Curtin Sarawak accounting undergraduates in CIMA Global Business Challenge

Miri – 24 March 2010 – A multi-national team of accounting undergraduates of Curtin University of Technology, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) have signed up for the CIMA 2010 Global Business Challenge, an international competition that brings out the best in potential business leaders among young people.

They are Tendai Angeline Makuwaza of Zimbabwe, Lisa Rachel Jones of Australia, Ling Kwang Chun of Malaysia and Margaret Chikwibu of Zambia, who will first compete in the Malaysian regional competition and hopefully qualify for the global final to be held here in Malaysia.

The CIMA Global Business Challenge is organised annually by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) and aimed at undergraduates who are interested in the finance or business fields.

As it is designed to develop students’ business sense, as well as analytical, communication and presentation skills, the competition will be an opportunity for the Curtin Sarawak team to gain a real business experience.

Fully supportive of the initiative, Shamsul Kamariah Abdullah, Dean of the School of Business, commended the team for rising to the challenge.

“This Global Business Challenge will be an opportunity for you to find out the depth of your financial knowledge, try your business management skills, expand your competitive ability, and perhaps even get internship opportunities from well-known organisations. I trust you will do your best to make it all the way to the global finals and bring glory to Malaysia and Curtin Sarawak,” said Shamsul Kamariah to the students.

Head of the Accounting Department, Anbalagan Krishnan, wished the students all the best in the regional competition too, saying, “Yes, you can. Be all you can be and enjoy the journey.”

The immediate task for the team is to prepare for the Malaysian regional competition. It will need to demonstrate a high degree of competency in management accounting through a first-stage analysis of a business case study simulated from a real world business environment, and report and present on it at the regional final.

Four teams from Malaysia will be shortlisted for the second stage, with the eventual winner representing the country in the global final this August. Throughout the competition, the Curtin Sarawak team will be mentored by accounting lecturer Chan Kwok Mow, himself a Fellow of the Institute, and associate lecturer Lynn Ling Yew Hua. Lecturers Anbalagan Krishnan, Dr. Junaid M. Shaikh, Dr. Pauline Ho and Mathew Alappatt will also provide review expertise to the team.

The 2010 CIMA Global Challenge will see the participation of teams from the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, India, China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

The CIMA Global Business Challenge 2010 global final will be held at Taylor’s University College in Subang Jaya on 5 and 6 August 2010. It will consist of a presentation to an audience, including a panel of high-profile judges, as well as a question-and-answer session. A team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong won last year’s business challenge held at the National University of Singapore.