rotary journeys

1District Governor’s Newsletter / Issue 12 / rotarydistrict3310.com

June is the Rotary Month for fellowship and what better fellowship can we have than attending the RI Convention in Seoul. We had fun at the Convention and also during the tour to Jeju Island: we saw the romantic side of Rotarians there. I almost thought that they were Korean pop stars when they posed for their photographs to be taken.

Fellowship is an important core value of Rotary. Given this, our District has ample opportunity for fellowship because our Rotarians come from three (3) countries namely: Singapore, Brunei and Malaysia.

Joint Club MeetingI have also attended the annual Joint-Club meeting in Kota Kinabalu on 24 May, 2016, comprising the nine (9) Clubs there. It was a big event of dining and singing, with reports from the nine outgoing Presidents and AG Iskandar Ahmad and followed by the introduction of the three (3) incoming AGs PP Emily Chong, PP Kent Chau and President Dato’ Stanley Tee. Incoming DG, Michael Yee, flew in from Singapore to be with us. The group has the biggest number of clubs in the District.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)We had RYLA in Kota Kinabalu on 30 May to 1 June, 2016 and also in Pontian on 8 to 11 June under the leadership of District Chair, PP Henny Goh. Organising Chairs were Rotarian Jason G. Ho from RC Likas Bay and PP Choo Chor Tek from RC Pontian. We had 4 RYLA events this year. I attended the first RYLA in Kuching and the final one in Pontian. All RYLA events have been successfully concluded with huge attendance. They were 162 participants for Kota Kinabalu and 80 Interactors in Pontian. Congratulations to the Host Club Presidents, RC Likas Bay, President Dato’ John Chee and RC Pontian President Cheng Choon Meng.

D3300 RC Taiping 80th Anniversary CelebrationCoincidently, RC Kuching was chartered 10 June 1936 on the same day with RC Taiping in D3300. Both clubs celebrated their 80th Anniversary in Taiping on 10 June, 2016 and signed a twin sister club agreement. I was privileged to witness the signing ceremony in the presence of DG Siti

ROTARY JOURNEYSDistrict Governor’s Newsletter / Issue 12 / rotarydistrict3310.com

“June is Fellowship Month”

Greetings fromPHILIP CHONGDistrict Governor 2015-16

District Governor’s Newsletter / Issue 12 / rotarydistrict3310.com 2

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Subaidah. This was indeed a historical moment for both clubs and districts. It also brought more fellowship and closer relationship to both districts.

RLI Parts I, II, III & Graduate Training Seminar 11-12 June & Buka Puasa fellowshipWe had great fellowships during the Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) and also at the joint-fellowship between D3300 and D3310 Rotarians in Malacca. It was a wonderful Buka Puasa Fellowship at a beautiful hotel in Malacca, Sri Malaysia. Congratulations to OC President Dr. Mir, RC Kota Melaka, AG Iskandar and the team members for organising the RLI successfully. Congratulations also to our 40 RLI new Graduates.

EGMWe had a successful EGM at Seri Malaysia Hotel Malacca on 12 June, 2016 where the Auditor was reappointed. I wish to thank all the Rotarians, voting delegates and proxies, ED PP Dr. Ho, District General Secretary PP Ir. Vincent Tan and my District team.

RI D3310 BOD Meeting I chaired the term’s last BOD meeting on Sunday 12 June, 2016 at Seri Malaysia Hotel, Malacca. I wish to take this opportunity to thank my fellow Board members for their support and hard work throughout the term.

Chiang Mai 25th DISCONDistrict Conference OC, PP Woo Soo Poo, Deputy OC Wesley, VP Darren and yours truly made a trip to Chiang Mai from 14 – 19 June 2016. The visit was to extend our appreciation and acknowledge the cooperation and contribution by the Chiang Mai Organising team and members of the Rotary Clubs there for their assistance at our just concluded D3310 Silver Jubilee Conference that was held end of April, 2016. We thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful fellowship and warm hospitality that they have extended to us.

All in all, fellowship is what makes Rotary fun, vibrant and relevant. Thank you all for making this Rotary year an extremely memorable and meaningful year for all of us.

Upcoming District ActivitiesFor the next two weeks before ending my term as District Governor, I will be travelling extensively to participate in clubs and district activities, namely:• Handing over of the Pan Borneo project at Labuan, which is the construction of a new waiting area for patients and families on 19th June, 2016. This is a joint community service project by all the Rotary clubs in Borneo. Each club has donated RM1,000 to fund the project. Some clubs in Singapore and Johor Bahru have also donated. RC Labuan F.T. being the host club for this 27th Pan Borneo, raised the majority of the funding for the project costing more than RM60,000.

• Meeting with the Vice Chancellor Prof. Dato’ Dr. Abdul Hakim of University College of Technology Sarawak, Sibu, on 21st June, 2016 with AG Donny Tang, President Loh Wei Boon, PP Dr. Gregory Hii, PP Sia How Teck, to explore the possibility of forming a Rotaract and Satellite clubs there.

• Gift of Sight project in Mukah, Sarawak together with DG Siti Subaidah, President Patricia Leong,


ROTARY JOURNEYSMESSAGE

PP Yim Ken Fei and members RC Damansara West and Rotarians in D3300 and also our beloved AG Frankie Ong, President Ng Yaw Hua, IPP Louis Yong, Rotarian Leonard from RC Kuching Central, President Loh Wei Boon and PP Major Robert Wong from RC Sibu, CP Johnny Su from RC Sarikei from 22nd -24th June.

• Rotaract District Assembly (RDA) 2016-2017 in Singapore 25th June. The handing over of DRR chair from outgoing DRR Jessey Yap and incoming DRR Zen Tan.

• Chartering Interact Club of Chung Hua Middle school No. 3 in Kuching on 27th June by RC Kuching South.

Thank YouMy dear Rotarians, thank you for joining me and my wife on our Rotary journey. We could not have wished for a better companion than you all, the friends that we cherish and love.

Thank you for going the extra mile that have made our visits to your clubs and projects such an enormous success. Your attention to every detail and the manner that you hosted us were so won-derful. Len Nyuk and I truly appreciate those great moments and memories with you. Thank you so much, my dear friends.

Chinese ProverbThere is a Chinese Proverb that says,

“When eating bamboo sprouts, remember the man who planted them”

I am greatly delighted with the hard work that has been the leading light to countless successful projects for this year. The commitment from each of you has brought excellent results. Thank you for making my term in office such a special one. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends. I value your time and kind gestures to me. I value everything that you did. I am really blessed to have you in my life, as my partners, my brothers and my sisters. Thank you for the great time and the great memories.

I wish to thank all my Past District Governors, DGE, DGN, DGND, AGs, District Chairs & Officers, Presidents, fellow Rotarians & Rotary spouses, Rotaractors & Interactors, family and friends for all that you’ve done for the District and for the community. You truly have been “A Gift to the World.”To my dear wife, Len Nyuk, thank you for always being there for me. I could not imagine my jour-ney without you by my side. You are a true gift of world to me.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all my Muslim brothers and sisters, Happy Ra-madan and Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri.

May God bless you all!

Kind regards,Philip Chong Mau Kiong(Rotary Club of Likas Bay)District Governor 2015-16


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TRAVELOGUE

JUNE 2016

1st-4th : Post RI Convention Tour & Fellowship around Korea


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JUNE 2016

8-11th : Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) in Pontian


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8-11th : Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) in Pontian

JUNE 2016


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JUNE 2016

9th : Induction of new members into the Rotary Club of Tanjong Pagar


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JUNE 2016

10th : 80th Anniversary of the Rotary Club of Taiping


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JUNE 2016

11-12th : Joint D3300 & 3310 Rotary Leadership Institute (RLI) Seminar in Malacca


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JUNE 2016

14-17th : Return visit to Chiangmai

12th : Berhad EGM in Malacca


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14-17th : Return visit to Chiangmai

JUNE 2016


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JUNE 2016

18-19th : Sabah Invention and Design Exhibition (SINDEX) in Kota Kinabalu

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JUNE 2016

19th : Official Handover of Pan Borneo Project

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JUNE 2016

21st : Visiting the University College of Technology in Sibu

21st : Visit to the Interact Club of Scared Heart in Sibu

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JUNE 2016

22nd-26th : Joint D3300 & 3310 ‘Gift of Sight’ Eye Project in Mukah

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JUNE 2016


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JUNE 2016

27th : Attending the Installation ceremony of the Interact Club of Chung Hua Middle School

TRAVELOGUE


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JUNE 2016

27th : Witnessing the Solar Project by the Rotary Club of Kuching South and Chung Hua Middle School

28th : Presenting the Presidential Citation Gold Award to the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu Pearl

TRAVELOGUE


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JUNE 2016

29th : Installation Ceremony of the Rotary Club of Likas Bay


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JUNE 2016

30th : Handing over the DG pendant to Michael Yee


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YOUTH

Greetings fromJESSEY YAPDistrict Rotaract Representative 2015-16

Dear Rotaractors and friends,

My warmest greetings and peace to you all.

Time flies while we are having fun. Another Rotary Year has come to an end. We had our annual Rotaract District Assembly (RDA) to celebrate the successful year of 2015-16, and as well as to welcome the new office bearers for the next Rotary Year of 2016-17.

The Rotaract District Assembly was held on the 25th June 2016 in Singapore Polytechnic. We’re honoured to have our incoming District Governor Michael Yee as our Assembly’s Guest of Honour. There were a few Rotarians who participated in our RDA on that day.

Rotaract District Assembly started with a Thank You speech by me as a District Rotaract Representative (DRR) for 2015-16, followed by the handing over of the DRR regalia and to install the newly elected DRR Zen Tan and his team. DRR Zen Tan shared his plans and visions for his incoming year.

After lunch, all the Board of Directors and Rotaractors were separated into different workshops according to their posts held in their respective clubs. We have experienced District Officers to lead the workshops and to pass all the knowledge to our fellow Rotaractors.

Last but not least, I announced and gave away certificates for those clubs and individuals who managed to achieve awards throughout the year. Heartiest Congratulations to those who have received awards and we hope that Rotaractors will always ‘Be a gift to the world’.

Enjoy Rotaract and love humanity!


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YOUTH


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IN THE NEWS

KOTA KINABALU: The recent Rotary District 3310 Intercity Meet held in Singapore was a fruitful one in that the event alone raised more than USD700,000 (about RM2.8 million) for the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International (RI).

District 3310 Governor, Philip Chong from the Rotary Club (RC) of Likas Bay disclosed this at the Joint Club Meeting (Group 15) involving nine Rotary Clubs in Kota Kinabalu, at Pacific Sutera Hotel, here.

“However, the donors have an option to fulfil their pledges over a period of three to five years. In other words, payments for their contributions can be made in three or five instalments over the coming years,” he said.

The major donors included Philip himself and Woo Soo Poo who was the Organising Chairman of the 25th District Conference of RI District 3310. On the formation of the District’s Paul Harris Society (PHS), Philip said it was a new initiative on the part of District 3310.

Acknowledging the role of Rotarians in this achievement, he said: “We targeted 100 Charter Members but have exceeded by five, setting a record of sorts for Rotary International at 105.

“I thank the Rotarians in Singapore for their strong support. Dato’ Thomas Ngu (in his capacity as District 3310’s Fund-Raising Chairman) did a fantastic job. On top of it, I was assisted by Past District Governor Chew Ghim Bok (RC Bugis Junction, Singapore).”

Of the figure (105), five are from the Rotary Club of Likas Bay, namely Philip, Woo, past Assistant

RM2.8 MILLION RAISED FOR ROTARY WORKMary ChinDaily Express

DG Philip (seated at centre) with Rotary dignitaries, outgoing and incoming presidents of the nine clubs. Seated third from right is incoming DG Michael.


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IN THE NEWSGovernor K.P. Lu, District 3310 Governor Nominee, Datuk Lee Chuen Wan and Acting President of Rotary Club of KK Pearl, Datuk Suzannah Liaw.

The District Governor said the presence of RI President (2015-2016), K.R. Ravindran and wife Vanathy from Sri Lanka added significance to the Intercity Meet. Meanwhile, Philip said District 3310 is unique because it covers three countries – Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. It comprises Singapore, Johor, Malacca, Brunei, Labuan, Sarawak and Sabah.

“The Rotary Clubs in KK have a unique tradition of working together as a single group since 2010-2011. This tradition is only found in KK. We have such strong team spirit. I am proud to be part of you,” he added.

He further said diversity, one of the five core values of RI, is the strength of this international organisation. “We are one in Rotary, irrespective of whether we are Malays, Chinese, Indians, Kadazans or Dayaks. As an example, I sit with my Indian friend, Brown but I never think his colour is Brown. He is my good friend Brown. When I sit with a friend, I never think about his colour or race.

“If on the other hand, the Chinese only take Chinese food and only drink Chinese tea, I think life will be boring. Our thinking will be narrow. Worst still, if we look at other people with animosity and hatred, then our own life will be hell. And we create hell for others,” he said, adding that Rotary unites people from all walks of life, promoting world understanding and peace. The outgoing District Governor, who will be succeeded by Michael Yee from the RC Garden City, Singapore, left three values with the Rotary fraternity as food for thought – Hard work, Leadership and Humanity.

Philip’s argument is that when we work hard in Rotary, we bring out the best in ourselves and also in others. “The pain, the tiredness, the long walks, the long hours of waiting at airports, the long hours of staying awake in the middle of the night, being alone away from home, missing home-cooked meals and gathering with our family members. We (Rotarians) do all these because we believe in our cause, our mission, our roles as Rotarians in the society,” he asserted, adding that people can’t become Rotarians and do nothing because there are expectations of them making a difference in the world.

Sharing his simple philosophy on leadership, the District Governor said: “Be there first. Lead by example and serve others first. It didn’t occur to me but when we had a Sindex motivational talk in Kudat a few years ago, I was there at 6.30am although I drove all the way from Kota Kinabalu.

“I believe as a leader, you have to be there with the people and you have to be there first. In the Rotary context, we, Governors or Club Presidents, are definitely not the boss. Remember, we should be leaders, we must walk our talk.”

On the virtue of humanity, Philip said we must view people as important, valuable, smart, useful and responsible, and treat them with respect and love. “Now, in the past or in the future, there is something for sure that they know and can do better than us. When we achieve something, we


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IN THE NEWSknow it is also because of other people’s effort or contribution.”

“While other District Governors served for 365 days, I served for 366 days (2016 being a Leap Year). I still have 38 days more to go. The train which crossed the mountain and the sea is reaching the destination. It won’t stop. It will only stop at midnight on June 30 this year,” he said in jest.

In his address, Michael emphasised the need for Rotary leaders to adhere to the “Mirror and Window” principle. His advice to club presidents is to apply this in leadership, saying this should be a characteristic of a leader.

“For instance, when the club is doing well and giving to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, a good leader should look out of the window to praise others. Give credit to where it is due. But don’t look into the mirror and tell yourself, ‘I did this, I did that’.

“However, if the club is not doing well, look at yourself in the mirror and say, ‘Maybe, I am at fault, I didn’t do this, I didn’t do that’,” he said.

Michael also cautioned Rotary leaders against trying to be “Jack of All Trades”. “Do focus on what your club is really good at and how it can grow its membership and contribute to the Rotary Foundation. And be the best in what it (club) is doing,” he advised.

Report cards for the outgoing Rotary Year (2015-2016) were delivered by Presidents of the nine clubs, respectively. They were Jack Ong (RC Kota Kinabalu), Dato’ John Chee (RC Likas Bay), Leslie Yap (RC Kota Kinabalu South), Dato’ Stanley Tee (RC Tanjung Aru), Kenneth Tan (RC Luyang, represented by Dr Premadeva Satkurunathan), Edgar Pong (RC Kinabalu Sutera), Charter President Datuk Adeline Leong and Acting President Datuk Suzannah Liaw (RC Kota Kinabalu Pearl) and Charter President George Lim (RC Kota Kinabalu Mandarin).

Now Head of the Malaysian Mission to Taiwan, Adeline, who was present, gave credit to four Rotarians who were instrumental in forming the all-ladies Rotary Club – Philip, District 3310Assistant Governor (AG) Iskandar Ahmad (RC Kota Kinabalu), past AG K.P. Lu from the RC Likas Bay and Tan Yew Lim, then President of RC Kota Kinabalu. Also present were past District Governors, Edward Sung Burongoh and Datuk Zainie Abdul Aucasa.

In response, Philip remarked that both RC Kota Kinabalu Pearl and RC Kota Kinabalu Mandarin had contributed to 50pc of membership growth in District 3310 in Rotary Year 2015-2016. “To date, we have 2055 members (exceeding the 2000 target).”

The occasion also saw the introduction of three incoming Assistant Governors (to incoming DG Michael) by outgoing AG Iskandar. The trio are Emily Chong, Kent Chau and Dato’ Stanley Tee who assured that they would discharge their duties and responsibilities to the best of their ability.


ROTARY JOURNEYS

The Editorial Team

Philip Chio Gary Fia Audrey Wes

ROTARY’S CORE VALUES

1. Service

2. Fellowship

3. Diversity

4. Integrity

5. Leadership

THE FOUR WAY TESTof the things we think, say or do

1. Is it the TRUTH?

2. Is it FAIR to all concerned?

3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP?

4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?

ROTARIAN CODE OF CONDUCT As a Rotarian, I will:

1. Act with integrity and high ethical standards in my personal and professional life.

2. Deal fairly with others and treat them and their occupations with respect.

3. Use my professional skills through Rotary to mentor young people, help those withspecial needs, and improve people’s quality of life in my community and in the world.

4. Avoid behavior that reflects adversely on Rotary or other Rotarians.

THE GUIDE TO DAILY LIVING of the things we intend to do, ask ourselves these questions and act on them:

1. Have I spent meaningful time with my family? (Fellowship)

2. Have I given the best to my work? (Integrity)

3. Have I given some time to others, near and far? (Diversity, Service)

4. Have I spent some time in self-examination? (Leadership)

VALUES

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