Sunway founder on learning from the best
PETALING JAYA: Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Sir Dr. Jeffrey Cheah KBE AO says receiving Japan's Order of the Rising Sun award is not just a personal honour but a recognition of the dedication as well as commitment of the Sunway Group and Jeffrey Cheah Foundation teams.
'This honour is far greater than a personal accolade; it is a tribute to the invaluable contributions of the many partners and stakeholders affiliated with Sunway Group and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation.
'Their steadfast dedication to fostering deeper bilateral ties, mutual understanding, and enduring friendship between the people of Malaysia and Japan is what makes this recognition truly meaningful,' Cheah told StarBiz.
The 80-year-old entrepreneur is one of the few Malaysians to be awarded the prestigious decoration of honour by the Japanese government.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the Japan embassy in Malaysia said Cheah was specifically awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in recognition of his contributions towards promoting academic exchange and improving economic relations between Japan and Malaysia.
'I am deeply honoured and humbled by the conferment of this prestigious award by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan.
'I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the government of Japan for endorsing my nomination and to His Excellency Noriyuki Shikata, ambassador of Japan to Malaysia, who personally conveyed this news during his courtesy visit to Sunway City Kuala Lumpur yesterday (Tuesday),' Cheah said.
He added that Japan has long served as a beacon of resilience, innovation, and discipline – principles that have profoundly shaped both his personal outlook and professional endeavours.
'From rebuilding in the aftermath of World War II to emerging as a global leader across multiple industries, Japan stands as a testament to the transformative power of perseverance and visionary leadership.
'It is these very qualities that have inspired me and continue to guide the work we do at Sunway and the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation,' he said.
Cheah added the relationship between Malaysia and Japan is marked by deep mutual respect, cultural appreciation, and long-standing economic ties, as evidenced by Japan's position among Malaysia's top five trading partners.
'I have always believed that to be the best, we must work with the best and learn from the best. Malaysia and Sunway have certainly benefited and learned from the very best that Japan has to offer,' he says.
This is the reason why Sunway University has established partnerships with more than 20 Japanese universities.
He added that eight more partnerships would be established over the next few months, focusing on research collaboration, student exchange, and technological innovation.
'Sunway University's emergence as a top private university in Asean is enabled through its strategic transboundary partnerships including those with Japanese institutions – supporting its mission as an education-focused, research-intensive and impact-driven university,' he said.
For instance, Sunway iLabs and the Japan External Trade Organisation Kuala Lumpur have been working together for more than five years to facilitate the entry of Japanese startups into the South-East Asian market, using Malaysia as a launchpad.
'This partnership has led to the acceleration of a number of startups, and the launch of pilot projects, and significant funding investments for technology localisation and commercialisation across South-East Asia.
'The most recent initiative, the Green Transformation Accelerator Programme, focuses on driving sustainability through innovation in areas such as food security, renewable energy, circular economy and resilient cities,' Cheah said.
Further, in collaboration with Japanese companies Aerosense Inc and Funlead Corp, Sunway University is also involved in a research project aimed at mangrove forest conservation and sustainable management.
'This project employs drone technology and artificial intelligence for data acquisition and image analysis to monitor and conserve mangrove ecosystems along the Sarawak River.
'The initiative exemplifies the application of human-machine collaboration for environmental sustainability,' Cheah pointed out.
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It does not matter if imported or locally produced. Malaysia is a country which grows only tropical fruits, and very limited fruits are grown in higher areas of Cameron Highlands and Genting Highlands. These essential products, therefore, must be free from taxes. Is the government going so low by going after daily necessities while going on a spending spree to protect race and religion? Will vegetables be next? Observer from Space: Hardworking Malaysians have time and again been pressed hard to pay more taxes to shore up a corrupt and bloated government! It's every citizen's right to eat fruits that are grown within the country and imported. It looks like these are now exclusively for the elite and corrupt. Anwar should listen and learn from Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong's speech after his party's win at the recent general election. Specifically, he reminded his cabinet and himself that they are all servants to the citizens. Humble Opinion: I kindly urge the government to consider removing taxes on essential fruits such as apples and oranges. These fruits are a staple of a healthy diet and should be affordable for all Malaysians, especially ordinary families who strive to put nutritious food on the table. By eliminating these taxes, we can promote healthier lifestyles, reduce the burden on household budgets, make fresh produce more accessible to every community across the country, and also affect the well-being of many. BrownGoose2196: By raising imported fruit prices, the fruit sellers will automatically raise the selling prices of local fruits. As it is now, a piece of guava or mango is even more expensive than a piece of apple. Inflation is definite. All because the government wants to increase tax collections to cover large financial deficits, and the untouchables who have been squandering our money. Mhc9b23: I don't get it! We are trying to budget to eat as healthily as we can afford to, so some of these imported fruits are not a luxury but a necessity for our long-term health and well-being. We'd rather eat healthily to keep healthy than suffer later and pay for medical expenses. For one, uncontrolled usage of pesticides, especially in cultivating certain local fruits, is killing us. The other option is to go for organically grown fruits and also pay a premium. Please consider the people, our young and seniors in the family, who are trying and struggling to eat healthily before making and implementing such decisions. Zaheed: Fruits, whether local or imported, are essential and should not be slapped with sales tax. It is an essential foodstuff with nutrients and an essential part of keeping healthy. What is wrong with Madani? The local suppliers have very limited items, and that is too often in short supply. The good fruits are almost always exported while the locals get the C-grade ones. HJ Angus: All this just shows how complicated the Sales and Services Tax (SST) is, and trying to please different folks. A universal tax, like the goods and services tax (GST), is more efficient with all consumers having to contribute. VioletBeetle0699: Avocado is a healthy fruit that provides a lot of nutritional benefits. It is sad to see the government fail to realise this and make stupid statements instead. The government will just tell you to eat palm oil, then. OrangeBird5803: There should be SST on sugar, flour, and oil. Overconsumption of these items is killing Malaysians. The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakini subscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. In the past year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda. Subscribe now. These comments are compiled to reflect the views of Malaysiakini subscribers on matters of public interest. Malaysiakini does not intend to represent these views as fact.
