11 varsity grads receive Pingat Tunku via virtual awards ceremony

PETALING JAYA: The Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation presented the Pingat Tunku Award to 11 local public universities graduates who graduated in 2017 and 2019.

Higher Education Minister and foundation chairman Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad presented the awards during a virtual prize-giving ceremony in line with the standard operating procedure of the conditional MCO.

“These 11 outstanding young leaders have not only achieved excellence in university, but also possess a strong desire to serve the country, ” she said during the ceremony Thursday (Dec 10).

“It is my hope that, with the award and its recognition, they will honour the aspirations of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman to uplift Malaysia, especially during this crisis period when Malaysians are deeply affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The award has been given annually since 1979 to students from local public universities who have achieved outstanding academic excellence at the Bachelor’s degree level, upheld the values of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman, and demonstrated strong leadership qualities to serve the nation.

There are three categories: Gold, Silver and Bronze.

The awardees receive cash prizes and access to grants to run their own projects that support communities.

The Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation is a non-profit foundation with the primary aim to recognise high-achieving students through the provision of scholarships and development programmes.

In 2019, the foundation shifted its focus towards developing future leaders of Malaysia, especially among high-potential students from B40 communities.

The full recipient list is as follows:

2019

Gold

Fatin Nursa’adah Azman (Law, International Islamic University Malaysia)

Aswinkumar AL Gunasekaran (Medicine, National Defence University of Malaysia)

Bronze

Lau Win Yei (Quantity Surveying, Universiti Malaya)

Abdul Kadir Shah (Medicine, Universiti Malaya)

Special acknowledgement:

Mohamad Affan Mohamad Nassruddin (Social Science, National Defence University of Malaysia)

2017

Gold

Choo Wen Chun (Law, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia)

Silver

Muhammad Nor Abdul Rashid (Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Malaya)

Keeran Anamalai (Mechanical Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang)

Bronze

Elyssa Heinzie Anak Josin (Early Education, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris)

Paul Chen (Civil Engineering, Universiti Malaya)

Siti Aisyah Mohd Ramli (Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia)