My report to UTeM

Medals for UTeM

“As long as we have strong will, we will find highway”. I found that phrase when I watched Malaysian’s movie “Adnan Sempit”. I agree with that because it happened to me. My name is Azmul Fauzi, a mobility student from ITB Bandung. In UteM, my major is FKP (manufacturing Engineering Faculty) and this was part of my story in Melaka, Malaysia. When I was told that I was chosen as one of chess athlete as represent from PPI (Indonesian Students Union) University Technical Malaysia Melaka to POPPIM III (Indonesian Student Sport Olympiad--Malaysia) at University Technology Malaysia in Skudai, Johor at 20-22 April 2012. I was really happy but honestly, I am not really good at chess.

Until that day, I just played for fun and not for competition. This was my first time to join the chess competition. But I have chosen, that’s mean I might do my best, others believed to me. So since March, I have downloaded computer chess game at UTeM’s Library and played it every day. One week before the competition day, I met with Mas Try, my partner and trainer. He was a Doctoral student in UTeM. He told me about his experience and knowledge about chess, especially in chess competition. 2 days before competition, he came to my room and we practice until mid night and at the same day watch Chelsea versus Manchester city in the early morning.

We (I and Mas Try) went to Johor with the whole support from PPI UTeM members. Thanks to Mas Eko, the leader of PPI UTeM and all members. “We will do our best effort” that was in my head when we was at Melaka Central. At that time, Mas Try gave me a piece of paper about what we should and should not do when playing chess, and there was also good phrase too. I still keep it until now.

“Who could not resist tired to learn, he will accept the bitterness of ignorance:

From the water we learn peace

From stone we learn the patience

From the ground we learn life

From butterflies we learn to change ourselves

From rice we learn humble   

From God we learned perfect love

Because, there is no one perfect...    

We arrived at UTM after 3 hours in the bus, we were placed in Scholars inn. Very nice hotel, but we came not for holiday but for competition, so we practiced our chess. In the night of opening ceremony we felt like in Indonesia, there were two reason, first because of the people talked in bahasa and second, because we sang Indonesia’s anthem song. There were 7 university and about 300 of participant join this tournament, UTM as a host university, UTeM, Sunway university, UKM, MMU, UIA, and UTP.  The event was opened officially by KJRI (Indonesian Ambassador in Johor) representative. There are some sport competition held, such as Chess, football, basket ball, badminton, tennis, table tennis and Takrau. 

The chess competition held at 21 April in Kolej Perdana 5. There were six participants, they were from UTM, UKM, Sunways, and of course us from UTeM.  After the game is over, I felt thanks to God because UTeM could bring the silver and bronze medals to Melaka. I got the silver medal and my partner got bronze. Correct me if I wrong that we were the first PPI UTeM’s representatives who get the medal in POPPIM. In the closing ceremony, I talked to everyone there, that I felt thanks, apologize and my hope for the better Indonesia in the future. Because that is will be our responsibility in the future. Finally I want to say thanks to PPI UTeM, for the chance and believe us to join the competition and these medals are for you all.