UM ISC & TTC (Part 2 - International Speech Contest 2009)

This is the second report of the UM ISC & TTC 2009 and it’s all about the International Speech Contest 2009.

Before I go on, we proudly would like to announce that our official Advisor for UM Toastmasters Club is Dr. Devi Menon (our very own UM lecturer from the Linguistics Faculty).

Our International Speech Contest Chairperson was DTM Vincent Hor. Before the contest, Mr. Vincent gathered all the participants of Speech Contest to read out the rules and to position the standings of presentation. Well, everyone wants to be last to present, right? Thus, the standings were later positioned in accordance to the numbers that we have picked randomly. The standings were as the following:

1. Chong Nyuk Jet
2. Kimmy Foo
3. Rishi Ganesh
4. Teo Bee Guan

Unfortunately, I couldn’t elaborate on the contents of the participants’ speech for this time compared to the normal meetings. It was because I was a participant too and my mind was ‘somewhere else’ when the contest was proceeding…Hehe… So, let’s skip on that.

The Champion of the UM International Speech Contest 2009 is

KIMMY FOO

The 1st – Runner Up of the UM International Speech Contest 2009 is

CHONG NYUK JET

The Champion will be representing UM TMC in the Area W5 International Speech Contest and the 1st – Runner Up will be the back up if the Champion couldn’t make it to the contest. Dear President, Kimmy, you have to bring our UM TMC name to a higher level. We, UM TMC, are depending on you.

Congrats to the Champion and 1st - Runner Up.

For those who didn’t win (including me), please don’t be sad because ‘Failure is the Beginning of Growth’. Oh my…I’m saying that to myself sadly....Oh..oh..before I forget...

Dear President, could you treat us pizzas? It's our 50 years of tradition for UM TMC champion to treat the club members with pizzas every year.

The upcoming report is the third part – UM Table Topics Contest 2009. So keep surfing our blog.

Rishi,

VPPR,

UM TMC.

UM ISC & TTC (Part 1 - The Appreciation)

The University Malaya International Speech & Table Topics Contest 2009 has been successfully held on 25th February 2009 at the Dewan Ariff, Blok Pentadbiran, Education Faculty, University Malaya. Let’s break the report into three parts – Appreciation, International Speech Contest and Table Topics Contest. This report will be on appreciation of our guest of honour, judges, the role players, members and guests.

First of all we, UM TMC, would like to thank our Guest of Honour, Professor Dr. Noraini Idris, Dean, Faculty of Education, for allocating us a hall to organize the contest, officiating the contest, and encouraged us to have more activities on Toastmasters.

Our appreciation to the Chief Judge, Dr Choong Tuck Yew (Asst. Division Governor Marketing),and Judges Dr Sharon (Division W Governor), Miss SKL Walia (Area W6 Governor), Dr Devi Menon (Area W3 Governor), Mr. Francis Ng (Money Mastery Toastmasters), Mr. Paul Tan and other judges [the judges are supposed to be a secret, but we managed to know some of the judges].

Thank you to our International Speech Contest Chairperson, Mr. Vincent Hor (VPPR of MAICSA Toastmasters), and our Table Topics Contest Chairperson, Mr. Suresh Mohan (Division W Secretary).

Next our role player:

Ballot Counters : Miss Christine Khoo (President of MAICSA Toastmasters), Miss Jess Foong (VPE of UNITAR Toastmasters), Miss Lim Hui Shan (VPM of UNITAR Toastmasters).

Timers : Miss Khoo Suat Hoong (Secretary of MAICSA Toastmasters), Miss Lukreiza (VPPR of UNITAR Toastmasters)

Sergeant-of-Arms : Miss Leong Oi Wah (Committee of MAICSA Toastmasters), Miss Ng Lay Choo (VPE of Great Eastern Toastmasters)

Not forgetting, Mr. Geoff Andrew (Distinguished Toastmaster) for coming all the way for us. Our UNITAR Toastmasters guests – Mr. Julian Gan (President of UNITAR Toastmasters), Mr Syahrizan (SAA of UNITAR Toastmasters), and Mr. Amir. Thank you for giving a helping hand on the timing device too.

I really hope I didn’t miss out any of our respected guests. We, UM TMC, were really blessed to have the Dean of Education Faculty, Division Governor, Area Governors, Distinguished Toastmasters and all the high ranking Toastmaster for attending our club contest.

THANK YOU, ALL!!!

Upcoming report – The UM International Speech Contest.

Rishi,

VPPR,

UM TMC.

UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA
INTERNATIONAL SPEECH
&
TABLE TOPICS CONTEST
2009

5.15pm
25th FEBRUARY 2009, Wednesday
Dewan Ariff, EDUCATION FACULTY, University of Malaya
Contact Person: Rishi Ganesh (017-3067180) , Grace Kang (016-4901183)

Guest of Honour: Prof Dr Noraini Idris, Dean, Faculty of Education &
Dr Stefanie Pillai, Director, Centre of Industrial Training and Relations (CITRA)
Dress Code : Formal
Admission : Free of Charge
For more details, please view the post on 17th February in our blog.

*Dewan Ariff is at the Dean's office's block. A stone throw away from our usual meeting place. Its next to the SKET's office. You may park in SKET and walk over

Our Beautiful Gold UM Toastmasters Banner

We would like to express of heartiest thank you to DTM Vincent Hor and ACS ALS Ng Lay See for presenting us the University Malaya Toastmasters Club banner as a gift. We really appreciate it. Thanks for being there for us.

Sincerely from all of us,

UM TMC.

Eighteenth Meeting - Revving Up

‘REVVING UP’ was the theme of our meeting on 18th February 2009. The other meanings of revving up are - to accelerate, revolution of engine, improvement, and to increase. It also has something to do with speed, engine, and car. The word of the day was ‘Fresh’, meaning: new and therefore interesting or exciting. Example of word – ‘We have tried to come up with a fresh new approach’.

Our Sergeant-of Arms of the meeting, who was also our President, CC Kimmy Foo (she’s back from Singapore with a new ‘Japanese’ kind of look), called the meeting to order and gave the welcoming speech. Dear President, did something changed your ‘inner look’ when you were in Singapore? Is it a secret? Then, our Toastmaster of the Evening, TM Bee Guan, explained about the brief history of Toastmasters and made all of our members and guests to introduce themselves.

The Table Topics Master of the evening was none other than TM Rishi. He has prepared the Table Topics questions by taking into account the theme of the day. Today, there were seven Table Topics Speakers as the following:

1. Nyuk Jet
2. Siew Peng
3. Vijay
4. Teng Yuhe
5. Yee Sin
6. Bee Guan
7. Vincent (for the first time in the history of UM TMC, our DTM Vincent)

We can realize that the number of Table Topics Speakers was increasing in our recently held meetings and it actually gives more chances for those who are not playing any roles to at least participate in our meetings. Well, the Table Topics Master of today was too excited until he tried to finish up all the seven questions he has prepared by hook or crook (and ignoring the timer….so bad). The Table Topics Evaluator was CC Kimmy and she has done a good job of evaluating all the seven Table Topics Speakers.

Next was the Project Speeches Session where our stars of the day were waiting anxiously till their names were called to present their speeches. Our speakers for today were

1. CC Project # 1: Ice Breaker – ‘Before, Current and After’ by TM Gui Siew Peng

2. CC Project # 1: Ice Breaker – ‘Becoming Me’ by TM Marium

3. CC Project # 2: Organize Your Speech – ‘Men’ by TM Lee Yee Sin

Siew Peng and Marium gave an Ice Breaker Speech and we agree that we get to know them closer from their speeches. They explained about their lives, families, studies, pressure, activities, mission, and the problems they have experienced in the past. Student life can be difficult if all the assignment and activities appear about the same time, and the book to be studied is as thick as a tower. Yee Sin gave an attention grabbing speech by saying that men are everything but simple. She unzipped the secret characteristics of men. Since I’m a men too, I feel a bit of guilt to write more about it....but it was an exciting speech.

Our General Evaluator, DTM Vincent Hor, took over the floor and presented overall evaluation of the meeting. Talking about our GE, he gave us a surprise for today’s meeting. He sponsored a ______ (something we were dying to get till some of our officers participated in competition just to get the prize money to fill in the club budget). Those who attended the meeting knew about it. For those who didn’t attend our meeting, just keep an eye on the blog as there will be a beautiful picture of the thing coming right up.

Our role players were Ah Counter (TM Nyuk Jet), Grammarian (CC Kimmy), and Time Keeper (TM Teng Yuhe), and our Project Speech Evaluator were TM Bee Guan, TM Kimmy (again and again – she did play a lot of roles in this meeting), and DTM Vincent Hor.
Last but not least, the award session….

The Best Table Topics Speaker goes to…..drum roll….drum roll…..

VINCENT HOR

The Best Project Speech Speaker goes to….drum roll…..drum roll….

GUI SIEW PENG

In accordance to our theme, make sure all of you ‘rev up’ in your studies. For next week, there will be no meetings, but we will have the University of Malaya International Speech & Table Topics Contest 2009. You can see the details below this report. Hoping to see you all next week as participants and audience.

Rishi,

VPPR,

UM TMC.

International Speech and Table Topics Competition 2009

Dear Students and Alumni of University Malaya,

We are glad to inform you that University of Malaya Toastmasters Club (UM TMC) will be hosting a club level International Speech and Table Topics Competition 2009 as the following:


DATE : 25th of February 2009 (Wednesday)

VENUE : BTEC 001, First Floor, Block C, Education Faculty, University of Malaya

TIME : 5.45 pm


The International Speech Competition is open only to UM TMC members who have completed Project Speeches No.6 onwards. However, the Table Topics Competition is open to all registered members of Toastmasters International who are also members of UM TMC. All members are encouraged to participate. The winner of both competitions will represent UM TMC to compete in further levels (area, division, district, international).


Non-member students, guests and alumni are cordially invited to attend the competition as our respected audiences. There is NO PARTICIPATION FEE and NO GATE FEES.

Food is provided after the competition.

Please contact Miss Grace Kang (016-4901183) or e-mail to gwenyvonne@gmail.com before 20th February 2009 to make reservations for seating and catering conveniences.


For further enquiries or information, please e-mail us at umtoastmaster@gmail.com


Thank you.

UM TMC.

Standing Ovation

Dear New Members,

You might be asking - what's a standing ovation? Standing Ovation is a compliment, an acknowledgement or a way to congratulate new members for taking the first step in Toastmasters and completing the first Project Speech from Competent Communicator manual. It is done as soon as the new member (speaker) completed presenting the first speech. The speaker will have to sit, while all the others who attended the meeting will rise and give a big hand and applause to the speaker. This will indirectly motivates the speaker to go ahead to proceed with the upcoming project speeches more confidently. Completing the first speech needs guts, and those who have completed the first speech are considered to have overcome the main fear of public speaking and deserves an applause.

UM TMC.

Hot Events in February

Dear Members,

Please mark your calendar for these 2 great events happening on the same day, 28th February.Hurry up and book your seats as we are only a mere 2 weeks away.

First Event: Leadership Excellence Series Workshop (jointly organized by Division B, C, P and W)

In the Klang Valley, a Leadership Excellence Series Workshop will be held where all the 11 leadership excellence series manuals from Toastmasters International will be covered during the workshop!

This workship will be conducted by 5 Past District 51 Governors! (DTM Dr Arulnathan, DTM Ho Fong Ming, DTM Sivanganam, DTM KK Chee and DTM Low Yat Seow). This workshop is highly recommended for all the current and future leaders. Learn how to present these manuals. See attached flyer for more details.

Second Event: Parliamentary Procedure Workshop (organized by YMCA Ipoh and Ipoh Toastmasters Clubs)

In the Kinta Valley, we will witness another great event, the Parliamentary Procedure Workshop: Taking The Angst Out Of Your Meetings. This workshop will also be conducted by a Distinguished Toastmasters, past District 51 Governor, DTM Dunstan Chan. If you are a manager, assistant manager, supervisor, club president, vice president or anyone for that matter, who may potentially be given the opportunity to chair a meeting, then this seminar is for you. See attached flyer for more details.

UM TMC.

Seventeenth Meeting - Valentine's Day

It was our seventeenth meeting for the semester 2008/2009 and our 44th meeting since the establishment of UM TMC. The theme of the meeting was Valentine’s Day. The Valentine’s Day will be celebrated on the 14th February 2009, this Saturday. So make sure you have marked this special day in your diary. Valentine's Day is not limited to boys and girls relationship, but also families and friends. Thus, do spend your time with families too.

The word of the day was ‘Love’. Meaning: A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection. Actually we have picked up only the main meaning of the word ‘Love’. There are more meanings of ‘Love’ in the dictionary to be referred. Example of sentence - 'She is a good teacher and all her pupils love her'.

Our Sergeant-of-Arms called meeting to order at 5.15 pm sharp and we have started the meeting on time as scheduled. Let me repeat that, it was SHARP 5.15 pm. The welcoming speech was given by our Vice President of Education, TM Bee Guan, since our President is having a good time in Singapore. Dear CC Kimmy, can we have a trip to Singapore too but all expenses to be fully paid by the President? Ooops, again…wrong question!!!

The Toastmaster of the Evening, TM Rishi, took over the floor. I wonder why it always has to be TM Rishi as the TME for festival theme meetings…I have no idea. TM Rishi has made everyone to introduce themselves and to explain their plans for the Valentine’s Day. We can see that most of us will be spending our time with families and friends.

Next was the Table Topics Session by TM Bee Guan. There were six table topics speakers as the following and all of them were good speakers. Bravo!!!

1. Grace Rebekah

2. Chieng Tian

3. Bathusia

4. Ivy Lau

5. Vighnes

6. Fun

Anyone who needs advice on how to memorize things, you should book an appointment with Bee Guan, but I guess there could be some charges. He’s really good in memorizing. TM Deborah Chow was the Table Topics Evaluator.

Next was the Project Speeches as the following:
1. CC Project#1- Ice Breaker – ‘A Life Changing Event’ by TM Ivy Lau Lian Tze

2. CC Project#1- Ice Breaker – ‘Silent Stump?’ by TM Heng Jing Yi

3. CC Project#9- Persuade with Power – ‘Honesty is the Best Policy’ by TM Deborah Chow

Ivy Lau explained about her personal life story that was quite touching about how she has gone through some bad times in her younger age. Heng Jing Yi gave a speech on how she managed to regain herself after a few losses in academics and competition, and it was a touching one too. On the other hand, TM Deborah came with a different approach of speech about her friend who are not good in baking cakes but keep receiving false impression from others. Thus, always be honest - if it’s not good, just say it (but look through the overall situation as you don’t want to get in trouble).

Later, the General Evaluator (GE) took control. Our General Evaluator was none other than TM Bee Guan. It was the first time we were having our internally selected GE. We have to be the first in everything, right? Hehe…

The Project Speech Evaluators were TM Deborah, TM Rishi and TM Bee Guan. For TM Rishi, it was the first time of being a Speech Evaluator, and it was quite tough too. Maybe it would be better with more practices. The role players were TM Tham Hui Xin (Ah Counter), TM Ras Hadi (Grammarian), and TM Yee Xin (Miss Rolex). The Grammarian worked hard in this meeting as the word 'Love' was used many times. It was a new record for the Word of the Day.

Next was the award session. The Best Table Topics Speaker goes to…drum roll….drum roll….

VIGHNES

Congrats!!!

Our next meeting details are as the following:

Date : 18th February 2009
Time : 5.15pm
Venue : BTEC001, First Floor, Block C, Education Faculty, University Malaya.

The theme is “REVVING UP”. So make sure you attend the meeting in a 'revving up' kind of thing, just like an engine. Hmmm. That's wierd.

TM Rishi
VP Public Relations,
UM TMC.

Contests Schedules of Toastmasters Clubs

Dear Members,

Below is the schedule for the contests in Klang Valley. Please inform us at umtoastmaster@gmail.com if you are interested to play any roles or attend the contest. Together we give a hand for each other.

February:

4th WEDNESDAY 6.30 pm GREAT EASTERN
10th TUESDAY 6.00 pm UNITAR
11th WEDNESDAY 6.30 pm HSBC

11th WEDNESDAY 7.00 pm UEM ACADEMY
12th THURSDAY 7.00 pm HEWLETT PACKARD
12th THURSDAY 6.00 pm ERNST & YOUNG
14th SATURDAY 9.00 am HELP UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
14th SATURDAY 9.00 am DELOITTE KASSIMCHAN
17th TUESDAY 7.00 pm FRIENDSHIP TMC
18th WEDNESDAY 7.00 pm CIMA CLUB
21st SATURDAY 2.00 pm GE OFFICES



March:

7th MARCH 2.00 pm EXXON MOBIL

UM TMC.

How Joining a Toastmasters Club has made a Significant Difference in my Life

If I have not join a toastmasters club, I would still be sitting inconspicuously in the class, never raising my hand and never asking a question, and remain a fool forever. Today, I am no longer a fool. Naturally they look up to me as their spokesman.

If I had not join the toastmasters club, I would have remained a shy recluse. But the club has open up my social life so that I can see issues from many perspectives and respect differences.

If I have not join a toastmaster club, I would have remained jobless. The interviewer was like another table topics session. I was able to speak off the cuff with confidence. In the club I would have gotten a prize. But in that interview, I got the biggest prize of all - the job.

If I had not join the toastmasters club, I would have remained a simple worker who only knows how to take order instead of making decision. As a club leader, I have discovered the power to impact the quality of people' lives through mentoring and organising workshops. Using the hamburger approach in evaluation, I have become a better listener.

If I had not join the toastmasters club, I would still be imprisoned within my prison walls of fear of public speaking. Now it has open the door to a whole new world of freedom and happiness. Now I enjoy public speaking. I have found my voice..and a new lease of life.

By Sam Choo (Asian Toastmasters)

Published on April 2004. This essay won him 5th place in the Singapore Toastmasters Awareness Month Essay Contest.

February Birthday Girl

This post is dedicated to our February birthday girl, Grace Rebekah.



Making wish...wonder what she wished for...


Now that wishes were made, time for cake cutting.


But she just could not make herself to cut such a lovely cake.


Angle not good, let's try another angle.


Ah! So excited to cut it finally.


But must be careful with it.


Happy Birthday, Grace Rebekah!

Best wishes for you, from your beloved friends:


be healthier, happier and prettier.

Post made by
Fun

Sixteenth Meeting - Federal Territory

It was our sixteenth meeting with the theme ‘Federal Territory’. The Federal Territory Day is a special day for Wilayah Persekutuan and celebrated on the 1st February of each year. The Federal Territory is a collective of three territories, namely Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, governed directly by the federal government of Malaysia. The territories have neither a head of state nor a state legislature.

The word of the day was ‘Holiday’. Example of sentence: St Patrick’s Day is a holiday in Ireland.

The Sergeant-at-Arms of the evening called the meeting to order at about 5.25pm. Then our lovely President, CC Kimmy Foo, gave a welcoming speech and asked us to introduce ourselves briefly. It’s a method where everyone who attended the meeting was given a chance to speak. Then, the floor was passed to the Toastmaster of the Evening, TM Deborah Chow.

Deborah introduced the role players and explained more about the celebration of Federal Territory Day (well, “almost all”….including - doing nothing at home...hehe..).

Then, it was the Table Topics Session by the Table Topics Master, CC Kimmy. Dear President, can we use TM Kimmy instead of CC Kimmy since most of us are having problem to pronounce ‘CC’ in front of your name? Ooops, wrong question!!! All the table topics questions were related to the theme and Kuala Lumpur as a whole. The Table Topics Speakers were as the following:

1. Rishi

2. Vijay

3. Kah Fai

4. Grace Rebekah

5. Deborah Chow


Great going speakers, especially the first…*ahem*

Next, it was the Table Topics Evaluation by DTM Vincent Hor. Actually, DTM stands for Distinguished Toastmaster, the highest ranking in Toastmasters, and we are proud to have a DTM as our Evaluator, giving full support to our club, all the way from MAICSA Toastmasters Club.

The ‘stars’ started glittering showing that they were fully prepared for the next session - Project Speeches. The Project Speech Speakers were as the following:

1. CC Project No.2 : Organize Your Speech – “An Overview of Teaching of English in Malaysia" by TM Ras Hadi

2. CC Project No.7 : Research Your Topic – “Why sleep early? “ by TM Nyuk Jet

3. CC Project No.9 : Persuade With Power – “Natural Selection or Your Selection? “ by TM Bee Guan

Ras Hadi showed us the whole view and importance of whether English should be used in secondary and tertiary education in Malaysia. Currently, the issue is under the consideration of government. On the other hand, TM Nyuk Jet explained about the disadvantages of sleeping late (after 11 pm) which really made us all frightened since most of us sleep quite late night. Even I’m a bit frightened – it’s 2 am now, and I’m still writing this report. My liver ‘should be working now’ since its optimum functioning time is from 1 am to 3 am. The third speaker, TM Bee Guan, told a story of determination of a worm called the ‘Simpson’. Yes, it’s true that when there’s a will, there’s a way.

The General Evaluator, DTM Vincent Hor, took over the session for the overall evaluation of the meeting. Our Speech Evaluators were TM Bee Guan and TM…oops…CC Kimmy Foo. Our Ah Counter (Heng Jing Yi), Grammarian (Vighnes) and Time Keeper (Ivy Lau) were first timers and they did a great job. Thank you all.






Finally, it was the award giving session. We had the awards for Best Table Topics Speaker and Best Project Speech Speaker.The Best Table Topics Speakers goes to…..drum roll…..drum roll…..

DEBORAH CHOW

The Best Project Speech Speaker goes to…….drum roll……drum roll……

RAS HADI

Congratulations for the award winners. For those who did not win any award yet, keep on participating and you can do it too.

Our next meeting details are as the following:

Date : 11th February 2009

Time : 5.15pm

Venue : BTEC001, First Floor, Block C, Education Faculty, University Malaya.

The theme is “VALENTINE’S DAY”. Now, that could be exciting, right? So make sure you are in your great looks.

TM Rishi

VP Public Relations,

UM TMC.