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Which area do you think Malaysia needs more focus on to accelerate progress?

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Did you know that about 40% of Malaysians don’t respond well to a common blood thinner, clopidogrel, because of their genes? That means the standard treatment might not work—and the risks are high.

Nur Hafizah Annezah, a Clinical Pharmacist and PhD researcher at Universiti Sains Malaysia and a recipient of the 2025 Merdeka Award Grant, is championing genotype-guided therapy—using Malaysians’ unique genetic data to personalise medicine dispensed for heart treatments.

Her mission is clear: To deliver personalised care through genetics to beat heart disease in Malaysia.

Across the world, innovations to advancing personalised cardiac care have been on the rise, as they offer safer, more effective treatments reduce preventable harm and cut long-term costs.

Hafizah will be heading to Erasmus Medical Centre Netherlands, amongst others for the attachment.

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Since 2013, the Merdeka Award Grant for International Attachment has supported 28 individuals to experience life-changing experience abroad. Five more individuals will join them soon!

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There’s no doubt EVs are the future—but there's a tech gap stalling their momentum: bulky chargers that just can’t keep up!

Dr. Freddy Tan Kheng Suan, a power electronics expert at University of Nottingham Malaysia, is revolutionizing EV charging with next-gen gate drivers powered by wide-bandgap semiconductors—delivering faster, cooler, and more compact performance.

Read more about his experience here:

A NEW CHARGE WITH EV BATTERIES - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Dr. Zetty Norhana Balia Yusof, Associate Professor at Universiti Putra Malaysia, is creating fish vaccine using algae - specifically, microalgae which are incorporated into fish pellets.

Read more about her experience here:

DO FISH NEED VACCINES? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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What is Dr. Nur Adlyka Ainul Annuar best known for in her astrophysics research?

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Developing new spacecraft propulsion systems

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Discovering planets outside the solar system

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Uncovering hidden supermassive black holes using X-ray telescopes

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Measuring the speed of light from distant stars

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In crime shows, it’s the detective who uncovers clues from the dead. But in real life, researchers like Dr. Rasyidah Rehir, a recipient of the 2025 Merdeka Award Grant, uncover something just as powerful—knowledge that helps the living.

As a medical lecturer at UKM, Dr. Rasyidah studies cadavers to trace the body’s tiniest blood vessels and nerves—insights that help surgeons plan safer, more precise procedures. But her mission goes beyond research.

In Malaysia, where cadaver dissection is rare, Dr. Rasyidah is pioneering a cadaveric research and training centre to give future doctors the hands-on experience they need to build skill and confidence.

“Cadavers are silent teachers,” she says. “They show how every body is different, and foster skills and respect no screen can offer.” Even in death, the human body continues to serve—by preparing doctors to save lives.

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What is the key innovation in Dr. Zetty Norhana Balia Yusof’s approach to developing fish vaccines?

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Using antibiotics in higher concentrations

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Injecting vaccines manually into each fish

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Incorporating microalgae-based vaccines into fish pellets

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In Sabah’s Kinabatangan floodplain, where more than 80% of the original forest has been lost, Amaziasizamoria Jumail is restoring lost rainforest through the Regrow Borneo project, studying how reforestation boosts carbon storage, biodiversity, and ecosystem health.

Read more about her experience here:

MORE "GROOTS" NEEDED FOR MALAYSIA - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Dr. Sophia Rasheeqa Ismail, Head of the Cardiovascular Unit at the Institute for Medical Research (IMR), is transforming heart disease prediction in Malaysia. Her research uses lipidomics, a cutting-edge molecular technique, to detect early warning signs of first-time heart attacks through subtle shifts in lipid profiles. By integrating lipidomics with genome-wide association studies into a multi-omics framework, she’s uncovering genetic–metabolic signatures that could revolutionize early diagnosis and prevention.

Read more about her experience here:

FAT CHANCE OF A HEART ATTACK? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Kelantan-born researcher Syaza Soraya Sauli champions early education as a powerful tool for climate action, nurturing preschoolers to love the earth before habits and worldviews take root.

Read more about here experience here:

LOVING THE EARTH: IT'S ABC - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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That’s the guiding belief behind Dr. Ng Chuck Chuan’s work.

With phytoremediation—a nature-based solution that uses plants to remove or stabilise heavy metals—he’s helping toxic soil recover, naturally and sustainably.

As it turns out, a single plant in the right place could be the start of cleaner, healthier soil.

Read more about his experience here:

DON'T SPOIL OUR SOILS! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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A method to kill bacteria using antibiotics

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A way to disrupt bacterial communication to prevent group behavior

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A technique to increase quorum sensing signals in bacteria

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That’s the question driving Dr. Natrah Ikhsan, a microbial ecologist at Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM).

She’s decoding how bacteria and algae interact in aquaculture, using quorum sensing and quenching to curb harmful microbes, improve water quality, and reduce chemical use for healthier, more sustainable fish farming.

Read more about her experience here:

BACTERIA TALK AFFECTING FISH HEALTH? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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What percentage of Sabah's Kinabatangan floodplain is estimated to have been lost to deforestation?

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Dr. Feng Ying Xing investigates how mental stress can be objectively assessed using a non-invasive brain imaging tool — functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) — to measure changes in blood oxygen levels in the brain.

Read more about his experience here:

CAN WE MEASURE MENTAL STRESS? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Mental Stress: How Early Can It Be Measured?

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Chrishen Gomez recently completed his PhD at Oxford University and is no stranger when it comes to leading important work to protect Borneo’s rare carnivores — including the Sunda clouded leopard.

As head of the Bornean Carnivore Programme, Chrishen is unlocking secrets of 24 wild carnivore species in Sabah, using infrared cameras and genetic analysis to reveal how they survive and adapt in fast-changing habitats.

Read more about his experience here:

CAN YOU SPOT THE LEOPARD? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Calvin Shee Yin Ming, 2025 Merdeka Award Grant recipient, is diving into the microbial world of pitcher plants to hunt for life-saving solutions. His bold research could unlock new weapons against drug-resistant superbugs, right from nature’s jungle traps.

The enzymes he’s studying could bring rainforest-inspired ideas into everyday life!

With antibiotic resistance rising, he’s turning to pitcher plant microbes, nature’s acid-loving survivors, for powerful enzymes and compounds that could offer new hope where modern medicine falls short.

A graduate of Universiti Malaya, Calvin is showing that big solutions can start with something as small as a microbe!

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What role does the butterfly pea flower extract play in  wound treatment?

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Acts as a natural antibacterial agent to kill bacteria directly on wounds

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Provides structural support to the microneedles for deeper skin penetration

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Functions as a pH-sensitive indicator that changes color to signal infection or healing status

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Enhances the absorption rate of medication through electrical stimulation

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Why are cadavers described as “silent teachers” ?

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Because they communicate through advanced technological sensors

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Because they provide real-life anatomical variations and hands-on learning that screens cannot replicate

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Because they are only used for research, not teaching

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Because they simplify anatomy to standard textbook models

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Dinesh Ramachandram, a recipient of the Merdeka Award Grant in 2025, is producing comprehensive guidelines to raise understanding about dementia across a variety of stakeholders, so that no one walks the journey facing a “404 error”.

Driven by his grandmother’s struggle with dementia, he’s reshaping Malaysia’s approach making care not just medically sound, but deeply rooted in culture and community. His work replaces confusion and fear with clarity and compassion.

Now based at Monash University Malaysia, he’s developing a Dementia Literacy & Medication Toolkit—practical, multilingual, and built for homes, clinics, and the hands of caregivers.

Because dementia often starts with subtle signs at home—not in a clinic—he believes everyone, not just doctors, should understand it. His research bridges pharmacy, digital tools, and health systems to ensure no family faces the dementia journey alone.

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Our genes in every cell of our body hold life-saving clues and Professor Dr. Abhimanyu Veerakumarasivam has made it his mission to decode them.

By decoding how genes drive cancer cell behavior, his research is reshaping early detection and treatment. Through precision medicine, he’s enabling smarter interventions that give patients a stronger fighting chance.

Read more about his experience here:

Oh! My GENES! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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CCLLOONNIINNGG  TTIIGGEERRSS - TEERRRIIFFICC!

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CCLLOONNIINNGG  TTIIGGEERRSS - TEERRRIIFFICC!

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With fewer than 150 Malayan tigers left, Dr. Wan Nor Fitri Wan Jaafar is racing against species' extinction, using stem cell research and Assisted Reproductive Technology to explore cloning as a bold path to species survival.

Read more about his experience here:

CCLLOONNIINNGG TTIIGGEERRSS - TEERRRIIFFICC! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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As development pushes forward, the lives and livelihoods of indigenous communities are often affected, yet unheard.

Dr. Masni Mat Dong is breaking through the silence to ask hard questions about spatial injustice — and aiming to answer them with evidence, empathy, and a plan.

Read more about her experience here:

LAND FIGHTS vs LAND RIGHTS - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Which of the following physiological measures is commonly used as a biomarker to assess mental stress in healthy individuals?

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What is the estimated number of Malayan Tiger individuals presently in the wild (as of 2024)?

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Dr. Mohd Azri Ab Rani, an award-winning chemist is driven by one mission—turning science into solutions.

While his early work was on sustainable, affordable energy innovations that challenge the dominance of lithium in sodium-ion “salt” batteries, his discoveries have brought lucrative earnings!

Read more about his experience here:

AN ACCIDENTAL VENTURE OF RM2 MILLION! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Dr. Lee Tian Khoon, known as Edison, is redefining rubber’s role in energy. With nearly a decade in battery tech, he’s leading research to turn rubber from insulator to conductor for next-gen lithium-ion batteries and energy storage systems.

Read more about his experience here:

WAIT - RUBBER CAN CONDUCT ELECTRICITY? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Professor Dr. Ong Wee Jun is turning that question into reality!

Drawing inspiration from natural photosynthesis, his research focuses on catalytic-driven solar energy conversion and storage by developing advanced nanomaterials that transform sunlight into sustainable fuels (e.g., hydrogen).

Read more about his experience:

CAN SOLAR PANELS FUNCTION LIKE PLANTS? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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What if solar panels worked like plants?

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COMING SOON! BLUE PEA FLOWER POWER FOR WOUNDS

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COMING SOON! BLUE PEA FLOWER POWER FOR WOUNDS

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What if treating a wound was as simple as sticking on a patch — and it could tell you how you’re healing?

Keisheni Ganeson is pioneering a microneedle patch using Malaysia’s butterfly pea flower, delivering medicine, fighting bacteria, and changing color to track healing. No pain, no hospital, just smart, visible self-care.

More than just a vibrant dye in nasi kerabu, the blue pea flower extract changes colour with pH — acting like a natural sensor - and detector for infected wounds.

Keisheni grew up loving abstract art and experimenting in the kitchen—blending colours and flavours. That same spirit now fuels her quest to prove that local ideas can someday be the bedrock for global innovation.

Keisheni is a recipient of the Merdeka Award Grant in 2025 and will be heading off to Queen's University Belfast, Ireland, amongst others.

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It may sound like sci-fi, but Dr. Yanny Marliana Baba Ismail is developing smart biomaterials that help bones heal faster and stronger, potentially reducing the need for surgery by mimicking natural bone and cartilage to support regeneration.

Read more about her experience here:

BROKEN BONES, NOT BROKEN HOPE - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Yeup! We're excited and we're stepping up to celebrate!

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Since 2013, Merdeka Award Grantees have gone on to more than 40 institutions in 4 continents to further their learning.

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When your heart skips a beat, it might not be love, it could be a warning. Professor Dr. Kamalan Jeevaratnam uses stem-cell models to uncover the causes of irregular heart rhythms, advancing early detection and prevention of life-threatening conditions.

Read more about his experience here:

CODE RED: HACKING CARDIAC RHYTHMS! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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How do you help small businesses compete in a high-tech world?

For UTM researcher Koh Lily, the answer lies beyond just adopting fancy tools. Her work zooms in on how SMEs can explores how automation, Internet of Things (IoT), and data-driven strategies can boost SME performance.

Read more about her experience here:

HELPING SMALL BIZ WIN BIG! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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What if we could stay one step ahead of the next disaster?

Dr. Kamarrul Azahari Razak, a geoscience expert and senior lecturer at UTM, is doing just that—using research to predict the risk of a disaster - so we can better prepare and respond to natural calamities.

Read more about his experience here:

PREDICT A CRISIS? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Deep in the Kenyir rainforest, Dr. Aini Hasanah Abd Mutalib is listening to protect what we can no longer afford to lose: our wildlife.

Using Passive Acoustic Monitoring, she tracks endangered small apes like the white-handed gibbon and Siamang. Their haunting duets reveal vital clues about habitat, communication, and territorial behavior, key insights for protecting a species with fewer than 200,000 left.

Read more about her experience here:

SMALL APES CAN MAKE FOREST MUSIC? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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SPOT A STROKE... JUST BY LOOKING AT THE EYE?

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SPOT A STROKE... JUST BY LOOKING AT THE EYE?

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Sounds far-fetched, but was the question driving Aishah Ismail’s research to detect early signs of stroke. The theory? Focusing on the optic nerve head where tiny changes in blood flow could signal a person’s risk of stroke before any symptoms even appear.

Read more about her experience here:

SPOT A STROKE... JUST BY LOOKING AT THE EYE? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Losing a friend at the prime of her youth to ovarian cancer started Jessica Ooi Sui Ying on her journey into cancer diagnostics.

Jessica’s bold vision: a simple paper strip for early disease detection, no expensive machines needed. Her research proposal that won her the Merdeka Award Grant in 2021 took her to ETH Zürich, where she worked with global leaders in biosensors and point-of-care diagnostics.

Read more about her experience here:

PAPER TO HELP DETECT CANCER? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Dr. Lim Hong Ngee developed a nanotech-powered blood test paired with a smartphone app, bringing breast cancer screening closer to home and making diagnosis more accessible and affordable.

Read more about her experience here:

A CANCER TEST THAT FITS IN YOUR POCKET! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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A Deep Look Into the Universe Reveals....

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A Deep Look Into the Universe Reveals....

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Dr. Nur Adlyka Ainul Annuar is lighting up one of the universe’s darkest mysteries — supermassive black holes.

As an astrophysicist and senior lecturer at UKM, she has been amongst the few to have used powerful X-ray tools like NASA’s NuSTAR telescope to uncover black holes hidden behind cosmic dust.

Read more about her experience here:

A Deep Look Into the Universe Reveals.... - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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What if the trillions of bacteria in your gut could reveal secrets about how your body ages and fights diseases?

Chua Ling Ling took a deep dive into this hidden world, studying how changes in gut microbes might speed up aging and inflammation—especially in people living with HIV.

Read more about her experience here:

YOUR GUT KNOWS TOO MUCH - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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THE ART OF THE SOUL: VIBRANT INDIGENOUS STORIES!

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THE ART OF THE SOUL: VIBRANT INDIGENOUS STORIES!

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Malaysian artist-activist Shahar ‘Shaq’ Koyok is reshaping the narrative of Orang Asli identity through bold, contemporary art. His work captures stories of displacement, resilience, and cultural pride, giving voice to a community too often overlooked.

Read more about his experience here:

THE ART OF THE SOUL: VIBRANT INDIGENOUS STORIES! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Palm Oil Could Become Your Next Energy Solution?

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Palm Oil Could Become Your Next Energy Solution?

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Dr. Mohd Sukor Su’ait has been on a quest for sustainable solutions for solar cells—using innovative polymer electrolytes derived from palm oil.

Read more about his experience here:

PALM OIL COULD BECOME YOUR NEXT ENERGY SOLUTION? - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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As global plastic pollution mounts, Dr. Kong Xin Ying, a LKY Research Fellow at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has developed a groundbreaking approach that transforms plastics into valuable chemicals—under ambient conditions.

Read more about her experience here:

Plastic Waste: Now Done in Days! - Merdeka Award Grant Padlet Articles | Merdeka Award

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Getting ready for the 2025 Merdeka Award Grant event 💓

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Getting ready for the 2025 Merdeka Award Grant event 💓

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Malaysia has incredible talent! It’s an honour to host these Awards and recognise these young innovative individuals.

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We are all geared for the Merdeka Award Grant ceremony!

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Inspiring! Watching Shaq Koyok do live painting ❤️

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We are here!

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see you on fridayyyyyyay!

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Congratulations to all recipients! You're the game changers. Proud of every one of you!

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With Dr. Rasyidah, the recipient, and representatives from UKM. Proud of you, and all the best in your international attachment!