Nominated by the Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF), Dato’ Dr. B.C.Y. Freezailah, Chairman of Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC) and the first Executive Director of International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), was honored with the 2013 Friendship Award. Together with several others of the 50 foreign experts from 20 countries receiving the year’s award, Dr. Freezailah attended the awarding ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on September 29, 2013 and received the award presented by Chinese Vice Premier Ma Kai. The Friendship Award is handed out to foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China's economic and social progress.