Shamsuddin named Malay Personality of Distinction

JOHOR BARU: Tan Sri Shamsuddin Abdul Kadir, the founder and chairman of Malaysia's telecommunications conglomerate Sapura Holdings Bhd, has been named the recipient of Umno's Tokoh Melayu Terbilang (Distinctive Malay Personality) award.

Umno president Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi presented the award to him at Istana Besar here, in conjunction with the party's 60th anniversary celebrations yesterday.

The award comes with a certificate, gold medal and RM100,000, which he has pledged to donate to charity.

Shamsuddin, 75, was chosen for his capability in science and technology, a key asset, which contributed to Sapura Holdings' growth.

Met by reporters after the gathering, Shamsuddin said the money would be given to orphans to help ease their livelihood.

He declined to comment further, saying he was overcome by emotion.

Asked why he was giving away his award money, he said orphans needed it more than him.

“It is my way to earn pahala (divine merit),” he added.

Shamsuddin, the only child of a poor family in Perak, struggled hard to achieve success.

Trained as an engineer in Britain, he had served with the Government in the telecommunications sector. Shamsuddin later left the public service for the private sector in the automotive industry.

His career included stints in the private and public sectors, working in companies such as Telekom Malaysia and United Motor Works Corporation.

He started out as a supplier for the telecommunications sector with just six employees when he set up Sapura Holdings, a company named after his late wife Puan Sri Siti Sapura Husin.

The group is now the largest home-grown telecommunications conglomerate.

Shamsuddin had served as a member of the National Council for Scientific Research and Development, the National Productivity Corporation and the Malaysian Business Council.

He had also held the posts of chairman of Bank Islam Malaysia and vice-chairman of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

He also served on a number of non-governmental organisations, including the Institution of Engineers Malaysia, Malaysian Institute of Directors, International Union of Architects and Commonwealth Association of Architects.

He was a Founding Fellow of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia and had served on the Academy's council for many years. In 2002, he was made a Senior Fellow of the academy with the title Academician.

Shamsuddin was one of the originators of the Malaysian Industry Government Group for High Technology and the Commonwealth Consultative Group for Technology Management/Private Sector Partnership (CCGTM/PSP).

Although he has largely retired to play more golf, he is still chairman of the Sapura group.

Tan Sri Shamsuddin
during his VI days