The 17-year-old schoolgirl who lost her eyesight after her face was splashed with acid is determined to sit for the SPM examinations next month.

Tan Hui Linn, who still cannot speak following the attack, scribbled her intention on a piece of paper in Chinese when asked about the examination.

She then passed the note to her brother Jun Hong, 20, who said his sister, a student of SMK Convent Datuk Keramat, had only a slim chance of sitting for the examination.

"She is still bedridden at the Penang Hospital's intensive care unit.

"Based on her physical condition now, I don't think she will be fit in time for the examination.

"Besides, she is not well prepared for it," said the 20-year-old undergraduate of Universiti Utara Malaysia.

On Saturday, Hui Linn and her mother Cheong Swee Lin, 50, were sleeping at their Jalan Tan Sri Teh Ewe Lim home when his father came in at 3am and splashed acid on them.

Cheong, who was badly burnt, died about 10 hours later.

The corrosive acid spilled over to Hui Linn, who sustained 60% burns on her face and upper torso.

She is now permanently blind.

Meanwhile, George Town OCPD Asst Comm Azam Abd Hamid said the sulphuric acid used by the suspect, a 55-year-old civil servant, was bought from a hardware shop in Butterworth.

He said the police would call up the shopowner to record his statement.