Lumen Summer 2013 - Flipbook - Page 15
story by Ben Osborne
Engineering a
global life
The title of Dato Lee Yee Cheong’s recently-published
autobiography neatly summarises a truly noble life:
‘Think Malaysian, Act Global’.
T
he career of Dato Lee, one of
the University of Adelaide’s most
distinguished Malaysian alumni,
spans more than 50 years in the fields of
engineering, science and technology.
Arriving in Adelaide in 1956 to study
Electrical Engineering, Dato Lee was
among the first Colombo Plan scholars to
study at the University.
He stayed in the Kensington Park home
of a Mrs Clarke with fellow Malaysian,
Colombo Plan scholar and Engineering
student Chris Chow Pang Chong – the
pair have remained business partners
and friends ever since – and they took
little time to throw themselves into life in
a new country.
Among the highlights were being the
only two Asian students to volunteer to
travel to Barmera to help locals deal with
the epic 1956 River Murrary floods, and a
trip to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
“The organisers called for volunteers to
act as interpreters for the Chinese team,”
he said.
“Chris Chong and I volunteered and
headed over. Of course, the Hungarian
uprising meant that the Chinese team
pulled out. So Chris and I had tickets
to the opening and closing ceremonies,
and all this free time to watch a lot of the
events. It’s why I say there’s always some
good in volunteering – it’s not just about
the hard work!”
Dato Lee’s years in Adelaide as a young
man forged not only his career path, but
also his sense of wanting to contribute at
a global level.
“It was here that I became an
internationalist,” he said. “I was exposed
to many different nationalities, I mixed with
other Malayans, and then other Asians,
Australians and other nationalities.
“The seed was planted when I was at the
University of Adelaide.”
After graduating in 1961, Dato Lee
has worked in the fields of engineering,
science and technology across many
continents, including numerous high-level
positions with government, industry and
the United Nations.
His current position is Chairman,
Governing Board, International Science
Technology and Innovation Centre for
South-South Cooperation under the
auspices of UNESCO, Kuala Lumpur
(ISTIC). He vigorously promotes basic
engineering infrastructure as the
prerequisite for economic and social
development in developing countries
in Africa.
He has been recognised for his
contribution by being awarded the
Malaysian state awards of DPMP and KMN,
and appointed an Honorary Officer of the
Order of Australia (AO).
In August this year, he returned to the
University of Adelaide to give a free lecture
titled ‘Whither Science, Engineering and
Technology?’.
“Being able to study in Australia and
at the University of Adelaide under the
Colombo Plan was something I am always
thankful for – I have always felt a debt of
gratitude for the opportunity that I was
given,” he said.
“I was happy to come back to Adelaide
to talk to a new generation of engineers
and scientists about the challenges
that affect everyone and particularly the
developing world.
“It is things like global climate change
and global poverty; population growth and
the West’s reliance on consumption.
“How do we tackle these things? The
answer starts with education, with places
like universities teaching young people
to think critically and openly while at the
same time giving them a global view.”
Above: Dato Lee Yee Cheong AO
Photo by Ben Osborne
Inset: Dato Lee with other
students at the 1960 Merdeka
celebrations.
Photo supplied by Dato Lee
The University of Adelaide | Alumni Magazine 13
