“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”

Dedication

This book is devoted with deepest love and gratitude to my parents, whose steadfast work ethic and quiet courage set the course of my life and taught me to honor duty, truth, and compassion. To my father, whose enterprise and perseverance showed that integrity is the finest inheritance a child can receive, and to my mother, whose grace and constancy made our home a place of strength and kindness, every blessing I know rests upon your example. Your faith in me was a shelter in uncertain seasons and a compass in every decision, and I carry your lessons with reverence.

To my beloved wife, the partner of my heart and the anchor of my days, thank you for your calm wisdom, your patient endurance, and your unflagging belief in our shared path. Your presence has made every endeavor more meaningful and every challenge more bearable. In victories, your joy has been my richest reward. In trials, your courage has been my steady light. All that is accomplished here bears the imprint of your love.

To my children, whose curiosity renews my hope and whose integrity deepens my pride, you are the living promise that purpose can be handed forward with tenderness and resolve. Your dreams remind me to keep learning, your laughter restores balance, and your progress makes every sacrifice small. May you inherit not only the fruits of my labor but the spirit behind it, so that you may serve others with clarity and heart.

To my extended family and cherished friends, whose encouragement and honest counsel have sustained me through turning points and transitions, thank you for standing near in the seasons when resolve was tested and for celebrating generously when grace made the path smooth. Your loyalty has been a gift beyond measure, and your kindness has shaped the person I continue to become.

To the mentors who opened doors of understanding and insisted that rigor and humility walk side by side, I owe a debt that cannot be repaid. Your guidance taught me to treat knowledge as stewardship and to measure success by the good it enables in others. Your confidence in my capacity arrived when it mattered most, and it has marked every chapter that followed.

To colleagues and teams whose diligence transformed plans into outcomes and whose fellowship turned long work into shared achievement, my gratitude is enduring. Together we proved that discipline can be humane, that process can be generous, and that the best results are born of trust. Your professionalism and integrity have been a daily inspiration.

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

Phase 1: The Rooted Beginnings

Prof. Dr. Ooi Soo Kang was born on 12 August 1967 in Alor Setar in a family whose livelihood blended retail ingenuity with hands on technical service rooted in Long Seng Electrical and allied trades that served everyday needs in the community. His father Mr. Ooi Kim Mok moved from a sundry shop into bicycle retail and repair then into television radio and video sales and servicing which naturally extended to electrical wiring lighting fittings and television aerial installation as the town modernized. His mother Madam Teoh Chooi Chiam balanced home life with steady support for the family’s commercial efforts shaping a household culture of reliability thrift and care that would quietly anchor the growth of all six siblings. With time both parents passed away yet the values they modeled remained present in the daily choices and relationships that framed the early world of Prof.Ooi Soo Kang.

Primary schooling for Prof. Ooi Soo Kang took place in Long Chuan Alor Setar where studies began modestly and results did not immediately signal future excellence yet the classroom was only one part of a wider education unfolding around tools customers and patient craft in the family’s orbit. The town’s rhythms and the shop floor’s routines taught attentiveness and order and gave the young learner a close view of how knowledge meets practice at the point where a bicycle is made roadworthy or a light begins to work in a newly wired room. The small victories of fixing what is broken and the simple discipline of completing tasks on time formed habits that would later sustain sustained academic focus and professional method for Prof. Ooi Soo Kang.

In 1979 at age 11 Prof.Ooi Soo Kang undertook his first paid role at uncle Heng’s grocery where daily responsibilities reinforced courtesy accuracy and the steady pace of service that keeps a neighborhood shop trusted. Handling stock responding to straightforward requests and keeping simple order across a day sharpened a sense that commerce is built on relationships and that trust is earned through consistent follow through rather than promises. The experience gave Prof.Ooi Soo Kang early familiarity with customer facing work and the quiet pride that comes from dependable effort that others can count on.

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Phase 2 : Studies and First Appointments

The pre university phase began in 1986 when Prof. Dr. Ooi Soo Kang entered Form 6 at Sekolah Menengah Keat Hwa in Alor Setar to pursue advanced studies that would open a path to tertiary education. The curriculum joined rigor with breadth as he immersed himself in Inorganic Chemistry Organic Chemistry Biology Additional Mathematics Physics and General Studies. The environment demanded a mature approach to learning where complex topics required structured reading frequent problem practice and the ability to synthesize ideas across disciplines.

Prof. Ooi Soo Kang brought disciplined preparation to each subject with an emphasis on method as well as result. That emphasis helped him convert classroom expectations into dependable performance. By the conclusion of studies in Form 6 and Form 7 completed by 1987 he attained a consistent standing of second in class in this elite school which confirmed readiness for university level work and validated the sustained effort needed to compete among high achieving peers. The intellectual habits formed here would guide his choices for the next decade as he mapped a route that balanced science management and later engineering knowledge.

In 1988 Prof. Ooi Soo Kang advanced to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Microbiology. The program demanded competency that spanned laboratory technique scientific reasoning and foundational computing. Prof.Ooi Soo Kang completed more than 25 subjects that widened perspective beyond a single discipline. Basic Computer Science provided familiarity with logic structures and data handling that would later support process thinking and documentation quality. Microbiology and Biochemistry deepened understanding of cellular mechanisms and metabolic pathways where precision and sterility are non-negotiable. Clinical Biochemistry added an applied lens to measurement and interpretation. Zoology and Genetics broadened biological literacy.

“Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.”

Phase 3 : Founding Vision and the Certifications

The year 2000 marked the beginning of an institution building phase for Prof.Ooi Soo Kang that has shaped national and regional practices in quality assurance compliance and professional training across multiple sectors of the economy and public administration. At age 33 Prof.Ooi Soo Kang founded CI Certification Malaysia Sdn Bhd and established operations at Wisma UOA II near the iconic towers in Kuala Lumpur. The founding drew on guidance from a senior United Kingdom partner whose leadership in certification provided a framework for aligning local execution with international best practice.

The initial team formed with care and purpose to combine administrative steadiness with field expertise. The first office manager set the tone for orderly operations. An experienced administrator later rose to the role of company administrative director bringing continuity and discipline to documentation, finance and scheduling. A second lead auditor augmented technical capacity to handle early assignments with confidence and speed. The firm integrated with a wider network that operated from the United Kingdom and maintained a presence across Asia and beyond. This made it possible for Prof.Ooi Soo Kang to offer clients accredited certifications that held credibility within recognized international assessment regimes.

In June 2000 a milestone arrived when Prof.Ooi Soo Kang qualified as an ISO 9001 lead auditor under the 2000 revision in a professional assessment conducted in Kuala Lumpur. The qualification represented more than a credential. It signaled a transition from building systems in single organizations to evaluating systems across many organizations through rigorous and consistent criteria. A log of pre compliance mandays built earlier in consulting provided the foundation for this step and brought into focus a method for planning interviews sampling records evaluating process controls and weighting findings. The skill lay in linking requirements to evidence and distinguishing minor nonconformities from systemic risks that demanded corrective action at a managerial level.

Note of Thanks

Writing the biography of Professor Dr. (PhD) Ooi Soo Kang has been a profoundly rewarding and inspiring journey, and it is a privilege to honor a life devoted to disciplined excellence, public value, and compassionate service. The opportunity to present the arc of his experiences, from formative years in Alor Setar to national leadership in certification, training, and community work, is a trust that has been received with deep gratitude and care.

Heartfelt thanks are extended to Prof.Ooi Soo Kang for his confidence in allowing this story to be told. His unwavering commitment to method, integrity, and human dignity has offered a living example of how standards can serve people and how leadership can remain humble while achieving lasting impact. That spirit is the guiding light of this work.

Gratitude is also due to the family of Prof.Ooi Soo Kang, whose steady support and shared values have been the quiet strength beneath years of demanding service. The constancy of care within the household, the spirit of responsibility, and the encouragement of growth have all shaped the character and perseverance reflected throughout his endeavors. Their example stands as a foundational influence in both his personal and professional life.

Warm appreciation goes to mentors, colleagues, auditors, trainers, and administrative professionals who have journeyed alongside Prof.Ooi Soo Kang across projects, audits, classrooms, and boardrooms. Their diligence and fellowship have enriched the work at every stage. In moments of transition and challenge, their trust and collaboration have helped transform ideas into systems, and systems into durable practices that continue to benefit organizations and communities.

Sincere thanks are extended to public institutions and agencies that welcomed the work of training and assessment with openness and resolve. From health and legal services to social welfare and public administration, the willingness of leaders and teams to learn, map processes, and adopt evidence based improvement has been an inspiration. Their courage to measure honestly and to improve consistently has given this story its public meaning.

Deep appreciation is offered to corporate clients and industry partners who embraced the discipline of standards as a pathway to performance, not merely as a compliance exercise. Their investment in clarity, safety, and customer value has produced outcomes that set examples for others, and their support for community initiatives illustrates a generous vision of business citizenship.

Respectful thanks are given to international peers and national standards officers who engaged with rigor and curiosity in programs designed to build capacity across borders. Their dedication to teaching and assessment has multiplied the reach of this work and affirmed that clarity, fairness, and evidence are shared languages that unite diverse institutions and cultures.

Thank You
– Dr. Ooi Soo Kang