It was an evening to remember on 3 September 2016 when TAR UC conferred its inaugural Honorary Fellowship award in a conferment ceremony to 3 former TAR UC pioneers and they were Dato’ Kum Boo, Mr Chong Yean Seong and Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ng Lay Swee. The ceremony brought together alumni most of whom are the former students of the award recipients, the award recipients' family members as well as TAR UC staff and invited guests to join in the celebration.
The Honorary Fellowship is established to recognise the exemplary and sterling support and services rendered by an individual to TAR UC. An Honorary Fellowship predominantly is conferred upon individual whom in the eyes of TAR UC embodies the Vision and Mission of TAR UC as well as its motto of "Serve, Lead and Excel".
Dato' Kum Boo was the former Head of School of Technology who was instrumental in obtaining recognition for the programmes of the school from reputable professional bodies in the UK such as Engineering Council, City and Guilds and Chartered Institute of Building. It was also due to the high recognition that enabled Diploma graduates to gain direct admission into Master's degree programmes in top universities in the UK.
Mr Chong Yean Seong was the former Head of School of Business Studies and he was widely acknowledged and credited for his visionary move in developing professionally driven business programmes that paved the way for students to obtain professional qualifications such as ACCA, ICSA and CIMA. Due to his foresight and fatherly nature to his students, the school grew to become one of the most eminent providers of professional business education in Malaysia today and many of his students achieved great successes in their academic pursuit and career owing to his encouragement and guidance.
Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ng Lay Swee was the former Principal of the then TAR College and she was commended for her pivotal role in bringing to fruition the grand vision of widening access to TAR UC education. It was during her tenure at the helm that she set up the five branch campuses nationwide. She also spearheaded the collaboration with overseas universities most notably Campbell University, Sheffield Hallam University and Liverpool John Moores University which enabled many TAR College students to obtain an overseas Bachelor's degree to enhance their career prospect.
It is certainly most befitting to honour them with the Honorary Fellowship given their monumental contribution to TAR UC. During the ceremony, YB Dato' Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, TARC Education Foundation and Board of Governors, TAR UC, conferred the award to Dato’ Kum Boo, Mr Chong Yean Seong and Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ng Lay Swee.
In his speech, Dato' Sri Liow commended their contribution to TAR UC which would be an inspiration to the TARCian community. "Truly, the unwavering commitment that Dato’ Kum Boo, Mr Chong Yean Seong and Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ng Lay Swee have shown to TAR UC is an inspiration to all. They clearly embody TAR UC’s motto of "Serve, Lead and Excel". They served with pride, led with integrity and excelled with passion", Dato' Sri Liow said.
They received thunderous applause from the floor after Datuk Dr Tan Chik Heok, President of TAR UC, presented the citation on each of them prior to the conferment of the award.
All the guests were also feted with performance by a live band belting out many old and new numbers to cater to the different generations of guests in the ceremony while savouring the sumptuous dinner served. The alumni from near and far were eager to reconnect again with Dato' Kum Boo, Mr Chong Yean Seong and Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ng Lay Swee as a gesture of respect and gratitude to their former lecturers.
