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Toastmaster of the day, Mr. President, Fellow Toastmasters, Ladies & Gentlemen, Good Morning.

It was a very windy evening. Rain was pouring down heavily. The pitch was soaked with water. It was very muddy. The crowd braved the weather to support their teams. It was the game everyone was waiting for. It was the game of the century between two soccer giants. It was the match between Sungai Plentong Estate and Han Yang Estate.

There was only five minutes left in the game. The score was tied at 5 all. Suddenly, Hammer Maniam dribbled pass three opponents and crossed from the right. Midfield maestro, Din Tractor chest the ball down and made a telling pass to his STAR STRIKER. It was a one on one situation and only the goalie to beat.

It was a GOLDEN opportunity to score the winning goal. The Sungai Plentong STAR STRIKER was about to pull the trigger when the unthinkable happened! The opposition goalie pulled his pants down.

Is it a penalty? The referee waved play on. The Sungai Plentong supporters couldn’t believe their eyes. They started cursing, REFEREE KAYU! REFEREE KAYU! Or in English HOPELESS REFEREE! Some even, when to the extent of accusing that, the referee has been bribed. Certain sectors of the angry crowd could not control themselves. They became EMOTIONAL, UNRULY and ROWDY. They invaded the pitch and beat up the referee. The match was abandoned. It was all over.

TIRED, DISTRAUGHT, ANGRY AND HUNGRY, the STAR STRIKER picked himself up and headed home. That BLACK SATURDAY in July 1986, I REGRETTED missing the golden opportunity to score the winning goal.

I was born on 4th June 1969 in GELANG PATAH, a small town in the state of Johore. My father named me Ravinther after a famaous Indian poet Rabindarnath Tagore. To remember my name, just imagine me driving Toyota RAV4 during WINTER. RAV plus Winter equal to Ravinther.

My parents were rubber tappers in Sungai Plentong Estate. During my childhood, I will spend the entire day playing soccer in the field. Soccer is very much my passion and I neglected my studies. Both my parents and I were very worried. They were worried about my studies and I was worried about my soccer skills. My father wanted me to score A’s but I was only interested to score goals. Someone told my mother that I should study early in the morning because the mind will be very fresh. I did follow that advice. I woke up early to watch live soccer games on the television instead.

But everything changed when I missed that GOLDEN opportunity to score the winning goal. It was the KICK in my life. That year was a very important year as SPM exams were just around the corner. FEAR started to dominate me. What if I don’t do well in my studies? What if I miss all the opportunities in life the same way I missed the opportunity to score the winning goal?

I don’t want to regret again. I studied very hard and somehow scrapped through my SPM exams with a Grade One.

I may not make it as a good soccer player but I learned to move on. After SPM, I continued to do well in my studies and became the first person from my estate to enter University. Soon after graduation, I entered the corporate world and pitted my skills in the area of sales and marketing. Today I have my own business and I am happily married with three kids.

So, never regret a day in your life. Good day gives you happiness. Bad day gives an experience. Both are essential to life. All are God’s blessings.

Mr. Toastmaster. Back to you.