Abdillah never chose to attend a Junior College nor did he intended on pursuing a Polytechnic education, he wanted to attend the Institute Technical of Education to build a solid foundation in the field that he intended to venture into. This was thwarted when his parents strongly disapproved of his choice and preferred that he went to Poly instead.
Beforehand, he had served 3-months in Jurong Institute and found that he could not cope with the rigidity of the academic education. He then chose to pursue Business Administration in Singapore Polytechnic despite getting a place in Tourism at Temasek Polytechnic.
His choice of school was more of distant rather than the type of culture the school offered.
Immediately upon admission, Abdillah was active in CCAs. He was a member of the Malay Language Society and Theatre Compass. Offered to join the Exco in the Malay Language Society, Abdillah refused as he preferred to remain a member and dissolve himself from all forms of responsibility but this was not to be.
Even as a member, he constantly challenged the principles of the club and the purpose for why it was set-up as the club refused to allow the females on campus to dance on stage in front of a male audience. He regretted the decision not to have joined the Exco as he felt that he could have done more as an Exco member.
Nevertheless, even as a member, Abdillah still actively participated in their activities and even performed a Zapin dance during the school’s National Day Observance Ceremony and had also played the Kompang with the club for a wedding.
Abdillah had also stumbled upon representing Singapore Polytechnic is the annual MIQ Competition in 2004. Initially for fun, he eventually made it to the top 4 of those who registered to participate in the competition. Together with his other team members, they went on to the Quarter-Finals of the competition and took home the title of ‘Best Joker Award’.
Abdillah was also in the Rugby team which he served for the last two years of his Polytechnic life and represented the school in the annual Inter-Varsity competition. His team had also participated in the M1 Touch tournament and had achieved the 3rd position.
In 2004, the year of graduation, Abdillah was then invited by a group of individuals passionate in the performing arts to participate in an Inter-Varsity Malay Drama Competition, Pentas Pujangga, organized by Persatuan Bahasa Melayu Universiti Kebangsaan Singapura (PBMUKS).
The group, represented Singapore Polytechnic under the name, Sang Singa Purba, went on to take home the Championship, Best Director Award and Most Creative Award. Abdillah has since remained on the group as one of the advisors till its closure in 2010.
Abdillah Zamzuri 