His thirst for challenge and passion for knowledge gives Wei-Hoong the competitive edge to finish the EY YTPY 2021 Malaysia competition as the First Runner-up.
They say curiosity killed the cat, but TAR UC student Tan Wei-Hoong has never shied away from a challenge, especially something as demanding as the Ernst & Young Young Tax Professional of the Year (EY YTPY) 2021 Malaysia competition.
His earnest competitive nature and passion to push himself to the limits helped this TAR UC's Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) student beat the odds against the brightest students, young graduates and professionals to be named as the First Runner-up during the results announcement ceremony held virtually on 20 August 2021.
"At first, I was intrigued by challenges of high level competitions and was interested in participating, but at the same time, I was also worried that I would not be able to fare well since I am only a Year 2 Bachelor's Degree student and may not have all the knowledge at my disposal yet.
"But after being persuaded by my lecturer Mr Michael Yeo Thiam Swee, I decided to participate with the objective of gaining valuable learning experience and a journey to understand how the tax regime works in real life," said Wei-Hoong.
Understandably, Wei-Hoong was shocked when he was announced as the First Runner-up.
"At first I thought this year was not the time for me to shine, but I was very surprised when they named me as the First Runner-up! I never thought that I would reach this far, but it is a very delightful result and a proud moment for me," he admitted.
Apart from his lecturer's support, Wei-Hoong also credited his TAR UC predecessors Ashley Lim and Carlos Wong, who helped him during his gruelling preparations for the competition.
Carlos was the EY YTPY 2018 Malaysia champion, who went on to clinch a First Runner-up prize at the international level. Ashley made TAR UC proud after she won both the EY YTPY 2020 Malaysia and subsequently the EY YTPY 2020 international competitions.
"I understood that there was immense pressure coming from a national-level competition, but I was able to cope thanks to Ashley and Carlos's advice, guidance and their shared experiences, that helped me keep my composure so I could perform to the best of my abilities.
"Of course, credit also goes to the solid academic foundation I have obtained at TAR UC and the academic staff who always try their best to make the lessons as interesting as possible, so students like me are always motivated to learn more," Wei-Hoong added.
