Last month, I had Damien Chin as my intern for two weeks. He is a young Malaysian doing his A-Levels in the UK. By his own initiative, he emailed me and asked if he could shadow me in my work and I said OK. I always welcome interns because I believe the young are our future and it’s good for them to get some insight into politics and government so that they can become better citizens.
Over the years, I’ve had about ten interns already. I currently have a law student intern, and another one will be joining me next month.
Well, as for Damien, he has now completed his internship. Before he left, I asked him if he could write something for my blog and here it is:
Here is my testimonial on my internship experience. I shall contact you near summer again next year when I am about to return. I hope my internship then will have a more sustainable and consistent approach as I look to commence over 2 months. Thanks.
Interest in politics was developed when I undertook the subject of politics at A levels. In the UK, where the awareness for the citizens to keep a careful watch on the government is acute, students there are educated and vigorously encouraged to engage in the political process of participation. Only in the first year of divulging into an entirely strange, unfamiliar territory, I got the privilege to visit the Houses of Parliament, Supreme Court and even got to see the Prime Minister battling it out in PMQs (PMQ). So I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting if I get to have the same opportunity in my home country, for comparison sake?
My time with YB Teresa Kok, though limited to 2 weeks, gave me an invaluable insight into what ‘’politicking’’ means, and also the hustle and bustle of a politician’s life. I did more shadowing work than administrative work, but I did try out shifting information from 200 business cards into an excel spreadsheet which wasn’t the most exciting task. I realized that not every word intended can be said in public, given that it is not easy to balance public opinion and anything that is said may please some but on the other hand, also likely to offend a segment of pessimists.In Malaysia, where racism is the nation’s no.1 public enemy, statements commenting on sensitive issues have to be tailored and carefully drafted before released to the press. Unlike most people, who have the luxury of licking their wounds privately, the politician’s recklessness is a public display. Malaysia’s media, magnified through television and the internet coarsens political culture, and it makes tempers flare easily, helps breed distrust. Watching YB’s regular press conferences gave me that sense of awareness that eloquence and diplomacy are crucial ingredients of a politician’s attributes. That aside, visiting 5 events in one night was certainly a locomotive experience, but it truly highlighted to me YB’s obligation to stay connected to her constituency members, to keep that trust between YB and them intact.
It has been a privilege, if not honor to experience life side-by-side with a high profile politician, who has stayed vigilant to her values as a devotion to her country. I learnt, in theory that an MP always has conflicts between her obligation to her conscience, her constituency, and her party. YB’s balancing act taught me further the realm of public interaction stretches beyond simply shaking hands and giving speeches. Because my experience was somehow limited, if given another opportunity in the future I would gladly continue more shadowing & observation sessions.
Damien, good luck. See you again next summer!
If there are any other students or young men and women interested to serve as an intern in my office, just email your cv to me at [email protected]
Great, we need guys like Damien. Teresa and team, please keep it up.