The steps I took towards attending the programme

I still remember how I was selected to attend this course. It all started when Mrs. Wright, one of my school (St. Thomas's Secondary School) teacher asked a few boys for an interview during one of her sit-in classes. I was one of those boys selected for the interview. We were to submit a simple report on our co-curricular activities and the positions held in those clubs and societies we joint to her. I was praying and hoping that I would be selected to represent my school for this course, as only one student will be chosen from each school. A few days later, my Form Teacher informed me that I was selected to represent my school. I was so happy and I thanked God for answering my prayers. After that, my Form Teacher passed me the registration form to be filled and then sent to the Ministry Of Education, Sarawak. I found out that only 30 students in Sarawak will be representing their respective school and from these 30 students, only 18 of them will be short-listed to attend the interview.

This time I was not sure that I would be selected for the interview as I am going against 29 top students from Sarawak. This idea really gave me the creep. Although my chances were low in being selected for the interview, I was optimistic enough to have the idea that I will be selected to go for the interview. As the saying goes, 'nothing is impossible'. This saying was Right as a couple of weeks later, I received a letter via the school stating that I was one of the 18 students in Sarawak who has been chosen for the interview. I was so happy and from that day onwards, I have read a little, if not many, about the Late Tun Abdul Razak, the second Prime Minister Of Malaysia, as a preparation for the interview.

The day of the interview has arrived and I was a little nervous. The interview was held in the Ministry Of Education office in Kuching. When I reached there, I saw a few students, also preparing for the interview. I found out that I knew one of them, Cyril Ong, from St. Joseph's Secondary School. At around 9 a.m., the interview began. We took turns to enter the interview room and I was the last to be interviewed. I told myself, "Well… this is it. I should do the best that I can and get myself to this course!"

As I walked into the interview room, my fear and nervousness were gone all of a sudden. I believed that God has helped me a lot in this. The entire 3 interviewer seems very nice and I was confident that my fear would not return in the middle of the interview. The asked a little about myself and about my hobby. Shortly after that, they asked me about the Late Tun Abdul Razak. I was so happy that I could answer most, if not all the questions that they asked me about the Second Prime Minister Of Malaysia. After that, one of them asked me a tough question regarding me being a leader in one of the clubs in my school. I thought for a while before answering that tricky question. Then I opened my mouth and gave an answer that I myself was shocked to hear. After I have finished answering that question, I saw the smiling faces of the interviewers and I really think that I have gave a GREAT answer. I couldn't have done it without God by my side! Praise the Lord!

Now as the interview was over, I will be waiting for the reply from the Tun Razak Foundation to see whether I will be accepted to the programme or not. I have been waiting for weeks and the weeks added up to more than a month. I thought I would not be selected for the programme anymore. Then one day, my dad phoned home and congratulated me over the phone. I asked him what was that for. He told me that I was selected to represent the state for the Tun Razak Leadership Programme. I was so happy and I went out of words to say. This was the Best thing that had happened to me. This will be the first time I will be representing the state. A few days later, I phoned to the person-in-charge of this course and I found out that I was the only person representing the Kuching-Semarahan Division. There are a total of 5 persons representing Sarawak and the 4 other students were girls. I am the only Sarawakian guy attending the course.

Day 1

The date was April 6^th 1998, a Sunday and the time, 7:00 hrs. I was at the Kuching International Airport with my Mom & Dad. I will not be seeing them for the next 10 days and to tell you the truth, this is the first time I went for a course away from Kuching. The plane to Kuala Lumpur will depart shortly and I met Suryani Bt. Dohan at the airport minutes before I entered the departure hall. I was really exited and the eagerness to meet new friends from all over Malaysia has grown a little bit more inside of me. "Last Call for passengers boarding flight MH 2507, MH 2507. Please proceed to Departure Hall A immediately, thank you." There goes the last call for me. Well, I should proceed to the departure hall now. With a wave of good-bye to my parents, I have entered to another part of my life. A part I never knew how it is like before this. A life of being away from my parents for 10 days. Even so, I knew and I still know now that God will always be there to guide me wherever I am and whenever I needed him.

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