Major Aussie award for Sunway campus Chairman

15 July 2008

Sunway Group Founder and Chairman Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah have been made an Honorary Officer of the Order of Australia to recognise his distinguished service and contribution in Malaysia-Australia bilateral relationships.

The award was conferred on him by Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd during a ceremony at the Australian High Commissioner, Penny Williams' residence on 10 July 2008.

Through the Group's Sunway Education Trust, Tan Sri Cheah has been instrumental in the founding and development of Monash University's Sunway campus in Bandar Sunway, Selangor, and has supported the development of business links with Australia.

Tan Sri Cheah, who is also Chairman of Monash University Sunway campus, said when accepting the award that he takes pride in his links with Australia, where he graduated in the 70s with an accountancy degree from the Victoria University of Technology.

Monash University has also recognised his contribution with the dedication of the Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Medical School at the Sunway campus last year.

In other areas of community work, Tan Sri Cheah has contributed to Malaysia through both governmental and non-governmental organizations, contributing through the National Productivity Centre, the Malaysian Industry-Government High Technology for Construction and Housing (MIGHT), Malaysian Tourism Action Council, and the Financial Reporting Foundation.

He also served on the Higher Education Council of Malaysia in 1996, a body responsible for formulating higher education policies in Malaysia.

Other awards bestowed on him are the Paul Harris Fellow Award, Property Man of the Year (Malaysia) in 1993, CEO of the Year (Malaysia) in 1996, Asia's Most Innovative Chinese Entrepreneur Award 2005, Fellow Australian Society of Certificate Practising Accountants and Fellow of Institute of Directors award.

Tan Sri Cheah is the Chairman & co-founder of Asian Strategy and Leadership Institute (ASLI). He was appointed the Vice President of the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia in 2002; the Founding Trustee of Malaysian Liver Foundation since 1999; President of Malaysian Hakka Association 1997-2004; and the first non-Malay Honorary Member of Kuala Lumpur Malay Chamber of Commerce since 2002, among others.