As seen above, council members Datin Paduka Zaitoon Dato' Othman and Tan Sri Dato' Dr. Wan Mohd. Zahid Mohd. Noordin, accompanied by YSD CEO Pn. Yatela Zainal Abidin congratulating the recipients.

KUALA LUMPUR, 7 September 2011 - Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD) today awarded RM13.86 million worth of scholarships to 92 individuals to pursue higher education in various local and overseas universities as well as undergo various vocational courses.

Fifteen of them, who received scholarships under the YSD Excellence Scholarship Programme, have been accepted at some of the world’s top overseas universities in the United Kingdom and the United States. These include Cambridge University, Imperial College London, London School of Economics and Political Sciences, University of Bristol, University of Manchester (all UK) and University of California, Berkeley (USA).

This is the best achievement for YSD’s pre-university scholarship programme since it began in 2006. Heading the list are Amirul Hakim Noor Haizat and Charmaine Tan Lynn Yin, who will head for Cambridge University.

Ten other students will pursue their undergraduate studies at local universities, while 54 students will pursue diploma & technical certificate programmes. The Foundation also awarded 11 “special students” under YSD Bursary Programme.

Students in countries where Sime Darby operates also received YSD scholarship awards. This year, two students from Singapore received scholarships to study undergraduate courses at overseas universities.

The students received their scholarship awards at a special ceremony held at the Sime Darby Convention Centre in Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur from YSD Governing Council Member, YBhg Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Wan Zahid Mohd Noordin.

 
In his speech, Dr. Wan Mohd Zahid said YSD consistently places emphasis on its Education pillar which aims to promote educational achievements at various levels of education.

“The YSD Scholarship Programmes are designed to ensure educational assistance is provided to not only students who excel academically, but also to those who are well-rounded and possess the traits that suit Sime Darby’s culture and values.

 
“Through education, these students will have the opportunity to improve their skills and capabilities while grooming them to be the future leaders of both Sime Darby and the nation. The scholarships will also enable the underprivileged to improve their lives and assist them in building a better future for themselves and their families,” he added.

Under the YSD Skill Enrichment Programme, RM1.98 million worth of scholarships were awarded. The vocationally inclined and financially constrained students will pursue diploma or technical certificate programmes at Sime Darby Plantation Academy, Sime Darby Nursing and Health Sciences College or Sime Darby Industrial Academy. The YSD Skill Enrichment Programme emphasises educational assistance to students from low income families whose household incomes are RM2,500 or below.

 
For the YSD Bursary Programme, the Foundation awarded bursaries totaling RM692,040 to assist students with disabilities and from low income families. Two of the 11 recipients are physically disabled while one is hearing-impaired. The remaining students come from low income families with a household income of RM2,500 or less.

 
The ceremony also saw a presentation of the YSD Outstanding Achiever Award to Ian Teng Weng Yew, the second individual to receive the award. He scored the highest marks in the world for the South Australian Matriculation in 2010 with ATAR 99.95, scoring perfect scores in five subjects. Ian is a YSD scholar and currently pursues Bachelor of Medicine & Bachelor of Surgery at the University of New South Wales in Australia.

 
Since its inception in 1982, YSD has awarded a total of 1,392 scholarships worth over RM130.9 million. The YSD Scholarship Programme focuses on individuals with outstanding academic achievement and strong leadership qualities. Currently, the scholarship programme has been extended to Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and from 2012, China and Liberia. This is in line with YSD’s efforts to identify and nurture a pool of high calibre future leaders for the Sime Darby Group globally.

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