Malaysian professor honoured by Hungarian university for advancing exercise medicine

BUDAPEST: The Chief Executive Officer of the Asia College of Exercise Medicine (ACEM) in Malaysia, Prof Dr Muhammad Lee Chee Pheng, received the prestigious Doctor Honoris Causa award from the Hungarian University of Sports Science (HUSS) in recognition of his outstanding contributions to promoting human health and quality of life through exercise.

The award ceremony, which was held in conjunction with HUSS’s 100th anniversary, took place during the 24th International Student Science Conference (ISSC), which was held at HUSS from April 24 to 26.

Dr Lee, the first Malaysian to receive this honour, expressed his gratitude, saying, “I am very honoured to be bestowed with this Doctor Honoris Causa. The University’s choice of candidates over the decades included personalities like Kenneth Cooper from the United States, who pioneered the benefits of aerobic exercise and Finnish sports scientist Paavo Komi.

Hailing from Ipoh, the 63-year-old Dr Lee, who completed his bachelor’s degree, Masters and Doctor of Philosophy in Sports Science at HUSS and has been connected with the university since 1994, emphasised the importance of exercise medicine in improving health outcomes.

“I have spent half of my life in Hungary promoting exercise medicine to improve human health and quality of life through a dosage of exercise,” he told BK after receiving the award from the rector of HUSS, Prof Dr Tamas Sterbenz on Wednesday (April 24).

Eminent professors from the European Union and Malaysia attended the event, where they presented their respective research findings, along with Vanitha Gopalakrishnan, Counsellor of the Embassy of Malaysia in Hungary.

Dr Lee’s pioneering work includes the development of exercise clinics, where certified medical practitioners and exercise therapists prescribe exercise as the primary intervention for patients for at least six months.

“The exercise regime can now be prescribed as a form of treatment or cure for ailments such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and depression,” Dr Lee explained.

He further highlighted Malaysia’s role in proposing a global plan to tackle Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), saying, “We want to ensure we can prevent deaths related to diseases, such as diabetes and heart problems, that stem from an unhealthy lifestyle.

“We have worked with the Malaysian Health Ministry on this, and they have supported us in the endeavour,” he added.

HUSS, renowned for its dedication to sports sciences and physical education, dates back to 1925 and has evolved over the years to its present form. – BK