KUALA LUMPUR: Three outstanding Malaysians are recipients of the 2011 Merdeka Award for their outstanding and lasting contributions to the nation and people in their respective fields.
Datuk Kenneth Yeang will receive the award in the Environment category - for outstanding contribution to the development of design methods for ecological design and planning of the built environment.
One of the two joint recipients in the Outstanding Scholastic Achievement category are Prof Datuk Dr Goh Khean Lee for his outstanding contribution in elevating the study and practice of gastroenterology and hepatology in Malaysia to global standards.
The other recipient is Prof Dr Mak Joon Wah for outstanding fundamental and applied research in parasitology and parasitic diseases, public health and pathology.
The announcement was made by the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Merdeka Award, Datuk Shamsul Azhar Abbas on Monday.
He said the recipients had demonstrated the true spirit of Merdeka - the liberation of mind and spirit and the pursuit of excellence.
Shamsul Azhar, however, said that there were no recipients in the categories of Education and Community, Health, Science and Technology, and Outstanding Contribution to the People of Malaysia.
Each category offers a prize money of RM500,000, a trophy and a certificate. The joint recipients in the category of Outstanding Scholastic Achievement will share the award equally.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak is scheduled to present the awards on Oct 10 at the Dewan Filharmonik Petronas. BERNAMA