My New Year Resolution

2009 coming soon!!

This is the year that i wanna start something new.

My resolution is WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PEOPLE.

I have platform now and that stage will be my trainning ground. I gonna bring out my style, my philosophy, my way of conducting and see how is the power of my influence.

In future, when i gonna do start-ups, this skill will measure my success.

My personal appreciation of Prof Shih

Its weird... I am not NUS students but yet I am writing this blog.

Well..the reason is i admire Prof Shih, president of NUS. He is now heading to Saudi Arabia to become the founding president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology.

I never meet him before and personally no relationship with him. But i read his speech from NUS website. Thanks to his many inspiring speeches that gave me awareness and motivation.

He has a principle. That is an A,C, C, is better than B,B,B.

This indicates that we must be good in something, something that is our mastery rather than being average in all area.

This gaves me a depth of looking in the path of discovering myself. Find out my mastery and become my identity. Please dont be jack of all trade, master of none.

My first semester...

My holidays ended nicely as I have planned. I got a part of commitment in ROBOCON. Learning introduction to robotics gave me a spark of interest in mechatronics. I know the types of motor, how robot works, components like PIC, circuit design like H-bridge and etc. In addition, I got to be friends with my final year seniors and a few great guys that teach me a lot in mechanical techniques.

Surprisingly, I also got involved in the initial plan of my holiday stay which is the research assistantship. Whether is luck or not, the first day I was given a task under fabrication of skeleton structure for master students on their engine conversion project. I work for 3 hours and finally decide to prioritise ROBOCON. As I return back to Engine’s Lab, I was assigned by Prof Horizon on the Omnilux’s resonant mechanical lamp oscillation design. This is a good start for mechatronics lover. As my previous friends who are in RA, they have done the mechanical work which is the oscillating blade with coil. When I took over, it’s time to duplicate the circuit part. I have learn up from basic soldering those components, identify them , draw schematic, learn up PicBasicPro, modified circuit board, and lots of electronic stuffs. I also got a skill learned from Prof Horizon which is the bite wiring skill. I got this skill when I saw him bite the insulator off the covered wire. I learn up and it pretty much helps. This is called experience, cant’t get form book. Lol. On the 17th, I have a movie preview session with Prof Horizon and a bunch of engine lab guys. We watched a documentary on finding longitudes. I have been inspired by Prof on navigation. Gonna find out how to find out location. Also, thanks for the kudos by Prof Horizon. We have a nice educative Nasi Kandar meal while watching the DVD. Finally, I found somebody as my university target example. That’s Prof Horizon. I want to copy his style of inspiring people, converting idea into words, sound knowledge in mechanical and mechatronics and the way he translate knowledge. This makes me change the way I learn stuff. I learn by doing.MIT motto, MIND AND HAND. I will learn by doing. Practicals is much more unexpected than theory. SAE club will be my base to show off.

My SECAV project is a failed one which I couldn’t generate sponsors. Well, no choices for but take money out from my wallet.

9th January will determine my first venture on entrepreneurship. That day will tell me whether my business works or no.

However, things don’t goes well as expected all the time. This semester my result is average…I think I can have better grade than just edge of good pointer. I wonder why I could get this result as I have full confidence and put up all my very best.
Some people say, results is very important, some people say the other way round. I think so far the most important is train all the skill you can obtained either soft skills, technical skill, communication skills and so forth.

When I looked back after four years, what is the achievement I possess, a paper? Developed characteristics? Financial literacy? Which matters the most? I have to find out. No doubt, I am still care my grades, but what really matters is beyond your book.

Electronics in my world...Anticipating 2nd Semester

My RA project puts me in a world of electronics. As i am studying in mechanical engineering...with electronics.....End up mechatronics....

Programming comes in for coming semester, ROBOCON give me mechatronics knowledge, Entrepreneur spirit on sparked, travelling desire lighten, suave multilanguage tougue join in,...it seems my journey is started in hectic and exciting way.

Prof Horizon will be my example in my university life. I will learn by his example. Not forget Ed as my key partner cum mentor. Prioritize would be the key of my 2nd Semester. Take on the challege and embrace it.

Resonant Mechanical Lamp Oscillation

My RA project is about Resonant Mechanical Lamp Oscillation.
Basically its a improvised light mechanism to obtain wider distribution of light. If its made in handy and efficient, it will help out form pipe wire investigator,refined road lights, car front light and etc.

What my team have done is just a duplication of what my profesor did last time 2 years ago. Will go in depth and try to optimise this model.

Today i came across my seniors CV. Impressive long and wide range of experience he got. I hope i could get that length to write endlessly...not like others squeezing the half pail knowledge to their cv to get a certain length for their cv. aiks.

R.A.

Today i start my research assistanceship under my professor. I work on the Omnilux project which is a spreading light intensity using vibrating reflector at resonance frequency.

Well, this RA stuff is kinda tough and when you get paid to do something, you got the pressure succeeding it.

I choose the second path for my business plan. I come out with a plan that solves my trouble. Hahaha...i choose this due to its viability.

Also, i saw an oppourtunity in getting sponsorship...i shall see whether it works.

Details will disclosed next time.

Solitude

I am alone in campus. Friends gone back home this holiday while i am still here in my room.

I have plans to be executed in this holiday.I am working on think a decent business plan for HSBC young entrepreneur award entry. I am certain to bring up green revolution for this plan.
Then i am also wish that i could join research assitantship back since i have finished working for ROBOCON. Meanwhile for my SAE club establishment, i hope that me and my friends could pioneer this club out which is based on research and student projects. Last but not least, i am seeking sponsors for my Singapore visit. Hope Toastmaster would shone me the light of hope.

I have to conquer my solitudeness to get my job done. Hope this turns out a fruitful holiday.

My Robot

After designing for a week, we got the blue prints of our robot. Starting december, we fabricate it. Design and fabrication is 2 different things. We may have good design and theory, but when come to practical, it is darn lot of contraint. Day and days of machining, our robot base has been done. We have done the base skeleton structure for it and motors for wheel.

It feels good when you turned something on solidworks file to concrete product.

Looking forward to install programming, and see how it moves.

ASIMO Dream

Today i went up to Penang island with Edward Goh and HellCat.

First of all we went to a church, St Mary's....i guess and Ed took a picture of the church with the sunshine of dawn behind it. Its looks good.

Then, we go to island and we go to eat Prawn mee in Sungei Dua. Long time never eat prawn mee and i think Penang's is very delicious. After that, we proceed to Queensbay Mall.

At the extrance of Queensbay Mall we saw the Honda's ASIMO show. Truly, after 22 years of researching, ASIMO is born with inspiring young generation in the pursuit of dreams. I am truly inspired by the deterimination of Honda engineers developing racing cars, jet , fuel efficient vehicle, and ROBOTS. Recently, i am engaged with the ROBOCON project. This trip particularly ASIMO boost my determination of making wonderful robots.
Then, me and Ed share and buy the lastest book. The World is hot, flat and crowded by Thomas Friedman. We wanna learn to see the world today and predicts the future. We do hope to make impact in creating better live and prospecive future.

Ed and i are developing the a business plan to praticipate in ASIA YEA. Our plan is similiar to the new coach line AEROLINE and we probably should change our plan as its is been applied already. I need inspirations!! However i learn that we must keep ourself update with current affairs and modern trend.

The next destination we went is the PISA job fair. I found nothing interesting there but i got know more about Toastmaster International. Its a non for profit organisation that gather people from all walk of life in a place and learn up speaking and presentation skills. The speaker, Chris gave me a good impression and i should be as good as him in presenting ideas. We must possess a leadership without authority. He also shared his interest in lion dancing. He tells us that we should become the drummer that controls the show and the lions are the presenter. In liondance, the one work behind are hardworking unsung heros, the head is the public presenters, probably the boss or the symbolic figures, but they all controlled by the drummer, the driver of the company. The one who drives people to goal is the key man is succeeding task and creating wonders.

Dinner time we went to Teluk Bayan for curry mee and we went back campus.

ROBOCON design stage

Our group is going into design stage which we have preferred mechanism in achieving tasks.
As now, we have chose our mechanism line according to design criterias.

My groupmate, Ying Wei is a great fellow who knows most of the stuffs outside syllabus. He know what his colleague doesnt. He helps a lot and provide many expertise advices.

My other groupmate, Siu Hou provide many fresh ideas and he think a lot of perspectives but somehow i feel he is abit conservative.

Anyway, we hope our presentation is a convincing one and i hope our robot will represent Malaysia.

Robocon day one

Today is day one and i have a great session with my seniors in ROBOCON.I think my seniors have an organised session for us and i feel " ah!! this is the envirionment that i want "

Although i intercept half way, i start from 2nd session. Find Constraint and Task.
Constraint and Task is an important steps and sometimes we always neglected. Kudos for Wei Hou for introducing this. We discuss and find out the constraint, wht we cannot do, whats the rules restrict, what the dimension limit, preventing violation. Then, the Task is what we can do to achieve goals.

Finding these can made a good reference for us during design stage. We can prevent violation and we can also make choices based on them.

Later chapter of the day is the brain storming session. We are going to create an idea bank for designing robots.

heres how to do fast diagram to collect and link our ideas,
1) we must know that no idea is stupid.
2)watch the clock-this give us know what we know and we brainstorming under pressure. Think fast, its a good to train engineers. MIT way.
3)record every idea.
4)Quantity emphasized
5)Maintain correct mindset and have fun
6)Let no good idea go unheard.

So we mind mapping and we do it stage by stage.
eg, starting with a task.
then think the ways to acheive the task
then think the method for the ways
then think the mechanism of the method.

p/s we must make it stage by stage to prevent we go too further details to a particulat line, then forgot the other ways. Plus we might keep think the solution for the one line chain only. Alternative may not be stimulated.

Kudos kudos for seniors who bring this system. I learn a lot today on arranging ideas. I could apply it for my club and projects.

Prioritize...choosing between RA and Robocon

This holiday i have research assistant job and Robocon project. At the start of the the holiday, i found out we have overlapping time schedule for these two. I gonna choose one of it, for 1) giving my best contribution, 2) learning the best from it.

I having a tough afternoon making choices. However, i do prioritize. I find out my priority for this holiday and i made a choice. Comparing pros and cons and answer my 2 purpose above make me opt for ROBOCON.

Robocon needs me and i could give more ideas. Also i like the environment there.
Hows the environment there? Check out next blog!

The Making of Sigma Alfa Epsilon

SAE is my first ever founding club i got. I was eager to make him a success. I describe SAE club as a he because he is not made to be beautiful. LOL....I want to make him like my start ups.

My part as a chairperson is incorporate the culture to run this club. I want my club to have creative environment. I want my club to be like young start ups like MindValley. I haven studied this company much but i believe this is a right way to follow.

I want to learn to be open, willing to share, and able to motivate and influence my comrades.
Hence i much do a lot of case studies about innovative companies.

I try and i try to be a great entrepreneur and this is the platform for me. My learning models is Khailee and Joel. They are my inspirations.


Here is what i learn today from Khailee Website.


Small steps to winning work ethics, and working smart

• Question every advice, don’t accept things without being asking why and how

• Question every “rule” – there are many false assumptions

•When you want to get something done, look for an efficient process first

• Don’t compromise with your team mates – debate!

• Encourage each other to bug each other to work!

I will nurture this environment for my beginning process.
Since i learn the rule, i apply rule number one.

questioning rule number 2, rules to be questioned is to understand the game well.
If you question the rules you will get better understanding of it.

questioning rule number 3, Look for an efficient process. However i think this is the later part. first part is judge the things to be done. It must be ethical, conscience and worth-doing. to have a efficient process we must be creative and adaptive to existing ideas. When reinvent the wheel, just adapt to match your needs and put more atention to what you want.

questioning rule number 4, Debating with your friends is inspiring somehow but you need to let them know your style so they will not miss understand. Find a good debate is a task. Make sure you target is debatable. Debate is a fun but debate in a fun way. Dont end up querrering. And find public as judges or let the compromision be the judge.

questioning rule number 5, yea!! this is a way to chop down birocracy. this way can diminish superior and staff status. You need each other to succeed a thing so you must gain respect for your profile not power. Be down to earth. everyone is clever in this world this era.

Well this is my ideas. Hope my brainchild grow heallthy!

Summary of my first semester

First semester of USM.
I gave myself an A- for my overall performances in my first semester.
I am the course representative for mechanical engineering freshmen and i have already got certain popularity among my friends.

I have also fortunate to know some very good seniors who gave me the oppourtunity to be better. I am the only one freshman to got to know Professor Horizon and i got the chance to establish a club namely SAE.

As for oversea chances, i have the oppourtunity to become one of the delegates to visit Singapore. Only 3 first year students got it. Finally i am staying back for research assistant job.

I didnt put myself much engaged in other society activities like chinese society. I am working on Engineering Based Projects and other outside campus competition. I believe i have build a great foundation and i am ready to take off.

Vagabond

Vagabond...I am...
Living in a community but feel like a vagabond. Does not posses anything permanent....i always on go...

Maybe i still do have deep root to where i am. I am good in where i situated but i always look for furthur. So far nothing have make me miss the place. Maybe i have a closed heart. Should i come this place and leave this place quietly without making impact? Maybe time will unlock my heart. I hope i ll find something that roots me but contradictly i do hope to go around...like the spores of the flowers....goes by the guide of wind. Where is my belonged earth? where is my destiny? Maybe this is the place.....Perhaps....

ComeBack

Coming from behind....

I am learning how to come to front from behind. In some aspect , i was few steps behind due to mistakes. I must learn and work harder to make a remarkable comeback. Liverpool has make some amazing comeback to win over some matches, especially Euro championship finals in Istanbul against AC Milan. Its truly inspiring. Work your very best...never give up. Learn from your mistake, and make extra power thrust....You still have chances as soon as the game is not over yet....Apply it in your studies.....

Watched Bangkok Dangerous

I have watched Bangkok Dangerous. The film starred by Nicholas Cage who is my favorite actor. An actor with style and charismatic characteristic, that’s him.
Bangkok, was my previous travel place. The place where I have my Thai friends there. I have memorable moment there. Watching this movie somehow seems familiar to me. I was there before. My way to describe Bangkok is the city of faith. This place gathers various temples, everyday every moment people have faith to what they believe. They have wishes, they have hope and they believe.
Talk about the movie. Life of an assassin. Good pay, stabile job, travels to many places. But you sacrifice your friends, social life and relationship. Man cannot be lonely. Eat alone, sleep alone. This is the life of travel with a suitcase. I was tending to be in that kind of lifestyle-Loner. Now I learn to share, to care and to love.
Lastly, everything that we are doing must be in all conscience. Do the right thing. Let people to have hope and faith. This is the world it should be.Conscience.

Psychological Test

Today is my electric technology test, i was full of conidence due to advanced learning and extent research. But everything is up side down to me...

This is what happen. I got my test question, DAMN!! its my tutorial questions...First it doesnt stand out cause everyone might have done it. Second, i was very awkwardly done some fatal mistake that might cut of half of my marks...Forgot to divide 3 for 3 phase system...i remember to do it for resistance but not for voltage.

And, surprisingly when i got my final answer i wonder why the value is so large relatively, but i dont doubt for more seconds. Instead i took for granted.

Die!...Luckily its a test but i dont feel good. todays test is not electric technology but my psychology test. How i handle this internal conflict. I admited i am not good enough.

Recall a phrase that i read somewhere, Failure is Success if you learn from it.

Embrace it.

异乡之缘

改自周杰伦的“最长的电影”

我们的开始，是巧合的机遇
那次在异乡，见到你的面孔
脸上的笑容，脑海中还在印着
想着你，又慢慢忘记你

短短的时间，我们相识甚远
异乡的机遇，深深的印在我记忆
如果再重来，我还会选择那儿
你是不是还去那儿再会

再把时间倒流，让我再延续这记忆
别改变你的发型，仪态都换了
要我怎么认出
记得你要我去睡吧
记得你要我挂电话
你说你会哭，只时因为感触

A day with my professor

Why i am still in campus while others gone back to hometown. The reason is today. Today i hang out with my professor and a bunch of master and final year students. We went to some surplus warehouse to check some stuffs out.

Firstly we went to Juru and somewhere in a kampung we reached the warehouse. There are a lot of surplus stuff there and we can actually buy those things a lot cheaper compared to purchase a new one. I was accompany them looking around searching dynamos, panel meters, VDMs, etc. We also have to be aware of the market price to prevent pay over value for old stuffs. Looking at these stuffs i feel my machinary adrelina pumping as i wanted to something out from these things. Engineering is my right choice, i reassured.

Talking about my prof, he is a kind of energetic man and you will be very motivated when working with him. I am inspired by his style and openess. His is a great guy and simply can be your good friend rather just your lecturer. I feel privilaged because i have the chance to close encounter with Prof Horizon Gitano, a Colorado Guy.

Next, we went to Kampung Benggali where is furthur down to Butterworth. That is a electronic street where you could get a lot of electronic stuff like transistor, transformer, capacitor, circuit board, bla bla bla...

Prof Horizon introduce me to these places and show me how this stuff works. I am not clear cause i never work this stuff with my hand. I gonna learn them up. I dont want to be a bookworm in university. I want to be a guy simply can work things out when idea comes in mind.

So this is my day.Going home tomorrow...

Penang Half Day Trip

Its raya break this week everyone gone back while i still stay in campus for few more days to do some research. Well today is saturday and i got a ride to Penang from my 4th year seniors.So..lets hike up to Penang.

Firstly we took our brunch at the famous Parit Buntar laksa.

Good food stays hidden all the time. It is true in Penang.

After that we went up to Penang Island and this took an hour to reach there.

Upon reaching Penang, we went to Cintra Street to find out my small hostel where i will plan to stay overnight if i want to in Penang.

It looks a bit old but it smells heritage site for me. It has a folk museum but today its closed due to the 'curator' is out station. I met a english speaking uncle there and he is in charge of this place. He looks friendly to me.

Next we proceed to penang road to taste the famous cendol.

This place has become a must go place each time i am in Penang island. To my doubtness opposite site this famous stall theres a cendol stall too. So it looks like a big contrast while so many people gather at the famous one buying cendol and the other one calm.

After that we walk around Prangin Mall and then we went to Mcallister road and branching a Lebuh Selamat to eat the expensive Sister's Char Koey Theow.

It serve with big juicy prawns which makes it expensive. The cheapest cost RM6.

Approaching evening....we head to north to Gurney Plaza. That place is a nice place with a lot of branded restaurant like Chilis, Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Secret Recipe and etc. I like the place.

For dinner, i have in Gurney Drive. Theres a lot of food there. Me and Jun Yan eat quite a lot a there. Cher Hu, Or Chin, Chee Cheong Fan....

Before we go back we head south to Queensbay and take a nice picture of Penang Bridge.

Scientist going Engineer,Engineer going Scientist

Till now, i am getting more and more excited. I am making the best out of my possesion. I am lucky enough to get to know someone like Goh. He gives me oppourtunities to learn more. I am going to work as research assistant during holiday. As for now i am working on accomplishing my APOLO project. I want a great team to run this project to success. Today looks like a good start to me. My task is to influence and motivate my colleague to have some goals to be achieved.
For a few days onwards i will meeting with some top professor and i hope to learn something valuable from them.
My core inspiration is always MIT. Mens Et Manus very meaningful to me. Mind and Hand is working principle and i am holding firm on it.

Mens et Manus!!

Goodbye my friend

I have an aquaintance. He is leaving USM to Notthingham Malaysia campus under a company scholarship.

He is a music talent. he could play good piano and sing well.

18th sept night is karaoke night.He perform and what impress me was he sing One Night in Beijing.Great. It will rocks more if accompany by a band. How i wish i can play drum that very moment supporting him.

So i resolute to learn up drumming. Rock all the way.

Interesting Lecture

So far my lecture in USM is quite boring and hypnotising....

Things changed when change a lecturer for my electric technology course. A singh lecturer take over.

First day of lecture.
My status: Unprepared. Hit by unexpected question by him. It was an easy question though. I anawer wrongly. Feel ashamed of myself.

2nd lecture.
My status: Sit at inobvious seat to prevent question hit. Blurred by his lecture. Feeling guilthy of not studying properly. When he ask for question from students... i didnt have any doubt. I feel insulted cause i lost my principle of learning.

3rd lecture:
My status:Well prepared.Sit direct in front of him so i can inquire, he can hear. I point of his mistake in his lecture note.Questioning him few times. Feel good. Feel steady.

Good Time, Good Food

This morning i wake up at nine with the determination to eat Parit Buntar's famous laksa. I called up Siu Hou and we two cycle the back streets of PB for the laksa quest. After i came to the juntion before the bridge as my friends told me, we turn right in the pathways. Its way to the shop is unnoticeble until we ask so local kids playing around there. The way in is totally unexpectable. Its just like small sand muddy narrow path between two houses and thaadaa we found the famous laksa shop.

We reach at 10 am but it opens at 1130am.Thus we go out to coffee shop to have a coffee and chit chat. When clock ticks to 1130 am we went back and see long queue from that shop house. People are eager to taste the sour and hot laksa. We ordered a bowl of laksa for each of us and taste it. Its soup is the best ever soup i taste before. I was indulged by the prefect recipe.

We pay Rm2 for our meal and leave the place with fully satisfactory mood.

Mid Autumn Festival

Long time never celebrate mid autumn festival....last time at home i used to simply eat mooncake and never appreciate it so much.

This year in other states, staying in campus in USM, we students organise a mooncake celebration in the campus. I was one of the committee in this event.

Well...for me i got a kinda feeling that i was lonely in the crowd. Although i was surrounded by a bunch of amusing folks but i feel some loneliness in the sense that awaiting someone really cares me....I admitted that i was too focus on my undertaking and might neglected people around me.

Anyway, i feel good too as i receives some dedication from my senior and some mysterious friends. Time passes by and i feel that its neccessary to care about people around me. Human need friends...we work in team....we share ups and downs together. That what friends are for.

Working Something Interesting

As days passes by, my life in USM is becoming more and more interesting. I started to learn a lot about software. Today i was engaged with SolidWorks and Agilent Vee Pro. SolidWorks made me passionate about design and drawing. While, i am also working out with Agilent Vee. Its is a graphical measurement programme. Tonight i was learning this software with my seniors together with a bunch of students who are also interested. We set up the resistor, diod, motor ..etc on the breadboard and then take the value using Agilent Vee. Its kinda fun doing this and i met an inspiring senior who inspire me to work by passion. I was glad that i made up the choice choosing engineering. I am loving this kind of life. Solving problem all the time.

Later, we SAE club will doing more and more activities and tasks. We are looking forward to building an engineering environment for the school.

USM granted Apex status

PUTRAJAYA (Sept 03, 2008): Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) was yesterday chosen for the Accelerated Programme for Excellence (Apex), beating three other universities, including the country's oldest, the University of Malaya (UM).
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin told a press conference that USM was selected based on the university's transformation plan and its preparedness to make changes to its proposal paper.
"The selection for the Apex programme is not only based on past achievements and excellence, but more on the planning for the future and whether the university is able to achieve a world-class status within the stipulated period of five years," he said when announcing USM's selection for the programme.
During the five-year period, USM must be able to put itself in the Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) list of world's Top 100 universities and among the Top 50 by 2020, he said.
He was confident that USM would be able to achieve world-class standard.
"Let's see how USM fares and then we will decide whether to choose another for the programme," he added.
Mohamed Khaled said USM's selection for the programme did not mean that other universities were sidelined. On the other hand, this should spur them to further improve their position, he said when asked why UM was not selected.
Nine public universities nationwide had submitted their application for the programme but only four -- USM, UM, Universiti Putra Malaysia and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia -- were shortlisted.
USM's winning proposal paper is titled "Transforming Higher Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow".
The Apex university programme is part of the National Higher Education Strategic Plan where universities will be divided into three groups -- Apex University, Elite University and Competitive University.
An Apex university is a university of excellence used as a yardstick in higher education worldwide.
Under the programme, an Apex university is promised autonomy in finance, service scheme, management, student intake, study fees and in determining the top administrative leadership, Bernama reported.
USM’s recognition as an Apex university is the culmination of initiatives since the university produced a working paper on ‘Transforming Higher Education for a Sustainable Tomorrow’ a few years back.
In a brief statement today, USM deputy registrar and communications head Mohamad Abdullah said the university has undertaken a series of innovative programmes to enhance its capacity and stature in academic fields.
He noted the university’s emphasis on fostering research and specialist expertise as a prime factor in elevating its credentials.
“We at USM feel gratified and touched at being selected by the Higher Education Ministry to start the Apex university programme,” he said.
He added that the recognition was a fitting gift for the university’s 40th anniversary next year.
He stressed that USM has taken great pains to ensure its educational thrust remained relevant to future needs.
Mohamad noted the effect of programmes like the ‘Healthy Campus’ and ‘University in a Garden’ initiatives to encourage voluntary work in global and environmental activities among faculty members and students.
USM has also had workshops and planning activities based on ‘scenario planning’ which later materialised various activities to promote the transforming focus of higher education, he stressed.
Updated: 07:55PM Wed, 03 Sep 2008

Planning to Visit Singapore

I always keep myself to be globlised. Well, i have my first step done-selected as the comittee of organising an educational and career trip to Singapore.

I was elected as the one of the leader of sponsorship seeking teams. I was glad to be named as promising Year 1 student. I am looking forward to work with my seniors and make this trip worked out.

How to find sponsor? This is quite new to me especially finding a corporate sponsorship. Making proposal, presenting ideas, persuading , negotiating....bla bla....This is my responsiblity overall. However finding sponsor is playing a great part in this trip if we expected a subsidised trip to Singapore.

Right! here starts my job. My schedule is packing with stuff...but i am enjoying. What doesnt kill makes yoou stronger. I am pushing myself to limit to extend my ability and unleash my talent.

Fight well and keep focused to ultimate aim.

Watch THE FIRM 2

Recently i am keen on watching Malaysia's Reality Show-The Firm 2. It is a show on how young Malaysian executives perform to accomplish the task given. In this, the 4th episode. Team Asset and Team Equity were asked to do sales for Tunemoney.com credit card. This is a quantitative task. Team which got the most sign-ups will win in this round.

Both teams take place in LimKokWing University. Their aim is to get students to sign up for the credit card. Team Asset will do the sales on the first day and Team Equity is on the second day. It is always the First ones who got early advantages. Team Asset might steal the market at first but if they are not dominating...Team Equity which is the second team to perform might have more advantages to cover the follow ups. They have publisity done by the first team. Team Equity actually has reference points if they do observations on the first day. They can find out what way do the best by observe the pioneers. Unfortunately, they lose in this round and they put the excuse over this point that is they are the second team to do the sales.

For both teams, i saw that everyone is doing the sales all the time. The team leader is not functions as the master mind. For me, i think that leader should be the director having the whole picture in mind and controlling the situation. In this episode, the leaders is doing the sales as much as other. The base is in a mess. Masami, the leader of Team Equity is not a positive leader.
She is pissed out when something goes wrong in the plan. Team leader should be the firmest man in the team, lead the team to victory. When something goes wrong, adapt, react and execute. Market is fluctuating in business world. As Peter Pek said, market is unpredictable. You should prevent the problem happen, if not adapt quickly to save the market. Team Equity does not observe the location where the event takes place. If you are going to have an event in Sydney Opera House, do you expect to plan based on photographs of it?

One man i want to criticise is Chris. He seems an experienced man based on the way his teamates describe him. He doesnt seems like energising the team, he act cool and exclude himself away from the team. Being a leader or entrepreneur, one must bring the team together and put the team in positive form. Be part of the team, discuss and express your opinions. Dont express at the last part after the team lose. Leave the act cool part alone at home.

Anyway i expect more and more positive and inspiring aspects from The Firm. Both corporate leaders always have firm direction and strong, directive point of view. Learn from them.

Starting of My University Life

Rounds and rounds of considerations, admissions and rejections.....finally i set my foot in USM Engineering Campus. A youngster like me have lots of dreams, although sometimes i cant get what i want or maybe i am uncertain of what i want, however i realised that life sometimes can be that simple-Make a choice, decide and dont look back. I proceed and i make the best out with what i have.

Its been more than a month i settled down in USM. Though this is a smaller campus compared to the main campus but i started to love this campus.The path way between Aerospace school and Chemical Engineering School is my favourite.The whole campus is walkable and accesible. Anyway i still buy myself a bicycle. I can still reach lecture hall at 8am although i depart at 7.55am. Speaking of friendliness, i think my seniors are all really good and helpful. As time passes by, i find that place has more to discover. It has good potentials and chances for me to grow and learn.

I am also pleased to got to know many friends here especially those from Penang. The Penanites are amusing with their hokkien. I really having fun listening to their conversation.

After all, i am ready to make the best out of what i have.