PETALING JAYA: The Life Begins at 50 Seniors Festival kicked off with the Timeless Inspiration Awards, recognising five extraordinary seniors who have carved a niche in their respective fields.
Among the recipients was former Star Media Group (SMG) Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Datin Linda Ngiam.
Other notable awardees included the first Dayak woman senator in the Sarawak state assembly Tan Sri Empiang Jabu, sports commentator and actor/screenwriter Datuk Abdul Rahim Razali, former national athlete Datuk Marina Chin, and educator born with congenital lower limb deficiency Ramlah Md Jalee.
The awardees serve as beacons of inspiration, demonstrating that life over 50 is not only fulfilling but also filled with opportunities to contribute to society in meaningful ways.
During her speech, Ngiam shared her humble beginnings and the inspiration she drew from her mother, who was wise, resilient, and resourceful.
"I must have inherited her genes because money was scarce, so I gave daily tuition to raise pocket money and worked every semester break.
"Along this journey, I am blessed to meet many people who helped me a lot, including school mates, university mates, friends, and colleagues, helping me deal with shortcomings and making me see that it is okay not to have enough.
"My career path was smooth, and I was able to shed my inferiority, and credit goes to all the bosses I had worked for. They not only created learning opportunities but also motivated me to move up the corporate ladder," she said at the opening of the festival at Tropicana Gardens Mall.
Ngiam joined SMG in 1985 as an advertising sales promotion manager and retired in 2011. She continued with the Group as a Board Director and stepped down in June 2018.
Following her retirement last year from Heineken Malaysia Bhd as an independent non-executive director, Ngiam continues to dedicate her time to charity work as the board chair of Make-A-Wish Malaysia and board trustee of Yayasan Sin Chew.
Meanwhile, Empiang was the first Dayak Iban woman to graduate and earn her Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University and a Diploma in Teaching from Epsom Teacher’s College in New Zealand.
In her speech, she spoke about her dedication and commitment to work and duties without seeking personal glorification.
"I have always maintained a humble moral, social, and religious consciousness to discharge my service unselfishly to help people regardless of their race, religion, and background, especially those from poor and underprivileged backgrounds.
"In spite of my 80 years of age, I am still continuing. I am still mentally active and still useful to contribute to society for the communities in Sarawak and my beloved nation.
"My advice for the younger generation is to serve with dedication, embrace modern technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), and apply social media responsibly," she said.
She also thanked Amazing Seniors-Life Begins at 50 for giving her the award.
The Life Begins at 50 Seniors Festival runs from Sept 27 to Sept 29. The three-day event includes the first-ever family WALKABREAKFASTTHON, senior talent quest, World Heart Day celebration (with free heart health check-ups), informative talks, hourly live performances, senior-related exhibitions, live demos, special promotions and sales, and hourly lucky draws and freebies for all.
