Amongst the local dignitaries were the Governor of Penang, TYT Tun Dato’ Seri (Dr.) Haji Hamdan bin Sheik Tahir and his consort and the State Executive Councilor YB Dato' Dr. Kang Chin Seng who represented the Chief Minister of Penang. The Consul General of Japan, Mr. Keitaro Sato, and the Consul of Thailand, Mrs. Rushda Thevaravej added to the list.
Our guests streamed in for the cocktails as early as 6.00pm. The reception area was filled to the brim with Lions and guests exchanging notes. Kudos to my reception committee for registering, and later, ushering everyone to their respective tables. I mingled with the crowd and took it upon myself to personally welcome the Lions who came from afar. Until it was time to welcome the Guest of Honour, Tun Yang Terutama and YB Dato' Dr. Kang. Their arrival was greeted with a beautiful combo of traditional dance and music. Soon after, a routine of Lions’ protocols ensued.
The evening continued with my inaugural speech; a thank you note and my pledge to honour the trust and confidence of my fellow Lions and continue the good work of the past governors. In order not to dull the evening, I spoke a little of what I learned from LCI.
YB Dato' Dr. Kang in his speech commented that Lions clubs have grown from strength to strength in Malaysia and praised each and every club had carried out meaningful projects for the community.
When dinner started, the hugely popular Steel Guitars Band rendered a wide repertoire of songs and music and kept the evening alive. The dinner menu was meticulously chosen as we wanted every dish to be out. Lavish and delicious! The night had just begun as the local dignitaries took leave at around 11.00pm. Spirits (liquor) started to flow and the Steel Band jazzed it up a few notches. A night to cherish!
I am indebted to Region 1 Chairman Ong Chin Seng and his dynamic working committee for organizing this grand event. They even ensured the guests, especially the non-Penangites, were given door gifts and souvenirs. The committee had sourced the famous Penang Tambun biscuits and the best-preserved nutmegs.
It has been a dream come through for me as this particular challenge in front of me has been something I have been working for throughout my life. I am going to savor this and share this particular experience with you for many years to come.
As most of you can relate to the fact that we have our goals in life is highly dynamic and most probably will change over time as we gather different experience in life. In our childhood, we dream about being a doctor, lawyer or highly qualified professional. As we move through life, we start to realize that not everybody is made to be a doctor or lawyer. We are born with different skills, and we acquire knowledge in many different ways, mostly through our parents and teachers. As we step in society and face a different world, our goals are changed by the situations at hand, and on many occasions, they are beyond our control. Individuals make great efforts to overcome difficulties. We all succeed in different ways and in different degrees. Some of us are more satisfied than others and in almost all cases, we end up with a totally different life than we originally anticipated.
However, I believe we have one thing in common. We understand life better, appreciate achievements and accomplishments more, and most importantly we understand how to adjust to the environment and society surrounding us. This enables us to grow both physically and mentally and be able to educate our children and hopefully, they can be better than us in their lives.
I am no different than anyone described here. However, I had a goal thirty years ago and I am very proud that I am still marching towards this goal without any doubt that this is what I want to do in my life. I feel all along that for all human beings to have better lives, we need to share our success, our experience and our wealth, no matter how big or how small they are. Only with this, we will make society better and everyone will benefit from this. All this time as a Lion, I have always remembered this and I have been faithfully following this simple rule of serving the community. I believe I have done something for the society but I do not think I have reached the final destination. I need help and support from all of you. This is not only a personal goal but a joint effort from everybody in the country to make us stronger and better.
It is with your support and services, Lionism will extend to its fullest potential. We should not be complacent with what we have done but to continue this long and meaningful journey as there are always the unfortunate and the needy people around us. Becoming a district governor does not mean a personal challenge to me but also my hope that you will continue your excellent services as in the past to make Lionism a way of life to the Malaysian society. I pledge to work extra hard to accomplish my goals and the goals of many of you.
This occasion marks the beginning of a new era where we all can proudly look forward to the future and be able to one day look back and be remembered as a part of the revolution towards a better society."
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