The MessengerISSUE NO. 3, JAN 2015

DESIGNED BY: ABDUL RAHIM

2014

Building NetworksEmpowering Leaders

Realising Ideas

icms The International Council of Malaysian Scholars and Associates

ONG CHENG KENNATIONAL EXECUTIVE

DIRECTOR OF MALAYSIA

2014 has been a remarkable and eventful year for ICMS. Over the span of a year, we experienced a major reformation in our operational model, organised two large-scale events for Malaysian students and expanded our recruitment radar to Canada and Singapore. All these important and cherished events that have taken place under the leadership of the 4th council have been meticulously penned down so that none of these will be forgotten in the years to come. My earnest appreciation goes out to the Secretarial Department for putting in so much effort and time to produce this magnum opus. To the other ICMS associates, I would like to say a BIG thank you for your undivided support in making this newsletter possible. Last but not least, to my fellow readers, I truly hope that you would all take delight in leafing through our newsletter and let the true spirit of ICMS live on eternally.

I hope that you enjoy reading The Messenger to keep updated with us here at ICMS. In my opinion, the KEY goal of ICMS US this year is to establish a strong presence in the US and pave a pathway for the next council to continue our legacy. People say that the sheer size of the United States is the biggest obstacle for ICMS, however I believe that it is our greatest strength because, “Obstacles are only the things you see when you take your eyes off your goals”. Therefore, we shall continue pushing forth. I wish everyone a lovely year ahead and may we all have the strength to overcome our own obstacles.

Hello readers,

Greeting to all!

WELCOMENOTE

NABIL RASYAD ABDUL JALIL

NATIONAL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF USA

WELCOMENOTE

OUR GLOBAL PRESENCE

ABOUTUS

Sourced from: http://www.mappery.com/maps/Standard-World-Times-Zones-Map

The 4th Council has successfully expanded the outreach of ICMS from 70 to 140 associates . ICMS is now established in 6 countries as shown above. We are happy to announce that Singapore and Canada are the newest additions to our ICMS family!

A programme designed for our associates in which they are allocated into the departments of their choic-es. During the rotation period, they are to complete tasks which were tailor-made by the Executive Committee members. This is to give the associates an understanding of what each department’s responsibilities are in bringing a check and balance to the organisation. This was done through active engagement by the 4th Council by mentoring and sharing their personal experience with the 5th Council. Not only does the rotation serve to allow the associates to be familiarised with the departments but also for them to empower themselves in personal growth (i.e communication skills, critical thinking, problem solving). In addition, the rotation programme allowed the associates to get to know one another from across the world.

ROTATIONPROGRAMME

RECENTEVENTS

Finance & corporate relations

external outreach & publicity

internal aFFairs &

perFormance

council policy & strategy

project Development

& initiatives

- Identified and critically assessed policy decisions and issues faced by the Council- Discussed and assessed issues which may arise in the future- Addressed the issues with concrete suggestions to execute in the near future

- Created the inaugural newsletter, The Messenger- Devised new structure for the newsletter team- Created standard operating procedures for internal communication- Optimised the ICMS website to provide a better browsing experience

- Reviewed event budgets and prepared divisional budget for 5th Council- Constructed travel reimbursement policy- Conducted case study on external crisis management and internal strategic management- Identified potential sponsors and conducted simulated pitching sessions

- Conducted simulation on communication with external organisations- Devised marketing timeline and strategies - Improved and updated ICMS’ social media contents- Familiarised with graphic softwares and incorporated ICMS’ culture into designs

- Conducted case study on internal affairs and membership terms- Evaluated the Induction Day Programme 2014 and planned for 2015- Assessed the current associates selection process

- Proposed methods to improve the ICMS roundtable events- Discussed areas of collaboration with other organisations - Created a website for job opportunity website- Reviewed the Induction Programme- Organised “The Link” , a social networking event for associates

secretarial Department

UNITEDKINGDOM

USA & CANADA

RECENTEVENTS

It is hard to believe that I could have learnt so much and expanded my network considerably as demonstrated in the rapid increase of Facebook friends in a mere three months. My time in the ICMS thus far has honed my organisational skills and time management through the Induction Programme and two Department Rotations. Working with incredibly talented and humble people has made the tasks at hand enjoyable. In short, the past three months were a trailer to what is to come in the year ahead in the ICMS. Unlike trailers that include the only exciting bits of the movie, I have no doubt that the best of my time in the council is still to

come. Needless to say, I look forward to the year ahead in the ICMS.

When I heard about ICMS from my friends last year, I was attracted immediately to the idea of being in a council formed by Malaysian students studying in different countries. I applied to become one of the first ICMS junior associates in Canada. Once I joined ICMS, I went through the Induction Programme and Pre-Implemen-tation Programme, in which I had the pleasure of working with a lot of wonder-ful people. By joining ICMS, I was introduced to many talented, intelligent and aspirational people that inspired me in many different ways. My favourite part of my ICMS experience so far is the networking opportunity it provides. Even though I am studying in Canada, I have the opportunity to know Malaysian

students studying in different parts of the world.

UNITED KINGDOM ASSOCIATE

SHARING BYOUR ASSOCIATES

CLAUDIA CHAN

CANADA ASSOCIATE

ALEXIS YU XUAN

Just about a year ago, the 3rd AGM was held at University College London. It was a day of excitement as the Council looked to the future for endless possibilities with the new leadership of the 4th Council.

Light chatter filled the room as the anxious associates awaited the AGM to officially begin. The emcee greeted the crowd and kickstarted the event. After almost an hour has passed and it was finally the moment. This was the moment to appoint the next Executive Committee which will then pave the path for ICMS. One by one, names were called out and as each member took to the stage, they were presented with a certificate and the responsibility to lead the Council.

Excited to find out who will be the next in line? Well, we will be having our upcoming AGM on the 7th of February 2015. Stay tuned for our February 2015 issue or check out our Facebook page!

UPCOMINGEVENTS

ANNUALGENERAL MEETING

3rd AGM1st February 2014, UCL

Associates voices lfill the room as they eagerly await the announcement of the next Council.

The 4th Council has been elected. Chin Seow Wei presenting her speech.

Ken Lim appointing Alicia Chung as Finance Director 2014/15

EVENTSGOODREADS

I was awakened one morning with this thought resounding in my head — ‘how can I experience Christmas differently this year?’

Christmas dawn 2014, I went on a hiking trip with 3 dear friends to Bukit Tabur, a hill located in Taman Melawati, Malaysia.

5 InsIGhts froM the BAse to the PeAkby Choong Jien Yue

The hike gave me 5 insights to success which have inspired and empowered me. Please allow me to share with you the lessons I learned from my hike.

1. everythInG stArts wIth A desIre

The starting point of all achievement is desire. — Napoleon Hill

Before planning our hike, we had a strong desire to experience the beauty of the peak with our own eyes. Having that, we did our research and bought all necessary items for the hike. We also obtained our permit for the hill which is available only at an office located far from the city.

Lesson #1: A strong desire will motivate you to kick-start your journey; even when it requires a lot of hard work.

Captured the first sight of sunlight as it hits the lake, from the East Peak of Bukit Tabur

2. estABlIsh A stronG vIsIon And hold onto ItEvery great work, every big accomplishment, has been brought into manifestation through holding to the vision. — Florence Scovel Shinn

Whilst driving to the starting point at 5AM, a friend of mine showed us the picturesque view from the peak. Immediately, we told each other — ‘we must see that, today!’

30 minutes in, through many obstacles - trees, mud, sharp rocks and multiple checkpoints, it started drizzling. Hiking on slippery rocks is very dangerous. Hence, we had to make a decision either to stop or continue. One of us said — ‘I know it is drizzling, but remember what we came for!’ We then decided to be extremely careful with our steps and kept moving forward.

Lesson #2: Holding on to a strong vision will push and keep you going even whenthe situation gets tough and tricky; it reminds you of the reason you’re doing what you’re doing.

3. leAdershIP Is CrItICAl

The task of a leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been. — Henry A. Kissinger

Truth be told, none of us had prior experience climbing that hill. My friend, Arthur, was bold to take the lead only having the vision of the peak in mind. It was dark, wet and slippery; all he had was his bright torch to light the way. A light of 10 meters was all he needed to keep going.

Leading the pack, Arthur had to make a few crucial decisions — the road to take, the steps required to overcome a large tree trunk and the method to overcome a 90-degree rock. He encouraged and motivated us through the tough and tiring parts of the hike to ensure we kept progressing towards the peak.

Lesson #3: Leadership is essential on every journey — both team and personal. To reach the destination, a leader has to make decisions and lead by example even when the road is dark, unsure, or unsafe. A leader encourages, motivates and empowers the team to push and move forward no matter how tough the journey gets.

4. soMetIMes you hAve to Go down to Go uP

The best is yet to come. — William Shakespeare

We have reached a point where the view was beautiful. We saw the lake, the tiny houses, the buildings and other surrounding hills. Although magnificent, we were certain that it wasn’t the peak. However, the road ahead was heading down instead of leading up. One of us said — ‘Well, I guess this is it, looks like this is the peak then.’

After many pictures, we decided to follow the road down. Hiking downwards for almost 15 minutes, Arthur said — ‘Look! There is a way up!’ We were then very encouraged and motivated to press on. Along the way, there were many other points heading down which eventually led up. We got used to the downward path as we were sure that there would be an upward route coming soon.On hindsight, if we had accepted the initial beautiful checkpoint and turned back, we wouldn’t have seen the peak that day.

Lesson #4: Many times we have to lose something to win something bigger. We have to step down certain ladders to allow ourselves to climb up others. We have to sacrifice some things in life and set aside instant gratification to be able to enjoy a better and larger reward later. In those situations, there may be times of hope deferred but press on and persevere until something greater comes! Never settle for the second best.

5. teAM suCCess Is AlwAys GreAter thAn IndIvIduAl suCCess

I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion. — Mia Hamm

At the last checkpoint, it was a 75-degree rock climb up the peak. There was only one long rope and it was a 15 metre upward climb. Hence, we had to take turns.The beauty of the situation was that, we naturally assisted and waited for one another to overcome the steep rock. None of us were rushing to admire the view first. We made it, as a team!

Lesson #5: Experiencing the joy and happiness of the victory as a team is always more beautiful than experiencing it alone. Sometimes, it is not about who is the first, it is about who you are with while being at the first position. Team victory is so much more valuable than a personal victory.

I have learned so much from a hike up the hill. I hope my experience has also managed to inspire you! I would like to leave with you a quote from Casey Gerald which has stirred my thinking and molded my definition of success.

Give your life to a cause greater than yourself. — Casey Gerald, MBA 2014, Harvard Business School

We all have dreams. The best time to start that journey to the peak would be right now!

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