges that matter most. We are excited to take on the national challenge and hope to make our school and state proud,” they said.
Additionally, the first runner-up team, Triangle from SM Sung Siew comprising Ivan Lam Jun Yin, Alan Romeo Roy Joseph Boguli and Izz Iqbal Rizqin Mohd Shamsul came up with Laser Shield, a solar-powered home security system that uses lasers, mirrors and Light Dependent Resistor sensors to detect intrusions.
Controlled by an ESP32 microcontroller, it triggers a buzzer and sends instant Telegram alerts to homeowners, ensuring reliable, eco-friendly and real-time protection against unauthorised house break-ins.
Meanwhile, the Most Innovative Award went to Plecasso from SMK Tamparuli for their invention, PortaLab. This is an innovative and portable solution to provide a safe learning space when the school laboratory is unsafe to use.
The Mobile Chemical Box consists of an Arduino based gas and temperature sensor, an automatic ventilation system with exhaust and intake fans, a cooling fan, eco-friendly materials and a real-time display to ensure secure chemical storage and mobility for students and teachers in SMK Tamparuli.
Eight schools competed in this year’s Shell NXplorers Malaysia’s Sabah challenge. The participating schools are inclusive of SM St Peter Telipok, SM All Saints, SMK SANZAC, SMK Tamparuli, SMK Pekan Telipok, SM St Michael, SMK Petagas and SM Sung Siew.
The judges were SMJ Sdn Bhd Legal and Commercial Director Samantha Soong, Sabah State Education Department Learning Sector Assistant Director Vivienne Imee Samuil and SSPC General Manager Wong Kim Mun.
Also in attendance was Shell Malaysia Corporate Relations General Manager Cindy Lopez. With the backing of the Ministry of Education, Shell NXplorers Malaysia engaged over 318 secondary school students from 29 schools nationwide.
These students had the exciting opportunity to dive into hands-on STEM learning, with a strong emphasis on technology.
In Sabah alone, 111 students were selected and a peer-to-peer sharing initiative was introduced to spread knowledge across a wider community of around 1,000 students from all participating schools.
Shell NXplorers is a dynamic global education initiative that empowers young minds to tackle the complex challenges of today’s world.
By equipping them with essential tools, methodologies and skills, Shell NXplorers inspire the next generation to become agents of change. Through collaboration, innovation, and interdisciplinary approaches, they learn to solve real-world problems and make a meaningful impact.
