Kuala Lumpur, 23 August 2023 – Yayasan Sime Darby (YSD), the philanthropic arm of Sime Darby Plantation, Sime Darby Berhad, and Sime Darby Property today reaffirms its commitment to providing inclusive and quality education for all with the Scholarship Award Ceremony (SAC) 2023. Held at the Sime Darby Plantation Auditorium, the event celebrated 83 outstanding Malaysian scholars, who received scholarships and bursaries totalling over RM14.5 million. YSD Chairman Y.A.M. Tunku Tan Sri Imran Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Ja’afar and guest of honour, OKU Sentral President YBhg Datuk (Dr) Ras Adiba Radzi graced the occasion.

Themed ‘Celebrating Diversity and Promoting Inclusion’, the SAC coincided with the upcoming Merdeka Day celebration, as a true reflection of the foundation’s commitment to fostering inclusivity within Malaysia’s educational landscape. This year’s scholarship and bursary awards symbolise YSD’s dedication to extending equal opportunities to all students, regardless of their backgrounds and abilities. In creating an educational environment that values and celebrates the vibrant cultures, experiences, and aspirations of each scholar, the foundation aims to enrich its scholars’ educational journeys and collective identities as a nation.

Among the remarkable recipients recognised today was Muhammad Firdaus Abu Hassan, a visually impaired scholar who secured his third scholarship from YSD to pursue a PhD in Disability Equality Training at Universiti Malaya. Firdaus, who is an exemplar of academic success despite becoming totally blind at the age of 14, is resolute in bridging the gaps in disability understanding and fostering inclusivity for Persons With Disabilities (PWD) in the country. Firdaus was celebrated and awarded a YSD Special Award Bursary today. Another 30 talented PWDs also received scholarships under the YSD Special Needs Programme.

Other recipients, Wan Ameerul Mukmin Abdul Razak, destined for the University of Cambridge to study Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Amrithaa Velayutham, Oxford-bound for Earth Science, and Renee Priya Robert, who secured a place at the London School of Economics for Data Science, epitomise YSD’s commitment to fostering excellence in a diverse academic community. Additionally, 20 more scholarships from the Excellence category were awarded to exceptional students embarking on studies at prestigious institutions in Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and Australia.

Tunku Tan Sri Imran, in his opening remarks, stressed the potential of YSD scholars as ambassadors of the foundation to effect positive change. “YSD recognises the academic excellence of individuals of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and abilities, to thrive and contribute to society. Each scholarship and bursary awarded today represents an investment in the future of individuals and a collective investment in the future of a more sustainable Malaysia.”

In line with the foundation’s resolve to provide equal access to education, 29 Sime Darby employees’ children, each hailing from diverse backgrounds and bearing inspiring stories, received education bursaries from YSD to pursue tertiary education. Among notable recipients were Azwanieza Vanda Alladin from Sabah, Marcella Jabah Anak Dagang from Sarawak, and Muhammad Afiq Ahmad Faizal, from Selangor. The ceremony also spotlighted the support extended to eight Sime Darby employees, three of whom will pursue the Executive MBA Programme at the Asia School of Business in collaboration with the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Recognising the growing significance of vocational skills in bolstering the nation’s economic and educational strategies, YSD has supported 1,412 talented individuals through RM37.4 million in bursaries since 2007, and will be awarding 340 more for TVET education under the YSD Skill Enrichment Programme to youth from B40 families by the end of 2023.

In addition to the scholarships awarded, YSD scholars are given access to the THRIVE Programme as a comprehensive learning experience unique to the foundation. Through the holistic approach of soft skills training, mentorship support, resilient leadership development, industrial internships, volunteerism opportunities, and access to an e-learning platform, all YSD scholars are empowered to excel academically, and professionally as all-rounded and socially aware graduates.

Since 1982, the foundation had awarded over RM374 million in education scholarships to 5,817 deserving students. This year’s scholarship awards, rooted in the spirit of unity and inclusivity, positions YSD as a cultivator of a sustainable cadre of industry leaders to drive Malaysia’s economic and industrial growth. Interested students who meet the criteria are encouraged to visit YSD’s website and apply for YSD scholarships and bursaries, which will be open for new applications in March next year.