Chong Wei wins TOYM award

PETALING JAYA: World No 1 badminton player Datuk Lee Chong Wei has clinched the Ten Outstanding Young Malaysian award (TOYM) for the Personal Improvement and Accomplishment category.

Thr 27-year-old, who beat out two insurance sales people and world No 1 in women’s badminton doubles Wong Pei Tty for the award, said he had to postpone his trip to the Nov 11 Hong Kong Open to today in order to attend the awards ceremony last night.

“I am very excited about this. I did not expect to win,” he said.

He was one of the recipients of the TOYM programme which recognises 18 to 40-year-old Malaysians with noteworthy contributions to fields as diverse as business, politics, cultural achievement, religious leadership and scientific development.

Founder and CEO of Masterskill Education Group Datuk Edmund Santhara received the award for the Business, Economic and Entre­preneurial Accomplishment category.

Taylor’s College director of research and development Dr Vikneswaran Nair was selected for the award for the Academic Leadership and Accomplishment category.

For the Cultural Achievement and the Moral/Religious Leadership categories, Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Bruzelles (Belgium) master composer Chong Kee Yong and Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia president Dr Ong See Yew won respectively.

Champion for disabled persons accessibility Murugeswaran Veerasamy was given the award for the Humanitarian and Voluntary Service category.

The TOYM, originating from the Ten Out­standing Young Persons of the World programme, was the 24th held in Malaysia since it was introduced here in 1985.

Only seven Malaysians have won the World award with Datuk Michelle Yeoh being the last Malaysian to receive it back in 2003.