How the first Mandarin Toastmasters in Penang started..

First Club Meeting - Newspaper report: Lim Ah Lek of JB Mandarin Toastmasters (seated far right), Division N Governor Jayie Tan (seated far left), Protem President Ong Poh Hin (standing, second from right)




Charter Night Photo @Bukit Jambul Country Club, Penang
(Front Row) Club Sponsor SL Liew, Guest-of-Honor YB Koay Kah Huah, Charter President Ong Poh Hin, Club Sponsor Margaret Chan
(Back, left to right) Mah Swee Chin, Lim Seng Tean, Quah Kean Lim, Emily Tan, Poh Bak Lean, Amos Teoh, Ooi Poh Tin, Koay Kah Hin were all charter members.

I have just wandered into the Bayan Baru Mandarin Toastmasters Club website and am impressed by the achievements of the Club over the years.

Back in 1998, I had tried without success to ask bilingual Toastmasters to form the first Mandarin Club in Penang. I had seen how dynamic Mandarin Toastmasters Clubs were in Singapore, Sabah, Sarawak and Johor.

Although my Mandarin was rudimentary, I decided to take it upon myself to establish the first Mandarin speaking Toastmasters Club in Penang. I felt strongly it was a worthwhile venture.

With the help of Margaret Chan from the English Speaking Bayan Baru Toastmasters (7764-51), we advertised in the local newspapers. One of the first persons who called me was Ooi Poh Tin.

She asked me in Mandarin whether it was a public speaking or social club. "Shi bu shi ju le bu?" I replied "Bu shi". At that time, my Mandarin was still not so good. I thought she asked me "Jiao Yi Bu" - whether I was from the Education department. And so I said "No" but invited her to attend our first demonstration meeting to find out more.

The first demonstration meeting was held at Panther's Club, Relau in Penang Island which was located across the road from PISA. Arrangement was made for a Chinese newspaper reporter to attend our first demonstration meeting. But how was I going to explain the role of SAA or Table Topics session in Mandarin?

I had the Mandarin version of C&L manual but I wanted to put the best foot forward to the news media. Luckily as District Governor, I knew some of the Mandarin Toastmasters Clubs. Lim Ah Lek of Johor Bahru Mandarin came to the rescue and took a bus from JB to Penang to be present at our first demonstration meeting and to professionally answer all the questions asked by the guests and newspaper reporter.







We had members in our Bayan Baru Toastmasters who were Mandarin speaking and they all chipped in by becoming charter members too. Even our outgoing Bayan Baru President Janet Lim, incoming President Joachim Xavier and Rosalind Chan who did not speak Mandarin joined as Charter Members to help us get the minimum twenty members to start the Club.

Bayan Baru Mandarin (7050-51) was chartered on June 1998. For several years, many of us were dual members of both Bayan Baru English and Mandarin Clubs. I even completed up to C&L P5 in Mandarin. Both clubs still meet at the same location, now at PSDC on Thursdays but on different weeks but both clubs are no longer Siamese twins and have chartered each own independent separate journeys. Perhaps one day, we can reestablished closer ties again including waiving of guest fees or joint meetings.

Now back to 1998 again, at the Bayan Baru Mandarin Charter night, as the Club Sponsor, I had to give a speech in Mandarin. Again, Lim Ah Lek helped me through fax to write a splendid speech in Mandarin. However, my delivered speech was more impromptu than the text. It was like giving my icebreaker speech. Fortunately, the audience were very supportive and there was no YouTube then.




Here are some milestones.

Despite initial objections, I made a bold proposal to move Bayan Baru Mandarin from N2 area to be aligned with Division A Mandarin Clubs in Johor. That helped to accelerate the growth of Mandarin Clubs in Penang with Officer training in Mandarin, a Mandarin speaking Area Governor as well as inter-Mandarin club exchanges.

Eventually, Division M in District 51 was formed for all Mandarin Clubs covering Singapore, Peninsular Malaysia and Hong Kong. Mandarin Clubs in Sarawak and Sabah chose to remain in their own Divisions.

Another milestone that I am glad I was involved was this. When I was LGET, with the initiative from Lim Ah Lek and support of the 5th JB Annual Convention OC ET Lee, we officially formalized the Mandarin workshops/contests into District 51 Convention program.

I also helped to submit to Toastmasters International 3 more advanced manuals in Mandarin that was translated by the Mandarin Toastmasters Clubs in Singapore.





Eventually, I hope, although there are current obstacles, there will be a separate Mandarin Speaking District in Asia like the Spanish Speaking District of Mexico. I think the mindset that "not more than one District over one geographical region" can be changed. As Toastmasters, we need to adapt with the changing reality of the global community as Mandarin gains more prominence.

Though no longer active in the Mandarin speaking Clubs, I have benefited from the opportunity to deliver speeches in my begining Mandarin. It gave me much confidence when I later worked in China.

To Bayan Baru Mandarin Toastmasters and all other Mandarin Toastmasters Clubs in Penang - "Jia You"

Stocks DOWN, Toastmasters UP?

Will the fall in stock market have an adverse negative effect on Toastmasters membership growth and renewal.

When there is uncertainty, folks will go for certainty and the regular Toastmsters club meeting can be very reassuring.

I still remember during the 1997 financial crisis when I attended the newly chartered Manjung Toastmaster Club in Sitiawan, Perak. A businessman spoke that when the economy was great, he had no time at all. But with the slow down, during this downtime he had more time for himself for self-development to be ready for the next boom time. That was why he was joining Toastmasters.

As a non-profit volunteer educational organization, Toastmasters is value for money. If your club membership is at the high end of RM240 every six months, that is only RM20 per meeting or RM10 per meeting hour which cost less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks or a movie ticket with pop corns.

Of course, if you had not been attending meetings, Toastmasters membership might be the first thing to cut. After all, the monthly magazines arrived but were never read. Think again as your continued membership is a small but important financial and moral support to a non-profit club that helps others who are trying to improve themselves and others. Alternatively, you can be active again and encourage the club to soldier on. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

At Toastmasters meetings, I have heard members who talked about how they had overcome their difficulties in personal life or business failures. It can be a great place of sharing and caring, for catharsis and theraputic healing.

Toastmasters is also where you can enhance your interviewing skills or networking or a highlight in your resume if you are seeking a new job or in between jobs.

Once a Table Topicsmaster lamented all the problems that she was facing at work, at home, with her boyfriend and her own future plans. She put each as table topic item and heard feedback, support and advice from fellow club members.

Listening to other personal stories at club meetings can be very motivating and inspiring. And while listening, you may come up with your own great ideas and get energized.

So when the stocks are down, keep your chin up. It is no time to stay away from your Club but to revitalise and make the most of your Club membership.

Evaluation is an Art

Have you ever heard of these comments before?
a) "Evaluation is the cornerstone of the Toastmasters program"
b) "Evaluate to motivate"
c) "Evaluate the speech, not the speaker"
d) "Don't whitewash"
e) "Give specific practical ways on how the speaker can improve"
f) "I am here to cut and polish you until you become a diamond"
g) "I hope you can rehearse more but anyway it was a great speech, congratulations and move on to your next project"

Evaluation is a skill and an art that we perform and we observes others others performing it at every club meeting.



It involves careful listening, quick thinking and impromtu speaking.

If we remind ourselves that our primary purpose is to encourage the speaker to continue speaking and to improve further, half the battle is won.

Evaluation speech contest is the best place to see how a great evaluation is done as the contestant have to demonstrate all the judging criteria of being sensitive and positive yet analytic and specific.


But be wary that it can be overdone because the all evaluation contestants are in a combative and competitive mode to get the most of judges' attention and points.

At the club meeting, the evaluation can be tailored more closely to the specific and personal needs and speaking experience level of each speaker.

For example, a speaker could be a last minute replacement for another member who suddenly cannot attend the meeting. Consideration must be given that the speaker had not much time to rehearse.

In another situation when visiting another club, you were suddenly given the honor of evaluating a speaker that you have not met before. While this is a golden opportunity for the speaker to get a fresh and valuable outsider independent feedback , if not careful, it can be like stepping on a landmine.

What if the project speech delivered was not well rehearsed or failed to meet any of the project objectives. Should the evaluator be diplomatic, avoid any strong medicine and use neutral statements. Or be sincere and honest.

One possible way is to test the water. Ask the audience and project speaker leading questions during your evaluation to check if the audience and speaker share your sentiments.

A more open and direct evaluation can always be done on a one-on-one level with the speaker after the meeting.

Remember that members join Toastmasters to help improve their self-confidence. Everyone can have a bad hair day.

The art of evaluation is a constant mix and balance of maintaining the self-esteem as well as helping the speaker to grow further.

If you have not evaluated before, you can start by being the Ah Counter. You will realize soon that it is not how many Ah you caught but how you deliver your report. Establish eye contact, use humor and don't cause embarrassment when announcing the one with the highest number of ahs.

If you want to know who are the experienced evaluators who can help you, look no further. There is a Division N Evaluation Contest this October 25th Saturday afternoon in Penang. Ask your Club President or Area Governor or Division Governor for details of venue and time.

Why Clean Jokes Only, No Blue Ones

When it comes to Table Topics, new Toastmasters are preached, "Don't talk about politics, religion, race and sex".

The famous Beatle John Lennon who sang about a world peace would surely agree with these exclusions of "no politics, no religion, no race" except perhaps for "no sex".

But nothing makes the audience burst into laughter when we touched on the off-color topics and embarrasing taboos like restrooms, human anatomy and undergarments. Why are we depriving ourselves as Toastmasters?

Well, everyone seemed to laughing and having a great time about the fat woman, the bald man and the lying lawyer. Except for these three persons in the audience.

The old cliche is that it is all right to joke about yourself but not at the expense of others, agree?

Yes, it may be all right to make unflattering remarks about oneself if one is fat, bald or always connying, deceiving and lying. But suddenly all the humor has disappeared.

Who would want to go on stage and make a fool of themselves except for those highly paid comedians and television show hosts.

Perhaps the exceptions are those valiant Toastmasters vying for those priceless trophies that says "Humorous Speech Contest - Champion, 1st Runner-up, 2nd Runner-up" and high quality printed paper of "Certificate of Participation"

If you go the book store, all the biggest jokes are usually blue or highly discriminatory. In the end, many of us Toastmasters will go for the "safer topics " like "Before vs After Marriage", "Mars vs Venus" humor which may be straight from the internet but the winning ones are those cleverly repackaged, personalized with new found twists.

Dr. Ralph C Smedly once wrote that people will remember by what you say.
(I guess that extend to what you write on the blogs too. A gentle reminder to myself).

Some "enlightened" contest judges may mark down the judging points of contestants if their jokes are too explicit, too graphic or too insensitive.

Here the Chief Judge during the Judges Briefing can provide a balancing role. There is nothing in the contest rule for disqualification of "hilarous but real gutter" humor. After all, humor, in all forms, is another freedom of expression.

One may argue that everyone must be over 18 to join Toastmasters International. So we are sharing our humor with only a matured adult audience during club meetings.

But remember that our Humorous Speech Contests are open to the public of all walks of life, all ages and all sizes and mindsets.

There lies the challenge of a great humorist to understand the audience and to tickle their funny bones without being offensive to almost all.

Good luck to all this year's Humorist Speech Contestants. You will need it, LOL.

Toastmasters Abbreviation & Lingo

Below are Toastmasters acronymns. Most are used internationally and others locally in Penang. Many probably confuse first time visitors to our clubs:

ACB - Advanced Communicator Bronze
ACS - Advanced Communicator Silver
ACG - Advanced Communicator Gold
AGM - Annual General Meeting
AH - (Unneccessary verbal utterances as pause fillers)
AL - Advanced Leader
ALB - Advanced Leader Bronze
ALS - Advanced Leader Silver
ATM - Able Toastmaster (Automatic Teller Machine, Ain't Talk Much)
ATMB - Advanced Toastmaster Bronze
ATMS - Advanced Toastmaster Silver
ATMG - Advanced Toastmaster Gold

BTM - (Butterworth Toastmasters Club)
BBTMC - (Bayan Baru Toastmasters Club)

CC - Competent Communicator
C&L - Competent and Leadership Manual
CL - Competent Leader
COT - Club Officer Training
CTM - Competent Toastmaster (Can't Talk Much)

DAP - Distinguished Area Program
DCP - Distinguished Club Program
DDP - Distinguished District Program, Distinguished Division Program
DG - District Governor
DOT - District Officer Training
DPRO - District Public Relations Officer
DS - District Secretary
DT - District Treasurer
DTM - Distinguished Toastmaster (Don't Talk Much, Datuk Toastmaster)
DVG - Division Governor

EGM - Extraordinary General Meeting
EXCO - Executive Committee

FIZ - (Free Industrial Zone)

GE - General Evaluator
GOH - Guest-of-Honor

ID - International Director
IP - International President
IPP - Immediate Past President
IPDG - Immediate Past District Governor

KISS - (Keep it short and simple, Keep it short and sweet)

LGET - Lieutenant Governor of Education & Training
LGM - Lieutenant Governor of Marketing
LTM - Lady Toastmaster (gender bias, no longer used)

MC - Master of Ceremony (Emcee)

OC - Organizing Chairman, Organizing, Chairperson, Organizing Chair

PDA - President's Distinguished Area
PDC - President's Distinguished Club Award (Penang Development Corporation Toastmasters Club)
PDD - President's Distinguished District, President's Distinguished Division
PDG - Past District Governor
PDVG - Past Division Governor
PAG - Past Area Governor
POET - (Project Number, Objectives, Evaluator, Speech Title)
PID - Past International Director
PP - Past President
PSDC - (Penang Skills Development Center)

ROC - Registrar of Company
ROS - Registrar of Society

SAA - Sergent at arms (Single and Available)

TI - Toastmasters International
TLI - Toastmasters Leadership Institute
TM - Toastmaster
TMC - Toastmasters Club
TME - Toastmaster of the Evening
TOD - Toastmaster of the Day
TOE - Toastmaster of the Evening
TOM - Toastmaster of the Meeting
TTM - Table Topicsmaster
TTE - Table Topics Evaluator

VIP - Very Important Person (VIP Reserved seating)
VPE - Vice President of Education
VPM - Vice President of Membership
VPPR - Vice President of Public Relations

WHQ - World Headquarters
WOD - Word ot the Day

YB - (Yang Berhormat)
YLP - Youth Leadership Program

Note: If you have any to add to above, just post under comments. Thanks.

Perlis Toastmasters Club

Amazingly, there is no Toastmaters Club in Perlis after all these years.

Wouldn't it be great if we can attend a joint meeting or hold an Area or Division Speech Contest in Kangar, Perlis.

It will be nice to visit Kaki Bukit, Kuala Perlis, Arau, Padang Besar or even cross the border to Thailand for shopping or a Thai seafood dinner.

Perhaps, we can all help to make this happen.

1) Are you from Perlis or know someone whose home state is in Perlis?

2) Get involved in a organizing a speechcraft or Toastmasters workshop in Kangar.

3) Help identify companies, educational and professional institutions in Perlis interested in setting up a Toastmasters club.

Currently the closest Toastmasters Clubs to Perlis are:
1) Langkawi Toastmasters @Kuah, Pulau Langkawi

2) Darulaman Toastmasters @Alor Setar, Kedah

3) Sungai Petani Toastmasters @Sungai Petani, Kedah

and many Toastmasters Club in Kedah and mainland Penang.

Possibilities:
Kolej Universiti Kejuruteraan Utara Malaysia
Tingkat 1, Bangunan KWSP,
01000 Kangar,Perlis.
www.kukum.edu.my

Universiti Teknologi MARA(UiTM)
Cawangan Perlis, 02600 ARAU,
Tel: 04 -9861001/ Fax: 04-9862233

Maktab Perguruan Perlis
Behor Pulai,01000 Kangar,
Tel: 04 -9781522/Fax: 04-9781593

Institut Latihan Perindustrian (ILP)
Jabatan Tenaga Rakyat,
Kementerian Sumber Manusia,
Padang Behor, Mukim Sena,
01000 Kangar,
Tel: 04 -9794000/ Fax: 04-9777663

Kolej Komuniti
Kementerian Pendidikan Malaysia,
D/A Sekolah Menengah Teknik Arau,
Jalan Padang Nyu,
02600 Arau, Perlis

Perhaps the District and Division N can form a team to achieve this mission.

Soon we will be able to sing "Dari Perlis Sampai lah ke Sabah.... there is a Toastmasters Club".

Kelantan Toastmasters Club

Isn't it about time there should be a Toastmasters Club in Kelantan, Malaysia? We can have a future District Convention in Kota Bahru.

Perhaps our District can set up a team focused and supported for this noble mission.

How can you help?
1) Are you originally from Kelantan - ask your friends and family to join
2) Offer to help conduct a Toastmasters workshop or speechcraft in Kota Bahru
3) Look out for companies, educational and professional institutions interested to form a Toastmasters Club

The closest Toastmasters club to Kelantan are:

1) Lekor Toastmasters @ Pengkalan Arang, Terengganu
2) Penapisan Toastmasters @Kerteh, Terengganu
3) Vistana Toastmasters @Kuantan, Pahang

Possibilities:
USM Kuban Kerian Campus

Reality starts with a seed of thought planted.

Let us all help to start a Toastmasters Club in Kota Bahru or somewhere in Kelantan by 2009 - sooner rather than later .....

Palin vs Biden - Who will be a better Toastmaster

Photo courtesy of ABC News: Sarah Palin vs Joe Biden

Watching live on television the the debate of Vice President Candidates in St. Louis, Missouri.

Republican candidate: Governor Sarah Palin
Democrat candidate: Senator Joe Biden

My personal evaluation and humble opinion:

1) Eye Contact:
Sarah has more direct eye contact with television screen while Joe was reading more from the text and looking at moderator more.

2) Good use of words:
Sarah: "There was greed there, there was deception and there was corruption", "Darn right", "Heck a lot of"

Joe: "Let Wall Street run wild". "Deregulate, deregulate, deregulate". "Guess what"

3) Ah Count:
Sarah: None detected. Sometimes, change sentence mid air.

Joe: Very few. Ummph. Fumbled on some words and corrected himself.

4) Dress Code:
Sarah: Business suite all black with earings and American flag pin

Joe: Black suite, white shirt, blue tie and American flag pin

5) Body Language:

Sarah: More facial expresiion, shake her head when she says "no".

Joe: Used hand gestures effectively, left hand, right hand and both. Holding a pen in his hand.

6) Vocal Variety:

Sarah: Great emotional variation but sometimes the pitch goes high

Joe: When talking on hot topics, excellent vocal amplification but usually lower voice.

6) Overall:

Both Sarah and Joe are outstanding speakers and debaters. We can learn a lot from these two fine orators.

Only area for improvement that both Sarah and Joe often do not reply to the questions asked by the moderator but quickly moved to their view points they want to share with the millions of television audience but that is politics.

"Christmas Tree" Meeting Room Layout

For regular club meetings, the standard meeting layout is the recommended U-shape where the speaker can look left, right and front and everyone can see everyone.

For speech contests, the usual layout is classroom style where everyone look forward front.

For installation dinners, the layout is round tables with stage with two lecterns, VIP table/s and optional dance floor.

On October 2, I attended Bayan Baru Club meeting at a temporary venue as our regular venue at PSDC was closed due to public holiday (Hari Raya Aidil Fitri).


First time, I have seen this "Christmas Meeting Room Layout". No room for speaker to move. Something new. Something unusual. What do you think of the layout?

In Memory....

October is considered by many as the special month of Toastmasters International.

The first Toastmasters meeting was held in the basement of YMCA Santa Anna, California on October 22, 1924.

In October, let us remember fondly and give a toast to our founder Dr. Ralph C Smedley.

At the same time, would like to remember some great Toastmasters that I have met along the way and who are longer here with us today.

1) Lim Poh Ann (Butterworth & Seberang Jaya Toastmasters, Penang)
Past Vice President Education (Butterworth), Past President(Seberang Jaya)

2) Wu Tze Sing (D'Utama Toastmasters, Selangor) Past Division C Governor, Past President

3) Lilian Lau (Tanglin Toastmasters, Singapore)
Past Distict 51 Governor, Past Division D Governor, Past President

4) Zacharias Adijuwono (Jakarta Toastmasters, Indonesia)
Past District 51 Secretary, Past Division I Governor, Past President

... Thank them all for sharing their joy and love of Toastmasters.