Exabytes Annual Dinner 2011

Exabytes Annual Dinner 2011 was filled with laughter, excitement and many alluring prizes. When the Organizing Committee announced that this year’s annual dinner would be held at Tanjung Bungah Beach Resort by the white sandy beach, our hearts beat faster in anticipation.

In addition, huge prizes such as a 32″ LCD TV and an iPad had kept us bewitched. Among all the exciting activities our very dedicated OC had prepared for us, the most eye-captivating game was the MAGIC MUG water pouring which saw the faces of Exabytes’ VIPs cum investors appeared when hot water was poured into the mugs. Besides, there was a very prosperous, luck-promising game – PAPER BUNNY FOLDING

Registration started at 4.30pm and door gifts – pouches which filled with 2 packs of kiam piah, 1 Ang Pow, 4 voting papers and 2-3 origami papers of our group colors were distributed.

The fun began from the first game ‘Find Your Path’. A game which tested our luck, IQ as well as responses, it was played to determine the amount of time each team would have to fold their paper bunnies in the second game. Each team (Team1-5) would take turn to roll the dice and answer an IQ question. If the team was lucky and got the number which matched their group number, they could skip the IQ question and won themselves one point which was equivalent to one minute in the next game. However, one point would be deducted for every wrong answer given. Outcomes – Team1: 5 mins, Team2: 6 mins, Team3: 7 mins, Team4: 8 mins, Team5: 9 mins

Subsequently, it’s ‘Who Wants to Have a Bright and Promising 2011?’ Based on the outcomes of “Find Your Path’, Ee Dawn the Origami master (Origami – the art of paper folding) couldn’t wait to teach everybody the ‘secret techniques’ to produce a good paper bunny for the Year of Bunny. After the less official Origami teaching session was conducted to each team to produce the prosperous paper bunnies, we learnt that having folded the most number of paper bunnies didn’t guarantee us a win in this game. Instead, we had to find and ‘feed’ our bunnies the REAL CARROTS of different weights which were hidden all over the place!

In the end of the game, Orange team with their orange bunnies proved to be the most prosperous team with the heaviest carrots counted in total. Congrats Orange team!!

Since prosperity among Exabees had been ‘guaranteed’, we were ready to get down to serious business. The official opening ceremony was then carried out by Jin Wee the OC, followed by the official speech by CEO Chan Kee Siak or more fondly known as ‘Ah Chan’. Chan then touched on the introduction of Exabytes’ investors who were also present at this year’s Annual Dinner. Dato Tan, Exabytes’ very first investor took over by giving us a friendly and warming intro on his fellow investor friends.

CEO Chan giving his welcome speech

Dato Tan, Exabytes’ VIP cum investor

Next, it was the sensational showcase of MAGIC MUGS and ‘Try Your Luck in 2011’ – the 4D voting game! Before you get too excited reading this, our 4D voting game was nothing like the 4D number prediction game such as Sports Toto or Magnum. Instead, we were to guess which faces of the investors would appear on which MAGIC MUGS when hot water was poured into them. (The magic mugs appear solid black when no hot water is poured into it) As the magic mugs were placed in a random sequence in a straight line, and our 4 investors are represented by letter A, B,C and D, we were to guess their faces on the magic mugs by placing our ‘bets’ like BDCA / DABC / DCBA.

Each investor was represented by an alphabet letter

Solid black mugs turned to the faces of our investors when hot water was poured into them

The ‘Transformation’ process of the magic mugs

Ms Ooi, Siew Hoon, TL Guan, KY Chan and Jackie at the same table emerged as the winners! Guys, we really envy you for being so lucky even at the beginning of the year.

Winners Ms Ooi at second left, followed by Siew Hoon, TL Guan and KY Chan receiving the Good Luck Ang Pows from CEO Chan at first left

And so, it’s dinner time! Standing before the great variety of food prepared by Tanjung Bungah Beach Resort, many of us started to show our true colors / gluttonous faces.

Having satisfied our discerning palate, it’s the exciting and long awaited lucky draw which saw more than 25 prizes being given away. However, our eyes were still glued to the grand and second prizes – the iPad and 32″ LCD TV.

Representatives from the winning table were invited to the stage to sing a song together

Cheering for our ‘professional’ singers

To put the excitement brought by the grand and second prizes on hold and save us the suspense, the OC decided to take this opportunity to announce Exabytes’ 5-year Honorable Service Award. We are excited and proud to present to you the very loyal and dedicated staff members who have in the past 5 years stayed with Exabytes through thick and thin – TL Guan, Gaveen, Annie Ong and David Ch’ng.

The auspicious and must-have Yam Seng session

Next, was to announce the very fashion savvy male and female who wore the most awesome dress of the night. And Yeah! Yeah! Yeah…! Many of us had guessed it right earlier, it’s May Fong and Gaveen! Each of them received an Ang Pow and a big round of applause for being the best dressed male and female.

Gaveen and May Fong, our best dressed male and female of the night

Finally, it’s the moment of truth. With CEO Ah Chan holding in his hand the names of the much envied grand and second prize winners, we held our hands together, praying that our names would be called. And the lucky winner was……. Mrs. Dato Tan!!

Without any hesitation, the very gracious and generous Mrs. Dato decided to donate the iPad she had just won so that Exabees could have another chance to win it! OMG, this got us extremely excited again. And when the winner was announced once again, out hearts skipped a beat. It’s……. our system engineer, HP Beng!!

Ah Beng with his ‘evil’ face and smile saying “It’s now mine!”

Sau Hun with her second prize – 32″ LCD TV

While we were happy for both of them, some still couldn’t hide the envy and disappointment on their faces. 🙁 Once again, Dato Tan, Exabytes’ VIP cum investor stepped in by offering to buy an extra iPad so that we could have another lucky draw! My gosh, this sent another wave of hope, but we knew that we would be content with the second chance even if we didn’t win this time. In the midst of cheering and commotion, Mrs. David Ch’ng emerged as the lucky winner of the 2nd iPad!

Mrs. David Ch’ng, the lucky winner of the second iPad

We thank Dato Tan and his fellow investor friends for their generosity and kind-heartedness. 🙂

Prizes of the night

25 prizes in total were given away on this memorable night, or shall I say the first gathering of Exabees in 2011. To freeze this important moment, we took group photos one after another, shaking hands with each other before bidding farewell.

Good bye 2010, and hello 2011! Last but not least, a thousand thanks to our OC for all the hard work they have put in in organizing this sweet and unforgettable event.