(From left to right) Ms Farah Rosley, President, Chartered Tax Institute of Malaysia, Mr Amarjeet Singh, Asean and Malaysia Tax Leader, EY, Datuk Noor Azian Abdul Hamid, Deputy CEO, Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, and Ashley Lim Siew Fern, first runner-up in the EY Young Tax Professional of the Year 2019 Malaysia.
(From left to right) Ms Farah Rosley, Mr Amarjeet Singh, Datuk Noor Azian Abdul Hamid, and Ng Cheng Yuan, second runner-up in the EY Young Tax Professional of the Year 2019 Malaysia.
Two TAR UC students took the recent seventh edition of the Ernst and Young (‘EY’) Young Tax Professional of the Year 2019 Malaysia by storm when they won not one but two out of the top three spots.
Ashley Lim Siew Fern, a second year Bachelor of Commerce student, and Ng Cheng Yuan, a third year Bachelor of Commerce student, emerged as first and second runner-up respectively in the annual competition which aims to provide a platform for students to demonstrate their business acumen, commercial awareness and technical skills in taxation.
Ashley and Cheng Yuan won cash prizes of RM6,000 and RM3,000 respectively, and a paid internship or conditional offer of employment with EY.
“I've always been passionate about self-improvement, and taking on challenges. I don't believe in complacency. If I believe that something can be done, then I will just do it,” said Ashley, previously from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seksyen 3 Bandar Kinrara, when asked about her motivation to win. “The most challenging part of the competition was the video submission of the case study, but with practice, I managed to submit a successful entry. Tough subjects such as financial reporting and taxation also ignited my spirit to thrive and be competitive!”
“I did get in touch with our senior Carlos Wong, who won the 2018 edition of the Malaysian competition and who also won the first runner-up at the international level. He provided some invaluable technical advice, and he also taught me how to properly explain related issues,” said Ashley. “This tax challenge was also interesting because it isn't purely about tax but it also tests us on our business knowledge. Often, the case studies are designed to cover both business and tax-related aspects. “
“I wanted to challenge myself by stepping out of my comfort zone, and this motivated me throughout my participation in this competition. I received support from my family, friends and lecturers, which are my pillars of support,” said Cheng Yuan, who was from Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Sri Sentosa. “The competition has also enabled me to hone my critical thinking and analytical skills, and I have also learnt to manage my time more effectively.”
“Like Ashley, I also sought guidance from our senior, Carlos, who shared some useful tips on how to enhance my presentation skills. His advice and support really gave me a confidence boost and guided me along the way,” said Cheng Yuan. “I entered this competition to enhance my soft skills and prepare myself for the working world as I realise that it is crucial to acquire a broad range of skills to deliver better results.”
On how would she approach the competition differently if she were given a second chance, Ashley candidly said: “What I would change if I had the chance to participate again would be to put my phone on Do Not Disturb mode since we all got distracted by smart phone notifications. I would also have to prepare myself better on the Advanced Taxation as many participants have actually taken Advanced Taxation.”
Both students have some words of advice for their peers who are looking to emulate their success.
“Break away from what you know, and ask your lecturer about possible competitions to participate in. One step at a time and you'll get there!” Ashley advised, while Cheng Yuan simply said: “Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. You’ll never know what you’ll achieve!”
