The Asian Academy of Management (AAM) awarded Malaysia’s queen of pop, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin with a Celebrity Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award at the 13th AAM International Conference 2019 at Universiti Sains Malaysia(USM) here today. - NSTP/SALHANI IBRAHIM.

GEORGE TOWN: The Asian Academy of Management (AAM) awarded Malaysia’s queen of pop, Datuk Seri Siti Nurhaliza Tarudin with a Celebrity Entrepreneur Lifetime Achievement Award at the 13th AAM International Conference 2019 at Universiti Sains Malaysia(USM) here today.

In receiving her award, Siti reminded USM students that hard work and dedication always pay off.

“I’m a kampung girl, but today I’m standing before you receiving an award. This shows that hard work and positive influences help you achieve your goals.

“You must have a five-year goal plan for every season of your life and work hard towards achieving your goals,” she said.

Siti also advised students to surround themselves with leaders and high achievers, who will impart positive influence.

The songstress also wowed the conference by singing a couple of lines from her song Anta Permana.

Besides Siti Nurhaliza, the other recipients were Datuk Rosyam Nor, who received the Celebrity Entrepreneur Award 2019, SME Corporation Malaysia chief executive officer Noor Azmi Mat Said and Plus Malaysia Bhd managing director Datuk Azman Ismail, both of whom received the AAM Life Membership Award, Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission's (MCMC) Al-Ishsal Ishak, who was given the Distinguished Alumni Award, and Habib Jewels Sdn Bhd managing director Datuk Seri Meer Sadik Habib.

Meer, who delivered the keynote address, told students to look into bringing back the pride of Malaysia.

“Malaysians suffer from inferiority complex, where they believe foreign products are superior to local products.

“We see many people willing to fork out more for foreign products compare to local ones. This is something we have to change and bring back the pride in Malaysian made items,” he said.