Chris Leong Jan Foo

When I was at Great Eastern Takaful Gear Up Conference at Grand Lexis in Port Dickson over the weekend, the special memories that I shared with my late mentor kept playing in my mind. Chris Leong Jan Foo. I will always remember this name. I just wanna share with you my friends, my first ever encounter with Mr Leong.

After I decided that formal education was not my cup of tea, I plunged myself into the work force. No qualifications and no experience, I needed a job to get by. I scoured through the Malay Mail searching for job opening that suits my entry level. After sometimes, I saw one walk-in interview to be held the next day.

I went to Wisma Nusantara to try my luck. There were a few candidates and most of them dressed smartly. As for me, the underwear was mine. The shoe, socks, long pants, long sleeve shirt and neck tie, belongs to a few friends. Thank you guys.

I sat nervously waiting for my turn. Looking at those smartly attired candidates, I knew I had no chance. That was my first real life interview. I had no resume, except for a few copies of my school certificates to show. I practised in my mind making sure that I got my name right, my family story and education background right. My friends told me those were the normal things that they would ask in an interview.

"Encik Rosman, please follow me", said the receptionist. A sweet girl from Sabah. Her sweetness can't soothe the fear that was building up inside of me. I entered the room, there he was, a fat and fierce looking China man greeted and ushered me to the chair. I sat down still rehearsing inside my mind, looking down and clamping my fist to control my nervousness.

"So, Rosman. Do you smoke?"

Yes.

"There is a room adjacent to this room, complete with table, chairs and air conditioning unit. But, it is empty and I need someone to sit there and make miracles"

Phew! I was sweating despite the coldness of his room. Make miracles? Who? Me?

" I want you to listen to what I am going to say and when I am finished, I want you to give your best answer. The room is yours if you can answer my question. Ok?"

I just nodded as I was not able to answer a simple yes.

"OK. let me put it this way. This cigarette pack is rectangular in shape. I want you to imagine that it is round in shape. All you have to do is convince me that this cigarette pack is round in shape and not rectangular as I see it. And, don't crumple it to make it round."

Can I...

"No. You can't ask me any question."

But, I need your participation to help me get to the answer. I pleaded with him. I was so desperate for the job. Living in KL without proper paper qualification, opportunity was scarce. I was hoping for a miracle. My mind was busy thinking how to answer this guy and get the job. After much deliberation, Mr Leong agreed to my request, that is he would allow me to ask him questions.

I was so relieved, but still clueless. Suddenly, somewhere in my distant memory, I remember about this 'thinking outside the box' theory, or whatever that you wanna call it. That gave me the confidence that I so desired. With renewed strength, I sat up straight, smiled and asked him,

Can I have your full name?

"Leong Jan Foo."

If I bring you to a commissioner of oath, and you change your name to , let say, Foo Kok Keong, then from today onwards you will be known as Foo Kok Keong. Am I right?

Mr Leong nodded in agreement.

So, Mr Leong, you are sitting on a chair, as my hand gestured towards him. And if the first person who designed and crafted the chair called it a table, then you and me would be sitting on a table. Aren't we?

Once again, he nodded and with a smile on his face. At that moment, that was the sweetest smile that I've ever seen. I was so desperate for the job, remember?

Knowing that I was on the right track, I posed the last question to Mr Leong.

Then Mr Leong, if the first person who found this shape, and I held high the cigarette pack and running a finger to indicate the shape, and called it round, then this cigarette pack is round in shape and not rectangular as you see it.

There was an eerie silence. I think I can hear a pin drop. It was almost a minute of silence when Mr Leong stood up, walked towards me and gestured for me to stand up. He walked towards the door, opened it and said "follow me to your room." I followed him and we entered the next room. He asked me to sit on the chair and said

"I like the way your mind works. I want you to start work tomorrow and come before 9. I don't like late comers." And he left me to wonder what had just happened. I felt shaken but relieved. I spent quite sometimes before I left the office. On the way out, I noticed that the reception area was deserted, and the Sabahan girl congratulated me.

Why the memories of me and Mr Leong suddenly cropped up at Post Dickson? I am not sure. I guess all the good things that I experienced at the conference reminded me of the good things that Mr Leong said to me. His parting words before I left the company to a greener pasture was,

"Rosman, you are a very quiet person albeit with an independent mind."