MY BRIEF CURRICULUM VITAE

Shashie says….

The idea of running for president-elect of the Malaysian Dental Association came to my mind after returning to Kuala Lumpur from Kota Kinabalu, where I had spent about three and a half years. In my opinion, the time was right to offer my services to MDA after a hiatus of more than five years from active involvement in both the MPDPA and MDA. Being away helped me view things from a different perspective helped in no small measure by the salutary effects of staying in ‘the land below the wind.’

My blooding in the service of dentistry began in the then MPDPS, having served as an ordinary committee member before ascending through the ranks to the post of President. It was a time when every member of the committee worked within the financial constraints that characterised the challenges faced by the MPDPS at that point in time – exemplified by the principle ‘a ringgit saved was a ringgit gained’; the plus side was a camaraderie that transcedended all perceived differences. With the same breath, I cannot forget the simultaneous involvement with the MDA. I have served in various committees and had the honour of chairing both the Ethics Committee and the Clinical Waste Management Committee. When the National Oral Health Plan was mooted, I had the honour of being in the original Standing Committee. At about that time, the review of the Private Health Care Facilities Act began and I was among the pioneer members in the review committee. The culmination of my contribution towards dentistry was personified with the MPDPA’s Outstanding Service Award.

There is another side to me that may sound totally unrelated to dentistry. Currently, I am a principal consultant with the management consultancy firm of Strategic Pact. Our expertise lies in the areas of strategic management, financial consultancy, customer service and communication. I have done training and consultancy for a myriad of organisations, both in and outside Malaysia. I can say with pride that among my achievements was to help convert an educational academy to a polytechnic institution in Indonesia.

My interests outside the above are wide and varied. My communication and leadership skills have been honed at the Toastmasters. My love affair with the movement and the challenges it offered got me to serve the Perdana Toastmasters (charter member) that initiated the setting up of the Pan-Sea Speakers Convention which in turn led to the formation of the Toastmasters International District for South East Asia. At a practical level, my presentation skills enabled me to win both the Pan Malaysian Singapore Toastmasters Speech Contest and the Pan Sea Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest.

Apart from the aforementioned, my other interests include karate, treasure hunting, darting, photography and hashing. I have served as the Honorary Secretary of the Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Association of Malaysia for more than seven years. I am also a Charter Member of the Kiwanis Club of Metro KL. Currently, I am also the acting Secretary of one of the largest Hindu temples in Selangor. If there is anything all these involvement has taught me, it is the people management skills that would serve me well if I am given the opportunity to helm the MDA.