7 July 2026 – MALAYSIA SME MEDIA GROUP has been officially recognised by ASEAN Records for achieving the “Highest-Altitude Business Congress Session Delivered by a Panel of Speakers at a Mountain Summit, where four speakers delivered the session at the foot of Low’s Peak, Mount Kinabalu at 4,095m.” marking a historic milestone in regional entrepreneurship and experiential business leadership.
The ASEAN Records recognition was presented during the official presentation ceremony held in conjunction with the MALAYSIA SME Sportrepreneur Congress 2026, following the successful convening of a business congress at the summit of Mount Kinabalu, Southeast Asia’s highest peak on 17 June 2026.
The achievement culminated a ten-month journey that challenged the conventional format of business conferences by taking entrepreneurship beyond hotel ballrooms and convention halls to one of ASEAN’s most iconic natural landmarks.
Bringing together entrepreneurs, business leaders and professionals, the initiative combined leadership, physical endurance and entrepreneurial resilience into a unique platform that demonstrated how business growth and personal well-being can go hand in hand.
The award was presented by Eldrick Koh, Chief Adjudicator of the ASEAN Records to Wayne Lim, Organising Chairman of the MALAYSIA SME Sportrepreneur Congress 2026 and President & Chief Editor of MALAYSIA SME MEDIA GROUP, who dedicated the achievement to the entire expedition team.
“This record was never created by one individual. It belongs to every expedition member who believed in the vision, committed themselves over ten months of preparation and proved that entrepreneurs can challenge themselves beyond business. Together, we created history.”
Lim, who turned up in the exact outfit he had on to make the ascent, said the initiative was inspired by a simple but important observation from more than two decades of working closely with the SME community.
“I have seen many successful business owners devote everything to growing their businesses while neglecting their own health. Through Sportrepreneur, we want to remind entrepreneurs that success should also mean taking care of ourselves. Money cannot buy health.”
Organised in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year and Visit Sabah Year, the initiative also showcased Sabah as a world-class destination for business events, adventure tourism and international collaboration while encouraging entrepreneurs to embrace healthier lifestyles through sport and outdoor challenges.
The congress featured a session of leadership keynotes by accomplished entrepreneurs who drew striking parallels between climbing a mountain and building successful businesses.
The speaker line-up included Raj Gurung, Managing Partner of Superclub International Ltd Hong Kong; Datuk Roger Wong, Founder and Group Managing Director of KGW Group Berhad; Gwei Tze Co, CEO of Astra Baby Sdn Bhd; and Virata Gamany, Executive Director of CSI Prop. Collectively, they shared insights on resilience, teamwork, leadership and perseverance, reinforcing that the greatest achievements are rarely accomplished alone.
Adding a lasting legacy to the record-breaking achievement, the event also marked the official launch of Summit by fellow expedition member Aileen Anthony, Founder of Write Right Communications. Released in both e-book and hardcover editions, the commemorative publication documents the expedition through the first-person reflections of its participants, preserving the lessons, challenges and defining moments behind the climb.
The publication features 148 pages and six chapters that chronicle the entrepreneurs’ journey, from deciding to take on the challenge and preparing for the climb to discovering that the true purpose of reaching the summit lies in bringing home lessons to share with others.
The ASEAN Records recognition establishes a new benchmark for experiential business engagement within the region and reflects MALAYSIA SME MEDIA GROUP’s commitment to creating innovative platforms that strengthen entrepreneurship through leadership, resilience, collaboration and well-being.
Building on this milestone, MALAYSIA SME MEDIA GROUP will continue expanding the Sportrepreneur movement through initiatives that encourage business owners to pursue excellence in both enterprise and personal health while positioning Malaysia as a regional hub for innovative entrepreneurial experiences.
The full list of MALAYSIA SME’s 12th Congress Participants, Wayne Lim, Datuk Roger Wong, Datin Ivy Wong,, Mohd Fakhrul Munir, Dave Leong, May Jestine Ong, Gwei Tze Co, Mark Goh, Colin Lai Chee Seng, Aileen Anthony, Gwee Chin Li, Samantha Eng, Datuk Ir Ts Mahadi Mohamad, Raj Gurung, Patricia Tan, Lynda Lee, Virata Gamany, Chew Han Tah and Mark Chew. Their 10-month journey is available on MALAYSIA SME Congress YouTube channel.
The Congress sponsors include GX Bank, BMS Organics, Oat Story and Borneo Calling.
The Congress organisers are MALAYSIA SME with co-organisers Entrepreneur Speaker Bureau, Write Right Communications, AI Dave and Summit Attack.
Quotes:
Wayne Lim
Organising Chairman, MALAYSIA SME Sportrepreneur Congress 2026; President & Chief Editor, MALAYSIA SME MEDIA GROUP
“This ASEAN Records achievement belongs to every member of the expedition who believed in the vision and committed themselves over ten months of preparation. Through the Sportrepreneur movement, we want to remind entrepreneurs that success is not measured only by the businesses we build, but also by the health we maintain, the resilience we develop and the lives we inspire along the way.”
Raj Gurung, Congress Speaker
Managing Partner, Superclub International Ltd Hong Kong
“Whether you’re climbing a mountain or building a business, success begins with mindset and is sustained by teamwork. When the journey becomes difficult, it is your determination to keep moving forward together that ultimately leads you to the summit.”
Datuk Roger Wong, Congress Speaker
Founder & Group Managing Director, KGW Group Berhad
“Standing at the summit reminded me that every great achievement has a story people never see. Just as our IPO took years of preparation, every step up Mount Kinabalu required discipline, perseverance and the support of others. Ambition alone is never enough, success is always earned through hard work.”
Gwei Tze Co, Congress Speaker
CEO, Astra Baby Sdn Bhd
“Twenty-five years ago, I climbed Mount Kinabalu believing the lesson was never to do something so difficult again. Returning this time taught me the opposite. We grow when we challenge the limits we place on ourselves, and just like in business, we never reach the summit without the support of those around us.”
Virata Gamany, Congress Speaker
Executive Director, CSI Prop
“This expedition reminded me that leadership always begins with leading ourselves. When we become the best version of ourselves, we are better equipped to serve our families, grow our businesses and contribute meaningfully to our communities. That is the true journey beyond the summit.”
Aileen Anthony
Founder, Write Right Communications; Lead Author of Summit and Expedition Member
“Every summit tells two stories, the one people see and the one people live. The ASEAN Records recognition celebrates what we achieved together, but Summit preserves the conversations, struggles, courage and breakthroughs that made the achievement possible. My hope is that long after the applause fades, these stories will continue to inspire entrepreneurs to pursue growth not only in business, but also in character, resilience and service to others.”