I have a dream - that would be the phrase many will utter at different points in their lives. It has been an eventful month of August and I was at the Motorola Scholarship and Gold Award Ceremony, held yesterday 29 August. The phrase strucked me while the awardees were delivering their speeches, though vastly different in contents from that of Martin Luther King's historical public speech, it is in essence what drives a person to achieve things.
Apart from the usual mispronunciations and the lovable Malaysian styles, the speeches were quite good-lah. These guys and gals do have what it takes to rise to the top and I shan't add another "Congratulations" to the heaps congratulatory messages already showered upon them.
Now, what was memorable and touching in particular were two speeches delivered. Both have similar growing-up situations but differs in motivation and future directions. One wish to break out, from what I perceived, hardship and another wants to go to the top and then give back to society in the form of educating youths to prepare them for the future. Ah, noble.
But hey, motivations and aims may change in the course of working and getting paid good money. I sincerely hope that the speeches delivered do contain true intentions and not merely to display ceremonial splendour. Did I hear anyone saying pomp? Yes, pomp.
To the critics and cynics: I'm not envious of them because I wasn't rewarded nor am I turning sour.
Got to accompany a friend there in her parent's stead, to be her "parent rep". Really happy for her and I must admit that it takes something more than just plain effort to get to where she is right now (I hope no one's reading this). And yeah, she's near comical throughout her speech. Am the youngest sitting in the section of seats reserved for papa and mama. Myself aside, I meant to put this forth: that there're many who missed many kinds of accolade for their hard efforts just because their grades and marks didn't manage to be up to the shortlist mark. It's ok you know. If the parents seated in the hall were proud of their little angels' and devils', I'm sure many others outside would also be proud-lah. It's a good thing what the company is doing - giving back and practising the role of a corporate citizen.
After the speech, award presentation, meal (in a really large hall filled with a long lines of tables and chairs), and tour (of the really huge facility and hearing some papa and mama muttering "It's like a jail here"), I was a bit tired but hey, I don't get to attend such thing everyday and then get to say I have so-and-so who's an awardee. And another thing which I took home, thanks to the speech, was Motorola is a global leader in wireless, automotive and broadband communications.
Another day before the nation's 51st birthday, here I am hammering away and asking myself why on Earth am I typing about the ceremony. Perhaps I never get the chance to tell and ask those bright guys and gals:
Hey, the world has enough technology and nothing more is going to make it better, maybe except to better pamper the rich. We already have telephone, cars, IMAX, and Internet (wireless now). Except for the creation of energy-saving lightbulbs to replace incandescent ones, has anyone thought of ways to drill water wells in Africa? No, I didn't ask you to stop working. By all means, enjoy your work in your line but make giving back to the needy your priority.
Yeah, I know I'm out of my mind. Congratulations anyway.
Apart from the usual mispronunciations and the lovable Malaysian styles, the speeches were quite good-lah. These guys and gals do have what it takes to rise to the top and I shan't add another "Congratulations" to the heaps congratulatory messages already showered upon them.
Now, what was memorable and touching in particular were two speeches delivered. Both have similar growing-up situations but differs in motivation and future directions. One wish to break out, from what I perceived, hardship and another wants to go to the top and then give back to society in the form of educating youths to prepare them for the future. Ah, noble.
But hey, motivations and aims may change in the course of working and getting paid good money. I sincerely hope that the speeches delivered do contain true intentions and not merely to display ceremonial splendour. Did I hear anyone saying pomp? Yes, pomp.
To the critics and cynics: I'm not envious of them because I wasn't rewarded nor am I turning sour.
Got to accompany a friend there in her parent's stead, to be her "parent rep". Really happy for her and I must admit that it takes something more than just plain effort to get to where she is right now (I hope no one's reading this). And yeah, she's near comical throughout her speech. Am the youngest sitting in the section of seats reserved for papa and mama. Myself aside, I meant to put this forth: that there're many who missed many kinds of accolade for their hard efforts just because their grades and marks didn't manage to be up to the shortlist mark. It's ok you know. If the parents seated in the hall were proud of their little angels' and devils', I'm sure many others outside would also be proud-lah. It's a good thing what the company is doing - giving back and practising the role of a corporate citizen.
After the speech, award presentation, meal (in a really large hall filled with a long lines of tables and chairs), and tour (of the really huge facility and hearing some papa and mama muttering "It's like a jail here"), I was a bit tired but hey, I don't get to attend such thing everyday and then get to say I have so-and-so who's an awardee. And another thing which I took home, thanks to the speech, was Motorola is a global leader in wireless, automotive and broadband communications.
Another day before the nation's 51st birthday, here I am hammering away and asking myself why on Earth am I typing about the ceremony. Perhaps I never get the chance to tell and ask those bright guys and gals:
Hey, the world has enough technology and nothing more is going to make it better, maybe except to better pamper the rich. We already have telephone, cars, IMAX, and Internet (wireless now). Except for the creation of energy-saving lightbulbs to replace incandescent ones, has anyone thought of ways to drill water wells in Africa? No, I didn't ask you to stop working. By all means, enjoy your work in your line but make giving back to the needy your priority.
Yeah, I know I'm out of my mind. Congratulations anyway.
