In 1973, I went to a private college in Kuala Lumpur and studied Diploma in Civil engineering for 3 years. During the course, I underwent my practical training with a company called Jurutama in KL for a roadwork project at Jalan Ipoh Intersection. Immediately after Ihave completed my course, I was offered a job by this company . The day before I joined this company, my late uncle, Ir Wang Sheng Chung ( one of the Senior Engineer under DID,Drainage and Irrigation Department gave me a briefing on what I would be facing in the construction industry. His final advice to me was to avoid "Hanky Panky", in construction" and stay firmly with my principle. Thanks Uncle, Your Advice Really Helps me in my life.Some of his engineering books were still with me. The most happiest moment of my life ,after leaving college, was when I passed part one of the Society Of Engineer
(UK) which I sat in MU( University Malaya).My First Job
In this first job, I met a lot of friends who were almost the same age with me and their hardworking attitude gave us a tremendous boost. This project that I worked was called the Jalan Ipoh Overpass ( attached picture)under Mitsui Jurutama Joint Venture. Under this company, I went to the first marine island called Pulau Perhentian as our awarded trip. After completing this project, my kind hearted project engineer, Mr Lee See Bin, approached me with a question, " He said, "Staying back here for you is not good, do you want to travel oversea?" Without a single doubt, I asked him where to and he told me, Singapore. I said, " OKAY"
I immediately took my leave and went back to Penang to make my International passport. About a month later, I followed him down to Singapore by train and we went straight to a company called, "Jurong Engineering (S) Pte ltd, (JEL) where I worked under for the next 5 years.
Upon receiving my Letter of Offer, I submitted my resignation letter to my Project Manager, Mr Lee Wan Hoi. I was so worry that he would flare up immediately upon receiving the letter but surprisingly he asked where I was going to and I mentioned Singapore. He persuaded me to travel Oversea from Singapore in near future but not go to IRAN for the country was in Civil War and then I agreed. He told that me that I will loose all the project bonus which I told him, no problem at all and he was very kind hearted to let me take an unrecorded leave of extra 10days (5 days to go back to visit my parent in Penang and the balance 5 days to rehabilitate myself in Singapore.
With God bless, I was very, very happy to meet him again at the carpark of Penang Hotel Equatorial, 6 years back (2001). We were very happy to see each other then and he kept on asking me where I have gone all these years. He told me that majority of team that were working in this Jalan Ipoh Overpass have made it to the top of their career and he was very proud for all of us. At that moment, I held back my tears and thinking deeply to myself that it was him who initiated us to be hardworking under his proper guidance.
He was one of my Project Managers in the construction industry that do not utter or scold a single rude word but gave wisely advice to all of us when thing went wrong. In that job, they called him , Ta Ker, (Mandarin meaning, Eldest Brother), the Professional Engineer.
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