Club Spotlight: Malaysia Ragin' Cajun Club

Travel more than 9,500 miles southwest of Lafayette and you’ll find the home of the Malaysia Ragin’ Cajun Club, one of the Alumni Association’s two international clubs.

The club was formed in 2009, and thanks to the club’s private Facebook group, it has grown to just over 200 members.

Yun Fatt Yap, the club’s liaison and local caretaker of sorts, graduated from UL Lafayette in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and a minor in computer engineering. He shared that few schools in Malaysia could accommodate his interest in engineering and computers. This led him to pursue higher education in the United States and, ultimately, at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. 

He returned to Malaysia after graduation and began his career in engineering. A few years later, he and his sister, a fellow computer programmer, founded Advelsoft (M) Sdn Bhd — a software solutions company with a team of 40 employees that provides property management solutions for condominiums. 

But Yun Fatt Yap has much more to be proud of, too. Ziming Yap, his son, shares his interest in computers and his alma mater. In 2022, Ziming graduated from the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences. And for the first time in more than three decades, Yun Fatt Yap was back in Acadiana. “I did not have a chance to return to the University after my graduation because it is a strenuous journey. Put into simple words, coming back to campus for my son’s graduation was nostalgic and surreal,” said Yun Fatt Yap. 

While Ziming stayed in the United States following graduation, Yun Fatt Yapp is back in Malaysia, promoting fellowship among the Malaysia Ragin’ Cajun Club. The members primarily meet via Facebook but seek out in-person opportunities to gather as well, including celebrations around the Chinese New Year every February. The club also enjoys meeting with undergraduate students when they return home for the summer. “We raised $1,000 for MISSO (Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore Student Association) to fund their activities,” shared Yun Fatt Yap.  

To join, volunteer or learn more about the Malaysia Ragin’ Cajun Club, join their Facebook group and update your information with the Alumni Association. Visit the Alumni Association’s website for more information on clubs and chapters in your area.

Photo Captions: (Main) Members of the Malaysia Ragin' Cajun Club gather for Chinese New Year. Submitted (In Story) Dr. Rose Honegger, associate director of Global Engagement at UL Lafayette, presents alumnus Yun Fatt Yap with an award from the Office of International Affairs. Submitted