17 High-Achievers Receive Scholarships From Maxis

Making a positive impact, Maxis continues to develop and enrich communities through the Maxis Scholarship for Excellence Awards programme
Maxis contributes towards nation building by helping to support and develop a pool of bright and talented young Malaysians
To date, Maxis has awarded more than RM41 million in scholarships to a total of 226 recipients

MEDIA RELEASE
For immediate release
Kuala Lumpur, 10 April 2013

Malaysia's only integrated communications service provider; Maxis Berhad (Maxis), yesterday reiterated its commitment to excellence in education by awarding scholarships to 17 Malaysian undergraduates. These 17 high-achieving young Malaysians received the Maxis Scholarship for Excellence Awards (MSEA) to pursue undergraduate studies locally and abroad. The scholarships were presented to the recipients by Maxis Chairman, YM Raja Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Arshad Raja Tun Uda, witnessed by their families, members of Maxis’ Senior Leadership Team, members of the MSEA selection panel and university representatives. The 17 award recipients make up the first batch of Maxis scholars for the year.

MSEA recipients go through a rigorous two-level interview process and are selected in the final stage by a panel of distinguished judges. Maxis' scholarship external panel of judges comprised Professor Dato’ Dr. Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of INTI-UC Laureate International University, Professor Datuk Dr. Roziah Omar, Deputy Director-General, Institut Pengajian Tinggi Swasta, Ministry of Higher Education and Associate Professor Dr. Stefanie Pillai, Director, Community and Industry Relations Centre, Universiti Malaya.

YM Raja Tan Sri Dato' Seri Arshad said, "Since the inception of the MSEA in 2005, we have committed more than RM41 million in scholarships to 226 deserving Malaysians in our effort to make a positive impact on society. MSEA promotes excellence and we believe that through the MSEA, we are playing a role in nation building by helping to support and further develop a pool of bright and talented young Malaysians. The MSEA scholarship is a means to provide financial aid to the scholars to give them a peace of mind to focus on their studies; and we hope that they in turn will make it their mission to serve the nation to the best of their abilities and help others."

Created with the objective of nurturing high performing Malaysian talent, the MSEA is divided into two categories - the postgraduate and undergraduate programmes. There are two intakes for the MSEA annually – in April and September. The undergraduate programme is available for both local and overseas universities, and open to Maxis postpaid subscribers with a tenure of one year or more, and their children. The undergraduate programme is also open to children of Maxis employees. The postgraduate programme, on the other hand, is open to all Malaysians. There are five allocations in a year for the postgraduate awards and 53 undergraduate awards.

Recipients of the MSEA, both past and present have gained admittance to leading universities in Malaysia including Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Monash University and International Medical University, as well as some of the world’s most prestigious universities namely the London School of Economics, King's College of London, University of Oxford, Imperial College of London, Columbia University and Harvard Business School, in the various fields of their choice.  

Among the 17 scholars was Nur Farhanah Mohamad Noor. Farhanah, whose ambition is to be a food chemist, was elated at receiving the news. When asked about a key lesson she had learned throughout the MSEA application and selection process, she immediately quipped, "The interview panellists made me think hard about how I should also make sure I develop myself in other ways, outside of my studies – for example, through clubs and societies. It's not enough to be a straight-As scholar, I also need to be a well-rounded individual. It was good advice from seasoned professionals."

Fellow scholar Toh Yin Li, who will be pursuing a degree in Economics at the University of Warwick this coming September, concurred. "I am appreciative and thankful to Maxis for selecting me as a recipient for the Overseas Scholarship. I cannot thank Maxis enough for this wonderful concept of a merit-based scholarship that involves funding the dreams of our youth in order to create a better future. It will certainly be a good platform for me to leverage on given that I am hoping to bring change to our education. I believe with Maxis' connections and guidance, I will learn a lot about firms and how it feels like to be in a working environment, when I serve my bond with Maxis after my degree."

The next window of selection for the undergraduate scholarship awards is currently open until 10 May 2013 for the September 2013 intake. Applications for postgraduate scholarships are also open from now until 7 June 2013, also for the September 2013 intake. For further details, please visit www.maxis.com.my/scholarship.

The MSEA is actually part of Maxis' overall Corporate Responsibility (CR) agenda that focuses on education and community-based activities aiming to bring a positive impact upon the lives of the communities in which it operates. These initiatives include:
The flagship Maxis Cyberkids programme, which has provided ICT training to more than 8,600 students and teachers in over 1,500 schools. In conjunction with Cyberkids’ 10th anniversary last year, the programme was piloted for a special needs school. This year, the Cyberkids Camp will include both regular and special needs schools.
As part of the initiatives to support the needs of the community, Maxis also runs a home adoption programme, pledging support to two charity homes, the Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC), a centre for people with disabilities run by people with disabilities, and the Jenjarom Old Folks Home. Maxis provides cash contributions and organises engagement activities and relevant training for these homes over a period of one year.