PETALING JAYA: All work and no play made 21-year-old Tan Ho Inn a shy boy during his schooldays.

His favourite activities then was reading scientific books and the occasional gardening in his family home in Sungei Petani, Kedah.

"It was just studying and studying because the emphasis for me was on getting As in exams," said Tan yesterday, after receiving a scholarship from Lingkaran Trans Kota Sdn Bhd (Litrak) to pursue his civil engineering degree at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia in Skudai, Johor.

It paid off academically, though, as the young man scored 12As in his Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination.

But the undergraduate student said not taking part in extra curricular activities cost him a social life.
"I could not talk confidently to people especially my teachers. It was difficult to make new friends and I used to stammer," he said.

That was his personality before he pursued his degree just one-and-a-half years ago.

Varsity life turned Tan into a confident adult, a marathon runner and a winner in a intra-university level debate competitions.

"I was forced to find my own footing with the help of my coursemates as I was on my own without the comfort of my family and familiar surroundings," said Tan.

He can confidently say now that he would not be able to win the scholarship from Litrak if he had not stepped out of his comfort zone.

The judges assessed the candidates by their academic qualifications, extra curricular activities, interpersonal skills and family incomes.

"I advise all students to 'get a life' during their schooldays. Studies are not everything.

"One needs to develop talent and character to show the world how useful one can be."

Tan is one of the four who won the Litrak scholarship. The others were Muhammad Akbar Al-Attas Abdul Latif, 19, Nor Aimuni Md Rashid, 20 and Rose Hazim Hassan, 22.

Litrak received 200 applications for the scholarships.

The total amount of scholarship given out yesterday was RM99,000. Since 2000, Litrak has given out scholarships worth 800,000.

The scholars enter into a bond with Litrak and its parent company, Gamuda Bhd, and its group of companies after they complete their studies.