Tan Cheng Voon, a Malaysian residing in Brunei Darussalam, yesterday received the Knights of the National Order of Merit (Chevalier dans l’ordre National du Merite), a French national order established by former French President General Charles de Gaulle on December 3, 1963.
A ceremony to present the award was held at the residence of French Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Bernard Regnauld-Fabre.
Tan Cheng Voon said, “I didn’t intend to take this road. After my stint with Hyatt hotel, I thought I would settle in as a dutiful homemaker, taking care of my three little boys. It’s funny how I ended up being with the French embassy.”
She also said, “I did not really give it much thought. I was concentrating on the work in front of me.
But truly, I am honoured. I realised this is no ordinary award. This honour is truly a feather in my cap, the crème de la crème in my career.”
She also added “I hope that many more will receive this honour.”
According to the ambassador, the award was a way for the French authorities to express their gratitude to Tan for her 23 years of work in the service of French economic interests in Brunei: 14 years with the French Trade and Economic Mission and since then, as the secretary general of the French Bruneian Business Association (FBBA).
In the Sultanate, only several prominent figures have received the Order.
They include Dr Essam Chaabane, who was awarded the rank of ‘officier’ by Ambassador Bardollet in 1998; Dato Kamaluddin Talib, who was made a Chevalier in 2003 by Ambassador Borja de Mozota; and Pierre Imhof, who was made a Chevalier by Ambassador Bonneville in 2007. – James Kon
