Sabah is in the limelight again as two industry veterans were awarded the highest professional recognition at the recently concluded National Real Estate Awards (NREA) organized by the Malaysian Institute of Estate Agents (MIEA).

Henry Tai of Henry Realty together with Mary Yu of Marico Realty, were both conferred a "FELLOW" at the annual NREA event. This is the highest form of recognition awarded only to those who have demonstrated significant contribution to the institution and real estate industry.

MIEA is the recognized body representing all Registered Estate Agents in Malaysia. The institution started since the early 1970s and is now the key driving force in promoting professional career development in real estate.

The title of a "FELLOW" is awarded to members of MIEA who have been with the institution for at least 10 years. Apart from this, the nominated member must have also demonstrated significant contributions to the institution and served at the National or State level for at least one full term. The nomination is then presented to the Board of Directors of MIEA for stringent scrutiny and assessment. The much coveted invitation will only be made to the nominee when three fourth majority of the Board of Directors voted for it.

Upon receiving this honorary title, Henry Tai, who is now the Immediate Past President of MIEA Sabah Branch is thankful for the recognition. He shared with Property Hunter his thought: "My desire to continue serving this great Institute all these years is driven by the feelings of wanting to reciprocate to the society that have made me what I am today."

Another recipient Mary Yu, who is now the treasurer of MIEA Sabah Branch spoke to Property Hunter: "I feel so honored to be a part of MIEA. I have been serving for more than 15 years. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my career mentor back in 1991, Puan Khatijah for introducing me to be a member of MIEA"

When asked about her humble beginnings, she shared "When I was young I did not manage to pursue tertiary education, so joining MIEA is a good choice for me as I could learn about the real estate industry. I also feel so honoured to have met many key leaders in the real estate industry and learnt a lot from them."

Real estate is one of the oldest industries in the world. The only way to propel forward is to have people like Henry and Mary who tirelessly contribute to the industry and groom the next generation for all the challenges ahead.

Read more on the National Real Estate Awards: Property Hub Wins Big at National Real Estate Awards 2018