Tuesday 31 December 2013

Page 6: Push and pull of Powers

Wonder why all this hustle, positions held by people without a sense of what to do.

I have been in this place, holding positions like no bodies business. I did my undergraduate in University Utara Malaysia from 2008 to 2011. a three year degree in International Affair Management, so called Diplomat. during this period I was way to busy to study, I enjoyed most of my time attending meetings and student activity planning sessions.

Other students would jolly go back during weekends and holidays, I was here in the Sintok Forest Reserve completing paper works, assigning new tasks, providing motivation session, drawing clear lines on framework of things that can be done, venues that yet to be occupied and so on and so forth. throughout this period I learned many things especially on how to manage my time, manage people, managing issues and conflicts and especially sensitive one was managing myself through the thick and thins of power struggles.

I have learned much on the last part, power struggle. In this ever evolving place of new humans, coming and going some staying because of its abundance, I saw myself an opportunist of some kind, that was always looking out for the chances and things that can be done. I made friends and foes through out this winning war i fought, some stayed to face me some left getting tired. I never had enough. I continued the struggle, each project I did had a story behind it, there was discoveries, there was a stepping stone of some kind there and here.

The period that I would never forget is my semester 4 and 5, a little bit of 6. This was the ultimate power battles, my President ship at the International Affairs Society was shrouded with controversies, little that anyone knew I never took part in any programs organised by the senior committees. I was just there knowing more people because of the accidental placement of myself in the MAS residential Hall, the same Hall that hosted the then President, Deputy and 6 of the committee members, soon I became their favorite junior that entertained them at every dinner and accompanied them to class every morning. I happened to fall in to the class of seniors, so thought my same semester students. It was funny but I never had the time to clarify.

The fires erupted when some of the "Juniors", my batch students that felt the senior are over staying their invitation to form the government. Little that I know it was time for them to give up and hold election. honestly everyone was busy with their thing. Seniors were tangled in assignments and final projects. Then came the news when the then president  had an Idea to just suggest and appoint through his own discretion. Mechanism of democracy forgotten and Authoritarianism prevailed over this sleeping society. 

The adviser of the society, one of the feared lecturers of the faculty, was drawn in to the battle, less that she cared what was to happen to the sleeping society, she appointed me. suddenly and shockingly I was in trouble.  Not so really the years as Residential Hall Committee member and Student Elect Committee working member helped me allot. I was very quick in planning programs and events that would place other societies in mishap and jealousy if I may. 

Ending one power struggle I was facing Internal stress in the society, the new committee I formed was made up of people who talked more than they did. It was more of a team of ducks. The problem was, the ducks wouldn't even follow. attendance at the meetings were scarce, working papers never reached places they intended, making it worse there was a new camp in the committee that planned to take over, which I had to counter by constant meetings and discussion with adviser (the Veto holder of my seat in power).

Pushing through in to semester 5, I met a group of new students, semester 1 that were eager and fast in doing projects. These students formed my sub committee, a team that helped me out n the projects that I placed in par, I passed the paper work and they executed it. In total I executed more projects then the combined number of project of the other 6 societies in the academic collage. I was tired, but it was worth it.

My academic grades were good, I made it through well, as planned. I never regretted a single day of that days. I still love looking at the pictures. well I don't have any one else to fight over, my days are over. I can only comment now.

It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on
to a new generation of film-makers ~ George Lucas

Be A Light, Not A Judge,
Be A Model, Not A Critique - Ancient

pridiv . 31 December 2013 . UUM Library 5th Floor . 4.57pm

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