AMBCQ Australia-Malaysia Ball 2010

Shona and Doug

As anyone who was there will tell you, our annual Australia-Malaysia Ball was a wonderful success.  We had almost 180 people in attendance including 13 politicians, our AMBC National President Larry Gould,  consular and community representatives for Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, India, EU and elsewhere.  It was at Landmark restaurant at Sunnybank and everyone as always was very happy with the food!

This year, we had a special 'kiddies corner', so that guests with children had somewhere for the kids to go and play with other kids.  They also had little presents and games, and were looked after by two babysitters.  I think the kids had as much of a party as the rest of us!

Here are a few photos from the night - thanks to Lucas Follbring for being our photographer; it's not an easy job, circulating all night, getting everyone to look in the same direction at the same time, and capturing the feel of the event.  If you want to see all the photos, you can also have a peek at our album on picasa.  http://picasaweb.google.com/111507723744456797456/AMBCQBall2010# 

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We had a surprise presentation for Dr Peter Yeoh OAM.  Dr Yeoh was the inaugral President of the AMBCQ and is our patron.  He had already made an enormous contribution to Malaysia when he migrated to Australia in the 1980s - through his company YCL, he had built much of KL, and introduced new building techniques and innovations into the marketplace.  He and his wife Alice have also done an extraordinary amount of charity work over the years and given very freely of their time, money and networks to support many causes.  This year is the 25th anniversary of his family's move to Australia; it also coincided with him receiving the Order of Australia Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours.  So we had a 'this is your life' moment, with a powerpoint presentation, a speech about his life, and a special crystal award to commemorate the occasion.  It was a surprise for him, which was fun.  For me personally it was a very happy moment, because Uncle Peter and Auntie Alice have been mentors to Kiong and I, and the community and charity work they have done has left a very strong impression on us. 

The guys from QLM

Our sponsors this year were:

• Cr Graham Quirk, Deputy Mayor of Brisbane City Council, providing sponsorship through the Lord Mayor's Suburban Initiative.  Cr Quirk wasn't able to there on the night, but he has supported us and helped us in so many ways from the start.
• Air Asia for 6 return tickets to KL via the Gold Coast - this is the third year Air Asia has sponsored the Ball and we are very grateful for their support.
• Project Success International and Doug Wheeler and Associates.  Doug has been involved with the AMBCQ for about two years now, and he has gone out of his way so many times for our group.  Not only did he provide sponsorship, he also provided the sound system and music for the night, as well as free dance lessons!
• Paradigm Infinitum - that's us!  Kiong and I always put a lot into the Ball, I know Kiong took several weeks off our normal work to concentrate on organising everything. 
• Lai Peng Chan - providing sponsorship for the raffle and our special 'kiddies corner'
• La Peau Beauty Therapy - providing generous and much coveted raffle prizes
• Bec Carpenter from Ten FM for a fun Tenterfield gift pack

As usual, free dance lessons for all!

And on the night we got a few extra raffle prizes, a signed 'ABC of Feng Shiu' book from Debra Jarvis who was a guest on the night, and now an AMBCQ member, and a $500 Daniel Alexander make-over certificate!

We also had an article about the Ball released through Bernama, the Malaysian national news agency.

Malaysian Business Community In Queensland Honours Yeoh

MELBOURNE, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- The Australia Malaysia Business Council, Queensland chapter (AMBCQ), has paid tribute to its patron, Dr Peter Yeoh Tiong Yong, and his wife Alice for their 25 years' service to the Queensland community.

AMBCQ senior vice president, Shona Leppanen-Gibson, delivered a tribute speech highlighting the significant events in Yeoh's life at the annual Australia-Malaysia gala ball in Brisbane.

A special commemorative crystal award was presented to Yeoh by Peter Slipper, parliamentary secretary to former Prime Minister John Howard.

Yeoh received the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to business and to the community in Queensland from Queen Elizabeth in June.

He is the younger brother of Tan Sri Yeoh Tiong Lay.

Meanwhile, AMBCQ president, Chan Wai Kiong, praised Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak for his efforts to maintain the harmonious ties between all Malaysians, and also between Australia and Malaysia.

"The presence of 13 Australian politicians at the AMBCQ event showed how important the bilateral relationships between Australia and Malaysia is regarded by the Australian government, the Queensland community and the City of Brisbane," he said.

Chan said the presence of so many politicians at one event was uncommon in Queensland, and marked the high regard in which the Queensland chapter of AMBC was held by all levels of government in Australia.

Under the guidance of Chan and Leppanen-Gibson, the Queensland's chapter has become one of the largest in Australia after only three years.

The event was also attended by many Queensland business executives, industry leaders and the new AMBC national president, Larry Gould, and consular and community representatives for Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, India and EU.
-- BERNAMA

Here's the original of the article:
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsbusiness.php?id=518702