Britain, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Rhodesia and Australia. It was called the Colombo Plan for Cooperative Economic Development in South and Southeast Asia, which later came to be known more simply as the Colombo Plan.

The Plan’s objectives were effectively encapsulated in its motto – Planning Prosperity Together. In essence, it provided a blueprint for fi nancial and technical cooperation among the Commonwealth nations to spur development. A key component was the provision of scholastic opportunities to students from the less developed countries by those that had more entrenched educational establishments. These scholarships were awarded the

prior to that the country was known as Malaya.)

Malaysia and Singapore at the time shared a university, located in Singapore. In 1959, this branched into two autonomous divisions, one in Singapore and the other on the border between Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya. Australia, in contrast, could boast of eight universities: the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne, the University of Adelaide, the University of Tasmania, the University of Queensland, the University of Western Australia, the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales.

The University of Sydney was already 100 years old, while the University of Melbourne was just two years off the centenary mark. All eight universities opened their doors to international students under the Colombo Plan.

Although Malaysians were already studying in Australia from as far back as the turn of the 20th century, only a very privileged few went before the Colombo Plan. Education overseas was beyond the means of the average Malaysian family. In those days, the entire journey was a real

LEFT Australia had eight universities in the early 1950s. This 1951 photo shows students enjoying the grounds outside Winthrop Hall at the University of Western Australia.

RIGHT Dr Sreenevasan with Dr Harry Medlin, former Deputy Chancellor of the University of Adelaide, at the ceremony to award Dr Sreenevasan an Honorary Fellowship of St Mark’s College, University of Adelaide.

Good Morning, Asia!
While the ways in which the Colombo Plan benefited Malaysians became evident in the contributions and outstanding careers of many of its graduates, Australia
too stood to gain from engaging with its Asian neighbours through the scholarships.

The Colombo Plan enabled Australia to “break the ice” with other countries from the region. As most early Australians had come from Britain, Australia had directed its external energies towards its socio-cultural homeland. The Second World War and fear of Communism increased Australians’ apprehension about people of Asian origin. A White Australia Policy was in operation which restricted the entry

of immigrants to Caucasians. While such self-imposed isolation worked well enough for a certain time, it became increasingly untenable as global trade intensified and the need for stability and security gradually mounted.

Asian students – including Malaysians – who spent three years or more at university in Australia helped the nation come to terms with its place within the Asia Pacific region. Suddenly, Asians were no longer strangers. They were living in Australian homes, and proving to be not as profoundly different from their newfound Australian friends as had been feared. If anything, there would have been more similarities than differences between the bright young minds from all over the region.

Trade Wins
From having next to no direct trade at all with its Asian neighbours, Australia and Malaysia today share a strong trade relationship.

Trade between the two countries is likely to further strengthen as negotiations are ongoing on the terms and conditions of a bilateral free trade agreement, in addition to a regional trade initiative: the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA).

The firm grounding that Australian education has had in the Malaysian psyche has also led to Australia exporting its universities to its Asian neighbour. The Malaysian Government first courted Australian universities by welcoming a Monash campus in Malaysia. It was the

first international institution to receive such an invitation. Monash University Malaysia took in its first batch of students in July 1998, and by 2008 the campus had expanded to 3,838 students. Curtin University of Technology and the Swinburne University of Technology have also established branch campuses in Miri and Kuching, Sarawak. It is no coincidence that Sarawak Chief Minister Pehin Sri Dr Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud was a Colombo Plan scholar, who did his Bachelor of Laws at Adelaide University!

The Sarawak Chief Minister is also patron of the Australian Universities International Alumni Convention (AUIAC), which has taken the bilateral nature of the traditional alumni network to the next level: one at which alumni from all over the world are being given the opportunity to connect, for personal and professional gain.

The Awards Go On
With the new millennium, Australia introduced a new package of scholarships for students within the Pacific Rim: the Australia-Asia Awards. While the Colombo Plan scholarships were geared towards boosting development efforts in post-war Commonwealth countries, the Australia- Asia Awards were intended to strengthen the bilateral ties that had emerged over the preceding decades; and to set the foundations for long-term professional collaboration at the personal, institutional and national levels, in preparation for an increasingly borderless world.

Reflecting this change in objectives, the Australia-Asia Awards were targeted at a different group of scholars. Unlike the Colombo Plan, which was aimed at outstanding

postgraduates was the benefi t of its research tradition at centuries-old universities. The Asian postgraduates, on the other hand, lent to the cultural diversity of these universities, enriching their reservoir of experiential knowledge.

It takes time to build up research capacity. And, although by year 2000, Malaysia could boast of 12 universities, half of these were less than 15 years old. As the Australia-Asia scholars interviewed in this book recount in Chapter 3, the single most gratifying aspect of conducting postgraduate work in Australia was being able to tap into the advanced and extensive research base of Australian academia.

In 2006, the Australian Government intensified its commitment to supporting academic excellence by launching the Endeavour Awards. These are a true reflection of Australia’s commitment to adapting its

which include working professionals seeking to enhance their exposure and expertise. Some of the Endeavour Award recipients are featured in Chapter 4.

Another important new feature of Australia’s scholarship scheme is the provision for greater mobility of Australian students. Today, an increasing number of Australians are taking the opportunity, through the Endeavour Exchange, to study at Malaysian universities and institutions. As they acknowledge in Chapter 5, the fresh perspectives they have gained from being in a different and diverse cultural environment have afforded them benefits well exceeding all expectations!

It has been a very exciting 57 years for both Malaysia and Australia – a time of exploration, understanding and advancement. While the wonderful web of relationships

embarked on together, one in which education has paved the way to great national honour and personal achievement.

The many stories gathered in the compilation of this book have been truly inspirational.

Over the 30 years that it was offered, more than 4,000 outstanding Malaysian students went to Australia to complete degree courses – in medicine, commerce and accountancy, teaching, nursing, architecture, engineering, agriculture, veterinary science, forestry and geology – that helped them to take their place in civil administration and spur the development and reach of basic services in the country. In addition to academic degrees, some of the scholars obtained professional qualifications, for example in Chartered Accountancy, while still others underwent vocational training, acquiring practical skills that were relevant to the socio-economic climate of post-Second World War Malaysia.

The young scholars were driven not only by the awareness that they carried with them the hopes and expectations of their families and communities, but also by the fact that they served as ambassadors of Malaysia. Each was an emissary representing the Malaysian people to his or her host country and its people, who at that time had scant exposure to their Asian neighbours.

It was a significant responsibility to bear. But the young Colombo Plan scholars gladly took on their new role, and played their part to perfection. In so doing, they made both Malaysia and Australia proud.

A Great Reception
In the mid-20th century, travel was limited to the affl uent classes. Most of the Colombo Plan scholars would never have been outside their own towns, let alone their country. Naturally, they were slightly apprehensive about embarking on a course of study in Australia. They did not know quite what to expect from Australian society. What would it be like in a country so different from home?

The answer, unanimously, was: simply great! Most Colombo Plan scholars were pleasantly surprised to be treated with great kindness and consideration. Many were, in fact, overwhelmed by the warmth and generosity of their Australian hosts. Australians, generally, had had very little exposure to Asia and its people, but many were eager to know more.

smack on my face. ‘So, this is what winter is like’, I thought to myself,” recalls Matron Zubaidah Dato’ Haji Mohd Said, who arrived in 1957 to train as a nurse in Melbourne.

More than that, though, they experienced the all-Australian virtue of egalitarianism. Abdul Wahab Jaafar Sidek, who studied Chartered Accountancy at the University of Newcastle, was amazed to be greeted by a limousine, and a Caucasian driver who insisted on loading Wahab’s substantial luggage into the boot with a cheerful: “Just leave your bags to me, sir.”

that all white people were masters and none of them ever needed to perform menial work,” he says.

Accounts abound of wonderful landladies and hospitable host families who took great pains to make their young charges feel at home. They did not just provide board and lodging. They also served up hearty home-cooked meals and lots of advice to help the young scholars adjust to their new lives in Australia. Lucy Lee, who trained as a nurse at the Royal Perth Hospital, has such fond memories of her former host “parents”, Bill and Elsie Tyler, she calls them “the unsung Aussie diplomats of my time in Australia”.

LEFT Dr Huang Su Eng graduating with a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Adelaide, 1961. She married a doctor whom she met while studying in Adelaide, and both their chldren went to school in Sydney.

RIGHT Bonython Hall of the University of Adelaide is a heritage building, used for graduations and other major ceremonies.

Datin Aloyah Hashim’s friendship with her stylish foster mother, Mrs Mona Edith Macdonald, continued well beyond her six-year stay in Adelaide. She made repeat visits to Mrs Macdonald until the grand old lady passed away at the age of 103.

One person whom Datin Aloyah and her husband (also a graduate of the University of Adelaide) continue to meet till today is Professor Charles Rowland Twidale, a specialist in granite forms, and one of their dearest friends. Theirs is a relationship sustained by reciprocal visits between Kuala Lumpur and Adelaide and an annual gift of five kilos of ground coffee from Muar, Johore - “The best in the world!” in Professor Twidale’s estimations. This eagerly anticipated gift is reportedly stowed in a freezer and rationed out to last the year.

Like Professor Twidale, many other academic staff made a huge impact on the lives of their students. Some even

changed the course of destiny. Professor Geoffrey Badger, who taught Organic Chemistry, realised the potential of one of his students and managed to switch her end career from being a school teacher to a university lecturer. Dr Huang Su Eng had planned to do a Diploma in Teaching after her Bachelor of Sciences, but because the Professor cleared the way for her to do postgraduate studies, she returned to Malaysia with a PhD in Chemistry in 1961. She helped establish the Chemistry Department at the University of Malaya and served there until her retirement.

The scholars had much admiration for their lecturers and tutors. Datuk Fateh Chand, former Director-General of the Department of Geological Surveys, continues to marvel at how his first year lecturers at the University of New South Wales brought the foundation subjects to life, laying down concepts and theories in such a way that he still remembers them vividly.

Datuk Dr Gopal Ayer Sreenevasan, Malaysia’s Father of Urology, has his college authorities to thank for enabling him to continue with what proved to be a sterling career. While preparing for his fourth year Medical exams, he received word that his father had passed away.

“My father was the one fi nancing my studies,” he says. “I remember, I got the news on a Sunday. I didn’t know what to do. I went to see the Master of my college (St Mark’s), Bob Lewis, who was incredibly kind. He went to the house of the immigration offi cer to sort out my visa. Meanwhile, his wife packed my bags for me, and I managed to come home.” The authorities at the university and St Mark’s then stepped in to ensure that Dr Sreeny (as he is fondly called) was able to return to complete his medical degree.

“It so happened that the Colombo Plan scholarships were announced around this time. They sent in their recommendations, and I managed to get the scholarship,” he explains. In fact, Dr Sreeny was among the very first batch of students from Malaysia to further their academic pursuits in Australia under the Colombo Plan scholarships.

How’re Ya Going, Mate?
The Malaysian Colombo Plan scholars had an advantage over other Southeast Asian students. They were products of a British education system, and were therefore able to speak and write English quite well. However, there was still a need to get used to the conventions of living in Western society – eating with a knife and fork; developing a taste for potatoes and pies; and coming to grips with the peculiar expressions and norms that are uniquely Australian. It took a while for some of them to realise that “tea-time” meant “dinner”, quite simply because Australians like to have their last meal for the day early. Or that, when someone asked: “How’re ya going, mate?” he did not necessarily want to know your preferred mode of transport!

All these have been life-enriching. No less impactful on the scholars was having to acquire the Australians’ high regard for punctuality, by no means an easy behavioural change for many Malaysians!

Call of the Outback
When in Australia, many Colombo Plan scholars did as Australians do. They took to the road. Summer holidays were spent on great adventures criss-crossing the vast Australian continent, where encounters with the wondrous wildlife added to the magic of travel and discovery.

Geoff Sauer, who interviewed a number of Colombo Plan scholars for a commemorative book produced in 2001, recounts his mix of amazement and horror at the trip organised by Tan Sri Dato’ Azman Hashim, now the Group Chairman of the AmBank Group of Companies, who was just 16 when he arrived in Perth in the mid 1950s to work as an articled clerk with Messrs O L Haines and Co.

One summer, Azman and friends piled into a Ford Consul and headed across the Nullarbor Plain, a journey of over 500 kilometres on desert roads. They travelled east to Kalgoorlie and Adelaide, then headed north through New South Wales to Toowoomba in Queensland. Southward bound to Sydney, they traversed the magnificent Blue Mountains, then made their way westward back to Perth, stopping in Melbourne and Adelaide on the way. This trip

undoubtedly generated enough stories to tell their children and grandchildren for a lifetime!

It was not just the male scholars who seized the offer of adventure. Students of Assunta Secondary School in Petaling Jaya will be impressed to know their former principal, Mrs Lim Siew Kwe, once journeyed into the heart of Australia to Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) and the opal mining colony of Coober Pedy as part of her Geography field experience. She also hitch-hiked through New Zealand on holiday, no small feat for a kampong girl from Batu Gagah, Malacca.

For those who graduated before 1960, the travel to and from Australia was an adventure in itself. Matron Zubaidah Dato’ Haji Mohd Said was one of the last students to return from Perth by ship. She travelled on the P&O liner Arcadia to Singapore, a trip that took about a week. Often, there would be other students on board too, and they kept each other occupied. That wasn’t very hard to do, as the cruisers themselves packed quite a hectic schedule for their passengers, including dances on the deck almost every night!

For students of biology and earth sciences, the rugged beauty of the Australian outback became their classroom. Forestry students spent much of their time in the bush and were even expected to undertake training stints during the holidays. This is how a young Dato’ Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor found himself alongside the Forest Department battling forest fires in Pemberton, Western Australia, in 1961.

Building Bridges Between Cultures
Members of Australian social organisations such as the Rotary Club, Lion’s Club, Jaycees and the Country Women’s Association hosted the scholars during their university breaks. These invitations were much appreciated as, often, it meant the opportunity to stay in spacious country homes, where the students got to taste rural life.

“Their gestures may have seemed inconsequential to them, but to me it meant the world to be accepted in a foreign land – to be made to feel part of Australia, and more than

just another face amid the sea of international students,” comments Anita Ho-Lai, who graduated from the University of New England in 1966.

No doubt, the chance to get to know a new culture was not lost on the Australian hosts either. Genuinely interested in Malaysia and Malaysians, many of them would ask their guests to give talks about their home country to the social clubs to which they belonged. This way, the Colombo Plan scholars contributed in their own way to improving bilateral understanding and respect.

For the Malaysian ambassadors, it was a time to think (perhaps for the fi rst time) of their heritage and sense of identity. “Sometimes, you discover more about yourself when you’re away from home. Pride in your heritage, and pride in your culture,” says Datuk Dr Rosti Saruwono, who studied Engineering at the University of Queensland. Today, he is Vice President of Education at PETRONAS, Malaysia’s national oil corporation.

Desirous of showing off some of their unique traditions, the young Malaysians introduced Merdeka Nights, which soon became a much anticipated feature on university calendars. The evenings provided a feast for the eyes, what with the Chinese lion dance, zapin, kuda kepang (types of Malay dance) and Indian classical dances. Many Colombo Plan students, boys included, had by now written home for their mothers’ best recipes and could competently serve up a Malaysian buffet to adventurous Australians and other curious international students. Needless to say, a taste for Malaysian food was sown, certainly one of the most important benefits of cultural diversity!

Because both parties made sincere efforts to get to know each other, with every passing year, and with each wave of new Malaysian students, there was less and less of an other-ness about the Malaysians. Instead, bonds of commonalities were formed – the ability to share a joke or prank, a love of sport, common interest in music and film, and the desire to own a car!

Love in the Tropic of Capricorn
They were young. They were innocent. Needless to say, they fell in love.

Many Colombo Plan scholars met their life partners in Australia. Lee Meng Kim was in his fi nal year at the University of Western Australia, Perth, in 1956, when he met his wife at a Christmas luncheon organised by the Perth Colombo Plan office. She was a trainee nurse, also under the Colombo Plan. All three of their children have since studied in Australia.

Pehin Sri Dr Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, the Chief Minister of Sarawak, met his wife Laila in Adelaide. Johor Chief Minister Dato’ Yusof Ghani and his wife Professor Dr Jamilah first met at the University of Queensland.

Some of these matches were formed between Malaysians and Australians. Architect Francis Wong, who trained in Adelaide, married Jane Chapman. Their daughter Penny also studied at the University of Adelaide, earning a degree in Law and Arts. She has since gone on to break new ground, first as a Member of Parliament for South Australia;

then in 2007, as the first Asian in the Cabinet. Senator Penny Wong is Australia’s Minister of Climate Change and Water. A proud moment for her father was when she acknowledged him in her maiden speech in 2002.

She said: “One thing my father always told me was this: They can take everything away from you, but they can’t take your education. For him, the opportunity to study that he was given, particularly the Colombo Plan scholarship to Australia, defined his life. It gave him opportunities he would never otherwise have had and enabled him to climb out of the poverty he experienced as a child in Malaysia. It is a large part of how I came to be here today.”

Representation and Leadership
Several Malaysian scholars were natural leaders – charming, eloquent and blessed with an easy way with others. The innate abilities of “stars” like these never fail to shine. In Australia, these exceptional students were recognised soon enough and promptly thrust by their peers into positions of responsibility and representation.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT
Sister Swan Bee Lee attending to two-day-old Tony Smith while doing specialist postgraduate training in midwifery, obstetrics and child welfare at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne, 1962.

Colombo Plan student Darwis bin Mohammed Daek and colleague Brian Hay examining accounts at the fi rm at which they were working, 1961. Darwis gained first place in the State of Victoria in the annual examinations of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.

Ivy Samuels teaching a preschool class in Melbourne as part of her practical training at Toorak Teachers’ College, under a Colombo Plan fellowship, 1957.

Yahya bin Ismail, of Johor Bahru, gained valuable experience while working at the Tasmanian Department of Agriculture. He graduated in Veterinary Science from the University of Sydney in 1957.

Loke Kah Foong, an Aeronautical Engineering student at the Royal Melbourne Technical College, obtaining practical experience at Trans-Australia Airlines’ workshops, 1957.

PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE NATIONAL
ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA

In 1954, a Malaysian Colombo Plan scholar studying Medicine at the University of Adelaide would become the fi rst Asian President of the Students’ Representative Council in any Australian university. He was the late Datuk Dr Sam Abraham, who went on to become a renowned paediatrician in Malaysia. Reporting on his election at the Council, Adelaide’s evening newspaper, The News, wrote:

“This is news of the utmost importance to Australia and to Australia’s neighbours. It will provide convincing proof for Asians at home of the truth of our assurances that their sons and daughters are not only gladly accepted but universally liked.”

Citizens of the World
Studying abroad; living and working in a developed country. All this proved invaluable to the Colombo Plan scholars. As prominent architect Hijjas Kasturi notes: “It was a holistic education, thorough and wholesome. It taught me about life, philosophy and humanity.”

For the scholars, it was the fi rst time they were meeting other young people of so many different nationalities. This in itself was a learning experience. As Dato’ Ir Lee Yee Cheong, a pioneer in electrical engineering, says: “The Australian education system broadened my horizons. I became involved in the United Nations Youth Association. It was then that my outlook became global, rather than just national. That was a legacy of my time in Australia.”

“Australia set a foundation for my whole life,” adds Dato’ Seri Dr Salleh Mohd Nor. During his time there, all advanced forestry students were based at the Australia Forestry

School in Canberra. “Burmese, Nigerians, Malaysians and Australians, we all lived together in a multicultural setting. I learned to value tolerance and to respect others. I also learned the importance of integrity, and to speak your mind without fear or favour.”

Homeward Bound
All too soon, this period of exploration and expansion of their social, spiritual and intellectual faculties would come to a close. And the Colombo Plan scholars returned home. Many were surprised to fi nd themselves as heartsick to leave Australia as when they fi rst left Malaysia. Yet, their homecoming for many was the start of another very exciting chapter in their lives. This was when they applied all they had absorbed from their time in Australia towards building their young nation.

What could possibly have been more challenging or rewarding?

 “If I had to pick one word to describe Dato’ Salleh, it would be ‘changemaker’.
Change-makers live demanding lives. There is a never-ending
queue at their door. They champion causes, take risks, make loyal
friends, infuriate rivals, and change the world around them.”
- DR FRANCIS S P NG, FOREST BOTANIST, FOREST RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF MALAYSIA

he was a tireless champion for conserving Peninsular Malaysia’s main range and the remaining pockets of forests threatened by exploitation and development.

Sustained advocacy has led to positive conservation policies in Endau Rompin, Belum and Taman Negara, and the setting up of nature education centres in Kuala Selangor

and Kemaman, among others. What is more, under the leadership of Dato’ Salleh, MNS has transformed from a scholarly society to a more activities-oriented organisation that is attracting a growing membership.

For his years of focused dedication, Dato’ Salleh received the very first Langkawi Award, a national tribute given to

When Datuk Fateh Chand returned to Malaysia with a degree in Geology from the University of New South Wales in 1964, he reported for duty at the Department of Geological Survey to inquire when he should commence work. “Right away,” he was told by the British officer in charge! Two days later, he was on his way to Kuala Terengganu to map the geology and mineral resources of the Ulu Paka area, covering a total of 1,200 square kilometres. To reach his destination, he had to cross five rivers by ferry.

“We were like pioneers. It was all primary jungle then, which we saw in its pristine state. The rivers were clean and teeming with fi sh. We would start out by following the streams where the best outcrops of rocks could be seen, and collect heavy mineral stream concentrates and silt sediments for assessing mineral potential. The mapping exercise generally involved shifting to a new campsite every day,” recalls the former Director-General of the Department of Geological Surveys.

Later, Datuk Fateh Chand served at the Economic Geology Division in Ipoh, which dealt with mineral exploration for base and precious metals and industrial minerals.

The Division contributed to the early Land Capability Classification Maps in which potential areas for forestry, mineral resources, water resources and agriculture were marked. The Mineral Resources Evaluation Maps, meanwhile, proved highly valuable as Malaysia at the time was exporting minerals, enjoying high returns on its investment, especially in tin.

Among his many contributions, Datuk Fateh Chand helped develop a National Mineral Policy, the Model State Mineral Enactment, the Federal Mineral Development Act and related legislation.

Now retired, Datuk Fateh Chand continues to promote the advancement of scientifi c knowledge. He is a council member of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, where he is involved in the evaluation of research and development projects under the Science Fund. He also sits on a number of committees in connection with climate change, energy, seismic and tsunami risk and natural hazards. Despite his background in earth sciences and mineral resources, Datuk Fateh Chand believes fervently that the country’s greatest resources are its people, and education is the means for mining the potential they hold.

Datuk Dr Gopal Ayer Sreenevasan was among the first students from Malaysia to further their academic pursuits in Australia under the Colombo Plan scholarships. But this was not his only, nor his most signifi cant, first. Dr Sreeny (as he is affectionately known) would soon become the country’s Father of Urology.

In the late 1950s, the surgical treatment of urological problems was not recognised as a discipline on its own.

There existed only general surgeons, and no specialists. “The consensus was that urology was a sub-unit of general surgery. But I maintained that so long as it was a sub-unit, it would be sub-standard and subservient, and that no progress would be made!” he says, with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

In order to specialise as a urologist, Dr Sreeny enrolled for a Masters in Surgery at the University of Liverpool, where

much groundbreaking work was being done. This was followed by Fellowships from the Colleges of Surgeons of England, Edinburgh, Ireland, Australia and America.

Dr Sreeny’s first major achievement was to set up a haemodialysis program at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital in 1964. In 1968, after much lobbying, he started a Urology Unit at the same hospital. At the time, a dear friend of the then Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman was suffering from chronic renal disease and had to travel all the way from Alor Setar, Kedah, to the General Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, for dialysis. When Tunku heard of Dr Sreeny’s proposal to start a Urology Unit, he gave it his full support. Then, in 1970, with the backing of the National Kidney Foundation and the Ministry of Health, Dr Sreeny established the Malaysian Institute of Urology and Nephrology. Under his leadership, the Institute became well-known as a national referral centre for urological and nephrological problems.

As a result of his years of dedication to the medical profession, and specifi cally to the advancement of urology, Dr Sreenevasan has received numerous accolades. At the Centenary of the University of Adelaide, he was honoured as a Distinguished Alumni. In April 2008, he was named an Honorary Fellow by St Mark’s College. He was also appointed a Hunterian Professor by the Royal College of Surgeons of England in 1973, and its Moynihan Lecturer in 1989.

Today, Dr Sreeny still runs a clinic every morning from Mondays to Saturdays at Pantai Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur. But, he is quick to add, what he does now is “offi ce urology”, not surgery. He need not worry though, for he has seen to it that there are a good number of urologists in Malaysia capable of providing the best surgical treatment to their patients.

Dr Roland Dom Mattu is not only the first Kelabit from the interior of Sarawak to become a medical doctor, he is also the fi rst indigenous graduate of medicine from the University of Western Australia (UWA).

The Kelabit Highlands are so cut off from mainstream life, it took two weeks to get to the closest town, Marudi, before air services began in 1960. Imagine then how important it was for this community of only a couple of thousand living on a mountainous plateau to have their very own doctor. Imagine also the weight of responsibility that this doctor had to bear!

As Dr Roland himself admits: “I was both excited and nervous when I graduated because, as the fi rst Kelabit doctor, I knew my community would have high expectations of me. In the old days, a doctor held the hope of life for our tribal people who were dying from malaria and tuberculosis at an early age. Many never made it to 50 years of age. My two younger sisters died from diphtheria.”

After graduating from UWA in 1976, Dr Roland served for 11 years as a Medical Offi cer with Shell. Observing the needs of the community, he was compelled to specialise in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. “Among the indigenous

groups, many women lost their lives in childbirth, and others, like my sister, lost their babies,” he explains. In 1992, Dr Roland became the fi rst Dayak member of the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Dr Roland could not have got to where he is today if not for two fortunate circumstances: the setting up of a school in the Kelabit Highlands after the Japanese Occupation (1941-1945); and the opportunity to study medicine at UWA, thanks to the Colombo Plan. Education, which so many take for granted today, was a privilege people in the highlands struggled to attain. The Pa Mein Primary School, which Dr Roland attended, was a good many hours’ walk from home. Even that was more accessible than his secondary school, which was in Marudi, a two-week journey by foot and boat! Most students from the remote villages at this school had no choice therefore but to board.

These struggles notwithstanding, Dr Roland says his life’s journey has been immensely rewarding. “Thanks to the extension of healthcare and medical services to rural indigenous people, a whole generation of old people are surviving to 70-80 to see their grandchildren, who are also surviving childhood illnesses.”

 

Sam with children who came to him under the Santul Project.

Sam also devoted much time to providing free medical service to marginalised groups, often roping in colleagues to visit rural communities without basic amenities. This led to the Sentul Project, in which doctors and medical students offered voluntary care to the urban poor. At his own clinic, Sam waived his fees for those who could not afford it.

His zest for community work is legendary. “He would rise early in the morning and zoom out the door,” recounts his

wife, Datin Dulcie Abraham, also a Colombo Plan scholar. “He believed strongly in helping those who needed help.”

When Sam passed away in 2007, a huge gathering of family, friends and well-wishers from all segments of society congregated at St Mary’s Cathedral, Kuala Lumpur, to bid farewell to this extraordinary man who touched so many lives. Always with others in mind, Sam had made one final request: for donations to Dignity and Services Advocacy for Persons with Learning Disorders instead of wreaths.

The four years that Gerald Lee spent at the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales, did not just equip him with the professional qualifications necessary to become a good educationist. They also taught him the soft skills of empathy and compassion – qualities that make for an excellent teacher and mentor.

While acknowledging the many outstanding features of the University of New England, Gerald also says it could get lonely there, high on the Northern Tablelands, during the semester breaks. The local students would go home, leaving those from overseas like Gerald to deal with the quiet and solitude. It was similar at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Marudi, the boarding school which Gerald joined as Principal in 1968. The school caters to students from the remote interior of Sarawak (such as fellow Colombo Plan scholar Dr Roland Dom Mattu). More than half the students are boarders, who have to overcome the emotional strain of being so far away from home. “It was the exposure and training I obtained in Australia that enabled me to be a confi dent and successful principal,” says Gerald.

Gerald appreciates the value of education, especially as four of his older siblings had to put a stop to their schooling in order to support the family when their father passed

away. Thanks to prompting by Brother Hilary, his Principal at St Joseph’s School in Kuching, Gerald applied for a Colombo Plan scholarship. It was a life-changing action.

One of the proudest moments in his 40-year career was returning to St Joseph’s – the second oldest mission school in Sarawak – as its Principal. In deference to the Lasallian brothers who served as principals before him, Gerald says: “They devoted their whole lives to education and had high standards. I had to live up to their expectations.”

In his 12-year tenure at St Joseph’s, Gerald spearheaded extensions to the school building and nurtured a strong school spirit which spurred students to excel both academically and through sports. In 2000, St Joseph’s was named the best school in the country. Since 2001, Gerald has been the Principal and, more recently, Chief Executive of the Lodge Group of schools, also in Kuching.

For his services to education, Gerald has received numerous awards from the state government. In 2007, he was conferred one of the highest national honours – the Tokoh Guru Kebangsaan (Most Exemplary Teacher) – by the Ministry of Education.

When Dulcie Abraham was barely seven, her mother took her to the primary school in Fraser’s Hill, Pahang, where she was born, to enrol the little girl. But she was unceremoniously turned away. “It was a school for white children and we were not welcome,” Dulcie explains. Her mother promptly moved to Kuala Lumpur so their children could go to school. This early experience has stayed in Dulcie’s mind, and contributed to a powerful conviction that everyone should have access to education, especially women.

Another educational setback came with the Japanese Occupation from 1941-1945, which halted formal education in Malaysia altogether. “Looking back, the most important thing in my life during the war years was that I had an educated mother, who was a great reader and who taught us all at home.” Her mother ensured that Dulcie and her siblings were not left behind by their lack of formal education.

“In the post-war period, we had to somehow bridge the gap and get our lives back together.” Forced to condense four years of formal education into just two, Dulcie obtained her Higher School Certifi cate and went on to pursue an Honours degree in English at the University of Malaya. With a Colombo Plan scholarship, she obtained a Diploma in Education in Sydney in 1956.

Arriving back in Malaysia in 1957, she was expected to start work immediately. “I was thrown straight into teacher training at a college in Kota Bahru. I was just horrified!” she recalls. In those days, it was a long journey involving many buses and ferries, to the capital of the north-eastern state of Kelantan. The teachers’ training college here was one

of two the Malaysian Government had just established to replace the role played by Kirkby and Brinsford Lodge in England. The other college was in Penang.

Her initial reservations notwithstanding, Dulcie now counts her years in Kota Bahru as one of the best periods of her life. “It was a tremendous learning experience, to be thrown into the deep end! I came to appreciate the wonderful, wonderful women of Kota Bahru, who impressed me with their strength, integrity and compassion. I was intensely committed to my work and, so, enjoyed it very much,” she enthuses.

Dulcie played a further role in teacher training and curriculum development in various postings in Penang, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru. The most fulfilling aspect of her career has been to prepare teachers from all over Malaysia – including Sabah and Sarawak – to teach English. “It was a very exciting time and I was glad to have had the opportunity to contribute,” says Dulcie.

After 30 years in education, Dulcie is able to look back with satisfaction at having helped to establish the national education system and extending the precious gift of education to all Malaysians.

Dulcie has also devoted considerable time and energy to another longstanding passion – championing the rights of women. A firm believer in equality, she has urged Malaysian women to push for fair treatment at work and at home. She has spoken and written widely on this topic and has been involved with the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) and the Asian Women Resource Centre for culture and theology (AWRC).

and illustrious career as an educationist, which led to his eventually taking on the role of Director of Education in the Federal Territory of Labuan. This was his last professional post before he retired in 2005.

The following year, the Sabah-Australia Alumni Association was set up. Not surprisingly, Athanasius plays a prominent role in it. So does his wife, Rokiah Abdul, a fellow Colombo Plan scholar. Both Athanasius and Rokiah are alumni of the University of Tasmania. Athanasius obtained a BA (Hons) in Political Science followed by a Diploma in Education, while Rokiah studied Pure Science.

Sabah has a signifi cant number of Australian alumni, perhaps because of the historically close relationship with

Athanasius’ own friendships formed from as early as his Tasmanian boarding school days continue till today. He still corresponds with Paul Picone, whom he has known since 1966 when the two were at St Virgil’s College, Hobart. He hopes to meet up with Paul and others from “the gang” at a school reunion in Tasmania in 2011.

Both he and Rokiah, who also keeps strong communication lines going with those she met and got to know in Tasmania, certainly live up to one of their mottos in life, one which they share with young students going off to study abroad: “Appreciate and reciprocate the goodwill you receive, and build bridges of empathy”.

Soon after Dato’ Hashim Salleh and his wife Datin Aloyah Hashim returned to Malaysia from Adelaide in 1967, they were enlisted by Tan Sri Dato’ Arshad Ayob in his effort to develop the MARA Institute of Technology (ITM). The legendary founding Director of ITM was tasked with extending education opportunities to a wider net of young people from the Malay and indigenous ethnic communities.

Dato’ Hashim had all the paper qualifi cations to set up ITM’s School of Engineering. He’d been a top Engineering student while studying for his Masters at the University of Adelaide. He was, moreover, among only a handful of Malaysians with an advanced degree. It didn’t matter that he was only 26, he was the man for the job! This entailed setting up the school, coordinating a merit course, and acting as the resident engineer in charge of supervising the construction of the new campus. It was exhausting, but Dato’ Hashim revelled in the challenge. “I like pioneering work, the sense of adventure, and proving naysayers and doubters wrong!” he says.

He went on to do more pioneering work when he was headhunted by PETRONAS in 1976, to help build an entire township to support oil and gas personnel based near the Kerteh Refi nery in Terengganu. Dato’ Hashim also had a hand in the construction of an onshore pipeline to bring natural gas to serve power stations in Peninsular Malaysia. The pipeline, completed in 1985, laid the foundation for the development of Malaysia’s petrochemical industry.

Datin Aloyah, meanwhile, served at ITM for over 20 years, mainly as a course tutor at the School of Architecture. A major responsibility was preparing non English speaking students from rural areas for university study. It has been immensely satisfying for her to see so many of her students enjoy successful careers in the government and private sectors.

Not many can claim to provide educational opportunities to people around the world. Datuk Dr Rosti Saruwono is one of the privileged few. The Vice President of PETRONAS’ Education Division is in charge of all the Malaysian oil corporation’s educational initiatives, which extend to countries where it has operations, like Egypt, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam. In some of these places, PETRONAS has set up Vocational Training Centres to prepare young people for various roles in the oil and gas industry.

Dr Rosti also oversees the Institut Teknologi Petroliam PETRONAS (INSTEP), a training centre to meet PETRONAS’ human resources needs, as well as Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), which offers engineering and technology courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. In addition, he steers all the community related educational programs of PETRONAS, including the provision of scholarships for degrees in other local and foreign universities.

Dr Rosti himself obtained his Bachelors in Engineering from the University of Queensland in 1973. Almost immediately, he was made Principal of the Industrial Training Institute of the Ministry of Labour and Manpower, where he supervised over 200 staff, many older than himself!

After adding an MBA and a PhD from the Henley Management College, Brunel University, United Kingdom, to his academic achievements, Dr Rosti was appointed in 1995 as Managing Director and CEO of the Institute of Technology PETRONAS Sdn Bhd, which became UTP. The university focuses on developing a highly skilled technical workforce for the country.

Given his familiarity with the Australian university system, links have been established between UTP and the University of Western Australia, Curtin University of Technology, the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia and the University of New South Wales, to name just a few.

For his contributions as a public administrator, academic and policy maker, Dr Rosti was named a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Queensland in 2007. As far as the modest educationist can see, however, he is just doing his job. One life-lesson he has gained from Australia is that anyone can make it, with hard work. Of course, having relevant qualifications helps a great deal!

If not for the Colombo Plan scholarship he received in 1963, Professor Datuk Hood Salleh would not be the colourful encyclopaedia on Malaysia’s indigenous communities that he is today. Speak to him for any length of time, and you are guaranteed to be regaled with tales of mystical practices of the Jah Het, Semelai, Jakun, and other orang asli (indigenous communities) who inhabit the interiors of Peninsular Malaysia’s dense jungles.

Indigenous communities have always piqued the interest of the Professor of Anthropology at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). Even as a student at the King George V Secondary School, Seremban, the young Hood would pore over books on anthropology, the social sciences and philosophical thought. When he got the opportunity to delve deeper into the area of anthropology under some of the leading minds in this subject at the University of Western Australia (UWA), he certainly did not let the opportunity slip.

“Anthropology was not being taught in Malaysia at the time. In fact, I was one of the first lecturers in the subject when I came back to Malaysia in 1969. I helped start the department at UKM and, later, at UM (University of Malaya) when it was setting up its sociology unit,” he says. “In those days, most people studied engineering, medicine, accountancy and technical subjects. The social sciences were not very popular.”

Yet, going off the beaten track, as it were, has paid off handsomely for this academic adventurer. Because of the singularity of his interest, Professor Hood received a scholarship from UKM to further his anthropological studies at St Catherine’s, University of Oxford, where he did a Bachelor of Philosophy and a Doctor of Philosophy. While pursuing the latter, he spent nine months with the Semelai of Tasik Bera, in Pahang. This sealed his commitment to the study of fringe ethnic communities.

“I discovered the best way to study indigenous communities is to actually live with them, learn their language and their customs. And this is precisely what I did with the Semelai. There is so much we can learn from them – their medicinal practices, their union with the land, even their spells!” he enthuses. “There was one man, a Jah Het, who had a spell for practically everything, for rain, for illness, for happiness and safety”

Spellbound himself, Professor Hood has helped to create a better understanding of indigenous communities not only here in Malaysia, but also across the seas. He established the chair for Malay Studies at the Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, in 1997, disseminating knowledge on Malay civilisation and culture. Today, he is creating academic links with his alma mater UWA and also with Charles Darwin University, in the Northern Territory.

The Iban ethnic group of Sarawak has a unique cultural observance – it places importance on bejalai. Bejalai simply means “to walk” in Iban, but what it refers to are the traditional epic journeys young Ibans are expected to take upon reaching adulthood. This rite of passage allows Iban men to prove themselves before they take their place in the community.

When Dr Peter Kedit received a Colombo Plan scholarship to study journalism at the University of Queensland in 1965, it marked the beginning of his modern day bejalai. The experience awakened a desire to further explore the study of man, and Peter stayed on in Queensland to collect further degrees in Anthropology and Sociology.

The indigenous peoples of Sarawak, coupled with its wondrous jungles, have held a romantic fascination for visitors to Borneo from the time of its White Rajahs. In fact, much of the early writing on Sarawak’s diverse ethnic groups has been by outsiders looking in, often highlighting the morbid and macabre. Sarawakians were in need of documentation that accurately represented the essence of their cultural beliefs and practices. This is where Peter’s contribution came in.

When Peter returned to Kuching, he took on the role of Government Ethnologist for the Sarawak Museum. This gave him the opportunity to undertake research in

ethnography, cultural policies and development. He also supervised numerous postgraduate researchers working towards their PhDs. Peter himself eventually obtained a PhD in 1988 from the University of Sydney. His thesis, which has been published as a book, featured a study of Iban bejalai in Malaysia’s changing society.

In his own bejalai, Peter has more than adequately proven his worth. In addition to paving the way for other local ethnographers and promoting an appreciation of Sarawak’s ethnic diversity, Peter also provided critical input on the impact of proposed development projects on tribal communities.

Peter eventually became Director of the Sarawak Museum, responsible for all the museums, heritage sites and antiquities in the state. He helped to draft, and subsequently enact, the Sarawak Cultural Heritage Ordinance of 1993 to strengthen cultural heritage protection. He also served on the Editorial Advisory Board for the 14-volume Encyclopaedia of Malaysia, an ambitious and impressive undertaking that produced reference materials on the country.

Now retired from government service, Peter continues to promote understanding of culture and change as Senior Advisor to the Tun Jugah Foundation.

Australia will always have a special place in Ramli Ibrahim’s heart. It was here that he recognised his true calling to dance. It was also at an event organised by the Australian High Commission in 1983 that Ramli made his debut performance in Kuala Lumpur. That same year, he founded Sutra Dance Theatre, one of Malaysia’s most exciting and innovative dance institutions.

Despite excelling in dance and art as a child, Ramli was a strong student and, while at the Royal Military College, earned a Colombo Plan scholarship to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Western Australia in Perth. Life at university was gruelling. After a full day of classes, he would train for hours at the Western Australia Ballet. Upon graduating, he auditioned for the Australian Ballet School in Melbourne and obtained a scholarship to do a two-year diploma. Finally, he was able to focus solely on dance.

This investment paid off in 1977 when he was accepted into the Sydney Dance Company, the foremost contemporary dance company in Australia which was then helmed by renowned artistic director Graeme Murphy. For six years, he toured with the company all over the world. It was during this period that he was able to develop as a solo Indian classical dancer. “In the early eighties, there was a flowering of the arts in Sydney, which was energised by enlightened

policies that celebrated broad-based cultural perspectives. There was ready support to send a young Malaysian dancer to study Indian classical dance in India.”

With the support of the Australia Council for the Arts, Ramli spent a year in Orissa immersed in Odissi, a form of dance which dates back to 200 BC. Since then, he has won international acclaim for infusing new life and imagination into this ancient art form, winning admiration and acceptance even from aficionados in India.

Ramli is convinced of the importance of following one’s passion. It is only by doing so that one is able to “contribute to a larger cause”. He himself has made a mark, not only for himself but also the nation, by producing works of astounding beauty that transcend the boundaries of race and culture.

Sutra Dance Theatre, meanwhile, has become an internationally recognised dance school, nurturing generations of outstanding dancers of all races. For his contributions, Ramli received a Fulbright Distinguished Artist Award in 1999 and was recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards in 2003.

As a young boy, he would go to the USIS (United States Information Service) library to read books on architecture. The designs caught his imagination. One day, Hijjas Kasturi thought to himself, he too would create beautiful buildings. And he was prepared to do it the hard way.

Hijjas was born into a family that was far from well-off. As a student, he worked nights binding newspapers. Yet, he did well academically, and won a scholarship to Raffles Institute, one of the top schools in Singapore. After leaving Raffles, he got a job as a draughtsman at the Singapore Housing Trust. At the same time, he went to night school to study for his A Levels. Later, he embarked on a correspondence course in architecture, as none of the local colleges offered courses in this area.

The turning point came when he heard about the Colombo Plan scholarships. He applied for one and, in 1958, was among only three Singaporeans chosen.

His time in Australia was one of exploration, discovery and great intellectual stimulation. It was here that Hijjas was introduced to art, literature, music, dance and sport. “It was the best time of my life,” he says. “There was freedom in every sense. You could say anything you liked, go anywhere, so long as you worked hard. Australia taught me self-reliance and hard work!”

Upon finishing his Bachelor of Architecture and Diploma in Town and Regional Planning, fi rst at the University of Adelaide, then at the University of Melbourne, Hijjas worked briefly with the Singapore Housing and Development Board

Menara Telekom, inspired by the pucuk rebung (bamboo shoot), is a classic example of how East can meet West, and lend immense beauty to our world in the process!

as an architect-planner. “But then I was offered a teaching post at the MARA Institute of Technology in Kuala Lumpur, and I accepted,” he says.

He did not just teach at MARA, however. Hijjas in fact set up a School of Art and Architecture, the first of its kind in the country. Lecturers were brought in from Australia, the UK, all round the world. Once this was established, he felt an irresistible pull towards architectural practice. Thus architectural firm, Akitek Bersekutu was born, a partnership between Hijjas and another Australian graduate.

Kuala Lumpur in the mid-1960s was provincial. Looking out of his current office on the twenty-third floor of Menara Promet (one of several buildings in the city he has designed), he says: “The grounds of all these highrise buildings were just bungalows. It was just after independence and Malaysia was trying to find her own feet. The emphasis was on creating racial harmony and nation building. It was only in the seventies that the economy started to grow, and there was a need for more buildings.”

And more buildings Hijjas certainly did design! A good number of Kuala Lumpur’s architectural landmarks can be attributed to him – from the hourglass Wisma Tabung Haji to Menara Telekom, the energy-effi cient Securities Commission to the Putrajaya Convention Centre. Needless to say, Hijjas acknowledges the huge role his education in Australia has played in shaping his approach towards space, light and architecture. “It was a holistic education, thorough and wholesome. It taught me about life, philosophy and humanity.”

Most importantly, his time in Australia allowed him to “contribute something to the nation, and not just earn a

living”. On reflection, he says: “Creating a new tomorrow. That’s my contribution to the country.”

Rimbun Dahan and the AustralianConnection Hijjas Kasturi and his Australian wife Angela run an artists’ residency program at their beautiful home, Rimbun Dahan, which sits in a 14 acre garden showcasing native plants and trees. They have studios and kampong-style accommodation for their visiting artists. Since 1994, more than 30 visual artists have enjoyed year-long stays at Rimbun Dahan.

“The idea is to give an opportunity to Australian and Malaysian artists to have the time they need to concentrate on their inner pursuits. I felt, this way, I could repay Australia for my education, and Malaysia for the opportunities it has given me,” explains Hijjas. “Also, the Australian and Malaysian artists would be able to exchange ideas while pursuing their art. We’re hoping they will eventually form a network.”

At the end of the year, an exhibition is held of both artists’ works. In addition, some of the Malaysians have gone on to have an Australian experience, either in residencies or by having shows.

Through this program, Hijjas maintains close links with the country that exposed him to the world of art. At the same time, it forges many new relationships between young Malaysians and Australians, thus strengthening ties between the two nations which were formed more than 50 years ago.

V Kukathas (better known as K Das) started out studying engineering in Sri Lanka but changed to pursue a career in the arts after a year. While working at Radio Television Malaya (RTM), he was given a Colombo Plan scholarship to undertake a Bachelors in English Literature at Melbourne University.

Back in Malaysia, he returned to RTM as head of programming in the English Department. While writing short stories and humorous radio plays, he joined forces with his close friend, the playwright laureate Syed Alwi, to take over the Malaysian Arts Theatre Group and nurture a specifically Malayan theatre. His play All the Perfumes was the first production of the newly re-formed group. He went on to write Lela Mayang, which became a university text. K Das was also an actor, his most notable performance being that of a railway stationmaster in Syed Alwi’s play Tok Perak and film Going North. Playing the role of a tranquil stationmaster who doesn’t go anywhere, but who feels responsible for the trains running on time, appealed to his sense of humour!

K Das later spent nine years with the Foreign Service during which he was posted to Australia and Hong Kong. He left the Foreign Service to work for the Hong Kong-based Far Eastern Economic Review. He eventually became Bureau Chief and quickly earned a reputation as an incisive journalist.

He left the magazine following various confrontations with the Mahathir administration, and set up his own independent publishing fi rm K.Das Ink.

His first two books – The Musa Dilemma and Malay Dominance – became bestsellers. His books on the judicial crisis, May Day for Justice and Questionable Conduct, were remarkable at a time when many were silent on major political issues of the day. He approached these with intellectual rigour and a keen sense of humour. One of his favourite publications was a book of cartoons and quotations, The Things They Say About Politicians and The Things Politicians Say About Things, a collaboration with the cartoonist Kit Leee (now Antares).

He continued to write on racial polarisation, human rights and political and social problems in Malaysia until his death in 1993 of brain cancer. Some years after, fellow writer Dr Kua Kia Soong published The Tunku Tapes, an unfinished work culled from hundreds of hours of interviews K Das had conducted with Malaysia’s first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Although he built his reputation as a political writer, he was primarily a poet and patriot who yearned for a more free state. One that would allow for greater freedom of expression.

His life and work were defi ning for his daughter Jo Kukathas, who went on to follow in K Das’ footsteps as an actor and writer. She founded The Instant Cafe Theatre Company, best known for its satirical political humour. In writing or mentoring new writers, she draws inspiration

Two friends who shared the same room living with the same Australian family while studying at the same university, also shared a couple of passions: being livewires, and providing power to the people!

Ir CP Chong and Dato’ Ir Lee Yee Cheong, who completed their Bachelors in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering respectively, at the University of Adelaide, were always at the centre of student activities, even volunteering to fill sandbags when the Murray River threatened to flood the

town of Renmark. When they returned to Malaysia in 1961, the powerhouse duo expended their energies to provide electricity to all of Malaysia.

They spent close to two decades at the National Electricity Board. Dato’ Lee became the Deputy Chief Engineer in charge of Systems Operations while CP became Station Superintendent of the Tuanku Jaafar Power Station, the largest power plant at the time.

In 1980, they set up their own highly charged company, Tenaga Ewbank Preece (M) Sdn Bhd, in partnership with UK-based Ewbank Consulting Engineers. Following a merger in 1993, this became KTA Tenaga Sdn Bhd, which provided the engineering component of high-profile projects such as the Putra World Trade Centre, PETRONAS Twin Towers, parts of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and the sprawling Genting Highlands hotel and recreation complex. KTA Tenaga has also handled major power generation and distribution projects and the development of new townships and industrial parks, roads, highways and bridges.

Dato’ Lee eventually became a partner in Ewbank Preece Consulting Engineers, the UK holding company. He was Managing Director of its Far East holding company in Hong Kong and director of joint venture companies in Australia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia and Thailand. He also served

Connecting People with People
Education is not just about picking up a piece of paper, but making an impact on the people you come into contact with,” says CP.

Ever charming and genuinely interested in others, CP and Dato’ Lee were often seen riding down to the airport in Adelaide on their trusty scooter, to welcome international students from Malaysia and elsewhere. Their “job” would not end there. They would go to great lengths to make sure these newcomers settled in nicely. As the founder members of the Colombo Plan Students Association, CP and Dato’ Lee organised a trip for five Australian students to visit Southeast Asia at the end of 1956. CP accompanied the students on their sea voyage from Perth to Singapore; thereafter they were hosted by the governments of Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

as President of the World Federation of Engineering Organisations (2003-2005); and President of the ASEAN Federation of Engineering Organisations (AFEO). He is a patron of the International Young Professionals Foundation; a member of the International Advisory Board of Engineers Without Borders, Canada; and a member of the Board of Trustees of Engineers Against Poverty, United Kingdom.

In Malaysia, he is a Senior Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, a director of UMW Holdings Berhad, and a member of the Energy Commission. He has been conferred several Malaysian state awards for his services to engineering.

CP Chong maintains an advisory role at KTA Tenaga and is an Alternate Director at YTL Power International Berhad, a Technical Advisor to Sarawak Power Generation Sdn Bhd, and is involved in the Chinese Chamber of CommerceSouth Australia.

Back in Malaysia, CP and Dato’ Lee believed strongly that there was no reason why alumni had to be restricted to individual universities. Hence, in 1996, they organised the groundbreaking Malaysian Australian Alumni Convention in Kuala Lumpur. The convention participants decided that they should expand into a wider network of Australian alumni.

The first Australian Universities International Alumni Convention (AUIAC) was held in Adelaide in 1998, and every two years subsequently. The event has enjoyed much success under the leadership of its joint patrons – the Governor General of Australia and Pehin Sri Dr Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud, the Chief Minister of Sarawak, an alumnus of the University of Adelaide and President of the Malaysian Australian Foundation. In 2008, a grand convention took place in Singapore with the theme Futuropolis: The Way Ahead Through Alumni Connections.

Taking on Global Issues
At university, Dato’ Lee got involved with the United Nations Youth Association. Ever since, he has maintained a keen interest in global issues. He served as co-chair of the Science, Technology and Innovation Task Force of the United Nations Millennium Project between 2002 and 2005. One area of particular interest is poverty reduction. Having himself experienced the benefi ts of the Colombo Plan, he has actively lobbied for a similar program to lift Africa out of its financial quagmire.

Dato’ Lee is also a member of the Senior Advisor Panel of the United Nations Global Alliance for ICT and Development. “The 21st century is about a knowledgebased global economy and it depends on the young. One of the things I advocate is that universities in developing countries should nurture undergraduate business incubators. If they are successful, graduates actually create jobs and do not just join the job queue!” he enthuses.

Dato’ Lee is a member of the Commission on Education for International Development Professionals at Columbia University’s Earth Institute. Chaired by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, the commission is developing a curriculum to nurture development workers with a broad knowledge base that includes economics and fi nance, natural and earth sciences, engineering and sociology.

He feels much can be learned from the Canadian Engineers Without Borders (EWB) program which sends young engineers off to international aid organisations. “By working with Oxfam and World Vision, they learn about the situation on the ground, and whatever they have helped build can be maintained. Firsthand experience in places where needs are great is more powerful than statistics at communicating the plight of the poor,” he says.

Guardian of Shareholder Rights
Abdul Wahab Jaafar Sidek cuts a formidable figure in the financial world. Where he walks, corporate bigwigs take notice! Abdul Wahab is CEO of the Minority Shareholders Watchdog Group (MSWG), and has been since its incorporation as a public company in 2001, the same year the Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance became partof the Listing Rules for the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.

His role not only increases the confidence of the average Malaysian investor, but also that of foreign fund managers who are attracted by the stability afforded by an environment of heightened corporate governance. Part of Abdul Wahab’s responsibility is to educate the public on their rights as minority shareholders in companies. Another part is to enforce a sense of integrity among the directors and management of public-listed companies. Under his leadership, the MSWG has established itself as a credible capital market institution that provides valuable information

to investors while generating income by conducting projects which include various annual fi nancial surveys. He is regularly seen at shareholder meetings and quoted in the press.

A top scholar at the prestigious Federation Military College (now Royal Military College), Abdul Wahab obtained a Colombo Plan scholarship in 1968 to do a Bachelor of Commerce, specialising in accounting, at the University of Newcastle (upon Hunter, he explains, to distinguish it from the university in the United Kingdom, which is upon Tyne!). This was followed by an articleship in a Sydney firm for a further five years. Following his return to Malaysia in 1975, his career culminated in him being Senior Partner of a leading Malaysian chartered accountancy firm.

Datuk Mohd Zain Mohamed Yusuf was a final year Colombo Plan student at the University of Western Australia when he was headhunted by the Shell Group of Companies as a management trainee. “Shell was expanding rapidly during this period in Malaysia and was looking for talented young Malaysians. Thus the opportunity came my way to be offered scholarship and employment with them,” he says.

Datuk Zain went on to enjoy a highly successful career at Shell Malaysia and had a stint working overseas in

Australian counterpart, the Australia Malaysia Business Council (AMBC).

Highlighting an increase in business activities between the two countries in the last few years, Datuk Zain says: “Australian businesses in diverse sectors are now cognisant of the many ‘Malaysian advantages’ – namely political stability, good infrastructure, relatively low costs and attractive government incentives. MABC intends to continue its efforts to promote and strengthen constructive bilateral ties with greater sense of pride, purpose, energy and enthusiasm.”

Tan Sri Dato’ Azman Hashim, Group Chairman of the AmBank Group of Companies, was one of 13 children in a family from Kampung Baru, a Malay village in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. But he was special. He had a talent with numbers. This won him a Colombo Plan scholarship at age 16, to train at Messrs OL Haines and Co in Perth. He joined the firm in 1955 and, in 1960, qualified as a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Secretary. All this before the age of 21.

After four years with Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia), Tan Sri Azman formed his own practice which eventually grew to become Azman Wong Salleh & Co (Chartered Accountants), a highly respected firm today. He joined the Board of Malayan Banking Berhad in 1966 and was made Executive Director from 1971 to 1980. After a

two-year stint with Kwong Yik Bank, he became Chairman of the AmBank Group, and Executive Chairman of Amcorp Group and several of its subsidiaries.

His accolades are too numerous to mention. They include awards and commendations from the Sultan of Selangor and His Majesty the King, and Honorary Doctorates from two Malaysian universities. Asian Finance magazine named him Asia’s Banker of the Year in 1985.

His ties with Australia remain strong and Tan Sri Azman also serves as treasurer of the Malaysia-Australia Foundation. In addition, he is a trustee for several foundations assisting worthy causes, including AmGroup’s own Foundation.

Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Aziz bin Haji Taha has the distinction of being the only Colombo Plan scholar to have headed the country’s most important fi nancial institution: the national bank. As the third Governor of Bank Negara Malaysia (Central Bank of Malaysia) from 1980-1985, his signature can be found on all notes issued by the bank during this period!

Today Chairman of the Malaysia Deposit Insurance Corporation (PIDM), Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Aziz plays a key role in protecting consumer deposits and promoting sound risk management to contribute to the stability of the financial system in Malaysia.

Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Aziz is also Chairman of the Capital Issues Committee and a partner of Messrs Kassim Chan & Co/Deloitte Haskins & Sells Malaysia. His contributions to the nation are many and varied. Among the more significant roles he has taken on is that of helping shape the future of Malaysia. This he does as a member of the National Development Planning Council and Foreign Investment Committee.

Tan Sri Dato’ Abdul Aziz was a Colombo Plan scholar who pursued his articleship at Messrs Young and Outhwaite Chartered Accountants in Melbourne.

Tan Sri Dato’ Mohd Desa Pachi did his articleship with Messrs Young and Outhwaite Chartered Accountants in Melbourne between 1955 and 1961. He has held many influential positions in Malaysia’s fi nancial landscape, but the one role of which he is particularly proud, is that of General Manager and CEO of Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) and Amanah Saham Nasional Bhd (ASNB) between 1978 and 1982.

The ASN Scheme which he helped develop promotes the equity holding of Bumiputra Malaysians (Malays and indigenous ethnic communities) in blue chip companies. It has helped many of modest income to fortify their financial standing through investment. Initially established with a Government allocation of RM200 million, today the PNB group manages Bumiputra unit trust funds of RM80 billion and an investment portfolio of approximately RM100 billion.

“The response of the Bumiputra public from all walks of life, and the effect it had on the lives of the Bumiputra as a whole, is testimony to the success of the scheme, which is

unique,” says Tan Sri Desa Pachi, who continues to serve as a Director on the ASNB Board.

Tan Sri Desa Pachi was Executive Chairman of the Malaysian Mining Corporation Bhd Group of Companies, which was the largest tin mining company in the world in the early 1980s. He also made major contributions to media and broadcasting in Malaysia between 1985 and 1990. He was Chairman and Group Chief Executive of Fleet Group Sdn Bhd and helmed The New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd as its Chief Executive.

He also helped establish TV3, Malaysia’s first private television channel, the holdings company of which has gone on to be listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange.

In addition, Tan Sri Desa Pachi served as Chairman of Commerce Assets Holdings Berhad (now known as Bumiputra Commerce Holding Berhad), the holding company of CIMB Bank Berhad, from 1982 until his retirement in 2006.

HIV among injecting drug users averages around 25 per cent.”

Dr Adeeba spent her year-long Masters in Public Health program at the National Centre of HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research (NCHECR), affiliated to the University of New South Wales through its Faculty of Medicine. Over the last two decades, the centre has focused on viral transmissions, as well as therapeutic and preventive effectiveness. Its major strength lies in bringing together teams from different disciplines to address key epidemiological and clinical research questions.

Dr Adeeba’s course provided skills and insights involving epidemiology, biostatistics and other methods applicable to expanding the reach and impact of intervention strategies. Upon returning to Malaysia in 1997, she established the

at Monash University, Melbourne, and subsequently pursued her training in internal medicine and infectious diseases through the Australasian College of Medicine. Fond memories of her undergraduate and postgraduate years obviously infl uenced her decision to pursue her Masters in Australia.

Of the guidance and mentorship offered by senior doctors, and their easy camaraderie, she says: “They were good teachers, totally dedicated and passionate about what they did. Young doctors were always encouraged to voice their ideas and opinions within a nurturing learning environment. I think what I gained most from Australia was to be more inquiring and not afraid of asking questions.”

The fight to control the spread of HIV/AIDS is necessarily a global one and requires the talent and contributions

Infectious Diseases Unit at the University of Malaya. In 2006, she took the helm of the Malaysian AIDS Council, where she has been vocal about the need for high standards of professionalism in the care and treatment meted out to those being treated for, and at risk of, HIV/AIDS. It is critical, she maintains, to ensure those engaged in high-risk behaviour use available precautions that could save their lives and contain the spread of the disease.

“We should be non-judgemental and non-discriminatory. Our personal values should be put aside and we should be balanced when we address the topic. It's important for people in my profession not to forget their scientific training and allow their personal beliefs to cloud their perspective,” she stresses.

Going to Sydney for her Masters was a homecoming of sorts for Dr Adeeba. She did her initial training in Medicine

of researchers working in different national contexts. Dr Adeeba is playing her part by maintaining active links with the NCHECR through its extensive research network. “We’re currently doing a clinical trial on an HIV treatment regime with the NCHECR and hope to collaborate on another research project soon. In fact, we’re expecting one of the senior researchers from NCHECR to conduct a workshop here later this year.”

Aside from this, Dr Adeeba is collaborating with counterparts at the University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, in studying how the immunity of HIV patients builds up again following treatment. “My UWA colleagues are world leaders in this fi eld and we are very fortunate to be able to work with them on this. We have student exchanges from and to Perth, and several joint publications have emerged from this collaboration.”

Dr Azam Mohd Nor, who confesses to being fascinated by cardiology, was training in heart-related complications among newborns and children at the National Heart Institute, Malaysia, when the opportunity to do a fellowship in Australia came up in 2003. “This was the fi rst time an Australian scholarship was being given to a clinician as opposed to an academic. For me, of course, it was a godsend!” says Dr Azam.

The fellowship being offered involved training for a year under some of the top names in paediatric cardiology in Sydney – at the Westmead Hospital and the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, the latter an acknowledged centre for children’s health and paediatric teaching. “There are no exams at the end of it; you just train under the supervision of consultants,” explains Dr Azam.

“It was a very different kind of training from being in a university environment. You work in the hospitals. You’re part of the working team. You go into the clinics and see

patients. But you’re also supervised at the same time. As far as I was concerned, it was a fantastic grooming period. It taught me the finer aspects of cardiology.”

Because there are only a handful of paediatric cardiologists in Malaysia, Dr Azam’s training has added tremendously to the knowledge base and skills available in the country for the treatment of children with heart-related diseases. These are, surprisingly, more common than one would suppose. “One in 400 babies is born with a congenital heart defect, which is actually quite high. In fact, it’s the highest type of congenital abnormality that you will see,” says Dr Azam. “Fortunately, most babies will get better on their own, without any treatment.”

Because organs, bones and tissues in newborns continue to develop, certain aberrations such as holes in the heart can heal naturally. Some of the other congenital heart diseases seen in babies include abnormal valves,

acquired heart lesions and Kawasaki disease. This used to be contained in Japan and Korea, but is now becoming more widespread, occurring in a greater number of Asian countries.

Of the experience he gained in Australia, Dr Azam is particularly thrilled about being exposed to surgical procedures that are being carried out there, which are not yet conducted in Malaysia. This includes unifocalisation of the pulmonary arteries, performed on patients in which blood to the lungs is supplied by numerous small pulmonary arteries rather than the usual two main arteries.

The objective of the surgery is to connect these small blood vessels into a main artery, hence the term unifocalisation. “It is a complicated procedure and the post-operative care

can be demanding. But the outcome of the surgery there (in Australia) is good,” he says.

“Another example is the arterial switch, also a complex surgery. We started doing the procedure in Malaysia five or six years ago, while Australian cardiologists have been performing it for much longer,” says Dr Azam. “Because they’ve been doing it for a while, they get to see the children they operate on growing up and are able to detect any complications as they arise.”

Upon returning to Malaysia, Dr Azam continued to lecture at Universiti Pertanian Malaysia for four years. Today, he is a Consultant Paediatrician / Paediatric Cardiologist at Pantai Medical Centre, one of the leading private hospitals in Malaysia.

Anyone with a passion for marine systems would be in their element in Australia’s Northern Territory, one of the world’s hottest beds of wetlands diversity. The territory has the largest area of mangroves in Australia – important breeding, feeding and nursery habitats for a range of marine and freshwater species. What could be more fascinating for a Malaysian expert in tropical marine ecosystems with an interest in aquaculture?

Nothing, as Professor Dr Saleem Mustafa will attest! As a Visiting Scientist to Charles Darwin University, located at the Top End of the Northern Territory, Professor Saleem collaborated with counterparts to research marine shrimp aquaculture. The university boasts a successful shrimp hatchery, managed by its School of Science and Primary Industries. The study yielded valuable insights and perspectives on organic shrimp aquaculture that have proven to be relevant in both Australian and Malaysian contexts.

“What interested me most was the sustainable management of marine resources. This is something we in Sabah are trying to implement. As tourism and aquaculture are growing, it’s essential that we ensure development does not damage the very ecosystem on which it depends,” says the Director of Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) at Universiti Malaysia Sabah.

Sabah, the second largest Malaysian state, boasts a coastline of slightly more than 1,800 kilometres. The astounding diversity found within these marine ecosystems is comparable to that of Borneo’s celebrated rainforests. The sustainability of Sabah’s marine resources is vital to the state as well as its many coastal communities. Already, there is a heavy focus on the captive breeding of commercially important food fi sh species and marine invertebrates such as tiger prawns and sea cucumbers.

The BMRI, for its part, is investigating the possibility of sea farming as a means of raising the income levels of poor fishing communities. It is here that academic cooperation with similar institutions across the world comes in handy. The BMRI’s educational links with Australia are particularly strong and, as Professor Saleem will no doubt ensure, these will keep growing.

During his year at Charles Darwin, Professor Saleem made the most of being able to exchange ideas and knowledge with staff and students, attend lectures by visiting scholars, and participate in stimulating academic discourse. Of his experience, he says: “Australia provides great opportunities for advancing one’s scientifi c career. What’s more, scholars from Malaysia will feel quite at home living and working in Australia. There’s a strong basis for academics from the two

countries to foster professional links to research problems of common interest due to the similarities between Malaysia and Australia’s wet tropics.”

Professor Saleem’s family, who accompanied him during his stay in Australia, appreciated many aspects of life in Australia including the primary education system. His son, Ashraf, thoroughly enjoyed his year at Darwin’s Nightcliff Primary School.

“The plurality of cultures, a congenial and peaceful social environment, effi cient services, good communication, public awareness, civic sense, recreational facilities and mwonderful nature reserves and parks made for an enjoyable time in Australia,” says Professor Saleem.

Chin Tat Jun’s resume resounds with words and terminology that would have him appear to come from another planet. The fact is, he is a genius with the computer and does things, intuitively it would seem, that are way over the head of the average person. Make sense, if you will, of the two titles he has contributed to the artificial intelligence world: Out-of-Sample Extrapolation of Learned Manifolds and Incremental Kernel Principal Component Analysis.

In layman’s terms, what he does is produce software that allows for face identification.

Tat Jun’s interest in artificial intelligence arose from the time he was an Electrical Engineering undergraduate at University Technology Malaysia (UTM), where his natural

Explaining this, he adds: “Dimensionality reduction allows us to compress and identify the important variations in a series of images, for example a video of a moving head of a person. This allows us to model visual phenomena in an efficient manner.”

And the practical implications of such mind-boggling technology? According to Tat Jun, “the applications include face recognition, handwritten digit image recognition and object tracking”.

From face recognition, Tat Jun has moved on to bigger subjects. Today a research fellow with the Singapore-based Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), known for research and development in information, communications and

aptitude for all manner of equations and deductions earned him the best undergraduate student award in the state of Penang (2001), the Agilent Technologies Undergraduate Scholarship Award (2002) and UTM’s Vice-Chancellor’s Award (2003).

In 2004, Tat Jun capped this hat-trick by receiving the Australia-Asia Award to do a Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Engineering at Monash University, Melbourne.

“Monash University’s Clayton Campus has a very reputable institute for robotics and artifi cial intelligence. Based on my experience as an engineer before I went to Australia, I felt this field would be the way to go in the future,” he says. “My thesis explored the concept of dimensionality reduction for processing images.”

media (ICM) technologies, he is involved in a project that uses mobile phones to identify places. “The goal is to have a mobile augmented reality (MAR) system,” he says.

This would enable, for example, tourists to point their mobile cameras at buildings and have these hand-held devices inform them not only what building it is but also the facilities and services that can be found in it! “The potential for this software is enormous. It could be used as an interactive education tool, as well as for interactive advertisements,” adds Tat Jun.

While working on this cutting-edge technology, the wunderkind is also doing a Masters in Statistics and Applied Probability at the National University of Singapore part-time. One can only wonder at the kinds of new inventions he will get involved in next!

It’s About Respect for One Another

DR ANNA CHRISTINA ABDULLAH
ENDEAVOUR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP 2007
MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

When the School of Education at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, decided to offer a degree in preschool education, they looked at Anna Christina Abdullah to lead the way. With a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction already under her belt, she took on the challenge by embarking on a PhD researching the social and emotional development of children. This led to an interest in the way children of different ethnic backgrounds interact with one another.

“I think trying to get Malaysian youth to mix with their peers of different races when they are older, as in the National Service program, can be regarded as a little too late. Learning to respect those who are different from you should really start right at the beginning, in early education,” says

Dr Anna. Her quest is all the more personal as she herself is of very mixed parentage. Her mother has Portuguese, Chinese, Malay and Spanish ancestry, while her father is of Punjabi-Thai descent. To add to the cultural potpourri, Dr Anna’s husband is Malay Muslim of Javanese and Thai- Chinese lineage!

When she was offered an Endeavour Research Fellowship in 2007 to further her study of multiculturalism in preschool education, Dr Anna was delighted. “Australian society is even more diverse than ours. What’s more, they respect this diversity in the classroom; and this attitude is infused throughout the education system… even in the curriculum. Teachers have to commit to it, in terms of their behaviour

and the way they interact with the children,” she explains. “If children have problems adjusting to school, parents can come in, bring things from home, read stories in their own language…”

Dr Anna spent two months at Macquarie University, Sydney, and another two months at the University of Queensland, in Brisbane. This was in preparation for a study of Malaysian preschools to see what provisions are being made to

nurture a multicultural environment. “Only by knowing what the situation is can we make recommendations to improve the curriculum and teacher training,” she observes.

Eventually, she would like to collaborate with her colleagues in Australia and Japan to create workable programs. “It’s very easy to change technology, but it takes a long time to change people,” she notes, without showing any sign of being deterred by the challenge!

Helping Students With Dyslexia Learn

LEE LAY WAH
ENDEAVOUR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP 2007
MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

which boasts an established program designed to help children struggling to read.

“I was heavily involved with the MULTILIT (Making Up Lost Time in Literacy) Research Unit directed by Professor Kevin Wheldall. The unit focuses on a systematic scientific inquiry into how best to meet the instructional needs of students struggling to read,” explains Lee. While at Macquarie, she was also introduced to initiatives in training teachers and parents to help educate children with reading disabilities.

Lee got her answer while doing research as a lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia. “I realised these students had dyslexia. In order to learn more about reading and dyslexia, I sought out training in dyslexia intervention. I fi nally chose to do a PhD on the diagnosis of children with dyslexia in the Malay language,” she says.

Lee has found that the cognitive defi cits underlying dyslexia are similar across both English and Malay. This means methods used to overcome the problem among English speakers can be applied and adapted to those for whom the medium of instruction is Malay. Upon receiving an Endeavour Research Fellowship in 2007, Lee seized the opportunity to study at Sydney’s Macquarie University,

“I hope to establish a similar research unit at Universiti Sains Malaysia, to spearhead research and development in dyslexia and other reading disabilities in Malaysia,” says Lee, who has already designed a MALAYLIT reading program tailor-made to meeting the needs of Malaysian children. She is now evaluating its effectiveness, with the help of her Australian counterparts.

One of the challenges of working with children with dyslexia is accepting both their strengths and weaknesses. “They have their good days and their bad days, and it’s not because they are lazy or because they are playing the fool when they can’t get it right,” explains Lee.

Quest for a Cure

DR WONG POOI FONG
ENDEAVOUR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
MATER MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (MMRI), QUEENSLAND

“The institute hopes to start clinical trials on a therapeutic vaccine against multiple myeloma. The treatment aims to stimulate the immune system to fight the cancer in much the same way it would a cold or flu,” says Dr Wong.

Dr Wong obtained her Bachelors in Biomedical Science, Masters in Virology (dengue studies) and PhD in Oncology from the University of Malaya (UM). “I wanted to further equip myself with knowledge and research techniques

What’s more, she is working with one of the leading names in cancer treatment – Professor Derek Hart – who discovered a type of immune cell (dendritic cells) which holds promise for a cancer vaccine.

The cancer Dr Wong is currently researching is multiple myeloma, the second most prevalent blood cancer after non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The Mater Medical Research Institution (MMRI), which Professor Hart founded and towhich Dr Wong is attached, is a leading centre for research in this highly specialised area.

on cell biology, particularly on the role of cell signalling transduction in cancer. As some viruses lead to cancer, I hope to integrate virus, cancer and immunological aspects in my future research,” she says. This will be back at UM, from where she will continue to collaborate with colleagues at MMRI and build links with other internationally renowned cancer research facilities.

Researchers at MMRI have also started the first phase of clinical trials for a therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine, and a novel technique for bone marrow transplants.

Unravelling the Stories Behind Traditional Asian Textiles

CHEAH HWEI-FE’N
ENDEAVOUR POSTGRADUATE AWARD 2006
PHD IN ART HISTORY (METALLIC THREAD EMBROIDERY OF PENINSULAR MALAYSIA)
THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Cheah Hwei-Fe’n used to be an investment banker. Today she is pursuing a PhD in textile history – more specifically, in Malaysian metallic thread embroidery – at the Australian National University. “I was always interested in Asian art,” she says. “I even took a one-year joint course with Sotheby’s and the University of London’s School of Oriental and Asian Studies. But I didn’t think I would make a career out of it.”

That was until she was offered an Endeavour Award in 2006, a life-changing moment if ever there was one! “The Museum of Asian Art at the University of Malaya was my host institution in Malaysia during the Endeavour fellowship and my stay there allowed me to examine their collection closely as well as other public and private collections in Malaysia,” she says.

She then continued her studies in Australia. Why Australia, one may ask? Simple. “Australian researchers are among the leaders in the field of Southeast Asian textiles; and art galleries in Australia, particularly the National Gallery of Australia, have given me access to an excellent collection of materials,” explains Hwei-Fe’n.

In the final year of her doctorate, Hwei-Fe’n was given the opportunity to teach Asian art history. “Teaching, for me, is a way to share my enthusiasm for Asian art, through which we can see the historical and cultural interactions that have taken place, and the innovativeness and creativity of people across Asia.”

Once she returns to Malaysia, she will continue with her research into Malaysian embroidery, an important part of Malaysia’s rich cultural heritage.

Greater Hope for Kidney Patients

ENG HOOI SIAN
ENDEAVOUR MALAYSIA AWARD 2006
PHD IN MEDICINE (TRANSPLANTATION IMMUNOLOGY)
THE UNIVERSITY OF ADELAIDE

Kidney transplants are the last hope for patients with kidney failure. Even so, there is no guarantee that the transplant will be successful. The body reacts to the donated kidney as if it were a foreign body to be fought and expelled, sometimes immediately, sometimes over a period of time.

Eng Hooi Sian is interested in the more complex mechanisms that trigger the body’s defense mechanism to reject donated kidneys, so as to reduce this outcome. “I’m studying antibodies associated with the rejection of renal allografts (transplant of kidney tissue).

“The Endeavour Award is extremely important to me as it’s my main source of financial support. Being in Australia has

enabled me to learn new technology and become familiar with their national transplant program,” says Hooi Sian.

Malaysia can certainly look forward to further groundbreaking contributions from Hooi Sian, whose Transplant Immunology team at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital is already making waves in Australia. In 2007, the team received two awards: the Young Investigator Award by the Transplantation Society of Australia and New Zealand; and the Kidney Health Australia Award for the Best Clinical Science Presentation by the Australia and New Zealand Society of Nephrology (ANZSN).

Hooi Sian’s academic record prior to the 2006 Endeavour Awards is just as impressive. After high school in Penang, she received a Kuok Foundation Scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Hons) at University of Malaya’s Faculty of Medicine. Later, she was presented with a National Science Fellowship from the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to do a Masters in Medical Science (Pharmacogenetics).

Working on the frontiers of medical research in the compatibility of grafts, the genetics of immunology and

the study of kidneys is taking Hooi Sian places. She has presented papers and attended conferences on related topics in Minnesota, Bangkok, Queensland, Canberra and Perth. And everywhere she goes, she creates new grooves for Malaysia to contribute towards the global effort toimprove the lives of kidney patients.

“Upon my return, I look forward to furthering my career in medical research to promote organ donation and contribute to the national transplant program,” she says.

Perfecting the Drill

AVINASH KISHORE KUMAR
ENDEAVOUR MALAYSIA AWARD 2008
MASTERS IN PETROLEUM ENGINEERING
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

In the high-cost, high-risk environment of the oil and gas industry, no expense is spared to get things right. Companies spend millions on research and development in order to perfect their technologies, methodologies and operations. PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd (PCSB), the exploration and production arm of Malaysia’s national oil corporation PETRONAS, is fortunate, however. Its drilling engineer Avinash Kishore Kumar is being trained in the latest offshore applications under an Australian Government scholarship.

“In terms of drilling to the source, many companies, including PETRONAS, are using newer and more expensive rigs that have better delivery in more hostile environments. They’re also using the latest technology in equipment and top personnel,” he explains. “But most important is that there is continuous effort to improve the next drilling

operation based on the mistakes of the previous one, as the expenditure incurred per offshore well is astronomical.”

Avinash is pursuing a Masters in Petroleum Engineering at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. The Endeavour scholarship means being away for three semesters from PCSB, but Avinash is committed to making a stronger contribution to the industry when he returns.

“At UNSW, importance is given to projects that highlight actual industry needs. There is a focus on practical application and an understanding that not everything is about getting the perfect answer, but instead getting the methodology right.”

While in Australia, Avinash is also learning a lesson or two on “walking the talk on environmental issues”. All very essential for an oil and gas man!

Taking the Rocket out of Science

TEE SHIAO EEK
ENDEAVOUR MALAYSIA AWARD 2007
MASTERS IN SCIENCE, COMMUNICATION AND SOCIETY
THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

communicator to understand these dynamics, and to reconcile any differences.

Shiao Eek’s Masters involves studying the historical, sociological, political and ethical aspects of communicating scientific issues to the public. This is Shiao Eek’s second

“Science is such a huge part of our everyday lives. It’s in what we buy, eat, breathe, use, drive…so it is increasingly important for people to understand the choices that are available to them, and their responsibilities in engaging with science,” explains the award-winning science writer from Malaysia’s daily, The Star.

Unfortunately, scientists themselves do not communicate their ideas effectively. For example, she says, doctors will write about the risks of contracting diseases in statistical terms, but “people can’t make the connection with statistics, and don’t see the relevance of something they believe won’t affect them”. It is the job of the science

academic qualification from Australia. She first completed a Bachelors in Mass Communication at Curtin University of Technology, Perth.

After her Masters, Shiao Eek hopes to enter the health or science communication sector, either in media or corporate affairs. “My studies have provided me with insights into the way people perceive and accept science and technology in their daily lives,” she says. “This allows me to anticipate public concerns and contribute to the communication of scientific issues more effectively.”

The Writer Change-Agent

KEITH LEONG
ENDEAVOUR MALAYSIA AWARD 2007
MASTERS IN CREATIVE WRITING
THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

Keith Leong, like Tee Shiao Eek, intends to use his writing skills to effect meaningful change. In his case, he’d like to contribute to an intellectual liberalisation as Malaysian society matures. “This includes ideas about the importance of integration, openness and liberal democracy,” he elaborates.

Keith received an Endeavour Malaysia Award in 2007 to pursue a Masters in Creative Writing at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney. Like Shiao Eek, this was his second degree from Australia. He had earlier completed a Bachelor of Arts in English and Sociology, graduating with distinction, also at UNSW.

diversity. “Hard work is respected, but exploitation is not, and the less fortunate members of society are cared for. These are some of the core values that make the country great,” he explained.

During his time at the residential Goldstein College, Keith became quite involved in student activities as a food director, alumni director and publications director.

Upon returning to Malaysia after his Masters, he has joined a local think tank as a researcher. However, his heart lies in educating young minds. “I will return to academia one day, but I would also like to explore other fields, like policy work

Academically, Keith found the environment at UNSW both laidback yet challenging. He liked the fact that “free discourse as well as intellectual curiosity are not just allowed, but actively encouraged”.

More than that, living in Australia – away from home and family for the fi rst time – was an eye-opener in so many ways. While learning to fend for himself, he also embraced a whole new culture. Keith found a natural affinity for the open, tolerant and friendly Aussie culture which celebrates

and analysis, simply for the experience. This will no doubt benefit the students who come my way in the future,” he explains.

Looking back on his Australian experience with fond memories, his advice to future scholars is: “Try everything. Get to know the people. Don’t chain yourself to your desk or coop yourself up in your room. You’re there to study, of course, but having fun makes your academic success all the sweeter.”

Mad About Nature

BENJAMIN LOH
ENDEAVOUR MALAYSIA AWARD 2008
MASTERS IN APPLIED SCIENCE (PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT)
JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY

Concerned about the future sustainability of our natural environment, Benjamin Loh is keen on doing something about it. For two years, he was part of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) team that, together with residents’ groups and concerned citizens, lobbied for the protection of one of the green lungs of rapidly developing Kuala Lumpur: the Kota Damansara Forest. Originally spanning 4,000 acres, this forest has shrunk to 850 acres. Nevertheless, it still contains a rich variety of flora, including the majestic Meranti-Keruing tree typical of lowland Malaysian forests.

In addition, Benjamin is an active member of MENGOs (the Malaysian Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations), a partnership of 20 groups engaged in environmental and biodiversity issues. MENGOs is funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). With the organisation, Benjamin has been involved in initiatives to empower indigenous communities and create greater gender awareness.

Right now, the conservationist is in his element. James Cook University (JCU), where Benjamin is pursuing his

Masters in Applied Science (Protected Area Management), is close to two natural heritage sites recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientifi c and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO). They are the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics.

“The management of these two sites makes for excellent case studies,” says Benjamin. “Good management practices are crucial not just for conservation, but also for how they shape human values. It is important to achieve a balance between these two needs to develop a sustainable future.”

He intends to use the management knowledge he acquires at JCU to establish an effective action plan for Malaysia’s protected areas, targeting social issues in addition to environmental ones. “Malaysia can learn much from Australia’s advanced environmental practices,” says Benjamin.

Deciphering the Language Code

NAGINDER KAUR
ENDEAVOUR MALAYSIA AWARD 2008
RESEARCH TOWARDS A PHD
UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY

English Language lecturer Naginder Kaur has been troubled by one constant observation during her 17 years of teaching – Malaysian students have very limited English vocabularies. “This in turn impedes their ability in the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, hence poor performance in the MUET (Malaysian University English Test),” she says.

Her disquiet led to research on vocabulary acquisition. Naginder, a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Perlis, has even written a MUET book on how learners can be helped to expand their vocabulary. “A significant contribution of my study is the development of an instrument which quantitatively gauges learner autonomy in learning lexical items,” she says.

With her Endeavour scholarship, Naginder is based at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) where she is researching the methods used by English as Second Language learners in Australia to acquire new words.

“Australia is a wonderful country for study and research and also offers many wonderful opportunities for recreation and travel,” she says.

Upon returning to UiTM, she will continue her doctoral study on learner autonomy in vocabulary acquisition. At the same time, she will push for the inclusion of a specific vocabulary learning program in the Malaysian English Language teaching curriculum.

Seeing the Light!

TOMMY WONG ZII LING
ENDEAVOUR MALAYSIA AWARD 2008
PHD IN ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIOR ARCHITECTURE
CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

As a child, Tommy Wong Zii Ling used to try to “catch” light. “In fact, I still do!” he admits with a laugh. “With or without light, I see many beautiful things – from our very own pasar malam (night markets) to Perth city’s reflection in the Swan River at night; from the fireflies of Kuala Selangor to beautiful fireworks on a dark but clear night sky.”

Tommy, recipient of the Endeavour Malaysia Award 2008 to do a PhD in Architecture and Interior Architecture, is inspired by architects Louis I Kahn, Tadao Ando, Maya Lin and Philippe Rahm, as well as contemporary artists such as James Turrell, Dan Flavin and Robert Irwin… all of whom place great importance on the role of light.

“Extensive research has been done on the relationship between form and space, but limited studies have been conducted on the use of light to form architectural elements such as columns, stairs and walls, which are usually considered as the physical elements of architecture,” says Tommy.

“My research question specifi cally asks: Can light be used as a raw material to create architectural elements? And if light can be used to create such architectural elements, how can these elements be made? Most importantly, I would like to fi nd out what role such light-based elements could play in creating a new formation, experience and perception of architecture.”

As esoteric as this may sound, Tommy is confident of receiving all the support he needs from Curtin University of Technology, Perth, where he is pursuing his thesis on The Exploration of Light in the Formation of Architectural Elements. It was here also that he did his first double degree, a Bachelor of Applied Science and Bachelor of Architecture.

“I specifi cally chose Curtin to pursue my PhD because, apart from providing excellent research facilities and resources, the lecturers are very inspiring. And the School of Architecture is very supportive of what I’m currently researching and teaching,” says Tommy.

In his view, Perth has one of the best atmospheric conditions to study light at night, and Australia in general encourages avant garde ideas in art and architecture. “It has provided a universal platform for emerging and established artists and designers to express contemporary thought and timeless motion. I will have the opportunity to exchange a lot of new ideas from this.”

Following his PhD program, Tommy plans to return to Malaysia to increase awareness and appreciation of the art of architecture, “creating a new public perception of what building is all about”.

Mapping the Way Forward

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ABDUL RASHID MOHAMED SHARIFF
ENDEAVOUR EXECUTIVE AWARD 2008
GIS AND SPATIAL MODELLING SYSTEMS
THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE AND THE UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA

Associate Professor Dr Abdul Rashid Mohamed Shariff is full of surprises. Firstly, according to him, land surveys are useful to medical administrators trying to contain diseases, such as dengue. Then, he adds, land surveys can also be used to control pests on farmlands.

To be more accurate, it is not the land surveys themselves, but the geographic information systems (GIS) used for these that have such wide-ranging applications. And Dr Rashid is a leading expert on GIS in Malaysia. Based at

since been published, adding to a total of over 50 journal publications he has either authored or co-authored.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr Rashid received the Excellent Scientist Award from the Ministry of Higher Education in 2005.

Dr Rashid began as a surveyor with the Ministry of Land and Regional Development, Malaysia. He then took the lead in adopting computer assisted land survey systems

Universiti Putra Malaysia, in Serdang, Selangor, Dr Rashid is Program Head for GIS and Spatial Modelling at the Institute of Advanced Technology. His main focus is the application of land and spatial information to problems ranging from disease and resource management to land use and precision farming.

A gifted teacher, Dr Rashid has nurtured several crops of successful PhD and Masters students. Despite his considerable teaching duties, he manages to find time for original research. His more recent studies have been on the Application of Remote Sensing and GIS on Dengue Epidemic Surveillance and The Automated Identification and Counting of Pests in Paddy Fields. This research has

while at the National Survey and Mapping Headquarters. Dr Rashid went on to obtain a Masters in Science in Cadastre and Land Information Management from the University of East London, and a PhD in Spatial Information Science and Engineering from the University of Maine, USA. He has served as Malaysia’s national representative to the International Geographical Union Commission on Geographical Information Science (IGU-UGI) since 2005.

With the current Endeavour award, Dr Rashid plans to tap into the expertise of the University of Canberra and the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Geographical Information Systems and Modelling to improve resource and land management practices in Malaysia.

In 2008, a total of 31 Australian undergraduate students travelled to various host institutions in Malaysia as part of the Endeavour and UMAP Student Exchange Programs, while 40 Malaysian undergraduates made their way to selected Australian universities.

Among the Malaysian exchange students to Australia was a batch of fi nal-year engineers from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The students, each from a different state in Peninsular Malaysia, were travelling to Australia for the first time. Their destination: the University

of South Australia (UniSA), which is highly respected for innovation in engineering.

According to Professor Dr Sano Koutoub Moustapha, IIUM’s Deputy Rector of Internationalisation and Innovation, both institutions had identified areas of shared interest that can be developed together through these exchanges. He said the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two universities paved the way for greater collaboration in different academic disciplines. IIUM already has plans to send a further eight students from its medical

campus in Kuantan for a six-week internship in Australia in 2009 to gain practical experience in palliative care.

ENGINEERING INNOVATION
The Malaysian exchange students at UniSA have benefited greatly from the program. They have been given the opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the kind of technological innovation produced at Australian tertiary institutions. One impressive example is the development of energy efficient vehicles for the future – enter the first twoseater renewable energy vehicle or Trev!

This three-wheeled vehicle was driven from Darwin to Adelaide in the 2007 World Solar Challenge and completed the journey of 3,020 kilometres in just over six days.

The cost? Only A$33 worth of electricity from renewable sources – solar, wind and hydro.

Trev can reportedly do up to 150 kilometres of city driving before it needs recharging, less than 20 per cent of the energy required by conventional vehicles. In re-imagining and engineering a green vehicle for urban commuting, Trev’s designers have utilised materials to reduce the weight of the vehicle while ensuring it is fully compliant with official road safety regulations.

Enhanced aerodynamism and energy-effi cient tyres, brakes and suspension are part of the overall package to help ensure a lighter environmental footprint!

Doing Things Differently

James E R Unsworth
ENDEAVOUR MALAYSIA AWARD 2006
MASTERS OF HUMAN SCIENCES (POLITICAL SCIENCE)
INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA

After returning to Australia, James did a double degree – a BA in International Relations and Religious Studies and a Bachelor of Social Science in Development – at the University of Queensland, Brisbane. He then spent a year in the Australian Public Service in Canberra, following which he completed a Diploma in Education. This was when he became aware of the Endeavour Awards, which would allow him to study in Malaysia.

“I had the great fortune of studying at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM),” he says. James did a Masters of Human Sciences (Political Science) at this educational establishment which has the distinction of

being the only Islamic university in the world where the medium of instruction and administration is English. Lending to its international outlook, the university has students from more than 90 countries.

“Among the professors are some of the greatest minds in academia. Professor Dr Abdul Rashid Moten, who taught me the Islamization of Political Science and Methods of Political Enquiry, is one of the most knowledgeable people I know. And one of the best teachers,” says James.

He points out that there are many similarities between tertiary institutions in Australia and Malaysia, but it is in our differences that we create our true learning. “While at IIUM, I dressed differently. I spoke differently. I ate differently. I sat differently. I studied differently… But most importantly, I began to think differently.”

By way of explanation, he adds that at university in Queensland, some of the students did not even wear shoes, while at IIUM there is actually a dress code. “That made you think, about why you had to wear certain clothes. Also, in the canteen, men and women were segregated. So we sat differently and it changed your mindset. Being in a classroom with students from Sudan, Somalia and Pakistan, you get a very different perspective of the conflicts in the world. All of these have contributed to my coming to a new way of thinking.”

Having left IIUM, James continues to enrich Malaysian-Australian ties, and promote greater understanding of the two national cultures, by teaching at the Australian International School in Kuala Lumpur.

Learning a Language in an Open Classroom

Huw Hunt
ENDEAVOUR EXCHANGE 2008
ASIAN STUDIES, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND BAHASA INDONESIA
UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

Huw Hunt had so much fun during his 11-month high school student exchange stint in Malaysia, he wanted to come back. Now at university, Huw is taking the Endeavour Exchange opportunity to spend a semester at the Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, where he is furthering his education in Asian Studies, International Relations and Bahasa Indonesia.

“The best thing about living and studying in Malaysia is being able to meet locals and practise my Malay,” he says. Being physically immersed in the local culture also provides Huw with first-hand knowledge of contemporary Malaysian society, which is one of the areas he is studying. This sort of “lesson” is something Huw could never get in a classroom, be it in Australia or Malaysia.

“My interest in Asian studies began with Indonesian class in primary school. I continued Indonesian class through to the end of high school and so the interest grew,” explains Huw. Eventually, he would like to put his knowledge of Asia and its people to use in serving the joint cause of the environment and native people of Southeast Asia. “As countries in the region go through extreme change, these two suffer the most. Increasing Australian engagement with people in the region is also something I’d like to encourage,” says Huw.

“I’ve changed in many ways since the first time I came to Malaysia. I’ve become more accepting of differences, for example, but at the same time more certain of my position on issues. I also appreciate where I come from more, having been away from it.”

Steps to Healing, and Living with Disability

Dr Narelle Warren
ENDEAVOUR RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP 2008
UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA

While surgeons consider their duty done once their patients undergo successful surgery, Dr Narelle Warren continues with the care afterwards. The psychosocial researcher is interested in providing emotional and social support to patients to hasten the recovery process.

Her work on the rehabilitation of amputees has already made its mark. “We found that there is a need for psychosocial support to be provided to all amputees, not just the younger ones or those who have experienced a traumatic amputation,” says the Research Fellow at Monash University’s School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine. “This research has been taken on board by quality of life specialists.”

Dr Warren is in Malaysia to deepen her understanding of rehabilitation and living with disabilities. Although based at Sunway Medical Centre, she will be working closely with Dato’ Dr Zaliha Omar, a rehabilitation specialist from

University of Malaya’s Faculty of Medicine, who founded the Malaysia Information Network on Disabilities (MIND), an online resource for Malaysians living with disability.

“What I will do is build upon my previous research on rehabilitation and women’s health. I plan to focus on medical device surgery (such as hip or knee replacement),” she says.

Women’s health is another area close to her heart. While working part-time on a PhD, she assisted in a number of research projects at the Key Centre for Women’s Health in Society, at the University of Melbourne. Her PhD research was based on the experiences of ageing among women in a small, isolated community in Victoria, and has important implications for health promotion among rural women in general.

From Perth to Penang, and the Rest of Southeast Asia

Anneka Bunt
ENDEAVOUR EXCHANGE 2008
UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

Anneka Bunt, who hails from Perth, is in her third year of a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Western Australia, where she is majoring in Political Science and Anthropology. She was motivated to become an exchange student at Universiti Sains Malaysia for a semester in 2008, by her interest in studying sociology in a Southeast Asian context.

As a student of sociology, Anneka found that one of the best elements of Penang is its central location as a launching point to visit other parts of Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

“I have always loved travelling, so combining my studies with the opportunity to travel in a very different country from my own sounded like a great idea to me.”

“Since being here at USM, I have learned a lot about Malaysian culture, and how the different ethnicities interact and coexist. I enjoy trying new foods, especially at local restaurants and stalls in Penang. The variety of food is amazing!” she enthuses.

“It has been wonderful to meet and become friends with local students as well as other international students on exchange.”

‘An Experience That Changed My Life’

Siaan Matthews
ENDEAVOUR POSTGRADUATE AWARD 2007
RESEARCH TOWARDS PHD
UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA

“In 2007, I received an Endeavour Award for PhD fieldwork in Malaysia on the Australia-Malaysia bilateral relationship. In both academic and personal terms, this Award changed my life.

In academic terms, the Award enabled me to become successfully integrated into the Malaysian research community. I was based with the Institute of Public Policy and Management (INPUMA) at the University of Malaya, and it was a pleasure to work in such a supportive academic environment.

The Award opened doors for me in many important ways. The respect shown for this Award in Malaysia allowed me to participate in a wide range of academic events. I participated in the Fifth International Convention of Asian Scholars and the first high-level Malaysia-Australia Colloquium held in August 2007. The event, jointly organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) and the Australia-Malaysia Institute, brought together Australian and Malaysian diplomats, representatives from government ministries and agencies, research institutes, the private sector and the media.

I was also involved in organising the International Conference on Democratisation and Good Governance in the Malaysian Public Sector. For my research, I was able

to speak to senior civil servants and opinion leaders at the highest level. My PhD now incorporates insights and views offered by directors-general of some of Malaysia’s key ministries.

My experience in Malaysia was also life-changing at a personal level. I met my future husband in Malaysia, and we are now married. This marriage brings family, cultural, linguistic and an infi nite number of other lifelong Malaysian ties! The Endeavour Award has brought with it a myriad of personal changes, from new family to new friends and new food to new faith.

Now living in Australia, I often reflect back on my Award experience. The Award was the perfect academic opportunity. With the support and contacts made in Malaysia, I am assured that my research is of the highest calibre. Moreover, with the additional experience gained from the Award, I’ve now taken a lecturing position for a course on Malaysia at the Australian National University.

I am also organising several Malaysia-related conferences and am very much looking forward to seeing my Malaysian colleagues ‘Down Under’! These activities, together with my ongoing research, will ensure I continue to remain part of the Malaysian academic community.”

Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia Penny Williams with the 2008 Endeavour Award recipients

Of course, this kind of understanding can come about by other means too. Many Malaysians, particularly those in North Borneo, remember how Australians sacrificed their lives to help fi ght the Japanese during the Second World War. Later, when Malaysia was under threat of communism in the 1960s, Australian troops were deployed once again in the country, changing considerably the image Malaysians had of Australians in a positive way. Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam, President of Transparency International, remembers this period quite distinctly. “The arrival of Australian troops to help defeat militant communism and confrontation, and the rising number of Malaysian students going to Australia, helped Malaysians realise that white Australians were decent people after all!” he says.

Also, if students from Australian universities are not able to go to Asia, then Asia can be brought to their doors. As a result of increasing interaction with their Asian neighbours, Australians are showing more interest in learning Asian languages and studying Asiatic cultures, politics and history. Reflecting this, most Australian universities today have either an Asian studies research school, department, institute or centre.

In addition to creating stronger social and cultural ties, international scholarships fulfi ll another very important function: that of promoting research collaboration and synergies.

Research Collaboration
Over the decades of Australian Government scholarships, the country’s education relationship with Malaysia has matured immensely. Initially, it was crucial for Malaysia, and other Asian countries, to invest in their human capital for development purposes. Most of these Asian countries did not have enough seats in their own universities to educate the numbers required, hence the scholarships offered were primarily for undergraduate studies. As more local Asian universities came into being, the need was not so much for undergraduate programs, but those at higher levels. In response, Australia stepped in to offer postgraduate scholarships.

Beginning with the Australia-Asia Awards and now continuing with the Endeavour Awards, these postgraduate scholarships provide Malaysian students access to a wealth of research resources. Scientists have been able to train under world experts in immunology, cardiology, disease management, aquaculture, artifi cial intelligence, kidney transplants, nature conservation and management, drilling technology and cancer treatment. Educationists have benefited from proven methodologies in dyslexia intervention, early cultural integration and deciphering language learning rules. Even the more esoteric interests of Malaysians have been catered for, such as the potential use of light as an architectural element!

These are but some of the areas in which Malaysian academics have been able to further their postgraduate study. It is by no means an exhaustive list.

This is an exciting time in the bilateral relationship between Australia and Malaysia. Increased postgraduate enrolments across a range of fields is leading to the development of long-term and sustainable research partnerships between universities in the two countries. No longer is Australia primarily providing a helping hand to a neighbour in need. Today, Australia and Malaysia are embarking on a genuine partnership, with a commitment to work together to meet the region’s emerging research priorities.

Over and above the research identified in this publication, Australian and Malaysian researchers have collaborated in coral reef and mangrove projects, nuclear science, medicine, Antarctic studies, indigenous studies and exercise and sports science. Meanwhile, plans are in the pipeline for longer term collaboration in health science, education, biotechnology, agriculture, engineering and environmental management. These exciting areas of endeavour, and the possibilities that their joint exploration will reveal, serve to pave the way for greater individual and institutional interaction between researchers in both nations.

Australian Student Mobility
Another corollary of the mature relationship that links Australian and Malaysian academia is greater focus by the Australian Government on encouraging Australians to broaden their academic horizons in Malaysia. The Endeavour Awards have had a particularly strong impact in this area. A number of Australian students are choosing to expand and apply their knowledge in the Malaysian environment. Australians studying medicine, Islamic finance, engineering, journalism, psychology and nursing are beginning to benefit from the same experiences that thousands of Malaysian students have had before the