My BTN Experience in 1991!

I'd attended the BTN programme prior to going to the UK in 1991 to read law at the University of Sheffield.

I was sent to Kem Wira Waja in Janda Baik, Pahang. There were 2 main groups attending the BTN programme. The first group consists of NCUK students whilst the second group were those undergoing the French Matriculation programme.

I find that certain aspects of the course to be "thought provoking". This is due to the fact that some government policies and/or agenda like VISION 2020/WAWASAN 2020 and the lesser known initiative like the Mahathir-inspired East Asian Economic Caucus(EAEC) were being explained and debated. I still remember my good friend M.Faizal(John) being sceptical of Vision 2020 achieving its aims when compared to the "failure" of the NEP(Dasar Ekonomi Baru-DEB)in achieving 30% bumi-equity...and when I supported him and his line of arguements, the facilitators were not too happy as they were expecting a "one-way flow" session. Some of the facilitators were from DBKL and later on we became quite close in exchanging/debating ideas and government policies.

In an evening session, a few of us were selected to give our feedbacks. I was one of them selected along with Khairil(Mumbra), Rodzlan(Lan Bagak) and a french matric student. In my evening speech I lament the fact that the sacrifices of the Malaysian Armed Forces were seldom acknowledged.

Still remember amongst others:-
* Volleyball game where the BTN team had never lost...it's TRUE!
* Night March into the jungle which started in the wee hours of morning & resulted in most of us missing subuh prayers!
* The example of the South Korean President coming to Malaysia and asking what a certain Jawi/Arabic phrase meant. After finding the phrase's meaning, he went back and implemented it. The phrase if I'm not mistaken is " GOD won't help those who won't help themselves"

On the bus ride back to NCUK-Shah Alam, "bumped" into the Sultan of Pahang convoy who happened to be visiting the area.