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President's Message "Some succeed because they are destined to, most succeed because they are determined to." -- Anatole France Yes! We have done it! Fellow toastmasters, thank you, you have made us proud. We are now a "Select Distinguished Club"!!! IBBM Sabah Toastmasters Club is the FIRST club in the Division K to attain this status. Now, can I have your assurance that we are going for the highest Toastmasters International award, that is, achieving the "President's Distinguished Club"?  However, it would be a BONUS if you can help to contribute another TWO more Competent Toastmasters. This is our Club's second goal when we started our new term in July 1999. By becoming the Select Distinguished Club, do you know that we have also qualified ourselves for an award from our Division K Governor? Francis Tham DTM tipped that it is going to be a surprise and the Club will be duly recognised during the Hall of Fame highlight in the coming Year 2000 District Annual Convention in May 2000. It was indeed so much fun and satisfaction working together as a TEAM in getting onto where we are now. Can we afford to sit back and relax? Not just yet! Let's move on to qualify ourselves for yet another special award from our very own District Governor, Maimunah Natasha DTM. Fellow Toastmasters, we have a choice. Let's choose to move on to be the First club in Division K to achiever the President's Distinguished Club before 31 May 200. Say, "Yes, we can do it!" Let's continue our toastmaster's journey to reap the fruit of success and move beyond! Cyril Tam, TM From the Editor's Desk . . . Nancy Tham, ATM-B A man found that it was too stressful to work in the city. So he decided to "balik kampung" and continue with the simple life of his father as a woodcutter. After three weeks of cutting trees, his wife found him anxious, exhausted and worried. She asked him what was wrong and he said, "I don't know why I am not as productive the past week as I was in the first two weeks. I could then chop 30 trees a day but now I barely managed 20 even though I got up earlier and come home later." After hearing him, the wife suggested that he should sharpen his axe, to which came the immediate retort: "I have no time." Fellow Toastmasters and friends, in today's busy world, we just don't have the time, we don't know when and how to stop and very often, we are just too busy to think of doing things to improve ourselves and life goes on and on ... However, I sincerely believe that "NOTHING IS MORE CRUCIAL THAN TO CONSTANTLY SHARPEN OUR MIND (AXE)." So, if your need is to sharpen
your communication and leadership skills or to take away the stage fright
or gain confidence in speech delivery, or simply for fellowship, you have
come to the right place, IBBM Sabah Toastmasters will help you along the
way for ...
 The choice is yours! Vice President Education's Column Being the final issues of "Bankers' Voice" for this term, I would like to review the Club's educational achievements for the current quarter. We began Toastmasters year with a BANG by organising the first Joint Mega Meeting of the new millennium on 19 January, 2000. It was participated by 7 Toastmasters Club in Kota Kinabalu and attendance reached 110. In February, the Club organised a "Valentine" theme meeting, which showcased the creative abilities of the members. On 1 March, 2000, we participated in the Area K1 International & Table Topics Speech Contest. Club representative Richard A. Gontusan, CTM did us proud by emerging as winner in the Area K1 International Speech Contest while Amran Aliamat, TM gave a commendable performance as a novice Table Topic Speech Contestant. Meanwhile, I too accepted the challenge to be the Organising Chairman for the Table Topic Contest. To give new members a boost in their educational track, and as a refresher for senior members, a series of 3 Speechcraft Workshop sessions were held on 29 March, 5 April and 7 April, 2000. Going by the adage "We Learn Best When We Learn Together," the workshops were conducted by the Vice President Education. As at March 2000, IBBM Sabah Toastmasters Club has achieved 7 out of 10 Goals in the "Distinguished Club Program" and thereby leading Division K in becoming a "Select Distinguished Club". The seven goals achieved are as follows:- 2. 1 ATM-B 3. 1 CL 4. 4 new members 5. 4 more members 6. 4 Club Officers trained in each of 2 training periods 7. Semi-annual dues submitted on time. Not stopping to rest on our laurels, we are now eyeing the President Distinguished Club status (9 out of 10 goals) which should become a reality by June 2000. Amidst the strides the Club has achieved, it seems fitting to round up by announcing that Richard A. Gontusan, CTM has once again emerged as Champion of the recent Division K International Speech Contest held in Labuan on March 19, 2000. To my fellow members, success is indeed sweet but it doesn't happen by accident. Commitment and the desire to succeed play a big part. I have noted the vast (but hidden) potential in many of our members and I would like to conclude by encouraging members to unleash their potential. Take up the challenge in moving forward in your speech assignments and in taking up role-play. President Distinguished Club by June 2000? Yes!!! Yours in Toastmastering Lim Mui Len, CTM, CL 1999/2000 Executive Committee
Fellowship In The Pearl Of The South China Sea By Richard A. Gontusan, CTM Playing host to the Division K Annual Convention was no easy task. However, the Labuan Toastmasters Club was able to deliver through sheer determination guided by the Toastmasters spirit and the Division K Governor, Francis Tham, DTM. Delegates from all over Division K started to pour into Labuan, the Pearl of the South China Sea and the home of the gigantic Financial Park, a day before the convention. The convention, which was attended by over 1000 delegates, lasted from 18 to 19 March 2000. The Division Council Meeting and two workshops were conducted in the morning on the first day of the Convention. The workshops were each conducted by Christopher Teo, DTM and Maimunah Natasha, DTM. Christopher, DTM talked about "Breaking the Barriers" in Toastmasters while Maimunah, touched on "Emotional Intelligence." The fellowship dinner, which called on all the guests to come dressed up in fancy costumes, brought in a riot of colours to the occasion. Earlier, the Organising Committee had requested the clubs from each of the Area Ks to stage performance. The evening was graced by the presence of "Datuk Seri Mahathir" in the person of Bryan Lo of the IBBM Labuan Toastmasters Club, who imitated the statesman in presenting a speech on the state of the nation's economy. The uncanny similarities in their styles of presentation tickled everyone to tears. In addition, the audience had the opportunity to see the artistic side to Datu Casey Leong, who belted out a song, Rod Steward-style. The audience will never look at Datu Casey the same again. The fellowship dinner ended with the audience wanting more. On the final day of the convention, the delegates and guests bore witness to the Division K Table Topics Contest and International Speech Contests. Both contests were keenly competed by contestants from six Area Ks. The contest Chairperson and Chief Judge of the contest were Dr Bhamini, ATM-G and Eleanor Wong, DTM respectively. Meanwhile, in the International Speech Contest, Richard A. Gontusan of the IBBM Sabah Toastmasters Club with his speech "Small Does Matter" was adjudged the Champion. Teddy Yang of the Kota Kinabalu Mandarin Toastmasters Club with his speech "Positive Revenge" was placed second while Jocelyn Yeo of the IBBM Labuan Toastmasters Club with her speech "Love Beyond Compare" came in third. Maimunah, DTM presented the
prizes for both contests. The winners of the Table Topics Contest
and the International Speech Contest will represent Division K as the district
contests, which will be held during the District Convention from 26 to
28 May 2000.
Club Fellowship Nite By Linda Sia, TM The air was impregnated with chatter and laughter as 33 adults and 32 children joyously joined in the Rock N Roll Night held at XO Steak House on April 15. The occasion was to foster comradeship between the Club Members and its families. to make the night more fun-filled, many enjoyable games were lined up as part of the evening's programme. It was a rare treat indeed for the children as they watched adults making a fool of themselves during the games session. Many went home with prizes. Toastmasters, Wung Soo Fui
and David Sivapatham were at their best when they nearly brought the roof
down with their unusual antics a
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