1978
Taking the Lead
In
1978, I
was nominated and elected as the 16th President of the LC of George
Town. I guess it was a
timely recognition of my 14 years of active service in the community. Indeed,
I was humbled as well as honoured
to take the helm of this prestigious Club. I commenced my role in the office on
1st July 1978. It was the club’s practice to hold an Installation Ceremony
whereby the President
and the Board of Directors were formally installed by
an invited Lion dignitary. This
ceremony
took place at Hotel Merlin on 8th September. It was graced by the Minister of Health, YB
Dato’ Mak Hon Kam as the Guest of Honour. Some 400 Lions and guests filled the banquet hall to the brim.
I was honoured when District
Governor (DG) Robert Lau (from Sabah) presented me with the club gavel. The gavel was a symbol of authority
and the right to act officially in the capacity as a presiding officer. Looking back, not only did I feel empowered to carry
out the duties of a President, I also felt duty-bound to do so with full vigour,
commitment, and dedication.
The Outgoing President, Koay Kew Kew
ceremoniously placed the Chain of Office around my neck. This had been the
tradition of the club to show continuity
in leadership.
I had to wear the chain of office throughout the installation ceremony. My role
then was
to keep the chain, live up to its
responsibilities, and hand it over to my successor at the next installation.
As
it turned out, my term as the President of Lions Club George
Town was truly a learning curve. The immediate benefit was the opportunity to
widen my circle within
our fraternity, in
the private sector as well as in the public sector. To be honest, I relished the face-to-face meet-ups
with various dignitaries and fascinating personalities.
Till today, I fondly recall the
courtesy
calls from friends from all segments of society. It was a practice for the new Club
President and his Board of Directors of the fiscal year to also pay courtesy calls and introduce themselves
to the Head of States and the Municipal Council in Penang … the
rare opportunity to get up close and personal with VVIPs like YAB Tunku Abdul
Rahman, YAB Tun Dr. Lim Chong Eu, and his
Excellency, the Governor of Penang. Not forgetting the State Mentri
Besar, Mayor, and LCI bigwigs!
Board of
Directors 1977-1978
Planning
the Fiscal Year 1977-1978
Kick-starting the year with a
pre-board meeting was all-important as I needed to appoint the various committee chairmen
for my fiscal year’s projects and activities. There were so many service projects that I
wanted the club to render to the community.
While reviewing the previous year’s programmes, I noted that the “Industrial Workers’ Week’ project was successfully implemented. Therefore, I should continue the good work of my
predecessor. Then, I felt a need to sign a couple of sisterhood alliances to
commemorate the 16th
Charter Anniversary of our club! The club zeroed in on the Lions Clubs from Australia and Hong Kong. Of course, many other projects
were deliberated upon, and later included in the pipeline. Hence, I needed to identify capable and knowledgeable Chairmen to
spearhead different portfolios. The right person in the right portfolio is the
first vital step to a project’s success!
In my opinion, there is no better way to encapsulate the true spirit of Lionism than by wholeheartedly embracing its motto "WE SERVE". Throughout my term as president, the club carried out many projects focused on welfare, education, and healthcare to enhance the well-being of the community. This endeavor significantly impacted and uplifted the lives of those requiring assistance.
ROLL OF HONOUR PAST PRESIDENTS ( Year: 1963 - 2012)
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