Dato’ Lee and Datin Joanne Wong joining the YAA recipients on stage for a group photo after the award presentation ceremony.

IOI’s charity foundation, IOI Foundation (formerly known as Yayasan Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng), has awarded 129 top students with trophies, certificates and cash prizes at its 20^th Young Achievers’ Awards (YAA) presentation ceremony held at Palm Garden Hotel, IOI Resort City.

The event brought together IOI employees and their high-achieving children from IOI Corporation Berhad’s (IOIC) subsidiaries in Peninsular Malaysia including those from HQ, Klang Valley, IOI Estates, IOI Oleochemical Industries Berhad in Penang, IOI Pan-Century in Johor, and IOI Properties Group Berhad. A total of RM56,100 was disbursed to these students who sat for their UPSR, PT3, O-Levels, SPM, A-Levels and STPM in 2018.

Trustee of IOI Foundation (formerly known as Yayasan Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng)-cum-IOIC Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Dato’ Lee Yeow Chor and IOI Foundation (formerly known as Yayasan Tan Sri Lee Shin Cheng) Executive Director Datin Joanne Wong graced the occasion to present YAA trophies and certificates to the students.

In his opening speech, Dato’ Lee credited the proud parents for their support and congratulated the students’ for their dedication to excel. His message to the young achievers, “Education is an investment that you are making for yourself in order to attain a brighter future, and it is the key to success in any endeavour. When you embrace qualities such as hard work, perseverance and determination, you are shaping your own future.” Beaming smiles and pride filled the hall, when parents witnessed their children walking away with their awards.

Meanwhile, Ms Lai Xuan Yi, the winner of the A-Levels Gold Award shared her tips for success. Effective time management and discipline had enabled her to performed well in both examination and extra-curricular activities. Quoting “take the bull by the horns, there are always challenges in both life and studies, and we continue to learn from our experience”, the young and energetic recipient emphasised on the importance to self-organised and to lead a balanced lifestyle in order to attain success.

Since the introduction of the YAA in 1999, over 1,626 young achievers have been recognised for their spirit of excellence. This bi-annual award is a platform for building a bright and better future for the young through educational support.