420 Dive Log Australasia OCTOBER 2026

JOHOR BORN MALAYSIAN DIVING TRAILBLAZER HJ SYED ABD RAHMAN HONORED WITH OUTSTANDING TOURISM PERSONALITY AWARD AT TIA 2026 D iveheart Malaysia Ambassador recognized for pioneering contributions to scuba diving, water therapy, and inclusive adaptive tourism on the national stage.

SELANGOR, Malaysia | 08 AUGUST 2026 Johor Born Malaysia Dive Professional, Hj Syed Abd Rahman, Ambassador for Diveheart Malaysia and a widely respected champion of Adaptive aquatic sports, has been awarded the prestigious Malaysia Tourism Industry Award (TIA) 2026 under the category of Outstanding Tourism Personality for Scuba Diving and Adaptive Tourism . The high-profile accolade was presented during the TIA 2026 Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation Ceremony held at the Sunway Lagoon Resort Hotel Ballroom on August 8, 2026. The ceremony brought together top-tier Tourism Industry leaders, innovators, and heavyweights from across the nation’s hospitality, leisure, and tourism sectors. Organized to honour elite contributions that drive Malaysia’s tourism competitiveness, excellence, and sustainable growth, TIA 2026 serves as the definitive benchmark for industry leadership. Recipients of this year’s honours are concurrently recognized as Ambassadors of Malaysia Tourism, embodying the nation’s drive toward world-class standards. Breaking Barriers Beneath the Surface Hj Syed Abd Rahman has spent decades redefining what is possible in the country’s marine tourism, Accessible Tourism and leisure sectors. As the driving force behind Kids Scuba and a dedicated leader for Diveheart Malaysia, he has tirelessly worked to make the underwater world accessible to groups traditionally left out of mainstream sports—including youths, individuals with spinal cord injuries, and people with diverse physical abilities. Through pioneering adaptive diving programs, medical-rehab partnerships (including

collaborations with University Malaya Medical Centre and Hospital Rehabilitation Cheras HRC Kuala Lumpur) with rigorous training of specialized support teams, Hj Syed Abd Rahman has proven that the zero-gravity environment of scuba diving offers transformative physical, mental, and emotional healing. His advocacy has not only unlocked new horizons for dive tourism in Malaysia but has also placed the country on the global map as a beacon of inclusive, barrier free travel.

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DIVE LOG Australasia #420 - October ‘26

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