Curtin Malaysia students receive Tun Taib scholarships

Miri – 25 September 2017 – Nine students of Curtin University, Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) were among the first batch of 36 students from five tertiary institutions in Sarawak to be awarded the Tun Taib Yayasan Sarawak Scholarship on Wednesday.

Chai Choi Yan, Davelyonna Dott anak Dave, Humaira Natasha binti Jeffrey, Kee Kia Wei, Mohamad Shafiq bin Mohamad Adnan, Sharon Hii Yiik Wei, Sia Chee Bing, Siti Nur Ashiqin Binti Mohamad Sofian and Yasmeen Suraya Binti Mohamad Roslan received their scholarships from Yang di-Pertua Negeri Tun Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud during a ceremony held at the Astana Sarawak in Kuching.

Chai and Hii are pursuing Bachelors of Engineering in civil and construction engineering while Kee, Mohamad Shafiq, Sia, Siti Nur Ashiqin and Yasmin Suraya are all pursuing Bachelors of Engineering in chemical engineering.

Meanwhile, Davelyonna is pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce in accounting, and Humaira a Bachelor of Commerce in accounting and entrepreneurship.

Present to congratulate the Curtin Malaysia recipients at the function were Curtin Malaysia Pro Chancellor Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam and his wife Datin Patinggi Puan Sri Datuk Lorna Enan Muloon; Chairman of the Curtin Malaysia Board Dato Ose Murang; and Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin who is Chair of the Curtin Malaysia Management Board.

Also present were Curtin Malaysia President and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski and Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Beena Giridharan.

Professor Mienczakowski, in congratulating the students, said he was immensely proud of their achievement and looked forward to their graduating with distinction and contributing to Sarawak’s future growth and development. He also hoped more Curtin Malaysia students will be awarded the scholarships in the coming years.

Professor Mienczakowski added that Curtin Malaysia, which was established in 1999 in partnership with the Sarawak state government, is firmly committed to the development of skilled and educated human capital to support Sarawak’s economic growth, as well as engaging communities and changing lives for the better through community work, teaching and research.

Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, in his speech at the function, said in the pursuit of a digital economy, Sarawak has to develop its own human capital.

He said Yayasan Sarawak would continue to award scholarships to eligible students irrespective of race and religious background to pursue higher education in the country and overseas.

He hoped the first degree students would continue their studies to postgraduate level whereby they could undertake research beneficial to Sarawak’s digital economy push.

Datuk Lorna, Datuk Patinggi George Chan, Datuk Lee Kim Shin and Yayasan Sarawak Director Haji Azmi Haji Bujang (5th – 8th from left) with the Curtin Malaysia scholarship recipients.