MABC Business Awards 2008 Once again the MABC Business Awards drew nominees who exemplify what the awards represent. For 2008, the panel of judges chose to present awards under the Small Medium Enterprise, or SME category, and our traditional Business of the Year Award. GHD Perunding Sdn Bhd, an engineering consultancy and project management services provider, and Wotif.com, an online accommodation services provider, emerged winners of the MABC Business Awards. Both companies operate in the services sector, and displayed a flare for innovation which has drive their corporate success. The awards were presented at the MABC Annual Dinner by guest-of-honour, YB Tan Sri Dato’ Muhyiddin Yassin, Minister of International Trade & Industry. GHD Perunding Sdn Bhd picked up the Business of the Year Award while Wotif.com snagged the SME of the Year Award. GHD Perunding impressed the judges by the vast array of solutions they provide characterized by innovative design, sustainability and a commitment to drawing on the best professional expertise from both Malaysia and Australia. With tourism playing an important role both economically and culturally between Australia and Malaysia, Wotif.com was able to contribute to the growth of this industry through extraordinary inventiveness and perseverance. An Australian company, Wotif initially offered easy-to-use online travel bookings in Australia and New Zealand but has since spread its operations across Asia.

MABC Essay Competition 2008 Eighteen year-old Fan Yee Mun was on cloud nine after being named the winner of the annual essay competition organized by the MABC Education & Training Sub-committee. A first timer in an essay writing competition, Yee Mun could not contain her excitement when she was awarded a return air ticket, courtesy of Malaysia Airlines and a four week internship with a MABC member company in Kuala Lumpur. The competition which was open to Malaysia Australia Colombo Plan Commemoration (MACC) scholarship students attracted good response from MACC scholarship students who are currently pursuing their tertiary degrees in Australian universities. Accordingly to MABC Chairman, Datuk Mohamed Zain Mohamed Yusuf, Yee Mun’s winning essay aptly captured the theme for the competition, which is “The Student’s Role in Building Bilateral Relationships between Australia and Malaysia”. Apart from the air ticket, Yee Mun also undertook an internship with GHD Perunding Sdn Bhd, an engineering consultancy and project management services provider to gain some work experience.