2018 Merdeka Award Grant For International Attachment Is Now Open

ONLINE APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED - CLOSING DATE 15 AUGUST 2018

9 April 2018, Kuala Lumpur – The Merdeka Award Secretariat is pleased to announce today the launch of the 2018 Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment. Qualified Malaysians are now invited to submit their applications for an opportunity to enrich their learning and research experience in pursuit of excellence in their respective fields.

The Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment is conferred annually to qualified Malaysians between the ages of 22 and 35, to engage in collaborative programmes at globally-renowned host institutions and organisations.

Attachments cover the select disciplines of education, arts, sports, community or social work, environment, health, as well as science and technology.

The Grant enables recipients to build on their expertise, establish contacts and working relationships with other international experts in their chosen field, as well as to inspire other Malaysians with their enhanced world-view and experiences upon their return.

The closing date to apply for the 2018 Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment is on 15 August 2018. All applications must be made online at http://www.merdekaaward.my/The-Grant/Application.aspx.

The Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment was announced in conjunction with the 2011 Merdeka Award Presentation Ceremony by Prime Minister YAB Dato' Sri Mohd Najib Tun Abdul Razak.

There is also an aspirational element to the Grant as it compels the recipients, who already enjoy a degree of recognition in their area of expertise, to strive towards even greater heights, while also serving as role models to the younger generation.

Since the Grant was introduced, 11 young Malaysians have successfully received the grant with eight of them already completing their attachments at the international institutions of their choices.

Last year’s recipients of the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment were:

• Shahar A/L Koyok, 32, an Orang Asli artist from the Temuan ethnic group whose research is on indigenous artforms and its representation within national institutions
• Dr Sophia Rasheeqa Ismail, 30, whose attachment will be on lipidomics profiling to improve understanding of the risk of cardiovascular diseases among the Malaysian population
• Dr Zetty Norhana Balia Yusof, 35, who is researching the potential of Malaysian seaweed as a natural source of antifungal compounds to combat the debilitating basal stem rot (BSR) disease affecting the oil palm industry.

Shahar, is currently undergoing his attachment in Australia, while Dr Sophia, a medical research officer at Institute for Medical Research and Dr Zetty, a senior lecturer at Universiti Putra Malaysia will both start their attachments in United Kingdom in August.

For more information about the Merdeka Award and its activities, please visit the following sites:
Website: www.merdekaaward.my
Facebook: http://j.mp/merdekaaward
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merdekaaward/
YouTube: http://bit.ly/merdekaawardyoutube