(Left to right) Winners Amalina, Kalai Vaaniy and Tan, flanked by Asus channel manager Kenny Low (extreme left) and Low Yat Plaza general manager Michael Lee (extreme right).

Three lucky dads were rewarded recently when their loved ones won them an Asus Eee PC netbook each. The netbooks were prizes in ParenThots' Father's Day contest – Dad Deserves an Asus.

The prizegiving ceremony was held on Friday at the new Asus concept store at Low Yat Plaza in Kuala Lumpur.

First prize winner Kalai Vaaniy Balakrishnan, 32, won the Eee PC 1025C for her dad, Balakrishnan Krishnan.

“I won the netbook for my dear dad, who is an amazing man. For once, instead of being the one who constantly spoils me, I want to spoil him!” said Kalai Vaaniy, a research officer at the Health Ministry's Institute for Health Behaviour Research.

Her 63-year-old father is currently working with AirAsia as a technician. He enjoys travelling and will be using the netbook to research potential travel destinations.

“He would have been here in person to collect his prize, however he will be flying off to Macau today. Nevertheless he is very excited about the win. He had complete confidence in me winning it too, as he is a dad who has always believed in me and knows I can achieve anything I want in life.

“I was indeed more than surprised to get an email telling me that I won. This is the first time I have won something even though I have taken part in several contests before.

“It's always nice to win something but to win it for someone close to us is even better!” said Kalai Vaaniy.

The second and third prize winners, Shireen Tan, 36, and Amalina Izzah Ludin, 35, each won the Eee PC X101CH.

Tan drove all the way from Batu Pahat, Johor, to Kuala Lumpur with her husband to collect her prize. A housewife with two daughters aged 11 and four, she won the netbook for her husband, on behalf of her children for Father's Day.

Her husband Harold Ho, 39, a garments quality controller/assurance said he was thrilled to find out that his wife and kids had joined the contest to win the prize.

“I actually found out via Facebook that my wife had won the netbook for me. At first, I had to ask her if she was joking! She left a comment on my Facebook saying she won me something, it was unbelievable,” he said.

Tan, an avid ParenThots reader, has joined several contests before and was ecstatic to finally win. She said, “My husband will definitely find the netbook useful as he constantly needs to check his email. It will also come in handy for his job. Harold is always so thoughtful to me and my girls. He always puts us above everything else. Even on his birthday, he lets us have first choice at everything. Therefore, we thought it would be nice to finally give him something back.”

Banker Amalina said she won the notebook for her dad, Ludin Haji Mat who is 64 years old. Her family members were thrilled about her win. She too was surprised.

“Even though I've won the netbook for my dad, I'm sure he will share it with me!” she said laughing. “I believe this is a great present for him and I am looking forward to helping him learn how to use the gadget. He is a wonderful man and deserves something as classy as this.”

The Dad Deserves an Asus contest had a whopping 2,008 entries.