PETALING JAYA: Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Sir Dr Jeffrey Cheah KBE AO has become one of the few Malaysians to be awarded the prestigious Japanese decoration of honour, the Order of the Rising Sun, by the Japanese government.
Cheah was specifically awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in recognition of his contributions towards promoting academic exchange and improving economic relations between Japan and Malaysia.
“As the founder and chancellor of Sunway University, Tan Sri Cheah has focused on collaboration with Japan and has contributed to the promotion of exchanges between Japan and Malaysia.
“This includes the field of education and research by concluding agreements with numerous Japanese universities and other institutions. Also, as the founder and chairman of Sunway Group, Tan Sri Cheah is a highly entrepreneurial individual whose Sunway Group collaborates with Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) to contribute to the advancement of Japanese start-up companies in Malaysia.
“The Embassy of Japan would like to extend its sincere congratulations to Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah for receiving this decoration,” the Japanese Embassy in Malaysia wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday.
Cheah, who is also a philanthropist, was named an honorary Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by King Charles III in 2023. The award came with the title “Sir”.
A write-up titled “Man Behind the Brand” in the Sunway Stories website noted that Cheah had never forgotten his roots as he had always upheld his Hakka heritage.
In fact, he is the honorary lifetime president of the Malaysian Hakka Association.
