People get lower marks in SBPs than they do in regular SMKs. I know some dudes who were failing in SBPs and then dropped out to go back to regular schools and suddenly, straights As again. They get marked to a stricter standard for all the trials but it's the same level as the regular schools for the real exams. Why the hell would you need to "jaga kualiti + reputasi" by lowering the passing marks and scores for the elite schools? These are already some of the best students in the country cooped up in one place. The problem is that they hold you to a higher standard and not everyone can keep up. A lot of kids fell behind since the pace was grueling and the competition is insane. Most people were used to being the best at their respective schools (jaguh kampung lah konon) and then got a massive culture shock. The worst student there would have still been among the top at any SMK and the best are way, way beyond your average hardworking student. You've got people with photographic memories. People whose textbooks/reference books have looked like they've been totaled. People who are actually reading university level textbooks already way before the SPM (the bank negara scholar dude). There's a reason why scholarship offers are extended to SBP/MRSM students based on their trial results even before they even take the SPM.