Assalamualaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.
Salam Sejahtera.
Di angkat kalimah kesyukuran setinggi-tinggi ke hadrat ALLAH Subhanahu Wata’ala kerana dengan izin dari Nya juga, acara Anugerah Merdeka dapat sekali lagi dilangsungkan. Semoga dengan limpah rahmat dari mu jua Ya ALLAH, acara ini dapat memenuhi hasrat dan tujuannya untuk memberi pengiktirafan di kalangan para Hamba-Mu dan juga organisasi yang dengan izin dari Mu juga, telah dikurniakan kelebihan untuk membolehkan mereka mencurahkan khidmat bakti dan jasa murni menyejahterakan kehidupan dan alam di maya ini. Semoga di kalangan kami yang telah diamanahkan tanggung jawab terus mendapat bimbingan Mu untuk berupaya menyempurnakan amanah tersebut berlandaskan prinsip-prinsip kebenaran dan keadilan yang saksama.
I am delighted to be given the opportunity to say a few words on behalf of the Board of Trustees. Allow me to first express our great pleasure in welcoming Yang Amat Berhormat Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, the Prime Minister and Patron of the Merdeka Award and Yang Amat Berbahagia Datin Paduka Rosmah Mansor and all of you who are here this evening.
We are gathered here to honour the recipients of the Merdaka Award for the year 2012. To acknowledge outstanding individuals who have made enormous contributions towards nation building. Individuals who have made it their life calling to improve the human condition of the people of Malaysia. Individuals who have brought great eminence to our country by their contributions at the international level; individuals who have made the people of Malaysia proud to be Malaysian. And in the course of their work, have demonstrated the true spirit of Merdeka, that of the liberation of mind and spirit. I join everyone here in congratulating the recipients and hope that their significant achievements will continue to inspire us to propel Malaysia to greater heights.
It was with this idea in mind that Petronas, ExxonMobil and Shell initiated the Merdeka Award in 2007 to commemorate the country’s 50th anniversary, by paying tribute to ordinary Malaysians who have achieved the extraordinary.
Each year, the Merdeka Award is conferred on individuals and organisations whose outstanding work and achievements have made a lasting impact on the nation and its people. Awards are conferred in the following categories:
- Education and Community;
- Environment;
- Health, Science and Technology;
- Outstanding Scholastic Achievement;
- Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia.
These award categories reflect focus areas that are instrumental to the overall growth and development of a nation. The recipient in each category will receive an inscribed certificate, a trophy and prize money of RM500, 000.
A total of fourteen (14) individuals and two (2) organisations have received the Merdaka Award since its establishment in 2007.
In line with the Merdeka Award’s aim of inspiring Malaysians, especially the younger generation, to excel in their respective fields of endeavour, we have introduced a new award earlier this year, namely the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment.
This Grant is open to qualified Malaysians between the ages of 22 and 35 in the categories of Education & Community, Environment and Health, Science & Technology.
Recipients of the Grant will engage in short-term, collaborative projects at selected, internationally-recognised institutions abroad. The aim is for the recipients to establish working relationships with other experts in their areas of interest, share knowledge, and on returning to Malaysia, utilise the shared knowledge to further build on their body of work.
The Board of Trustees will announce the names of the inaugural recipients in the near furure.
Ladies and gentlemen,
To encourage debate and discussion on critical issues that are of interest to Malaysians, the Merdeka Award organises, once every quarter, the Merdeka Award Roundtable, produced in partnership with broadcaster ASTRO.
The television talk-show brings together leading figures from Malaysia’s public, corporate, academic and social sectors to discuss issues which are relevant to the future of this nation, with each event featuring a topic for discussion that is current and timely, and one that resonates with Malaysians, especially the post-Merdeka Generation.
The 4th Merdeka Award Roundtable will take place on December 8th focusing on the topic — “Balancing People, Planet & Profit: Partnerships for Sustainable Growth”.
May the Merdeka spirit continue to imbue our aims and actions, to strengthen our resolve to do our best in every pursuit, and to ensure that excellence is embedded in our culture.
Semoga para penerima Anugerah Merdeka akan terus meningkatkan peranan melaksanakan khidmat bakti dan jasa murni untuk kesejahteraan kehidupan dan alam, mempamer dan mengamalkan rasmi padi, semakin berisi semakin tunduk. Bahawa kejayaan itu adalah anugerah yang datangnya dari ILAHI, untuk meningkatkan rasa taqwa dan rasa syukur seseorang Hamba yang sewajarnya dicerminkan dengan sifat merendah diri dan keikhlasan untuk terus berbakti sesama insan di samping meningkatkan pengabdian diri kepada Tuhan Yang Maha Pencipta. Semoga segala khidmat bakti dan jasa murni dianugerahkan ganjaran yang lebih besar dan lebih tinggi oleh ALLAH Subhanahu Wata’ala.
Wassalamu’alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.