Letter from a senator-to-be

CIMA Malaysia Toastmasters Club

Dear fellow members,

Many of you may not know what happened on 3rd FEB 2007 at USJ. Want to know more, read on.....................

Dateline - 3rd FEB 2007, Saturday, The Summit, USJ.

It was a hot afternoon and I was drawing along the KESAS Highway after dropping my wife and son off at Bukit Rimau, Shah Alam. The drive was a breeze, I'll say. Traffic was indeed good.....I spoke too soon! Massive long queue at the Subang Jaya interchange turnoff. I can't do anything but sit pretty tight, hands at the wheel, in the blaring hot sun , thinking...........thinking..........thinking. WHAT HAVE I PUT MYSELF INTO!!!!!!!!!

Flashback - 7 days earlier . Received a sms from Ms S; coaxing me to take up the challenge. I hesitated as it was an unfamiliar , uncomfortable and untried avenue. About to return a negative response but my professional ethics got better of me: "Dear Ms S. Let me check my schedule first" , I typed .

2 days later, as fate played its role, I was taking my very, very late lunch or rather early "dinelun" nearby my office. In walked Mr R, the chief of the situation. Mr R was in the vicinity getting ready for an evening event nearby. What do you know, the topics discussed moved to the centre of the situation and with no other way to go, I quietly gave a firm YES! to Ms S.

What a shock I had later in the evening, back at my office, when the details of the situation were revealed piece meal.............Oh my GOD!! I've to do research !!!. How on earth am I able to juggle with the heavy workload , leisure , work , sleep and research!. As a man of his own words, I stuck to my confirmation.

A fellow comrade-to-be responded by e-mail similiar to my thoughts and withdrawn from the situation. In teh next 2 days, a replacement was found. That makes 4 of us in the same boat. Hmmm....I thought about it and the Wonderful World of Web provided the data. Easier said than done, let me try to mirror the way senators behave in the Parliament.

HONK!!!!! that impatience driver behind jolted me.

Into The Summit and I dragged myself out of my car.....reluctantly. There's no turning back and I do not wish to let down my fellow comrades. Even though my throat was dry from a bout of cough which came a few days ago.

Calming my nerves browsing through the mall, telling myself to enjoy the moments. Not those PYT !!

At the Auditorium on level 4, a distant sobbing turning into loud cries as the pacifier tried her best nearly makes me turn my heels and run off!! How the situation can break one down!

Fortunately, I have more time to calm my nerves as the doors to the auditorium was locked. The entire situation was delayed much to my relief...alas!!.... it came eventually.

The situation , that is......THE GREAT DEBATE!!.

Yes, yours truly, a first timer at debates, will be a senator-wannabe.

Team of 4's will pit against each other 2 on 2 for a knock out first round. Thereafter the victors from each round will face each other in the finals.

My team comprising of Valli, Chong Beng and Ranjit Singh were all cool and composed. Reminding ourselves to enjoy ourselves we cleared out throats for the first round.

The topic for the first round was "Genetic engineering is the hope for the future" was given vide e-mail. However whether our team to propose or against, will only be made known moments before the debate. Challenging eh!!

As we took to the stage, our team was told to propose. Quickly our thinking caps were switched on and away we went. Ranjit spoke first followed by Chong Beng. I fired my volleys and Valli wrapped it up. Guess what. We beat the other team and we moved into the finals!!

Taking a breather, we hear the other 2 teams battle out on first round with a topic "Should capital punishment be practised in a civilised world" . The victorious team will meet us in the finals.

Just before the tea break, the topic was given. Whew!! No more excuse this time on needed time to research. We have to draw from our common senses and knowledge. The title " Adopted children should know their biological parents" .

The other team, sat and deliberated , dispensing off tea break. Our cool team, enjoyed the tea break and networking. Only took about 5 minutes to discuss in brief.

At the finals, our team was to oppose. The same order of presentation and in no time, the torture was over.

For me, it was truly an experience. Am enriched over it . Tested my limits and know that there is nothing impossible that we cannot do. Do it to the best of our ability and most of all enjoy ourselves.

Well.......the better prepared team won . You guessed it right.

A round of applause please ...................................................................

Thank you for appreciating my courage.....lets stop at that.

Congratulations to the winning team.....you know that you have been given a tough fight for the position.

Wish that you were present to witness the GREAT DEBATE. Maybe next year.