Kee Hua Chee Live!: CHT Awards at Intercontinental KL

kee@fswmag.com

CHT Awards & Ball 2011

The CHT Awards & Ball 2011 – PasoDoble was an unforgettable night for all the award recipients and guests. Organised by CHT Network, this annual event which was initially held in Penang has migrated south to the Malaysian capital for the second year in a row, following the tremendous success of CHT Awards & Ball 2010. Whether you like it or not, for any event to have credibility, visibility and viability, it must eventually be held in Kuala Lumpur. Many awardees live in KL and for them to fly all the way to Penang may be a wee bit too troublesome since CHT Awards is not (yet!) in the same league as Nobel Prizes let's say.

The CHT Awards & Ball was established by founder Ch'ng Huck Theng (hence the initials of the awards) to pat individuals on the back and pay tribute to organizations that have excelled in their respective industries and contributed to society.

With the theme ‘PasoDoble – Men in Black, Women in Red’, the grand ballroom of InterContinental Kuala Lumpur was transformed on 11 June 2011 into a glamorous and classy setting for this special affair. Over 300 guests including local and international dignitaries, celebrities and socialites attended this glitzy and glittering event, with some flying in from Singapore and Penang.

The guest of honour was YAM Tengku Puteri Seri Kemala Pahang, Tengku Hajjah Aishah Binti Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah the daughter of the Sultan of Pahang. Other prominent figures who graced the event included the veteran actress Madam Lai Meng, General Manager of Thai Airways Suttichoke Rodleechit and international shoe maker Dato’ Lewre Lew of Lewre.

Ten coveted awards were presented during the night to the deserving winners--- Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Ramon Navaratnam, Dato’ Barkath Ali bin Abu Backer, Dato’ Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen, YABhg Toh Puan Dato’ Seri Hajjah Dr Aishah Ong, the late Dato’ Rolf W. Schnyder, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Robaayah Zambahari, Prof. Dato’ Wira Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid, Chung Chen Sun, Dato’ Khadijah Ibrahim and Patrick Teoh. The winners received a pewter trophy designed as an eagle to symbolize the soaring quest for achievement and attainment of greater heights, certificate and Fujifilm camera so they would record the event for posterity in case they forget to bring their camera.

The founder of CHT Network Ch’ng Huck Theng said, ‘The award is not necessarily for the rich and famous or for people with high status. Most importantly, recipients should have passion, caliber and have gone the distance. The awards are not for sale.’ Mind you, the recipients by chance or design were heavily titled and only two out of ten were 'Encik'! All were known for their prowess and success in their field and, not being young, unripe cikus in their twenties, are armed with experience and expertise and none could fault the selection process! All deserved to win, including and especially me as 'Greatest Journalist This Side of the Observable Universe' but I was not so I am now licking my wounds and sulking in my humiliation.

As it is, I am not even a Datuk although half my friends are and being Datuk Kee Hua Chee is my lifelong ambition. If I die Datuk-less, I will be haunting earth as a frustrated, thwarted and deprived hungry ghost! I am only a Seri Kelantan which means my full title is Yang Berusaha Encik Kee Hua Chee, Seri Kelantan! 'Yang Berusaha' really makes me feel like a member of the working class when I am a fully paid up member of the jetset, leisured class! Oh well, things could be worse as my grandfather used to say. I could be born mentally retarded though he ruined it all by observing he couldn't tell the difference...

Throughout the night, in between the sumptuous five-course dinner and award presentations, guests were entertained by two exclusive fashion shows by the premier evening dress retailer Just’s Wardrobe, a mesmerising drama by Noise Performance House plus electrifying performances by local artistes Dato’ Khadijah Ibrahim, Ocean Teh and Gina. There was also a Best Dressed Awards and five beautifully garbed ladies were selected. Each was presented with Just’s Wardrobe’s cash voucher worth RM1,000 so they could continue to maintain their Best Dressed status.

‘I’m really pleased with our annual event in KL this year. And with the great response we’ve been receiving tonight, guests can look forward to an even grander and more exciting CHT Awards & Ball next year which will be our fifth anniversary,’ said Ch’ng. This event was proudly sponsored by Fujifilm, Thai Airways International, Rado, Tan Chong Motors, Just’s Wardrobe, Ghee Hiang, InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, Carlsberg and Kollektion.

1. CHT Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 – Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Ramon Navaratnam (Renowned Economist & Author)

2. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Business) Award 2011 – Dato’ Barkath Ali bin Abu Backer (CEO, Barkath Group)

3. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Tourism) Award 2011 – Dato’ Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen (Minister of Tourism Malaysia)

4. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Philanthropist) Award 2011 – YABhg Toh Puan Dato’ Seri Hajjah Dr Aishah Ong

5. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Outstanding Expat) Award 2011 – The Late Dato’ Rolf W. Schnyder (President & CEO, Ulysse Nardin)

6. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Medical) Award 2011 – Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Robaayah Zambahari (Managing Director/CEO, Institut Jantung Negara)

7. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Education) Award 2011 – Prof. Dato’ Wira Dr Mohd Shukri Ab Yajid Kamil (Founder and President, Management & Science University and PTPL Group of Colleges)

8. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Art) Award 2011 – Chung Chen Sun (Artist and Founder, Malaysian Institute of Art)

9. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Female Artist) Award 2011 – Dato’ Khadijah Ibrahim (Singer)

10. CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Male Artist) Award 2011 – Patrick Teoh (Actor)

CHT Network founder Ch'ng Hung Theng being interviewed by NTV7 News.

Dato' Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen won CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Tourism) Award 2011

Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Ramon Navaratnam honoured with the prestigious CHT Lifetime Achievement Award 2011. (from left to right) Dato' Dr. Ang Bon Beng , Paul Ho, Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) Ramon Navaratnam, Tengku Hajjah Aishah Binti Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah and CHT founder Ch'ng Huck Theng

Patrick Teoh (middle) won the CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Male Artist) Award 2011, presented by CHT Lifetime Achievement Awards Winners Mdm Lai Ming (2010) and Dato Dr. Toh Kim Woon (2009)

Dato’ Khadijah Ibrahim, winner of CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Female Artist) Award 2011, shaking up the crowd during the night.

Chung Chen Sun, founder of Malaysian Institute of Art received the CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Art) Award 2011

Datin Chai Schnyder (left) received the CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Expat) Award 2011 on behalf of her husband, the late and great Dato' Rolf W. Schnyder from General Manager of Thai Airways Suttichoke Rodleechit (right) .

YABhg Toh Puan Dato’ Seri Hajjah Dr Aishah Ong received the CHT Pursuit of Excellence (Philantropist) Award 2011 from Bernard Yong of RADO Watches and Dato' Syed Hussain.