Lim Kah Meng

Time flies, it has been 4 years and 4 months since I graduated from Sunway TES. My name is Lim Kah Meng. In 2017, I completed my last professional paper in the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) in June. In July, I received an email from ACCA that I had passed all my professional papers and was officially an ACCA Affiliate. Finally, I put on my graduate cap to mark an essential milestone in my life in October. Now, in February 2021, after a few years of professional commitment, I can now call myself a chartered accountant. Without the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Scholarship (JCF) that provided me with a full scholarship to complete the Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) and ACCA, I would not be who I am today.

I grew up in a poor family. My father is a taxi driver who is also the breadwinner for our family. He always suffers to earn enough money to feed the 5 of us, including my mom and 3 siblings. In 2014, when I was still serving my national service (PLKN), I received a phone call from my relative informing me that my father had passed away due to a heart attack. I still remember when I was on the way from the campsite to the hospital to arrange the funeral of my father. I cried because I had lost my father and I did not know what to do next. Should I continue to pursue higher education or should I start working and help my family out? While I was still in a dilemma, Mrs. Foo from the Elena Cooke Education Fund contacted me. She congratulated me on my successful application for the SEG-Elena Cooke Education Fund Scholarship. I was going to be offered a full scholarship to complete CAT at Sunway TES. I know it could have been an easy option if I chose to start working to help my family. However, on second thought, who would I like to be in 10 years? I admire my father, but do I want to suffer the same as him? With a higher education level, I would be able to grow myself and help my family to a higher social status in a longer term. Without hesitation, I accepted the scholarship.

I learned a lot in my one year of studying at Sunway TES. I met more friends and professional lecturers and formed a stronger professional network. Sunway TES, being the Centre of Accountancy Excellence, provided me with the most helpful resources in completing CAT. Besides that, I became a world prize winner for the FA2 Paper. After a year, Sunway Student Life approached me. I was offered to continue my studies in ACCA by applying for the JCF Scholarship. With my past excellence record in CAT, I was offered the scholarship. Within 2 years, I completed my ACCA paper in my first attempt and a research paper in Oxford Brookes University. I am also a degree holder for BSc Applied Accounting in Oxford Brookes University.
With my strong background in Sunway TES, after I graduated, Ernst and Young offered me to be an audit associate. Now, I’m an audit supervisor. This is an achievement that I would not have thought of if JCF Scholarship did not offer me the opportunity.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the JCF Scholarship for allowing me to share my story. I appreciate your kindness and the fate that tied us together. I miss and I love Sunway Education Group. Thanks, Sunway.  

Lim Kah Meng
Association of Chartered Accountants
Jeffrey Cheah Foundation Scholarship