4 May 1994 New Zealand Honorary Doctorate for Top Malaysian

Lincoln University, New Zealand, has awarded an honorary Doctor of Commerce degree to a prominent Malaysian alumnus, Tan Sri Dato Haji (Dr) Ani bin Arope of Kuala Lumpur.

The degree, the first Honorary Doctor of Commerce presented by Lincoln University and the first honorary doctorate awarded to an alumnus, acknowledges Ani bin Arope's outstanding achievements in agriculture extension, commodity research, banking, plantation and corporate management in Malaysia.

The award was made at the University's Graduation Ceremony in Christchurch Town Hall on Friday 22 April.

Tan Sri Dato' Haji (Dr) Ani bin Arope graduated with a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree from Lincoln in 1960 having come to New Zealand on a Colombo Plan Scholarship in 1956.

Since those Lincoln days Ani bin Arope has gone on to a distinguished career in Malaysia in agriculture, the business world and public life. Today in addition to a host of other top posts, he heads the country's largest privatised electricity company, Tenaga Nasional Berhad, a utility organisation.

In the education field Ani bin Arope is chairman of Universiti Sains Malaysia and in the business world he is Patron of the Malaysian-New Zealand Business Council, a Council member of the Malaysian Business Council, Chairman of the Malaysian Palm Oil Promotion Council, Chairman of the Rubber Growers Association and President of the Malayan Agricultural Producers Association.

Ani bin Arope is proud of his Lincoln connections and says that in his wide-ranging career covering agricultural extension, commodity research, banking, plantation management and now running a privatised electricity company, many people have asked him where he received his training.

"Of course my reply is, Lincoln!"

"The training at Lincoln had the right blend of academic rigour and hard physical farm chores. You may have arrived with your head in the clouds but the Lincoln training made sure you had your two feet firmly planted on terra firma. And you carried this with you into later life. It's something that has served me well. My stay at Lincoln rounded me at an early stage."

In addition to his Lincoln degree and now his honorary doctorate, Ani bin Arope has an M.Sc from the University of Vermont, where he studied on a Fulbright Scholarship. He also has honorary doctorates from the University of Ghent, Belgium, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Ohio University at Athens, USA.

Beyond academic honours he holds the title Tan Sri, bestowed by the King of Malaysia for outstanding achievement in public service. Awards have also been made by the French Government (Chevalier Order des Palmes Academique) and the President of Venezuela (Award of Francisco de Miranda, First Class).

Lincoln University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bruce Ross, whose first university teaching job was in the Agricultural Faculty at the University Malaya, said that Ani bin Arope was one of the outstanding group of Malaysians who came to Lincoln in the 1950s as Colombo Plan Scholars.

"Ani and his co-scholars had all done diplomas at Serdang Agricultural College before coming to New Zealand and they were the top diploma students. They were mature and made a big contribution to campus life at Lincoln. And in their careers after Lincoln they have all gone on to major achievements in life, business and public affairs in Malaysia.

"Lincoln University is privileged by Ani bin Arope's acceptance of the degree Doctor of Commerce (Honoris Causa)," said Professor Ross.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.