About Us

The Merdeka Award Trust was established by PETRONAS, ExxonMobil and Shell on 27th August 2007 to recognise and reward excellent individuals and organisations whose works and achievements have contributed to the nation's growth and inspired greatness in the people of Malaysia.

In the endeavor to continuously foster excellence among Malaysians, the Trust has established two signature programmes, namely the Merdeka Award and the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment.

Merdeka Award is a prestigious award that honours the outstanding work and achievements that have made an impact on the nation and its people in the following categories, namely Education and Community; Environment; Health, Science and Technology; Outstanding Scholastic Achievement; Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia and Anugerah Harapan Merdeka.

In 2012, the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment was introduced to nurture promising young Malaysians and support them in their journey of excellence.

The Merdeka Award Trust’s programmes aim to promote thought leadership and innovation, foster a culture of excellence and encourage a world view, thereby enhancing Malaysia’s standing as a dynamic, competitive 21st Century Global Player in all key sectors from science and technology to the arts.

To date, the two founding companies, PETRONAS and Shell, continue to support the Trust following the departure of ExxonMobil in 2021.