ASEAN Records And Asia Records Host 9th Gather Of Achievers In Penang

GEORGE TOWN, April 28 (Bernama) -- ASEAN Records and ASIA Records hosted the 9th ASEAN Records Gather of Achievers and the 3rd ASIA Records Gather of Achievers here yesterday, marking the platform’s first-ever gathering in Penang since its establishment in November 2024.

The event was officiated by Penang State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai and attended by several state leaders, as well as ASEAN Records and ASIA Records co-chief adjudicators Eldrick Koh and ASEAN Records and ASIA Records director Gillian Ooi.

ASEAN Records and ASIA Records in a statement said from a small founding gathering in November 2024, ASEAN Records has grown into a structured regional certification platform.

It has also hosted nine Gather of Achievers events across 17 months  spanning Chinese New Year, Hari Raya, a Durian Festival, a public mall activation at Pavilion Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.

“A defining milestone came on Oct 22 2025, when ASIA Records was officially launched at the 1st ASEAN Records Gala Night officiated by the Yang di-Pertua Negeri of Melaka Tun Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam.

“Since then, ASIA Records has welcomed record holders from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Cambodia and China, with the platforms’ combined social media presence surpassing nine million views,” according to the statement, today.

The statement said ASEAN Records and ASIA Records have been systematically recognising Malaysia’s most significant tourism and food destinations through verified, measurable record certifications.

It said through this framework, the platforms document, verify, and promote tourism and food destinations across the region, highlighting not just their popularity, but their measurable and documented significance.

Koh said the recognition given to tourism sites goes beyond titles, as it serves as a verified and internationally acknowledged platform for destinations to tell their stories to a global audience.

“These are not just landmarks. They are living records of tourism heritage, identity, and place in the wider story of ASEAN and Asia,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ooi said the every Gather of Achievers is built with intention and not just to present certificates, but to bring achievers together to inspire one another and grow beyond individual recognition.

Yesterday, two of Penang’s iconic landmarks, Fort Cornwallis and the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve, were recognised under the ASEAN Tourism Records and ASIA Tourism Records at the 9th ASEAN Records Gather of Achievers and the 3rd ASIA Records Gather of Achievers.

Fort Cornwallis received recognition as the oldest intact star bastion fort built by the British East India Company on the Malay Peninsula and the construction of the fort began in 1786, spanning approximately 38,800 square metres.

Meanwhile, the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve made history as the oldest colonial hill station within a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, earning dual certification at both ASEAN and Asia levels.

Established in 1788, the Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve was later designated under the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme in 2021, marking a span of 233 years between its establishment and international recognition.

The initiative was previously held in Melaka, where Jonker Walk Heritage Zone was officially certified under the title ‘Oldest and Densest Pre-War Row Shophouse Complex in Continuous Use Since c.1700’ and the recognition was based on more than 1,000 pre-war shophouses spanning 332,310.32 square metres.

At the same ceremony, seven other achievements across various sectors including culinary arts, manufacturing, technology and digital marketing, were also recognised which is Prof Master Chef Michael Ooi Beng Hock, Creative Bliss, Elexer Holding Bhd, H&H Health Care Group (LE AURA), Kota Dine & Coffee, Newpages and Sintak Kee Foods.

The event also marked the debut appearance of the Wira and Manja mascots, the official mascots of Visit Malaysia 2026 in Penang, symbolising the state’s role in supporting the national tourism campaign.

-- BERNAMA