Housing developer receives mayor’s special award

MIRI: Esteemed housing developer and education advocate, Dato Prof (Dr) Lau Siu Wai, was honoured with this year’s Miri City Mayor’s Special Award.

The prestigious accolade was presented to Lau during a ceremony at the Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club on Sunday night.

Miri Mayor Adam Yii Siew Sang officiated the award presentation, witnessed by Deputy Mayor Cr Ariffin Mohamad.

Renowned for his humility and entrepreneurial resilience, Lau’s journey in business has seen both significant triumphs and challenges. Born in 1931 in China’s Teochew Province to a middle-class family, he moved to Hong Kong in 1946 to study English.

Lau’s foray into property development began in 1966 with Miri Housing Development Berhad. Simultaneously, he played a pivotal role in establishing the Riam Road Middle School, collaborating with local community leaders.

A notable accomplishment was the completion of 500 housing units in Piasau Garden by his company in 1975. However, the 1973 oil crisis brought unprecedented challenges as building material costs skyrocketed. Despite contracts being signed pre-crisis, buyers resisted price increases, leading to significant debts for Lau. His resilience shone through as he successfully cleared these debts in four years by engaging in smaller building contracts.

The event also celebrated various other luminaries. Josephine Ch’ng and Alan Ch’ng Poh San received the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award. The Young Achievers Award was presented to Daphne Chai, Cecil Nathanel Busli Polycarp, Ethan Madang Peter Law, Mirabel Ting, and Dayang Ferazlyn Abang Sahari. Miri Pickleball Association, Martin Kueh, and Deckworks Event and Entertainment were recognised for their contributions to Health and Wellness Advocacy and Sports Event Organisation, respectively.

In the realm of social entrepreneurship, Matassan Rohani was acknowledged, while Dato Alexander Maiyor and Dato Usop Sani Wahab were honoured with the Community Development Award. Recognition for Cultural Preservation was bestowed upon Masri Usan.

The Excellence in Art and Performance accolade went to Ezra Tekola, and Caroline Siburat was celebrated for her achievements in Hospitality and Tourism. The Education Excellence Award was presented to Prof Dr Beena Giridharan, and the ‘Taste of Borneo’ initiative was recognised for its contribution to Tourism Excellence by the Sarawak Chinese Association.