PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

The RCPJ has 21 Past Presidents in the current membership of 44.  Out of this number, there are 3 PDGs that include Dr N. Ganesan, David Ho and Dato’ Dr Low Teong, and one charter member, PP Michael Teh.

If you’re talking about experience, our Club has it and lots of it.  Perhaps the rich experience could be more positively used to guide the incoming Presidents of the traditions of the Club.  What have been maintained or kept is through oral history for the past 48 years.  The history of the RCPJ is not documented.  Past Presidents have photos of their years showing their projects and activities.  I remember when our bulletin was on hard copy, it was the onus of the editor to bind all the bulletins of the weeks into a year and present it to the President of that year.  A good practice I must say.  This document will exemplify the RCPJ in history.  Unfortunately, this has not been maintained.  I present a challenge to all Rotarians to propose a way to preserve our history.

In true principles of a social club, we still remember our widows of Rotarians.  We invite them for our Anniversary Dinner every year.  This is indeed an admirable gesture and it reflects the history of people, particularly of our Rotarians who have dearly departed.  This is a little bit of history but we need to do more.

We need guidance in all aspects of the RCPJ.  Matters related to fireside, meetings, speakers, ceremonies are practices explicitly associated with our Club.  In simple words, there is a way in doing things that are aligned to tradition.  It is good to know that the Club Service is going to re-establish the tradition of presenting Rotary Information at our weekly luncheon meetings.  This is one way to know and keep in touch with the practices of Rotary.

We welcome suggestions from you all.  I strongly believe that the history of our Club is a pride that can be passed on to other generations.

These are some of my observations and complaints that I have received from students.
1. Language, precisely English. Lacks spoken proficiency, (including broad accents) let alone grammatical finesse.
2. Unable to present an overview of the lecture
3. Unable to interpret information – tendency to read word for word from slides
4. Information is mainly taken from one isolated textbook, not from various sources such as journals, reports, etc.
5. Not critical or analytical with regard to the interpretation of theories. Regurgitating the theories.

It is without doubt that workshops and mentoring for academic staff are indeed necessary. They need to be exposed to and get the hang of the science of teaching and that is pedagogy. University lecturers who teach well are slowly diminishing. I remember those normal-trained teachers who had to undergo three years of teacher training and teaching the students at the same time were really good teachers. They acquired university education and then went back to the university to teach. They were often admired for their skills in information dissemination. I could speak the same for college-trained teachers. 

Let us do something for these poor students who need to develop the love for learning.

Ms Sharlene Lee, the Public Education Manager of the National Kidney Foundation of Malaysia, presented a lively and informative delivery. Though faced with the challenges of modern living, we still have much hope, according to Sharlene, to live a healthy life by following some basic rules of living.

The risk factors in kidney diseases are associated with diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and the prolonged use of NSAIDS (a type of pain killers). Apart from these, obesity and a family history of diabetes are also risk factors. But kidney diseases are treatable if we follow a regime of self-discipline as indicated below:
· Keep sugar low
· Check BP regularly
· Monitor cholesterol
· Practice a well-balanced diet
· Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day (excluding beer)
· Exercise regularly
· Take medication as prescribed by doctor

The tell-tale signs of kidney problems are fatigue and weakness and puffy eyes. When the disease gets complicated, haemodialysis is advised. But it is costly. It costs RM150-RM250 per session. And patients have to spend at least RM39,000 every year. One option is transplantation that costs RM100,000. But getting a donor is really a problem.
For your information, Malaysia is ranked the 2nd spot in diabetes, while Mexico tops the list.

Thank you, Sharlene for a pleasant and useful session with us.

* Polio Plus includes USD100 million from the Gates Foundation in 2007-08.

2. The top 5 contributors to TRF for RY 2007-08 are:

3. The top six Districts ranked by total contributions:

4. Total contributions made by Zone 6B for year ended 30 June 2008

PDG Dato' Jimmy Lim 
Zone 6B Major Gifts Advisor 

Jane and Arlene are outside their nursing home, having a drink and a smoke, when it starts to rain. Jane pulls out a condom, cuts off the end, puts i t over her cigarette, and continues smoking.

Arlene: What in the hell is that?

Jane: A condom. This way my cigarette doesn't get wet.

Arlene: Where did you get it?

Jane: You can get them at any pharmacy.

The next day, Arlene hobbles herself into the local pharmacy and announces to the pharmacist that she wants a box of condoms.

The pharmacist, obviously embarrassed, looks at her kind of strangely (she is after all, over 80 years of age), but very delicately asks what brand of condom she prefers.

'Doesn't matter Sonny, as long as it fits on a Camel.'

The pharmacist fainted.