First Sarawak woman property developer to win at APEA Awards
KUCHING: RJ Realty Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Lily Lim was among an elite group of business people adjudged winners at the Asia Pacific Entrepreneurship Award (APEA) Malaysia 2017, hosted by Enterprise Asia in Kuala Lumpur last Friday night.
The APEA is a world-class award that recognises and honours business leaders who have demonstrated outstanding entrepreneurship, embodying qualities such as exceptional performance, perseverance and tenacity in developing successful businesses in Asia Pacific.
Organised by Enterprise Asia, which is backed by a panel of industry and government leaders, the awards bridge leading Asia Pacific entrepreneurs.
According to a press release, Lim received her Property Development Industry trophy from Enterprise Asia president Datuk William Ng, who represented Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Seri William Madius Tangau.
Lim who is Kuching born and bred is behind one of East Malaysia’s top real estate development firms which aims to be an architecturally, socially, and sustainably conscious real estate developer. She credits her burning desire to succeed as the catalyst for her entrepreneurial spirit.
Elated to be the first Sarawakian woman to receive the property development award, Lim thanked her family and staff for their loyal support for the past 10 years.
When asked about the role of her daughter, Ryonna Chuo, in the firm, Lim said there was no truth to the many assumptions that she (Lim) would be slowing down following her daughter’s graduation from a prestigious American university as an architect.
“In fact, this has provided more fuel for me, so we can do more together. With her educational background and my vast experience, we will catapult RJ Realty to even greater heights,” she added.
During the function, Enterprise Asia also presented several special awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award to Tan Sri Dr Lim Wee Chai. There were also 30 other candidates who received business awards in various business categories.
Enterprise Asia chairman and former Minister of Human Resources Tan Sri Dr Fong Chan Onn, said that the winners of the awards deserved praise, adding that their success stories should be an encouragement to budding future candidates.
“The awards not only recognise and honour the importance of the entrepreneurs as signature icons, but we present to you the faces and stories of the people moving our economies forward to a bigger and better Asia,” he said.