YBhg. Dato’ Sri Suriani Ahmad, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development, officiated at the annual SME and Entrepreneurs Business Award 2022 (SEBA 2022) Central Grand Awards Presentation Gala (MECD). The SEBA 2022 Central Grand Awards were presented on December 8, 2022, at the Shangri-La Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, with Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia serving as host.
Themed “RISE UP”, the Seventh Edition of the award presentation gala evening celebrated Malaysia’s most eminent SMEs and Entrepreneurs of 2022, including local actress and model Wawa Zainal, her husband and actor Aeril Zafrel, local celebrity Dato’ Mizal Zaini (AC Mizal), TikTok famous entrepreneur Hosni Mubarak Elarab, Entrepreneur of The Year, YBhg Datuk (Dr) Vinod Sekhar of Petra Group, as well as Malaysia’s most successful brands such as Uncle Don’s, Hartalega, and more. A total of 55 prestigious awards were given to exemplary entrepreneurs as a reward for their outstanding performance and innovative efforts throughout the year.
During his speech, YB Fahmi Fadzil, Minister of Communications and Digital, said, “Creativity is in every entrepreneur’s DNA, which is the secret to building successful businesses through different solutions. The Ministry of Communications and Digital looks forward to providing SMEs with digitalisation and creativity support through various channels.”
SEBA 2022 Grand Central came months after the first-ever Northern edition earlier in March this year, where 27 industry players from Langkawi, Perlis, Kedah, and Perak were awarded at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre, Penang. At the Central Grand Awards Presentation Gala Kuala Lumpur, SEBA aspired to acknowledge successful entrepreneurs and businesses and assist them in reaching greater heights in their business expeditions which will indefinitely foster the Malaysian economy as the next Entrepreneur Hub.
For the first time, Maxis – Malaysia’s leading communications service provider, partnered with SEBA to introduce the Maxis Awards, which aims to empower, recognise, and support outstanding Malaysian enterprises whose initiatives and contributions drive positive impact for fellow citizens. Food Aid Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that operates as a food bank, was presented with the Maxis Award RM150,000 in solutions and cash to support their efforts in distributing surplus food to needy people. In 2021, Food Aid Foundation contributed to their cause by distributing over 7 million meals worth over RM35 million.
“Following the unpredictable round of events this year, we have set the theme “RISE UP” to commemorate your incredible journey throughout the year. Excellent entrepreneurs must be ready to take calculated risks and quickly adapt to the situation to strive in their businesses. As we have learned from the pandemic, innovation and adaptability are vital in the world we live in today. And as such, all of the awardees have displayed it flawlessly throughout the year,” said Mr Nitesh Malani, Founder of SEBA and Chairman of Yayasan Usahawan Malaysia.
Apart from Maxis, SEBA 2022 was also supported by Standard Chartered Saadiq, Sun Life Malaysia, Honda Malaysia, and many more contributing organisations.
“Malaysia has immense potential to spearhead Southeast Asia to great heights through its exceptional entrepreneurs. Our mandate at SEBA is to be the backbone of these businesses for them to gain credibility on an international scale. With each year, we hope to aid more entrepreneurs in obtaining the recognition they deserve and boosting their brand as a whole,” says Ms Lyndia Wong, Chairperson of SEBA 2022.
