Prof Choo Receives the 2026 Marahakim Award!

Prof. Choo May May Receives the 2026 Mohamed Noor Marahakim Award

L-R: Prof Nor Fadhilah Mohamad (Head of Department of Ophthalmology UM), Prof Choo May May (Marahakim Award Winner 2026), Dr Othmaliza Othman (Head of Malaysia Universities Conjoint Committee of Ophthalmology) and Dr Jelinar Mohamed Noor (on behalf of the late Dato' Dr Mohamed Noor Marahakim)

The Department of Ophthalmology, Universiti Malaya, is proud to congratulate Professor Dr Choo May May on being conferred the 2026 Mohamed Noor Marahakim Award, in recognition of her distinguished contributions and achievements in ophthalmology.

The prestigious award was presented during the 15th Conjoint Ophthalmology Scientific Conference (COSC) 2026, hosted by Universiti Malaya. The recognition honours Professor Choo’s longstanding contributions to the advancement of ophthalmology, particularly in clinical practice, education and the development of the next generation of ophthalmologists.

Established in 2011 in honour of the late Dato’ Dr Mohamed Noor Marahakim, the award recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to postgraduate ophthalmology training in Malaysia. Dato’ Dr Mohamed Noor Marahakim was instrumental in establishing Malaysia’s first postgraduate ophthalmology training programme at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia in 1981.

Over the years, the award has recognised many eminent figures who have contributed to the growth of Malaysian ophthalmology across generations and subspecialties. The distinguished list of recipients includes Prof. Dr. Ropilah Abdul Rahman, the late Dr. Faridah Hanom Annuar, Dr. Anusiah K. Selvathurai, Dato’ Dr. Lai Yoon Kee, Dr. Elias Hussein, Prof. Dr. Mimiwati Zahari, the late Dr. Joseph Vijaya Alagaratnam, Dr. Pall Singh a/l Teja Singh, the late Assoc. Prof. Dr. Raja Azmi Mohd Noor, the late Dato’ Dr. Ahmad Mat Saad and Dr. Kamala Devi Lingam.

Notably, Prof. Dr. Mimiwati Zahari, Consultant Glaucoma Surgeon at Universiti Malaya, received the award in 2016. Professor Choo’s recognition therefore adds another distinguished name from Universiti Malaya to this lineage of ophthalmologists who have made lasting contributions to the profession and to postgraduate training in Malaysia.

Delivering the Marahakim lecture

Professor Choo May May is a Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist at Universiti Malaya Medical Centre and an alumna of Universiti Malaya, having completed both her MBBS and Master of Ophthalmology at UM. She has contributed extensively to paediatric ophthalmology, clinical care, teaching and the training of ophthalmologists.

Her receipt of the 2026 Mohamed Noor Marahakim Award is a significant honour not only for Professor Choo personally, but also for the Department of Ophthalmology and Universiti Malaya.

The Department of Ophthalmology, Universiti Malaya, extends its warmest congratulations to Professor Dr Choo May May on this distinguished and well-deserved recognition.