Welcome to the AMBC Website

The Australia Malaysia Business Council was formed in direct response to the growing need to facilitate the developing commercial activities between Australia and Malaysia.

The AMBC - SA Patron’s Award for Excellence for the 2008 Merdeka Awards winner is
Miss Wan Ilma Dewiputri Wan Burhanuddin, a Penang born student studying at
Adelaide University. Miss Wan Ilam, who is currently in her final year of a
Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degree, was an outstanding student and
a deserving recipient of the Patron’s Award for Excellence.

The 2008 Awards were presented at the AMBC SA annual Merdeka Awards Gala Dinner
on 30 August.

The Merdeka Awards are awarded each year by the AMBC - SA during its celebrations
of Malaysia’s Independence (Merdeka) Day. The Awards were established in 1998 by
the AMBCSA to recognise the top 3 final year Malaysian students studying in
South Australia’s major universities.

The objectives of the Awards include encouraging Malaysian students to excel not only
in their academic achievements, but to also encourage them to be all rounders
with the judging criteria placing equal importance on a student’s extracurricular activities
 and how well he or she has interacted with the diverse South Australian community
and the efforts to which a student has strived to impart and share 

his or her Malaysian heritage and culture whilst studying abroad.

Other Merdeka Awards recipients this year include Mr Chan Yee Hon from Kuching,
who is completing his Bachelor of Medical Science at Flinders University and Miss Ng
Chia Ying from Kedah who is in her final year of Bachelor of Medical Radiation
(Diagnostic) at the University of South Australia.

Merdeka Awards Patron, Sir Eric Neal, AC CVO, Chancellor of Flinders University and
former Governor of South Australia, said “I am pleased to acknowledge the contribution
of the AMBCSA to the South Australia-Malaysia relationship over the past decade
through its Merdeka Awards which recognise outstanding final year students from
Malaysia at South Australia's three major universities. These students represent the
potential future leaders of the professions, of business and of government in Malaysia,
and their already strong ties with South Australia are reinforced by the Awards. I extend
my congratulations to the AMBCSA for this unique, and continuing initiative.”

AMBC National President, Mr Chan Wee Keat said that the Merdeka Awards, now in its
10th year, has built a reputation of recognizing excellence and outstanding achievements.

It is now seen as a prestigious Award that is coveted by Malaysian students

studying in South Australia, and recognized by potential employers

as a clear indication of the leadership, outward looking and high achieving characteristics of the recipients.

Mr Chan also paid tribute to the support given to the Merdeka Awards since its inception
by Sir Eric Neal, and the many civic minded MNCs who are Corporate Patrons of the
AMBCSA - amongst them Malaysia Airlines, Polyaire Group, YTL related company
ElectraNet, Norman Waterhouse Lawyers, BMW Adelaide, SAFCOL, Wagners Global
Services and Lynas Corporation.

“AMBCSA has been able to build the reputation of the Merdeka Awards on the
credibility of the Awards Patron and these supporting organizations. Their foresight and
generosity deserve as much recognition as the Awards recipients each year”, said Mr Chan. 

Photos: 1. Award winners LtoR: Chia, Ehon and Wan Ilma;

2. Malaysian students at the dinner;

3. VVIP guests - standing: Chan Wee Keat (AMBC National President),

Shirina Chan, Aemel Nordin (AMBC SA President),

Michael Harbison (Lord Mayor, City of Adelaide), Sir Eric Neal AC CVO (Awards Patron),

Mr Hieu van Le (Lieutenant Govenor SA): 

seated - the Hon David Richardson MLC (Opposition leader, Legislative Council),

Kathy Harbison , the Hon Jennifer Rankine MP (Minister for Families and Communities), Mrs Le.