PTD assessment at Intan Sabah 2012

When I got the reply from Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Awam to attend the assessment for the post of PTD, I was so excited to think of the six-time meal per day. But out of my expectation, the INTAN Sabah here provides limited food source that some of the candidates were left with only gravy to be eaten with rice-the food are mostly salty that it will cause transient hypertension, literally. And, even the drinking water is a limited supply. I am regret for not bringing any instant noodles or drinking water, I think I had lost a Kilogramme after joining the two-day programme.

On the registration day, myself and other 64 candidates came by 8am. However, organizer was late. A facilitator was scolding candidates for entering the lobby before we were told so. He had also remark a pregnant candidate with “Kena buatan orang”. He insisted us to stand at the hallway as if we were the mischievous who didn’t finish our homework.

During the briefing, Fadzli mentioned a lot about LEAD/LIT camp that he just attended. Perhaps, for government servants they may know the LEAD/LIT terminology, but I don’t know what was it. Again, he insisted us to move in a group-as though we are in military camp. Yes, I do not think that it is relevant, and I do not want to follow the fast rule.

And another facilitator introduced as Saiful. He briefly talked about the schedule but was not in detail- he didn’t say how’s each module works, no explanation on how to score full mark and etc.

I was quite like the motivation word, “Just be yourself”. Saiful said the panelists are expert in seeing through whether we were faking something to score marks. He added that panelists will judge based on our“body number” rather than our profile.

But to my disappointment, some of the panelists did browse through our qualification and professional while evaluating us. I wonder why every facilitators and panelist are having different ways of conduct the assessment sessions. Aren’t they supposed to decide the dos or don’ts? Or perhaps some of them are acting like know-it-all?

Referring to the assessment sessions, here is the sypnosis of the indoor modules.

- A 10 to 11 members in a group were told to solve human resource problem in Bahasa Malaysia and English. Be assure that you use standard Bahasa Malaysia- heard a lot of people using colloquial, they frequently use SO, THAT’s WHY, and other conjunctions; As for English session, participants from Sabah and Labuan could speak fairly without mixing it with Malay, AT ALL (Impressed).

- Perhaps candidates should use their camera-phone to snap the one-and-only paper that is being given to 10 people. Especially at the 4^th module, where we were given a mathematical question with lots of statement, we had a hard time to solve it- we had to sit on the floor and turned our head upside down.

- Tip off on the session of planning a project- Be mindful about the cost of project- that is the key to determine how to direct a project should be done.

- You have to talk, no matter what. Try to avoid proposing something which has been in the system! It is boring, be creative people! It is also annoying to listen to people who talked based on what he/she knows rather than answering the question…and keep on “nagging” about it. Made me sleepy and felt like walked away from the place.

- There will also be a test on psychology- it is a three-choices of 185 questions that you have to answer within 40 minute. Heard some candidates said we were expected to give consistent answers on certain aspects. But, I think if we are answering it honestly, it will automatically be consistent, shouldn’t lie.

- Another and last module is public speaking-candidates have to prepare a page of slideshow based on the random title that was given a night before. You have to present it within 7 minutes. Since everyone is good in presenting it, watching good presenter’s performance online will make you stand out more than others. Dress well , the letter has indicated that candidate has to dress accordingly, then do it as panelist will be able to observe you from top to bottom during presentation. Among the topics include Malaysian product, poverty eradication, deforestation, bullying and other issues that are highlighted in newspapers. Read them, and one saves time from looking for information while preparing the slideshows; Unless you want to burn midnight oil after straining yourself for the infamous run. Prerequisite knowledge is also helping in giving you more input to talk while you still have more time left. Don’t whisper!

Outdoor module:

- There is a warming up session- a group has to dance out at least five movements. The music tempo changes at every time. So, a group has to create backup movement for the slow music. The hall has no ventilation, by the way.

- A lot has feared for the 2.4KM, as the full mark is given to those who complete the run within 10minutes. The good news is the destined route that I ran in Intan Sabah was just 1.94KM around the campus. There are certain hilly sites of about 20 per cent slope that will tire runners.

- Unless you can make it within 10mins, after that the same point is given for those who complete between 11 to 15 minutes. I heard that the run had to be completed at the latest of 20minutes.

- Food wasn’t prepared immediately after the run, there’s drinking storage but no provided glasses to take it.

About the accommodation here, it does give comfort to all of us besides the unlockable slide-door at the site facing dried lake. Rating 3-star, the twin-sharing room is quite clean, it provides towel, shampoo and soap packets. Other than that, bring along other toiletries. At night, outside of the room is dark and gloomy.