Curtin Sarawak team among top winners in corporate challenge category of Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon

Miri – 31 October 2014 – A four-member team from Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) was among the top winners in the 10-kilometre Corporate Challenge Category of the recent Standard Chartered Kuala Lumpur Marathon (SCKLM).

The team came in third behind teams from Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and Hwang Investment Management. It comprised four academic staff, namely Associate Dean of Research and Training Professor Marcus Lee, senior lecturer of finance Dr. Muhammad Ahmad Cheema, associate lecturer of engineering mathematics Jameson Malang, and associate lecturer of science and foundation studies Bejay Ugon.

The four were chosen to represent the university after finishing in the top four of the qualifying round held on Curtin Sarawak’s campus on 13 August 2014. A total of 27 staff participated in the qualifying round.

Their all-expenses-paid trip to Kuala Lumpur for the event was sponsored by Curtin Sarawak’s Human Resources Department with the aim of supporting a number of charities, as well as promoting the university’s wellness programme and encourage a healthy lifestyle among its staff.

In addition to winning the third place, Professor Lee, who recorded a finishing time of 57 minutes 55 seconds, managed to raise RM900 for the Miri Palliative Care Association. Curtin Sarawak donated a further RM5,000 to the Standard Chartered Foundation, National Autism Society of Malaysia, Malaysian Nature Society and Hospis Malaysia through the team’s participation.

Human Resources Manager Viziaty Drahman said she was very proud of the team’s achievement and that her department will continue to sponsor staff to the event in the coming years.

“Curtin Sarawak will not only participate in SCKLM, but we are also considering sending our staff to join the Standard Chartered Singapore Run,” said Viziaty.

Meanwhile, Curtin Sarawak’s Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski remarked that it was an outstanding achievement for the university’s first ever participation in the event.

“A big congratulations to the four staff for coming in third ahead of 13 other organisations and hundreds of runners in the corporate challenge category. I look forward to our participation at next year’s marathon,” said Professor Mienczakowski.

Some 35,200 runners took off from Dataran Merdeka and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman at this year’s SCKLM. The event was co-organised by Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) and Ministry of Youth and Sports Malaysia.

(L-R) Dr Muhammad, Professor Man, Jameson and Bejay posing with their medals at the end of the marathon.