HONOURED: Lau being bestowed the Pahlawan Angkatan Tentera (PAT) award by Tuanku Mizan.
SIBU: Sibu-born Colonel Lau Ing Hiong was the pride of this town when he was conferred the title ‘Pahlawan Angkatan Tentera (PAT)’ by the King on Oct 4 at Istana Negara, Kuala Lumpur.
He was among 27 brigadier-generals and colonels receiving the award from Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abdidin.
Lau from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is a son of Lau Kwang Seng who owns Yew Seng Engineering Work Company.
He married Saw Gek Chin in 1983, and they have three children.
Lau was born on Nov 17, 1958 and received his formal education at Chong Sing Primary School and Methodist Secondary School in Sibu.
He was outstanding academically as well as in extra-curricular activities, making him the head prefect of Methodist Secondary School in 1977.
He joined the Malaysian Armed Forces cadet training in December 1977 and was commissioned as an RMAF officer on Dec 23, 1978.
Lau is currently the Deputy Commandant of the Malaysian Armed Forces Defence College.
Prior to this designation, he served as a CL41G Tebuan pilot; Northrop F5 Tiger pilot; air defence controller; flying instructor;
chief operations officer of an air division; a commanding officer; chief of Staff; and the director of the RMAF Inspectorate Department.
The many courses he attended included a flying course; a combat survival course; flying instructor course; air defence controller
course, flight safety and aircraft accident investigation course; Malaysian Armed Forces Staff College course; Malaysian Armed Forces Defence College course; Master of Arts (Defence Studies) course and defence and strategic studies course.
In most of these courses held within the country and abroad, Lau was adjudged the most outstanding participant.
He is currently serving in the RMAF in Kuala Lumpur.