UTAR’s 20 years of educational excellence was celebrated by staff, students and invited distinguished guests with much joy, anticipation and pride at Dewan Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik of Kampar Campus on 12 August 2022. The celebration reminisced the years of successes achieved from UTAR’s continuous dedication to excel in education and research, since it was officially launched on 13 August 2002.

The celebration started with an auspicious lion dance by UTAR Lion Dance Club and a 24 seasons drum performance by the current UTAR students who showed great passion and commitment towards performing arts.

Invited to grace UTAR’s 20th Anniversary Celebration and the Launch of the Bamboo Pavilion was Deputy Minister of Education I Senator Dato’ Dr Mah Hang Soon representing guest of honour and Minister of Transport Datuk Seri Ir Dr Wee Ka Siong. The momentous celebration was also graced by UTAR Chancellor Tun Dr Ling Liong Sik and his spouse Toh Puan Ena Ling, UTAR Education Foundation Board of Trustees Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Sak Cheng Lum and his spouse Puan Sri Sak, the second Chairman of Board of Trustees of UTAR Education Foundation Tan Sri Dato’ Lau Yin Pin, UTAR Council Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr Ting Chew Peh, UTAR President Ir Prof Dato’ Dr Ewe Hong Tat, UTAR Vice President for Academic Development and Internationalisation and Organising Chairperson of UTAR 20th Anniversary Celebration Ir Prof Dr Goi Bok Min, UTAR Board of Trustees Datuk (Dr.) Oh Chong Peng, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Lee Oi Hian, and Datuk Lee Leck Cheng; UTAR Council Members Tan Sri Datuk Seri Dr Fong Chan Onn, Tan Sri Dato' Seri Chor Chee Heung, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Ong Ka Chuan, Hew Fen Yee, and Datuk Lim Si Cheng; UTAR Vice Presidents Prof Ts Dr Faidz bin Abd Rahman and Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong, UTAR staff and students, alumni, associates, and industry partners.

In his speech, Dato’ Mah said, “It is a great honour for me to be here at UTAR for UTAR’s 20th Anniversary Celebration. UTAR has been established for 20 years. Despite being a young university, UTAR has been providing students with a quality and affordable education. UTAR has contributed to fulfilling the aspiration of the nation which is to uphold a quality education system that develops individuals to their full potential. UTAR’s achievements through the years are also a testament to UTAR’s continuous journey of progress and development. As part of its progressive development, the University has also now set up a hospital here in Kampar Campus that will offer quality and affordable medical and health services in both Western Medicine and Traditional and Complementary Medicine. As the chairperson of the National MCA Fundraising for UTAR Hospital, we are doing our best to help raise funds for this hospital. I hope UTAR Hospital will be able to nurture more doctors to serve people as well as contribute to the improvement of Malaysia’s healthcare system. The establishment of UTAR Hospital will benefit all Kampar citizens as well as the citizens in Perak areas.”

Tan Sri Sak said, “It has been a good 20 years and UTAR has achieved amazing growth in the span of these 20 years. As we celebrate all our accomplishments and achievements, we are also mindful that UTAR will not be where it is today if not for the support that the University received from thousands of benevolent corporations, organisations and individuals who shared and believed in the University’s aspirations. Their benevolent deeds will always be our source of inspiration as we move forward to achieve greater glories for many decades to come. On behalf of the UTAR Education Foundation, I thank the people for their continuous support and trust in UTAR as a provider of quality education for the community, as an educational institution to train the future leaders and contribute to nation building.”

Tan Sri Ting in his speech said, “Today marks a significant milestone in UTAR’s transformative journey to becoming a world-recognised educational institution. As UTAR Council Chairman, I am proud to acknowledge the dedication of the university management, faculty and staff, students, and alumni who believed in UTAR and worked together with the university all these years. I would also like to thank the UTAR Education Foundation Board of Trustees, and fellow UTAR Council members who have voluntarily provided their guidance, shared their vast knowledge and experience, and helped to steer UTAR along the path of success. I would also like to thank everyone for your unwavering contribution, dedication, and hard work that have led the university through the years of development and progress.”

Commemorating the significant UTAR-20th anniversary and the stellar successes that the University has achieved in the past twenty years, Prof Ewe thanked all the distinguished guests and friends from other institutions of higher learning who have travelled from near and far to share the bliss of this auspicious occasion. He enthused, “Today’s event is more than just a celebration of UTAR’s achievements; it reminds us of our humble roots when we first started the idea of building a University in Kampar. In August 2002, that idea became a reality, and we were able to realise this dream thanks to the contributions of our forerunners, whose spark of inspiration and commitment eventually led to the establishment of UTAR. We thank MCA and the Government for their support. This pride also extends to all the public and community who have supported UTAR throughout the years with their generous donations and contributions.”

He added, “I believe that UTAR’s growth and success came from the staff’s dedication, especially from past Presidents’ leadership, namely Tan Sri Datuk Dr Ng Lay Swee and Ir Academician Emeritus Prof Tan Sri Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik. I am also grateful to UTAR’s Board of Trustees, Council Members, and International Advisory Panel for their guidance that has led the university to stability and sustainability.”

The significant UTAR 20th anniversary celebration was followed by the 20th-anniversary video presentation and a cake-cutting ceremony. One of the highlights of the video was the congratulatory messages and best wishes to UTAR from its past presidents, Tan Sri Ng and Tan Sri Chuah. The UTAR 20th-anniversary video is UTAR's own production, 100% produced in-house by our UTAR staff working together as a team.

The momentous event also saw the launch of The Gesture at the Bamboo Pavilion, which features a welcoming walk along a path of bamboo structures next to a lake and green environment.

“The Gesture” will be the first phase of UTAR Bamboo Sanctuary. The bamboo sanctuary will provide opportunities such as a learning environment and a climate change mitigation strategy. The sanctuary will feature The Garden of Fame, The Bamboo Trail of Enlightenment, The Scholars’ Garden, and The Bamboo Trail by the Lake with the use of various types of bamboo.

“The Gesture” was designed by students from the Department of Architecture and Sustainable Design (DASD), namely Chin Mann Yuin, Ng Tze Way, Ow Kar Yong, Jonathan See Yu Hoong, Rachel Lee Thung Yan, with advisor Ar. Loh Khang Yong. “The Gesture” won second prize at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area ASEAN Nations Design and Construction Competition 2020 – International Stage (2020粤港澳大湾区·东盟国际高校营造大赛). The project also won several other categories, including first place in the Comprehensive Expression category, second place in the Prize of Architectural Design category and second place in the Prize of Engineering and Structural Design category.

After the launch of the Bamboo Pavilion, the celebration resumed with a sumptuous lunch and with a series of enthralling performances, namely UTAR 20th Anniversary Song composed by Dr Nadya Supian, UTAR Kampar Chinese Orchestra performance, singing performances by staff and students from both Kampar and Sungai Long Campuses, namely Khor Jia Cheng, Beh Chun Chee, Maxwell Sim, Lee Xue Yun, and Charu; a Chinese cultural dance as well as a dance performance by UTAR Kampar Campus Dance Club.

UTAR’s continuous effort also upholds its principle as a university by the people, for the people, by providing equal access to education for all people through its affordable and quality education. On its trajectory to becoming a global university of educational excellence with transformative societal impact, UTAR has indeed proven itself as a comprehensive teaching and research university, providing a varied portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. To now having more than 21,000 students enrolled in both its campuses in Kampar and Sungai Long, UTAR has grown to become the choice and trust for individuals to seek quality education.

The celebration ended with a campus tour and UTAR Hospital tour.