Ave Maria Convent Alumni Association (AMCAA) 41st Anniversary Celebration

1st AMCAA Pride of Ave Maria Convent Honorary Award goes to Datin Irene Chan Kok Ying, AMP
Also Inspirational and Outstanding AMCian Award 2.0 Presentation Night to ten alumni members

It was a memorable occasion when hundreds of former Ipoh Ave Maria Convent primary and secondary school students came together for a mega celebration.

opening dance performance by AMC secondary dance club

march in by AMCCA Committee, judges & VVIPs: Datin Irene Chan (R) with her daughter, Chloe

This splendid event at the ballroom of Kinta Riverfront Hotel which took months to plan and execute was definitely one for the album. Apart from celebrating the alumni’s 41st anniversary, it was also an award presentation night, where the first ever AMCAA Honorary Award was bestowed upon Datin Irene Chan Kok Ying, AMP. She is the Chairperson of the Board of Governors of SJK(C) & SMJK Ave Maria Convent Ipoh-cum-Adviser of Ave Maria Convent Alumni Association.

Datin Irene Chan Kok Ying (M) receives the AMCAA Pride of Ave Maria Convent Honorary Award

Since her first involvement in the school in 1999 following her appointment as PTA Committee Member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson, Datin Irene along with her working committee had raised RM3 million for her alma mater. During a recent fundraising campaign, as the Chairperson, she led her team to successfully raise a total sum of RM2.04 million for the rebuilding of a new swimming pool.

opening ceremony with a gong-hitting gimmick

On this auspicious evening, the second edition of Inspirational and Outstanding AMCian Award 2.0 also took place, where ten illustrious AMC alumni were recognised and celebrated for their achievements. This is the second edition, as the inaugural award presentation was held in 2017 during the association’s 35th-anniversary celebration, coincidentally on the same date and venue.

appreciation to the five judges (or their representatives)

It was not an easy undertaking for the five prominent personalities on the judging panel to select ten recipients of the esteemed recognition award, out of the many nominations received. The judges were:

Dato’ Chew Soo Ho, retired judge of the High Court, Sabah & Sarawak;
Datuk Dr Choo Yuen May, an internationally-renowned scientist known for her groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of carotene-rich red palm oil, biofuels, and sustainability;
Ir. Prof. Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat, President CEO of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman;
Prof. Dr Moy Foong Ming, a professor in Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Malaya; and
Puan Sri Dato Sandra Lee, Founder and Executive Chairperson of Persatuan DAYBREAK Ipoh, Founder of Robotics Engineering Solutions (RES), Founder of 22 Hale Street Heritage Gallery, among other roles.

Following are the ten award recipients and citations of the top three honours they each had received:

award recipient Dr Cheah Pike See (2nd from R)

Dr Cheah Pike See, AMC Class of 1996
> Gold Medal – International Award (Health and MedTech) at KANS (Knowledge Application and Notion for Society) Competition supported by Mustafa (pbuh) Science and Technology Foundation (MSTF)
> Gold Medal – International Putra Innocreative Carnival in Teaching and Learning (i-PicTL 2022)
> Ten Best Outstanding Researchers 2022, FMHS, UPM

award recipient Chu Chan Oi (2nd from R)

Ms Chu Chan Oi, AMC Class of 1979
> 2018: Support Sponsor for Asia Pacific Golden Crown Award
> 2016: winner of the Outstanding Industry Performer Award
> 2014: Bronze Sponsor for SFTCPPA

award recipient Estee Pook Seow Thin (2nd from R)

Ms Estee Pook Seow Thin, AMC Class of 1987
> Performing vocalist for two consecutive nights at Plenary Hall Kuala Lumpur – the first night was to raise funds for Alzheimer’s Society while the second night was a birthday celebration for HRH Sultan Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah;
> Performing vocalist at “Dinner with Rakyat Perak’ organised by the Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PCCCI). Guests included the HRH Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah and his consort HRH Raja Permaisuri of Perak Tuanku Zara Salim;
> Performed with local and international musicians at the Chamber Orchestra and Beautiful Voices at a fundraising event for AMC

award recipient Datin Jade Hew (2nd from L)

Datin Jade Hew Choi Yoke, AMC Class of 1980
> 2021: Nan Yang Award
> 2019: Sin Chew Education Award
> 2019: Golden Bull Award

award recipient Dato' Dr Ker Hong Bee (2nd from L) — award recipient Dato’ Dr Ker Hong Bee (2nd from L)

Dato’ Dr Ker Hong Bee, AMC Class of 1985
> 2022: Darjah Dato’ Paduka Mahkota Perak (DPMP) which comes with the title Dato’ from DYMM Sultan Perak
> Anugerah Perkhidmatan Cemerlang Award three times thus far during her service in the Ministry of Health
> 2008: Ahli Mahkota Perak (AMP) from DYMM Sultan Perak

award recipient Dr Koh Kai Yee (2nd from L)

Dr Koh Kai Yee, AMC Class of 2000
> Malaysia’s Choice Superbrands Award 2021
> Golden Bull Award 2020 for Malaysia Outstanding Business
> Winner of Sin Chew Excellent Award 2019

award recipient Ar. Kuee Sheau Shyuan (2nd from L)

Ar. Kuee Sheau Shyuan, AMC Class of 1998
> 2023: Asia Pacific Property Award (Sustainability Commercial Category)
> 2022: The PAM (Persatuan Akitek Malaysia) Silver Award in SDGs Category 2022, for exceptional architecture design for 1 Lasam – the first ever Green Building Index (GBI) platinum-rated building in Perak
> 2022: The Edge – PAM Green Excellence Award

Natalie Sit Pooi Sze, AMC Class of 1996
> MCWEA Women of Excellence Award 2022
> Top Nominee for the WT Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) 2020
> The SOBA 2016 Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Star Media Group

award recipient Dr Ts. Serene Lock Sow Mun (2nd from L)

Dr Ts. Serene Lock Sow Mun, AMC Class of 2006
> German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) Green Talent Award 2022
> Society of Chemical Engineers, Japan (SCEJ) Outstanding Asian Researcher and Engineer Award 2021
> Institution of Chemical Engineers (ChemE) Malaysia Young Researcher Award 2019, Young Industrialist Award 2022, Oil & Gas Award 2022, and Training & Development Award 2022

award recipient Dr Tan Po Li (2nd from L)

Dr Tan Po Li, AMC Class of 1979
> Selected as one of the Top 10 Chinese Queensland University of Technology alumni leadership winners in China 2015
> Keynote speaker for IFS School of Finance London HE Conference 2009: Rising to the Top: Strategies for Enhancing Quality at IFS School of Finance, Peninsular House, London (April 2009)
> Best Instructor Award 1977 by Malaysia Royal Life Saving Society

As per tradition, the funds raised by AMCAA for this anniversary celebration were donated to the Ave Maria Convent primary and secondary schools. “Tonight’s event has enabled us to donate RM70,000 to our alma mater for their planned activities and meaningful projects for the benefit of our sisters in Ave Maria Convent at the primary and secondary level,” Moy Ooi Thye, president of AMCAA said in her speech, to loud applause from the guests. “This is possible only because of your generous sponsorship, thank you very much,” she added.

speech by AMCAA President Madam Moy Ooi Thye

AMCAA donates RM70K to Ave Maria Convent secondary and primary schools

The fantastic evening concluded with songs rendered by AMCAA committee members, letting their hair down after tirelessly preparing for this event for the past few months. View the full photo album of AMCAA 41st Anniversary Celebration 2023 on our official Facebook Page by clicking HERE.

closing performance by AMCAA President Madam Moy Ooi Thye (R) and Organising President Madam Chik Mun Ling

Video: Ave Maria Convent Alumni Association (AMCAA) 41st Anniversary Celebration

Event: Ave Maria Convent Alumni Association (AMCAA) 41st Anniversary Celebration
Venue: Kinta Riverfront Hotel, Ipoh
Date: 20th May, 2023
Time: 8pm