PUTRAJAYA: The strength of a nation is built around the quality of its people, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi tonight.
He said high achievers inspired people and inspired people would push up the performance bar.
"They set new standards, new benchmarks, move people to aspire for things once considered impossible," he said.
He said high achievers embraced the value of learning every day.
"They make learning a way of life. Success is not just the crowning moment or raising of the flag on the summit.
"It is the whole process of reaching for a goal and sometimes, it begins with failure. The only limit to our realisation of tomorrow is our doubts of today," he added.
Role models, he said, showcased their success with their commitment to learning in a world that was changing every minute.
"There are hundreds, if not thousands of role models among us who need to be recognised for the many little things that they did to make the world a better place for all of us," he said at the Asia HRD (Human Resources Development) Awards 2017.
The Asia HRD Awards is a celebration and recognition of virtuosos who contribute to people development- whether it is to the human resource profession, an organisation, the community or society at large.
Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom was named as the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award.
Five were presented the Contribution to Society award- Higher Education director-general Datin Paduka Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir; Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia board of directors’ chairman Professor Tan Sri Dzulkifli Abdul Razak; former Philippines Ambassador to Malaysia J. Eduardo Malaya, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia vice-chancellor Professor Datuk Seri Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali and Sri Balaji Society president Professor (Colonel) A. Balasubramaniam.
Six received the Contribution to Organisation award- Malaysia's Social Security Organisation, Pahang State Foundation, Philippine's Asian Institute of Management, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd, Composites Technology Research Malaysia, and Cyberview Sdn Bhd.
Anphabe JSC founder and chief happiness (CORRECT) officer Thanh Nguyen from Vietnam were among six people who received the Contribution to HR Community award.
The other five were Experian Malaysia Sdn Bhd Human Resources director Chua Chai Ping, Credit Suisse India Human Resources director Jyothi Menon, Universiti Malaysia Sabah Professor Datuk Dr Kassim Md Mansur, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan Entrepreneurship Education and Consultancy Unit head of research Professor Dr Naresh Kumar Samy, and SP Setia Bhd Group Human Resources chief human resources officer Nadiah Tan Abdullah.
The Movers and Shakers award recipients were Malaysia Qualifications Agency chief executive officer Professor Datuk Dr Rujhan Mustafa, University of Omar Al-Muktar Libya visiting professor Ambassador Associate Professor Dr Bubaker Hamad Almansori, YouthCorp Malaysia president Dr Venkates Rao, Sarawak Centre of Performance Excellence Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Dr Asleena Helmi and The Learning Matchmaker Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Cheryl Lourdes.
The awards were presented by the deputy prime minister.