IEM G&S Retreat Session 2005/06

IEM G&S held its first retreat for the session 2005/2006 from 8 to 10 of July 2005 at Pines Resorts, Fraser's Hill, after the IEM G&S AGM and Annual Dinner at Crystal Crown Hotel in Petaling Jaya. The participants of the retreat were the new IEM G&S committee members for session 2005/2006, past committees and selected volunteers.

The objectives of this retreat were:

• To form closer ties between new and past committee members with the graduate and student volunteers.


• To review the past activities that had been carried out for the session 2004/2005.


• To brain-storm among members for the activities that need to be carried out for the six portfolios of IEM G&S.


• As an appreciation for the tremendous that made the session 2004/2005 a great success, i.e. >65 activites that have been done.

The first group, consisting eight participants, left the Chairman, Sdr. Suresh's house to Fraser's Hill at 1.15p.m., in 2 cars. It was a wonderful weather that afternoon, driving along the west coast roads, passing through Ulu Yam then to Kuala Kubu Baru (KKB). We had lunch at one of famous "Loh Mee" shop in KKB, which was introduced by our Honorary Secretary, Sdr. Cheng Wei Loon. Although it was quite late at 2.45p.m., the excitement of the retreat and endless joyful and interesting conversation between participants and sumptuous meals made the long wiat for lunch a worthwhile effort. The lunch was simply affordable at RM 38 for eight people! We bought some "Pulasan" (jungle rambutans) before continuing our journey to Fraser's Hill. It was a long and winding road drive to the Fraser's Hill. The winding road of 45 minutes made some members felt sick. We reached the gate house at 4.00 p.m. We waited for about an hour because it was a single way to the Fraser's Hill from the gate house, i.e. even hours (descends) and odd hours (ascends). The one hour waiting time was well spent as some members took the time to recover after a long winding roads drvie. We took some photos, enjoyed eating the "pulasan" that we have just bought and endless and mindless chatting.

Then we continued our journey to Fraser's Hill, approximately 8 km drive from the gate ouse. The air was fresh, cool and breezy. Upon arrival, Chau Fong, Cheng, Yeng Hooi, and Chee Fui went straight to Pines Resorts for check-in registration. But suresh, Wai Fun, Karthi and I had "durians" for teatime. The Pine Resorts were fantastic. We were given four 3-bedrooms apartments. The accommodation was really cosy and comfortable. That evening was free and easy, where most of us took the opportunity to rest and enjoyed the cool and fresh air as well as the scenic and picturesque view of Pines Resorts surroundings. Finally, the 2nd group of nine participants arrived at 7.30p.m. in two cars. We then proceeded to dinner together at the resorts.

The first activity of the retreat was "Ice-breaking". The facilitators were Sdr. Suresh Yegambaram (Chairman) and Sdr. Yau Chau Fong (VC1). Participants were required to draw his/her palms on a piece of paper. Then, wrote the answers of four questions on it. The papers were then mixed-up and passed back to participants so that each of them needed to find the correct owner of the palm on the paper he/she was holiding. The pariticipants would then hold hands with the respective palm owner on the paper that he/she is holding. Every paritcipant then introduced his/her partners and described his/her answer on the four questions given earlier. That 1st night ended with G&S signature game, none other than the "TABOO"! The facilitator was Sdri. Kee Wai Fun, the past Honorary Secretary of sessions 2004/2005.

On the 2nd day, we had breakfast at 8 a.m. After that, we started on the review and brainstorming activities. there were a total of four sessions:

Session 1 - "Session 2004/2005 in Review"
Session 2 - "G&S - for the coming session, what were the expectations of the members?"
Session 3 - "G&S Structure and Effectiveness.
Session 4 - "Volunteerism in IEM G&S".

All participants were divided into four different groups and were to be rotated among participants for every session discussions. In each group of discussion, there were a facilitator, a team leader, writer and presenters. The ideas and suggestions of each group were presented and listened by all participants and were recorded down by Honorary Secretary Sdr. Cheng. In between we had tea breaks at 10.30 a.m. Lunch was served at 1.00p.m. After the fruitful discussion, we adjourned for treasure hunt at 4.30p.m. The treasure hunt allowed us to know the important and interesting spots of Fraser's Hill. It ended at the Pines Resorts at 7 p.m. We had a nice bath before having dinner at 8.00p.m.

After that we continued wiht our discussions. The SRC team was the first portfolio to start the ball rolling for the new session. It's General Member, Sdr. Ivan Tan started to invite interested participants to join its inaugural 1st subcommittee meetings! The best studnet volunteers, Sdr. Alex (MMU, Melaka) and Sdri. Hooi Kiang (MMU, Cyberjaya) had given lots of good activities like undergraduates exchange programme among ASEAN countries. That night activity, night-walk was then replaced with G&S signature game, TABOO!!! The facilitator was none other than our fun-loving and committed past Honorary Secretary, Sdri. Kee Wai Fun. We called it a day at 4.00a.m. with three rounds of exciting and exhilarating 'The Mafia Game' by Sdr. Tan Yeng Hooi! The Mafia Game was so well received that it would be added as another signature game of G&S together with TABOO.

On the 3rd day, we had our breakfast at 9.oo a.m. and continued with our few rounds of The Mafia Game. All participants packed their belongings before proceeding for lunch at 12.30p.m. After lunch, we had a summary of the review and brainstorming sessions of the previous day. The invited graduates and student volunteers were then asked to choose portfolios that they would like to contribute. The retreat ended with a short and interesting action game by Sdri. Kee Wai Fun. We had a group photo session and checked out at 3.30p.m. We went to Puncak Inn to have few photos snapping before heading back to KL at 4.00p.m. We had a stopover for tea at a "mamak" shop in KKB before preceeding to a sumptuous dinner at a restaurant in Ulu Yam.

Even though we were a bit tired, all of us had a great and wonderful retreat. We are looking forward to work together for the coming IEM G&S session 2005/2006. IEM G&S is definitely growing stronger and bigger!

by Sdr. Lim Terk Yiang

Jurutera Oct, 2005

::discussion::

and fun~!
the chairman was dancing... woooa...~!

we've fun~!