MELAKA, 4 July 2026 (The Capital Post) – Monash University Malaysia emerged as the overall champion of the Vital Factor Consulting Cup 2026 – MACSian74 Bridge Over Troubled Waters, proving that engineering success is determined by efficiency rather than strength alone.
The nationwide competition challenged participants to construct a 0.5-metre model bridge using only ice cream sticks, string and glue. Unlike conventional bridge-building contests, winners were judged based on the ratio between the load supported and the amount of materials used, highlighting the importance of optimisation in engineering.
Although the returning Lai family team, comprising Ruixia, RuiShan and Mr Lai, built the strongest bridge of the competition by supporting an impressive 51 kilograms, their structure required 340 units of authorised materials, earning a score of 150.
Monash University Malaysia, however, secured the Overall Championship after its bridge supported 39 kilograms while using only 185 material units, achieving the highest efficiency score of 211. The university also claimed the Category Championship, taking home total prize money of RM18,000.
The event attracted 106 teams from Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka and Johor, drawing an estimated 2,000 visitors. It was officiated by Assistant Director of the Student Talent Development Unit of the Melaka State Education Department, Kiew Sieng Eik, representing the State Education Director.
In the school categories, SMJK Yok Bin, Melaka won the secondary school division after its bridge carried 32 kilograms using 207 material units, while SJKC Pay Hwa, Melaka claimed the primary school title with a bridge capable of supporting 17 kilograms using 177 material units.
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Malacca Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) Principal Soh Lay Hui said the competition was designed to reflect real-world engineering and business challenges, where success depends on delivering the most effective solution with available resources rather than simply building the strongest structure.
She added that hosting the national-level event also showcased ACS’s ability to organise large-scale educational programmes that connect schools, universities, industry players and the wider community while nurturing leadership, collaboration and problem-solving skills among students.
Jointly organised by Malacca Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) and Malacca Methodist Girls’ Secondary School (MGSS), the competition aims to inspire future engineers and innovators by demonstrating that intelligent resource optimisation is the key to engineering excellence.
According to the organisers, this year’s competition reinforced a simple lesson: in engineering, the smartest design—not necessarily the strongest one—is often the winning solution. – The Capital Post.
