Emcee-ing Master of Ceremonies

Sime Darby Healthcare ~ Diabetes Walk 2009

2009-11-08T16:19:00.000+08:00

In conjunction with World Diabetes Day on November 14-2009, Sime Darby Healthcare played their part in supporting and keeping with the theme of the annual day. The 5 year theme spanning 2009 - 2013 is focused on Diabetes Education and Prevention and stated the objective of

Know the diabetes risks and warning signs
Know how to manage diabetes and take control

Sime Darby Healthcare held their Diabetes Walk on Sunday November 8. Registration began at 6.30am at the MBSJ sports arena and keen participants were there at that early hour to get themselves geared up for the Walk.

I was surprised to see so many people turn up at that hour on a Sunday morning. Not only Walk participants, but regular folk make their way to the MBSJ arena daily in the early hours to exercise and kick off their day. Amazing!!! I applaud MBSJ for opening their sports arena at 6am daily to facilitate these keen walkers for a safe ground to exercise with peace of mind. We've heard enough stories of snatch thefts in Malaysia to make everyone want to shut themselves indoors. Syabas MBSJ.

Participants received a Global Diabetes Walk t-shirt and other goodies in a goody bag.

I arrived just on time and practically didn't have any place to park, yes it was that well subscribed to my pleasant surprise. I quickly got into my Walk t-shirt and got going with the announcements of the day's program.

There were participants who turned up with their young and growing families

In good time, some VIPs began to arrive. Ms Elaine Cheong, CEO of Sime Darby Healthcare always looks cheerful at events and it's always a pleasure when she's around.

then with the arrival of Hannah Yeoh, the event got under way

In keeping with the theme, we got some overview education on the incidence of diabetes in Malaysia. Dr Hew, Consultant Endocrinologist entertained us with shocking statistics of how much diabetes is increasing in Malaysia. But almost unbelievable is the fact that keeping it in check is a simple and easy as a 1/2 hour walk 5 days a week. I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that my dogs ensure I keep up with that routine.

From the registration fees of all the participants, an amount of RM2,500 was collected and donation to the Malaysian Diabetes Association.

Soon after it was time to get everybody off the seats and ready to walk the 4 rounds, and with the guidance of SDMC's physiotherapists, participants got to learn the right way to walk and limber up for the activity.

All muscles awakened, time for flag off

and Banner led the way followed by all the Sunday Strollers, flag bearers

After the 4 rounds, it was time to reel everyone in for cool down and lucky draws

The event drew to a close with the collection of goody bags and yummy breakfast of nasi-lemak or meehoon, and I'm happy to say consideration was also given to vegetarians as vegetarian meals were also available.

The event was over by 9am and from what I saw everyone had a great time, and came away with the knowledge that keeping diabetes at bay was only a half hour away.

Opening of Sime Darby Specialist Center Megah

2009-08-16T18:08:00.001+08:00

I was very happy to do this assignment. Got a surprise call from an ex-colleague who felt I was the right one for the task. She introduced to some really nice people in the organising committee, and after a couple of prepatory meetings, I was well-equipped to deliver the job.

It was on a Sunday morning, and we were all there bright and early. The event began without a hitch and went along like clockwork. The weather was reasonably cool after the previous evening's torrential downpour and all guests were comfortable in locally suited garments.

It was good to see all the VIPs dressed in batik instead of the claustrophobic and climate-inappropriate suit and tie.

Malaysia has such a vibrant batik industry and I wish more corporates would embrace the suitability of batik to our events. In fact, a great opportunity for our batik industry to manufacture more linen and cotton batiks for daytime, outdoor events such as this opening. Batik can be made into all forms traditional dress not only cheongsam, but saree and jippar/khurta too if the designers extended their creativity to widening the scope and spread of batik applicaiton.

All went well, the muhibbah performance of kompang, bhangra and lion dance was beautifully executed, adding colour to this simple but important event.

After all the formalities were over, I had a chance to walk around inside and came upon this beautiful unique congratulatory wreath of hydrangea and shepherd's purse. An inspiration to get a couple of hydrangea shrubs going in the shady and cool confines of my courtyard garden.

It was a pleasure and honour to meet the managing staff of this medical center. Ms Dama was impeccably knowledgeable of the center's offerings and I it being pretty close to home, perhaps I shall move my annual visits over to this center, seeing as how they have a specific clinic on women's health. Congratulations Sime Darby Specialist Center Megah!

My final stint as a full-time employee

2007-09-29T19:00:00.001+08:00

Well all good things have to come to an end. After more than a decade with a great employer, I felt it was time to uproot and spread my wings. For 11 years I emcee'd the company's annual agency awards presentation with my partner. We made a good team and time flew by so fast, in a blink of an eye we grew in reputation and it was good that the crowd expected to see us up front leading them through the awesome night of awards before a record capacity crowd.

MDRT Day

2007-08-14T10:00:00.001+08:00

Now this was an event I was heavily involved in from start to finish. My own unit was planning and hosting the event and launching our very own MDRT record book. This event was going to be attended by the MDRT International Chairman himself, Mr Philip E Harriman, so absolutely nothing could go wrong. Anyway, the day arrived and the venue was decorated so festively everyone was excited for a big party. It felt just like it. A gorgeous idea by the event company to have these balloons heliumed so that they floated to the ceiling draping beautiful tails of curly ribbon. Everything was in place for the arrival of THE MAN himself.

Then the event company got the festive ball rolling by warming up the crowd with a little exercise.

Mr Harriman proved an eloquent and entertaining speaker, impressive as the Chairman of MDRT International. And what a friendly person too. He told us of his career in this industry, and I was in awe of how he could achieve this standard year after year, in a small community. Proves that where there's a will there's always a way, and a way of integrity as well.

Lots of work went into the MDRT record book. Getting details from qualifiers who had achieved the MDRT performance requirement standard was no mean feat. Organising the photo taking professionally in the required format presented quite a challenge. And scripting their responses to a few questions for their profiles, well let's just say the exercise took a fair amount of creativity.

Launching of the book was via a bit of a magic show which sprang its own surprise on us, which was a good laugh. Festivities drew to a close after the very top producers collected their copies.

ING Go Green 2007

2007-03-26T12:22:00.000+08:00

Due to my interest in environmental health and ecology, the Branding & Communications Head "borrowed" me from my department to organise and execute ING Malaysia's first ever Green Day. Some leg work had already been done, too bad I was away on holiday else could have had a visit to the Danum Valley in Sabah where ING committed and initiated the planting of 50,000 trees in reforestation to counter its carbon footprint. The ING Green effort would be executed around the world. I am so glad that Malaysia is heritage to the oldest rainforest in the world.

My project began with resourcing whatever I could about carbon points and carbon footprint and to concise the concept into a easily understood flyer for distribution. Then, as the ING Chairman was to plant a tree, I had to identify a suitable tree for this significant landmark. I knew exactly the tree I wanted, the NEEM (Azadirachta Indica) aka Margosa, Semambu, wish I knew at least a Chinese name of it. Anyway, I checked my choice of tree with a very knowledgeable resource from the Malaysian Nature Society, and was given the green light eventhough the tree is not indigenous to Malaysia. It is important to understand that with ecology, not everything imported is harmonious to one's natural surroundings. Fortunately the neem is very ecologically friendly, it's happy to be a good neighbour to its surrounds, unlike the ubiquitous Acacia, imported without a thought to the ecology of Malaysian flora, and now it is just taking over our beautiful landscape, pushing out our indigenous species. Aah... I could go on forever about this.

Keeping in mind that some landscaping would also make the environs around the tree appealing, I chose flowering plants of ING's corporate colours to complement this beautiful tree. I'll add here that the neem is one of the highest oxygen producing trees in the world!!! Well I saw in my mind Chairman planting the neem and division staff representatives embellishing the plot with orange flowering Bauhinia kockiana and blue flowering Plumbago auriculata the perfect finishing touch to the trough.

Next was to figure out some slogans that could be put on A-boards and worn by placard bearers. The usual ones were there of course: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle; Live Clean Go Green; but I just had to think of something that comes from what I practice - composting. One evening while meeting with the Head Honcho Organiser for the event, I was mouthing out loud and then, bang : Compost To Dispose ~ Fertile Aerobics Trim Your Waste. Straight to the drawing board and proudly!!

Then there was the plants give away. We decided on half and half ornamentals and fruit trees. My faithful Pertanian contact got all the green gifts for us together with the neem and flowering ornamentals.

Then figured how were the staff going to carry their bounty home? Solution ~ the ING Go Green campaign reusable bag. Perfect finishing touch to the give-aways.

The big day arrived, and the education campaign began. A-board placard bearers canvassed the lunch-time crowd to answer a questionnaire in exchange for a plant.

I could not imagine the rush for plants, it was exhilarating to the point of madness as the crowd went crazy choosing their plants, asking advice on what and how.

I feared I was going hoarse, but so much fun, the hoarsing throat was worth it.

Then the Big Man arrived. An impressive presence he was. After the necessary formalities in the offices high up, he was presented to the placard-lined stairway to the plot.

A couple of customary speeches, unveiling of the info plaques and planting was underway.

A few of us in the background were deep in feverish prayer as the sky overhead was quickly turning into a giant watering can. As soon as the planting by the Big Man and staff representatives was done, the watering began, and boy oh boy what a watering!

Of course I had to have the opportunity to meet the Big Man himself, and to get his autograph on my Composting placard. Made my day.

Catering after was very organic, even down to the green juice.

Go Go Goal

2006-05-06T18:06:00.000+08:00

It was the great Soccer World Cup year, and Germany was hosting it. We adopted the World Cup theme and made it into a real fun night for the awardees. A little bit of footie skills demonstration by our local young blood, and showing off of not so skillful styles by Ronaldo-wannabes.

As always, awards night is challenging with the throng of people and list of awards for presentation. With great partnership, we pulled it through to an exciting finish. GOAL!

A regal champion night

2005-05-21T22:17:00.000+08:00

For this particular year, we fell back on the old faithful corporate theme. The stage had great colours and my partner and I did our best to match with our outfits. Have you noticed that his bowtie matches my dress? Coordination is key in every respect for a successful awards night.

Been around the world and aye yai yai...

2004-05-15T22:24:00.000+08:00

Swing Out Sisters famous song would have made a good theme song for this night where we were taking all awardees for a spin around the globe. We had such a fantastic time playing dress-up with different costumes from all over the world. Frankly, I did not know which country I was going to come from until that very night. Our costumers thought I might do Egyptian, but then decided at the last minute that since they had this great blonde wig, they might as well make me up to be a Flamenco dancer from Spain. I loved it! My friends were calling me "ang-mo porh" (you'll have to know some Chinese to understand that phrase). At least I know now what I would look like blonde.

Annual dinner Under The Sea

2003-12-26T22:31:00.001+08:00

This was such a great event. I love hosting the annual staff dinner and dance. Because I worked in the company, I could really personalise the event, picking out names and characters everyone could identify with. Better yet, I could pronounce all the names correctly, which is a huge boost to anyone's self-esteem when they hear their name being called out correctly.

This theme was absolutely amazing and the event company outdid themselves in dressing up the venue, I really felt I was on the set of the Little Mermaid. Really, if you have a watery theme, it can feel so dreamy. The icing on the cake was that we had such fantastic staff performances that night, we could have been on "Malaysia Has Talent". I feel every staff annual dinner should have staff performances, it is such a showcase for staff to let loose and release all that creative energy. Plus it provides such a great laugh to all attending, and best of all, everyone can identify with the people on stage which gives the whole evening a warm, fuzzy feeling all over.

Celebrating a glass house

2003-05-10T22:41:00.000+08:00

With the opening of our new head office in Europe and rebranding from old to new owners, we felt it was fitting to showcase the beautiful glass house in the motherland of this company. Those who visited and returned to tell the tale, it was said to be an amazing sight. So honouring the new head office meant going with the corporate theme of Orange. That was a tremendous feat the event company got up to, putting together a replica of the glass house. And 3 dimensional too, so that awardees could walk out of it to great effect.

Annual dinner Living La Vida Loca

2002-12-26T22:49:00.002+08:00

It was the year that Ricky Martin was all the rage. Such a great song and theme for a lively staff annual dinner. We had such a great time with staff performances, fantastic generous lucky draw prizes, and hilarious games. Even though I was emcee, I simply couldn't resist participating. Had to run a great distance in my heels to make it up on stage into that chair.

A visit to the land of waltz and violins

2002-05-05T23:04:00.000+08:00

What a beautiful theme! This year the agency trip incentive was to visit Vienna, Austria and the stage set was gorgeous. Could have done with a little more colour lights, but it was magical nonetheless. We had a little trap door from which emerged one of our country's famed violinist, and just look at the outfit. I've never worn a dress so regal in my life! I was so lucky to have found this positively electric blue and I daresay the colour suits me well.

Annual dinner lost in space

2001-12-26T23:10:00.002+08:00

Unfortunately, I never got the photographs for this year's staff annual dinner. I think we had a replacement photographer that year and he wasn't too proud of his pictures. But if I do get hold of them, I'll certainly post them to complete the set.

Egypt revisited

2001-05-19T23:12:00.000+08:00

Showcasing our agency incentive destinations around the world, Egypt came up again. We had done it a few years ago, and it was so well received, one more time wouldn't hurt.

Colors Extravaganza

2000-12-26T12:57:00.003+08:00

I love simple themes like this. So easy to follow, so great to dress up the ballroom. And it always looks impressive and fun when lots of colours swarm the evening. This was my first staff annual dinner event, and the first event I was going to do on my own without a partner!!

Yes, the nerves bundled up inside me, but I had my mind set on having a great evening with my 'work' family and it turned out to be exactly that. A great dance performance by senior management got everyone into the groove. Leadership by example said our HR Head, who recruited me to do the staff annual dinners after previous emcees had difficulty with staff and department names. I jumped at the opportunity, cos the stage just brings out the life in me, and with a fantastic debut theme like Colors Extravaganza, how could I possibly say no...?

Star Wars on home ground

2000-05-13T13:05:00.000+08:00

This was the year that the first of the Star Wars prequels hit the big screen, and was at the tip of everyone's tongue. The promise of elaborate costumes transformed the ballroom into a galaxy far, far away. Too bad for my partner though, an appropriate Star Wars character was not available to suit his role at the event and match his Queen Amidala, so he was out-fitted in something I can only figure from an Ultraman movie. Poor him! Headgear is really a headache for emcees either too fitting it's so tight, or too loose it keeps slipping off. Either way the aftermath is usually a stiff neck. Hmmm, now why didn't I request a massage session in my remunerations?

The awardees were simply enthralled that evening, as the effects of the costumes and set mesmerised them till the evening closed with a bang befitting of a Star Wars victory.

Dawn of a new dynasty

1999-05-01T13:15:00.000+08:00

I'm not sure if there was a popular Chinese serial or movie at this time, but certainly since the majority awardees were Chinese, we felt this theme would be appropriate. Actually, as I remember, it was an overnight change from some "superstar" theme that fell through just a month before the awards ceremony. Fortunately the event company hired had full access to resources for a some Chinese serial drama local production.

Needless to say the costumes were absolutely regal, so well made and presented. But HEAD DRESS!!!! That's always a killer with the fit. But never mind, I've always felt that royalty pays the price of leadership with uncomfortable outfits is days gone by and for some, to current day too.

Since there were 2 period costumes for royalty, my partner and I made like a wedding and changed at half-time.

My first "trip" to Egypt

1998-05-14T13:25:00.000+08:00

My second year into this role, took me on a trip to Egypt. I found a really great fiction novel based on fact by Wilbur Smith "River God" a couple of months before the event and it gave me really useful insight to how ancient Egypt lived. Very fascinating to learn how civilisations were so dependent on climate and their environment to make their lives successful. Pretty much the same as today, but the here and now is that much of nature is being destroyed rather than rebuilt and preserved to ensure continued success. Well, life's a cycle and out of devastation will spring new life.

Enough philosophy already!!! Egypt was meant to inspire the awardees to hit the target of the year by aiming for Egypt. I heard the tour there was like no other had before. Of course ~ it's Egypt the seat of where documented civilisation began.

Anyway I think the event company did a good job of turning me into Nefertiti...

My debut into the world of emcee-ing

1997-05-22T13:43:00.000+08:00

Several kilos lighter seems like light years away but that was when my boss presented me the opportunity to emcee our annual agency awards presentation. Such an honour, sky high thrill and I didn't even think of shrinking back and saying no. I had been away from the stage for more than 15 years and was dying for an opportunity to get back on. I don't think I could do acting as a regular vocation, but certainly emcee-ing was much more along my expectation to satiate my stage needs.

A simple corporate theme was chosen for the year, and thanks to my experienced partner to whom I am grateful for showing me the ropes and nuances of emceeing, we got through that maiden night without a glitch.

Standard 6

1975-12-31T20:31:00.001+07:30

Ah finally, the last year of primary school. More and more girls were coming of age, in the classroom whispering, sharing experiences and old wives tales of how to cope with the onset of puberty.

Mind you back then tampons were considered alien and self-adhesives were just coming on the scene. Forget about panty liners for any day of the cycle, those choices just had not arrived on Malaysian shores yet. It was one size fits all, any day of the year. Simple is best. I can't imagine how girls and mothers decide these days with racks full of sanitary comforts.

Now some girls were growing like bean-poles, while others were protruding more. Talk of bras, breast and other unmentionables floated through the gossip stream of the class. This was especially pronounced during the weekly sewing and art lesson. The atmosphere was much more relaxed and chatting was tolerated. A funny experience that will surely ring true with many readers in the same situation, was that at the start of the year, the sewing project in my case was a checkered skirt.

After completion of the skirt, we had to embroider it with patterns we had learnt throughout our primary schooling. Now imagine beginning work on the skirt in February and completing it in September all the while growth hormones are working through us like Jack's beanstalk. Yup, you guessed it. By the time the project was completed, there was no way most of us could fit into the skirt.

Hmmm, I wonder what happened to my skirt? And all the other primary school masterpieces I worked so hard at and even shed tears for, I wonder whatever happened to them? Why shed tears you ask? It's a favourite story of my mother's which I recollect so clearly.

In Std 1, when the first sewing class day came round, I was crying as I dressed for school. When my father asked why, I told him it was sewing class day, and I was afraid teacher would scold me because I didn't know how to sew. Needless to say, that quip gave my folks a good laugh. Oh the untold horrors that hide in a child's mind.

But I'm no good at keeping posterity stuff. I have clutter, but things that reminisce me back to a delightful time or age in my life are few. My sister on the other hand, is a storehouse of growing-up memorabilia. She has amazed me a few times with her treasures.

I digress too much because Std 6 was a everything the final year in primary school should be. Firstly on Sports Day, only the Standard 6 pupils got to dance the Sports Day dance. Although I can't recall what dance it was, I remember it was then I learnt my first "doe-see-doe" and I was thrilled to bits to be in the mega-scale performance.

The teachers we had that year were phenomenal. I don't think there was any other year in school that we had such a great combination of teachers. They were caring and entertaining and really knew the true spirit of teaching. I can still remember some English lessons, my growing love for geography, the wonder of science and just the great feeling that year left me. Another small snippet I'm sure would turn up the noses of kids these days - Pick Up Papers time!

Pick-up Papers was the civic duty of every class on a particular day of the week after recess when our teacher would walk us round the school premises to pick up rubbish discarded by the Irresponsibles. Now that's a lesson that brings one down to earth from whatever high perch your parents had you on.

However, the apex year of primary schooling came to a close without my participation in the year end concert. Another unaccountable peculiarity.

Standard 5

1974-12-31T20:18:00.001+07:30

Standard 5.... The most striking memory of this year was that my class teacher rode on the same school bus as me. The school bus that plied my home district, then went through town and she lived in a quaint townhouse. Very prettily done up on the outside, I wished I could see inside. I only glimpse I could get beyond her front door was a lamp I could see through the living room window.

She was elderly then, so I am sure she is long gone now, and sadly so is her quaint town house which has slipped into delapidation the last time I went by. So sad because my home town has such a wealth of beautiful old buildings and more and more are lost to modernisation each day. The great social issue currently plaguing many old towns in Malaysia the removal of honours paid to rspected statesman who brought education, modernisation and stable government to the state by renaming roads to characters unknown of in local history. There's new developments coming up all the time and as to why a new development cannot be named after the later historical figures, is beyond me.

Anyway, the single and elegant Ms W wore a Cheongsam everyday to school and she always sat on the front seat in the bus. If I were her age and dressed in a Cheongsam, I would definitely choose to sit in the front of the bus, not at the back with wild hooting children. She was a great English teacher I remember and I always did her proud by scoring well in the language.

That year, yet another classmate got creative and re-invented a story she heard into a comedy sketch. I remember the story being about students in a class-room with a teacher hard of hearing. Or was it hard of understanding? I was once again at stage front (where I always like to be).

Hey, I haven't mentioned that at every school production I was at, my dear parents were always in the audience. They never missed any production I was in as I recall...

Standard 4 is when the real action unfolded

1973-12-31T20:11:00.001+07:30

Now in Standard 4, wow what a year! I remember my teacher being a real gem of a lady and it was a time when classmates had got to know each other so much better. That we were now in Upper Primary school, brought on such a feeling of seniority, my confidence received a great boost.

Like I said, we had a great teacher (I'm not mentioning any names to avoid identity issues) and I did better that year in school than I ever had. I was in the top 10 in class and earned my efforts a pair of roller-skates from dad. Having learnt how to roller-skate that year from a second pair my brother brought home from somewhere. I learnt to skate much quicker than him because I was 10 and he was 19. I learnt from the Beijing Olympics 2008 that motor-coordination skills change drastically after the age of 16, bringing truth to this childhood memory.

Anyway, as that great year in school drew to a close, a funny friend in class had come across a children's story called "The Unsmiling Princess". The tale was about a really morose princess who never smiled no matter how funny the situation presented. So her father the King invited subjects from all over the land to try to make his Princess smile. I don't recall if her hand was offered in marriage if anyone succeeded or if heads would roll if not.

So my funny friend was appointed Princess, and me and another girl as her hand-maids. Hand-maid's main duty was to powder Princess' face. I remember my mother making the blue dress I wore as hand-maid. I wore my hair long then, rolled up in curled locks.

It was a great little sketch, and I was beginning to get more comfortable on stage, and stage front too, at that.

Standard 3

1972-12-31T20:05:00.001+07:30

For some strange reason I can't even remember what my class did for school concert in Standard 3. Nope, not even an inkling. But when I do remember something I'll be sure to include it.

Perhaps its because the only memories I have of that year are unpleasant ones due to my class teacher who was definitely in the wrong profession, misled herself into believing that she had the calling to shape young souls and minds.

Don't know why I missed out on this year...

1971-12-31T23:34:00.001+07:30

The next year of school, for reasons I cannot recall, I didn't get involved in stage activities. For school concert, my class did a folk dance and I remember the few girls who were into ballet did various exam pieces of the ballet. Ballet for young girls was very popular in the seventies, and before that too I imagine. These were simpler times when there was less variety of activities for children to be involved in. For me, nothing beat roaming around the neighbourhood on my bicycle and occasionally exploring the wilderness of little thickets with my brothers in Greentown. In any case, my family couldn't spend precious resources on non-essential activities like dance.

I guess I so longed to be in my class stage production that the second best thing was to buy a photograph of it. The photograph I chose was one that had my first friend in school. We're still in touch, albeit not close friends.

The ballet dance I recall most of all was the "Birdcage" although I think there were some other dances as well. I was quite envious of the birdcage my classmates danced with in their performance.

A little bit of exposure began in Standard 1

1970-12-31T23:39:00.001+07:30

Started me on a great adventure of stage life. I had my first taste of being on stage when I was in Standard 1 (first year of primary school) as it is known here in Malaysia. Although at the age of 7, I couldn't possibly be appointed emcee, I recollect my first stage exposure being really entertaining for me. Sadly I don't have any photographs of the sketch in which I was one of the reciters for the nursery rhyme "The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe". You know the rhyme

There was an old woman
Who lived in a shoe
She had so many children
She didn't know what to do.
She gave them some broth
Without any bread
And whipped them all soundly
And sent them to bed

I wonder if rhymes from my time are still being taught in schools? Any hoot, I still remember my teacher getting our help to build the "shoe-house" out of cardboard boxes. Memory is hazy, but there's the odd snippet still hiding in my mind. I remember my "motherly" friend being the Old Woman (cos she had the build for it; and another mischievous friend being the imp of the brood).

Anyway, I think I must have enjoyed the rush of being on stage because I was never shy of being hauled up for front of class stuff.