KUCHING: After 46 long years, Barry Lim Sin Heng finally received his graduation scroll from Swinburne University here.
Barry, now 74 years old, was studying for a Diploma in Commerce at Swinburne’s Melbourne branch as the Kuching branch was not founded yet.
“Why did it take so long you may ask? Well, I had to come home to Penang to help my parents run our family business before I could complete my course.
“However I did finish it by correspondence and during the graduation day, it was very costly, especially at that time to travel to Melbourne just for my graduation. Plus, my father would not let me go either,” he said in an interview after Swinburne’s graduation ceremony held at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) yesterday.
Barry added that his former lecturer Associate Professor Bruce Mcdonald who now works as the Senior Philanthropy Advisor of the university, pitched the idea for him to officially receive his scroll here.
“It is all his fault!” said Lim jokingly as he happily expressed that it was an honour to be present during the auspicious event alongside other Swinburne’s graduates.
He had other news to share with the readers.
“I have made rounds with Swinburne researchers and we have come out with a patent for the palm oil industry. Right now, we are working very hard to come out with two more patents and hopefully it will be completed by this year and could be used to help the palm oil industry.
“Swinburne is a a very personable university because its lecturers and professors are very closely connected with their students and they care for their students.
“And the Sarawak Campus is not treated like a branch but rather another campus. Whatever happens in Melbourne will also happen in Kuching. It’s nothing like some other twinning universities,” said the commerce graduate.
Accompanying Barry to receive his certificate was his wife, Leong Lyne Chin. Together they are currently running their family business in Penang known as the Charming Green Sdn Bhd which has been passed down for three generations.
Apart from that, Barry is also the Chairman of Melolisa Foundation which has provided scholarships to eight current students who are pursuing business, engineering and computing studies.
The Penang-based businessman has also played a vital role in supporting Swiburne through his generous donation of AUD10,000 annually for the past five years.
