PETALING JAYA: The Star Outstanding Business Awards (SOBA) marked its 15th year with its latest award ceremony, shining a spotlight on 99 outstanding businesses which have redefined success in their industries.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof said the 15th year of SOBA was a milestone that highlighted its impact on Malaysia’s business ecosystem.
“This prestigious event celebrates excellence in the country’s business landscape, recognising the remarkable contributions of home-grown, non-public-listed Malaysian businesses and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that continue to drive our nation’s growth,” he said in his speech at the SOBA 2024 Gala Night at One World Hotel here yesterday.
Fadillah said the future of Malaysian businesses lies in digitalisation; environmental, social and governance (ESG) compliance, and adaptability to evolving market demands.
Redefining success: attending the SOBA 2024 gala night are (front row, from left) Tomkinson, Mohd Mustafa, Mohd Zamree, Wong, Fadillah,Chan, Tio, SMG chief business officer Lydia Wang and Ng posing with the winners. — GLENN GUAN/The Star
“By embracing technology, sustainability, and continuous learning, Malaysian businesses can strengthen their foothold locally and expand into international markets.
“However, this journey requires collective effort from government agencies, the private sector, financial institutions and industry players,” he added.
Fadillah extended his congratulations to the SOBA 2024 winners and nominees for their well-deserved achievements.
“Your success is a testament to the power of innovation, resilience and commitment to sustainability. You are paving the way for the future, demonstrating that businesses that embrace ESG, drive innovation, and remain steadfast in their vision will lead Malaysia’s economic transformation,” he said.
He urged businesses to embrace renewable sources, not just in large-scale projects but also within business operations.
Star Media Group (SMG) group chief executive officer Chan Seng Fatt said SOBA has grown into a vital platform that recognises the outstanding contributions of home-grown businesses, particularly SMEs, over the past 15 years.
Since SOBA’s inception in 2010, Chan said it had received over 3,000 entries with more than 650 outstanding businesses recognised over the years.
This year, we are thrilled to announce that SOBA 2024 has received over 350 submissions across multiple categories, showcasing the strength and diversity of Malaysian entrepreneurship,” he added.
SMEs, he said, form the backbone of the country’s economy and are essential to the nation's growth.
“In 2023 alone, SMEs contributed RM613.1bil to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP), accounting for 39.1% of the nation’s economy.”
Great turnout: Attendees at the SOBA 2024 gala night at One World Hotel.
Chan also noted that the SOBA awards, built on a legacy of rigorous standards and a transparent judging process, is an honour that can only be earned.
“This distinction makes SOBA one of the most coveted accolades in the industry, where only the most deserving individuals and businesses are recognised through the expertise of our judges,” he said in his speech.
Chan also introduced two new initiatives for SOBA 2024 – SOBA Elevate and SOBA Accelerator.
At the ceremony, WynKids Education Group and VitaHealth Malaysia received the Malaysian Business of the Year award in the “up to RM25mil” and “RM25mil and above” categories respectively.
Also present at the awards ceremony were SMG chairman Tan Sri Wong Foon Meng, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Mustafa Abdul Aziz, Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia Bhd president and chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Zamree Mohd Ishak, PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd group chief executive and managing director Datuk Seri Dr Michael Tio, RHB Bank Bhd group community banking managing director Jeffrey Ng and U Mobile chief information officer Neil Tomkinson.
SOBA 2024 was organised by SMG with Credit Guarantee Corporation Malaysia, PKT Logistics and RHB Bank as main sponsors, with Matrade being the official trade promotion partner.
It was audited by BDO while radio stations 988 and Suria were official media partners.
Also making its presence at the gala night was U Mobile, the SOBA 2024 Gala Night telecommunications partner, which held a lucky draw at its booth.
For more information, call SMG Events (017-231 1789) or go to www.soba.com.my.
