"Be Prepared" - a very important Scout Motto

The Scout's Motto - "Be Prepared"

“Be Prepared” - that is the Scout’s motto. Unfortunately I was never a member of the Scout movement but my dad was a King’s Scout (now known as Queen’s Scout and the highest level that a Scout can achieved in the British Commonwealth) and my brother was a patrol leader. As for me, I joined the Red Crescent Society (Red Cross Society) because I wanted to be different and also because I admired the smart uniform that Red Crescent Society members were wearing at that time - beret and lanyard. Yes, I know, I was a vain person!

I noticed that most people who were Scouts tend to adhere to that positive motto “Be Prepared”. For example, my dad adhered to that motto when he was a Scout; then he continued to give meaning to that motto when he became an adult; he proudly demonstrated the words in that motto when he became a father and now he can proudly say as a grandfather that he has stayed true to the motto all these years. When I was a young kid, traveling with him was always interesting. He always carried a small portable kettle with him together with some instant coffee and tea. Those were the days where the hotels did not have coffee and tea making facilities in their rooms. Inside his black briefcase, he would carry a small torch light (flash light), a pen knife, a small pair of scissors, an alarm clock, tissues and a small bag of toiletries. Those were the days when the airport authorities would allowed you to carry those things by hand on board the flight. He used to tell us to carry a torch light (flash light) whenever we checked into a hotel because based on statistics, many people perished in the fire not because of smoke suffocation but because they couldn’t see where they were going in the dark. A good piece of advice which I do not intend to take lightly.

In any negotiation or meeting, we should always “be prepared” before we enter into that “arena”. I know it is common sense but these are simple things that we tend to forget or ignored because it is just too simple! When I was practising law in Malaysia, I had an influential client who was well connected with the Government and knew people of high places. At that time, one of the biggest topic that was in everyone’s mind was “who is going to be the next Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia?” after Abdullah Badawi took over the Prime Ministership. The two main contenders then were Najib Razak or Muhyiddin Yassin. So one early morning, I had an important meeting with my influential client. To impress my client, I thought I would talk politics to my client to show that I was keeping abreast with the latest political scene. So, I decided to give him my theory on who and why I thought would most likely be the Deputy Prime Minister. I gave my long and complex theory to my client while he just sat there and listened quietly. He didn’t say a word to me so I thought I was making headway and looking impressive. When I have finished with my theory, I asked who did he think would be the Deputy Prime Minister? He immediately said, “Najib Razak”. I was surprised as he wasn’t hesitant neither did he gave his reason. So, I asked him, did he get that from his connections or the grapevine? He said, “neither”. He got it from yesterday’s late night news and this morning’s paper. That was one of my most embarrassing moments, as the answer was right there for all to see and I failed to see it because I was not “prepared” before I raised the subject. Therefore, from then on, the Scout's motto of “Be Prepared” has become part of my living principles!