Nine
THE ROTARY STORY
CONTINUES (1992/3-1998)
(cont'd - 6)
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Goodwill through International Understanding
Despite its hectic schedule on home ground, RCPJ nonetheless, has always adopted
a rather high profile on the international scene as international service
with the objective of "promoting world understanding and goodwill among
people of different nations" constitutes one of the four important avenues
of service in the Rotary movement. Like their industrious counterparts in
the other committees, members of each International Service Committee during
the period 1993-8 strove to carry out 'unique' projects which would bring
not only variety but also attain some element of recognition for the club.
A major project which, if not for anything else, is known for its longevity having lasted more than a decade, and which is still ongoing, is the 'match' or 'sister club' programme conducted by RCPJ with foreign clubs aimed at fostering closer ties and friendship among Rotarians in different parts of the world. Mutual 'sister' club agreements that have existed between PJ Club and others have included the Rotary Clubs of Ichihara, Japan, Bangkok South, Thailand, Makati West, Philippines, Hong Kong Island West, Hong Kong and Bangalore, India. Such a relationship encompasses not only the mutual exchange of information but also involves mutual inter-club and inter-city visits among Rotarians as well as student exchange schemes between the 'sister' clubs.
Undoubtedly, the most popular and most frequented of these 'match clubs' with PJ Rotarians has been the Ichihara Club which is reputed for the hospitality and generosity of its hosts. The last delegation of forty RCPJ members and spouses that visited Ichihara Club up to date was in November 1993. The following year, PJ Club was able to reciprocate hospitality to its Japanese counterparts when a delegation of thirty one Rotarians and Anns toured Malaysia.
Since their visit was timed to coincide with the 3rd Joint District Conference, 1994 held in Ipoh, the Ichihara guests went on sightseeing, golfing and shopping jaunts which extended as far as Penang, not to mention Ipoh and KL. On record, the next scheduled visit of PJ Rotarians to Ichihara will take place in October 1998.
Judging from the relatively large number of PJ Rotarians who comprised the contingent to Bangkok in December 1994, the Rotary Club of Bangkok South also appears to be a popular choice for exchange visits by RCPJ members. Partly due to the cheaper fare to Bangkok because of the proximity of Thailand to Malaysia, PJ Rotarians have also been impressed by the congeniality and warm hospitality of their Thai hosts in the past; hence the reason for their active participation in 'match club' excursions to their northern neighbour's country.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of PJ Club's relations with some of the other 'sister clubs' that have not been sustained for quite a while. In efforts to revitalise inter-club activity and rekindle old bonds of friendship, RCPJ renewed 'match club' agreements with the Rotary Clubs of Hong Kong Island West and Makati West in November 1993. This was soon followed by the official visit of Dr. Fernandez, who was President then, and his First Lady Teresa as well as P.P. Alfred Tsang to Manila to attend the presidential installation of Noel Laman of RC Makati West in July 1995. The latter, together with his First Lady Minda, in a return visit to Malaysia, graced PJ Club's 35th Anniversary Night as the guests of honour at a function held at the KL Golf and Country Club on 5th January 1996. In the case of RC Bangalore, RCPJ decided to send a delegation of seventeen Rotarians and Anns to visit that club in March 1995 in an attempt to renew ties between the two clubs that have lain dormant since 1981.
Even though 'match club' projects do not always proceed smoothly and their outcome depends largely on the committee that runs them for any particular year, yet most Rotarians view such projects positively: as a means to narrow the international gap in an increasingly borderless world. Thus the need to revive dormant 'sister club' relations and the need, when the situation warrants it, to establish new ' match clubs' to foster fraternity kinship and work together for charitable purposes. Within this period of six years from late1992 to 98, PJ Club has stretched its tentacles south; namely, to the continent of Australia by signing two 'match club' agreements with the Rotary Clubs of Sutherland Inc. in New South Wales and Surfers Paradise West Inc. on the Gold Coast, Brisbane. The idea of establishing 'sister club' relations between RCPJ and RC Sutherland Inc. was initiated by an ex-Rotarian of PJ Club, Eddy Mirck, who managed to convince his Rotary mates of Sutherland, led by their President D.N. Stalker and his First Lady Julie, to bring a delegation to Malaysia to formalise relations with RCPJ in April 1996. Subsequently in the same month the following year, President Steven Si, on behalf of the PJ Club, under the intense eyes of two witnesses, P.P. Ong See Seng and the Mayor of the Gold Coast, signed a 'match club' agreement with RC Surfers Paradise West Inc. on its own soil in Australia. The signatory of Surfers Paradise West Inc. was none other than an ex-PJ Rotarian and currently an Australian permanent resident, President James Tan.
Relations of RCPJ with the two Australian clubs have proceeded to a good start as all parties seem very enthusiastic about launching common projects other than coming together to have a jolly time for fellowship. In this respect, RC Sutherland Inc. managed to dispatch a small delegation to Glasgow, Scotland, in November 1997 to join up with its PJ counterparts for the 88th International Convention of Rotary International (RI) to support Dato James Peter Chin's appointment as an RI Director for a two-year term from 1997 to 99. Similarly, PJ Club, in a joint project with RC Surfers Paradise West Inc. under the 'ROMAC' programme which is designed to run for three years initially, helped to sponsor a badly-burnt child from the under-developed region of Papua New Guinea to undergo corrective surgery in Australia in January 1998. An elated Rosman Din was proud to report that besides the full recovery of the child, the Club's involvement in the project has earned it wide publicity in the Australian media.
Yet another feather to add to Rosman Din's presidential cap was his appearance on the rostrum at the Rotary Conference of District 9750 in New South Wales hosted by RC Sutherland Inc. between 20th and 22nd March 1998. Before a crowd of 'White' faces, Rosman gave a half-hour address on the projects and achievements of PJ Club to the Conference delegates. Thereafter, to complete the Australian lap of their trip, Rosman and his PJ contingent visited RC Sutherland Inc. and RC Surfers Paradise West Inc. in a move to cement relations further with the two 'match clubs'.
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