Lim (right) seen at Kampung Sambir with Ismawaty (left) recently.
KUCHING: When it comes to the Kuching Toastmasters Club (KTC) and their attempt to speak non-stop for 40 hours in the ‘Longest Speakathon 3.0’, it was a common misconception that this is a showcase of their best speakers.
Not so, said event advisor and KTC founding member Mike Lim.
“We are not showcasing our talents. This Speakathon is still an opportunity for our members to speak in public and keep on learning to improve,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday as the challenge entered its 30th hour.
The Sunday morning shift was sparse but the quiet determination and comradeship was evident as the speakers took turns giving speeches and delivering evaluation reports of each other’s performance.
Lim said that in 2007, the club raked up 24 hours and 8 minutes for their first ever Speakathon. After a long hiatus, they came back in 2014 with the second Speakathon, where they created a new record of 31 hours.
“This year, we have a lot of new and younger members who are very dedicated and put in a lot of work. They handled most of the execution for the Speakathon, while the veteran members helped with the planning and made some suggestions,” said Lim, who was also the ground marshal yesterday morning.
According to organising chairman Sahil Dev, they were better prepared this year to meet the logistic and practical aspects of a 40-hour Speakathon, complete with a detailed timetable, shifts, and a hotel room nearby for shower and naps.
“There are 40 members involved with a total of 200 speeches. Which means each member has six to seven speeches prepared,” he said, emphasising that being a Toastmaster means a commitment to continuous improvement, and not being on a high horse.
Sahil reported that as of the 30th hour, the programme was running smoothly, with no hiccups.
“Last year, we had problems with transitions between speakers but we improved on that this time.”
There are many different types of public speaking, and a number of them were covered. On Saturday night, KTC had their patron Datu Dr Yusoff Hanifah deliver a keynote address.
Mike Lim held a talk show with guests to talk about their field of expertise and later also had a cooking demonstration.
The Kuching Toastmasters meet on the first and third Sundays of the month at Harbour View Hotel at 7.15pm.