Centennial Celebration of the Scouts Association of Malaysia

The Centennial Celebration of the Scouts association of Malaysia (SAM) was held on Saturday April 25, 2009 at Stadium Negara Kuala Lumpur. It was a mammoth gathering of scouts from all over the country. Among the VIPs present were YABhg Tun Abdullah Hj Ahmad Badawi, Presiden Agung SAM; YAB Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia; Y Bhg Dato' Seri Dr. Hj. Shafie bin Hj. Mohd. Salleh, the Chief Scout of Malaysia; YB Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek, the Minister for Youth and Sports; Y Bhg. Dato' Ahmad Fuad bin Ismail, the Mayor of Kuala Lumpur; members of the Scouts Councils at the State and the national levels; the State & District Scout Commisioners; various officials of SAM, the scouts representing the respective states and members of the public. The stadium was full. In conjunction with the celebration there was a two-day exhibition of the Scouting Movement in Malaysia.
2. Three speeches were delivered. In his welcoming address, Dato' Seri Hj. Shafie, highlighted the principles and activities of scouting that bond and unify the people of Malaysia. The scouting activities are guided by its strategic plan. YABhg Tun Abdullah in his speech related his involvement in scouting whilst in school and had served as a troop leader. Scouting unites the people and developes individuals to be healthy, responsible, loyal, thrifty. He believes that a scout will do well in life and that 'once a scout, always a scout'. In the opening address, the DPM believed that scouting is the foundation for prosperity as it brings about national integration, self-confidence, versatility and that it supports the concept of One Malaysia. The Job Week experience gives a scout the attributes to be a successful man. He gave the undertaking, as the Minister of Education, to encourage scouting in schools.
3. The Scout Movement was founded in England by Lord Baden-Powell in 1907. It found its way to Malaysia early as the following year, 1908 an experimental scout group at YMCA Penang was established. It then spread to Selangor and under the able leadership of its first Chief Commissioner, Frank Cooper Sands, who assumed office in 1910, scouting spread througout the country. Scouting found its way to many countrie in the world.
4. Scouting has found such a popular following throughout the world because of its promise, laws and the activities that teach one to love and enjoy nature. Its promise and laws provide the fundamental to successful living as a scout promise to do his best to perform his duties to God, King and country; to help people at all times and to follow the laws which advocate that he is to be trusted, loyal, useful and help others,a friend to all, courteous, friendly to animals, smiles under difficulties, thrifty and clean in thought, words and deed. The scout's many activities outdoors are driven by the Founder's belief that 'a boy is likely to find God in the open air than in constant teaching and preaching in stuffy surroundings or in a slum environment' and these include pioneering, camping, cooking, tracking, knowledge of plants and animals, exercise for health and dealing with accidents.
5. Scouting activities bring HAPPINESS. Happiness is the purpose of living. Lord Baden-Powell is a strong proponent of HAPPINESS as he said in his book 'Rovering to Success' that the only true success is happiness and that 'we were put into this world of wonders and beauty with a special ability to appreciate them, in some cases to have the fun of taking a hand in developing them, and also in being able to help other people instead of overreaching them and through it all, to enjoy life - that is, TO BE HAPPY'.
6. I have been associated with scouting since school and have been actively involved in the many outdoor activities to obtain my badges - pioneering, camping, swimming, cooking etc attaining the Bushman's Tong. It was the scouting movement that had provided the strong foundation for my love for the outdoor, for my active health regime, for my passion for nature and its conservation, for my active participation in community work, for my intellectual success; all these cumulatively have contributed to my happy life.

Launching of the MNS Office in Langkawi

The office of Malaysian Nature Society (MNS)Langkawi Branch was officially opened
on Tuesday April 21, 2009. I was given the honour of officiating it in my capacity as the Vice-President of MNS. The office is located at the Frangipani Resort and Spa. The Resort is a corporate member and its owner has been a member of MNS for many years and has been kind to have allocated some space as office for the Langkawi Branch.
2. The launching ceremony, held in the Hall at the Frangipani Resort was attended by officials of LADA, the Langkawi Tourism Action Council, representatives of the hotel industry, teachers and school children, a large group of media representing the newspapers and travel journals, officials of the Frangipani Resort and officials of the MNS.
3. In his welcoming address, Mr. Anthony Wong, the host and Vice-Chairman of the Protem Committee of the MNS Langkawi Branch, highlighted the many green efforts of the Resort- among them installation of sun panels to to trap solar energy for lighting, harvesting of rain, trapping of greasy materials, using organic detergents for cleaning, serving organic food, employing people who are green at heart, associating with green organisations etc. He plans to organise a series of international Conferences related to green and environmental issues. He proposes that Langkawi be developed as the greenest island in the world.
4. In my launching speech, as the event was organised in conjunction with Earth Day, the significance of the Day was highlighted with the need for each of us to prudently use the natural resources that we have. The green effort of the Resort was cited as an example of what can be done. The campaign to Save the Ulu Muda Forest Reserve initiated by the Kedah Branch of MNS is another contribution in conserving and protecting our biodiversity. The establishment of the MNS is a personal dream come true as its formation was part of a proposal arising from the 2003 Scientific & Heritage Foundation organised by MNS. I reminded the members that a follow-up action to the proposals that were adopted at the Workshop after the Expedition, which among others include to organise training programmes for all stakeholders on green issues, the formulation of the eco-tourism master plan and the associated conservation plan for the Island, the establishment of the Education and Recreation Centre in the Gunung Machinchang Forest Reserve, the conservation of the Kuala Sg Melaka as the bird sanctuary, to upgrade the information on the natural heritage of Langkawi and to establish wildlife corridors between forest reserves. I reiterated that MNS is a society that wish to see a balanced development between physical development and conservation of green areas and its presence is to promote sustainable development.
5. Among the events organised in conjunction with the launching and Earth Day celebration were birdwatching (hornbills) in the Gunung Raya Forest Reserve and a tour of the touristic destinations on the Island.
6. I have organised this trip to comply with the request of a close friend, Dato' Kamaruddin Kachar, who was entertaining his friend, Prof. Don Smart and his wife, who were visiting Malaysia. The trip originated in Kajang on the afternoon of Saturday April 18, visited the Kuala Selangor Nature Park and Bukit Melawati and ended up the night at the Resthouse Teluk Intan. The following day we cruised up north visiting the Turtle Conservation Centre at Bota Kanan and then the Zoo and Museum in Taiping, spending the second night at the Holiday Inn Batu Feringhi Penang. On Monday April 20, we visited the Butterfly Farm in Penang and crossing the Penang Bridge, we headed for Alor Star where we visited the Rice Museum at Gunung Kriang and then to the Kuala Perlis Jetty, departing for Langkawi by the 6.00 pm ferry.
7. In Langkawi, we went on the mangrove cruise in Kilim, visiting the fish farm and watching the Brahminy Eagle in the mangrove area.
8. The trip with our friends provided us time to interact, enjoyed their companionship, cherished the sceneries and places of interest, enjoyed the food dishes that we consumed. Above all it is another journey and experience that contribute to the joys and happiness in life.

Photos - Launching of the book' In Search of Happiness'

Welcome Address to the more than 150 business associates, school mates, family members and friends

The books launched were 'In Search of Happiness' and the Bahasa Malaysia translated version 'Mencari Kebahagiaan

Presenting Mencari Kebahagiaan to YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir, who officially launched the books.