People always call you Sir David. Are you knighted?
(Laughs) No, I don’t know why people do that. It’s sort of a British thing.
Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from?
I’m from Florida, USA. It’s very hot, almost like KL.
What are you into?
I’m into outdoor things, like mountain climbing, surfing. Yes I do surf! But no in Malaysia! There are no waves. I like that kind of stuff. I like a lot of water sports. I like scuba diving. I’m going to have a scuba diving class for us here in ADP if you guys want to do that!
Any experiences in life you would like to share?
There are so many! You couldn’t put them all on a paper.
What about the most unique experience?
Let’s see, I have two daughters, and both of them have finished their degrees. One is a nurse and the other is in elementary school teaching. One of them got married last May, so I thought that was pretty cool.
What do you do during the weekends?
Of course in KL we go shopping! And go looking for hawker food.
Why did you choose this career?
I can really make a contribution to people with American Degree, because I have two American degrees. I have been through this system; I had my kids get through this system. American education is something I know a lot about. In Malaysia there are not many people who recognize how good it is to go over there in the States and get a degree, and how successful you can be once you get it. So I’m over here helping you guys to get it together so that you can make the transition from a Malaysian high school and into American colleges.
If you were to live your life over again, is there anything that you would change about it?
You know what? I eat lunch with the librarian. I do. He’s my friend even though he’s much older than me, and I see how good this guy has it. And I think if I was going to do it over again, I would have majored in Library Science, because a Librarian does perpetual research. He has an intellectual life, he thinks about something, he explores that and he helps people do the research.
What is the one thing you must do before you die?
The one thing we should do before we die, is to climb the highest mountain you could possibly climb. In Malaysia we have Mount Kinabalu but in other countries they have other mountains. I think we should travel around the world, and I think you should learn the language that you thought you would never learn.
Malaysia. What is the good side of it and what is the bad side of it?
The good side of Malaysia is the Diversity here. The food is diverse, the people are diverse, the language is diverse and even the land, you know there’s the beach, there’s the mountains, and there’s the lakes. The worst side of Malaysia is the Government. I can’t tell the reasons because I would wind up in the ISA!
What is your idea of a perfect day?
A perfect day is when I sleep until about 9 o’clock. I usually get up at 6. So I would wake up at 9, put on some nice shorts and a comfortable T-Shirt, maybe go jogging or walking around the neighbourhood. And later I would go for some hawker food for lunch, and then have some activities with some friends in the afternoon. Maybe bowling, maybe snooker, or maybe golf. And then a nice evening with some fresh fruit and maybe wine. That is a perfect day.
Would you rather go bald or grow a wizard beard?
Go bald? I think I would go better with the wizard beard. If you ask Bill you might get a different answer!
What is your favourite food and why?
Malaysian food. As far as prepared food, I really like rendang. I really like rendang, especially if the coconut flavour is really strong, and the meat is tender and soft. My mouth is hungry now! For naturally occurring food, I love durian. I can eat a whole durian right by myself. I like the little kampong durians. I even like durians so well that if you put it in the back of the car, and the car smells like durian, it is okay for me! It’s like air freshener.
Who is your favourite President of America and why?
My favourite President of America is John F Kennedy, because he was president when I was born. I think if John F Kennedy had been president longer, he could have made such a difference for America. For example, I don’t think there would have been Vietnam if John F Kennedy had not lived. I think it would have been a much better country today if John F Kennedy had been president not only for the full term, but then elected for the second term. He was so popular it was such a tragedy when he passed away.
Do you have any advice for ADP students?
My advice to you guys is making your degree a priority. Don’t worry about what your family are doing. Don’t miss your classes just because somebody you know are getting married, you can see them on the weekend. Don’t let other things get in your way of getting your degree. Right now the most important thing in your life is getting your degree. So focus on that, and do it. Get your GPAs high if you can. Once you’ve gotten your degree and beginning your career, which is the time you can live your life the way you want. Boyfriends, girlfriends, cars and other things can come later once you have completed your degree. As for now, let your degree be your number one priority.
Interview by Alicia Kang & Marilyn Chee
~American Flyer - Spring 2011 edition~
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