Jeffrey Cheah
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Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah Fook Ling (Hakka, simplified Chinese: 谢富年; traditional Chinese: 謝富年; pinyin: Xiè Fùnián) is the founder and chairman of The Sunway Group of Companies in Malaysia.
Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah was born in Pusing, a small town outside of Ipoh in Perak. He had his primary and secondary education in Batu Gajah before leaving to pursue his tertiary education at the Footscray Institute of Technology (now Victoria University) in Melbourne, Australia. He began his career as an Accountant in a motor assembly plant in Malaysia, but soon left it to venture out on his own. In 1974, he founded what is today the Sunway Group of companies.
[edit] Sunway Group
Established as a small tin-mining company with a paid-up capital of 100,000 Ringgit, the Sunway Group has grown to become one of Malaysia’s widely recognized and diversified conglomerates. Visionary leadership, principled business philosophy, integrity and committed teamwork have all contributed to the Group’s amazing resilience and success.
The Group’s flagship development, the thriving 350-hectare Bandar Sunway, is unmistakably one of South East Asia’a best known tourist destinations. Located just 20 minutes from the nation’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur, this fully-integrated resort township was virtually “resurrected” from a derelict strip of ex-mining land. The amazing rehabilitation and transformation of the landscape has won the township many international awards, including being adjudged the world’s best leisure project by FIABCI (International Real Estate Federation, Paris) in 2002.
One of the personal hallmarks of Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah is his conviction that “one should give back to the community it serves”. To this end, the Group’s civic responsibility goes beyond the countless fund-raising and charitable activities. Nowhere is this more evident than in the establishment of the Sunway Education Trust Fund in 1997.
[edit] Sunway University College
Sunway University College was established by Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah in 1986 with the sole mission of providing more and better education opportunities to the country’s aspiring youths. Though the initial years were difficult, as the College could not garner enough students to breakeven on operation costs, he remained steadfast and unwavering in his mission. Hard work and dedication turn the College around soon after and it has continued to grow from strength to strength ever since, riding on increasing confidence of the public and students. By 1997, the College has become very viable and profitable business. It was at this juncture that Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah took the deliberate decision to transfer all his personal shares and ownership of the College into the newly established Sunway Education Trust Fund. By doing so, he has ensured that all profits derived from Sunway University College, which is fully owned by the Trust, and its share of profits from the jointly owned co-venture in Monash University Malaysia, are ploughed back into the upgrading of facilities and human resources, thus ensuring these educational institutions meet world-class standards and are accessible to all. It is his expressed hope that just like Harvard University in the United States, Sunway Education Trust will also be able to draw support from the general public and become an outstanding education institution many generations from now.
The Trust also presents deserving students with scholarships worth more than RM 1 million annually. To date, more than RM23 millions worth of scholarships have been disbursed. In 2007, the School of Medicine was named after him. [1]
In recognition of his many contributions to society as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations, Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah has been conferred numerous appointments and accolades reflecting his success over the years. His appointment by the Minister of Education to the Higher Education Council, a body responsible for formulating the higher education policies in Malaysia, is one such example of his commitment to improving civic institutions.
Tan Sri Jeffrey is modest about his achievements, preferring to shun the limelight. Yet, his vision and philosophy has attracted a retinue of admirers. He was voted ‘Property Man of the Year (Malaysia)’ in 1993 and ‘CEO of the Year (Malaysia)’ in 1996. And most recently, in 2005, he received ‘Asia’s Most Innovative Chinese Entrepreneur Award.’
Be it transforming wastelands into vibrant townships, pioneering innovative products, or realizing the aspirations of a fast developing nation and its young citizens, Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah is a man truly dedicated to ‘Turning Vision into Reality’.
Honorary doctorates from leading universities:
Doctor of the University from: 1. Flinders University, Southern Australia (1994) 2. Victoria University, Australia (1993)
Doctorates of Law from 3. Leicester University, United Kingdom (1996) 4. Monash University, Australia (1995)
Doctorates of Education from: 5. University of Western Australia (1994) 6. West Michigan University, USA (1994) 7. Oxford Brooks University, United Kingdom (1998)
Doctorate of Business Administration from: 8. Greenwich University, United Kingdom (2001)
Distinguished Appointments 1. Chairman, Malaysian Industry- Government High Technology for Construction and Housing (MIGHT) – Appointment by Prime Minister (1995) 2. Director, National Productivity Centre - Appointment by Minister of Trade (1990) 3. Council Member, Higher Education Council of Malaysia – Appointment by Minister of Education (1996). 4. Executive Council Member, Malaysian Tourism Action Council – Appointment by Minister of Tourism (1996). 5. Council Member, Financial Reporting Foundation – Appointment by Minister of Finance (1997)
Social and Welfare Organizations 1. Vice President, National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia (2002) 2. Honorary Chairman, Sin Chew Foundation (2000) 3. Founding Trustee, Malaysian Liver Foundation (1999) 4. President, Malaysian Hakka Association (1997) 5. Honorary Member, Kuala Lumpur Malay Chamber of Commerce (2002) 6. Chairman & co-founder of Asian Strategy And Leadership Institute (ASLI)
Awards 1. Paul Harris Fellow Award 2. Fellow Australian Society of Certificate Practising Accountants 3. Fellow of Institute of Directors 4. CEO of the Year Award 5. Property Man of The Year (FIABCI, Malaysian Chapter)
Royal Conferments
· Conferred the Darjah Kebesaran Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Selangor (DPMS, carrying the title of “Dato’”) by DYMM Sultan Selangor Darul Ehsan, Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Hisamuddin Alam Shah Al Haj on 8 March 1988.
· In 1995, made Justice of the Peace (JP) by DYMM Sultan Terengganu Darul Iman, Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Tuanku Al-Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah.
· Conferred the Dato’ Seri Paduka Mahkota Perak (SPMP, carrying the title of “Dato’ Seri”) by DYMM Sultan Perak Darul Ridzuan, Sultan Azlan Shah Muhibbuddin Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Yussuf Izzuddin Shah Ghafarullahu-Lah Shah in April 1996.
· Conferred the Panglima Setia Mahkota (PSM, carrying the title of “Tan Sri”) by DYMM Seri Paduka Baginda Yang DiPertuan Agung ke-Sepuluh, Tuanku Ja’afar Ibni Al-Marhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman on 1 June 1996.
