A test of Scouting skills

By DERRICK VINESH

Some 500 Boy and Girl Scouts took part in a skills challenge and a Scout exhibition held at The Summit shopping complex in Bukit Mertajam recently in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the World Scout Movement.

The Scouts, from seven schools in Seberang Prai, pitted their skills in various competitions such as knotting and morse code, and put up exhibition booths during the three-day programme.

The event, which was jointly organised by the Illustrious Rover Crew and The Scouts Association of Malaysia (Bukit Mertajam district), was opened by Padang Lalang assemblyman Tan Teik Cheng.

The Summit’s promotion area was filled with Scout essentials ranging from badges, scarves and uniforms to a mock campfire site.

The exhibition booths displayed Scout paraphernalia and highlighted several common scouting activities.

There were also articles on the movement’s founder, Lord Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell.

Scout uniforms from other countries including Indonesia, Japan, Thailand and South Korea were also on display.

The participating schools - Jit Sin Independent School, SMK Berapit, SMK Jalan Damai, SMJK(C) Jit Sin, SMJK(C) Chung Ling Butterworth, SMK Bukit Mertajam and SMK Simpang Ampat - also displayed their trophies and plaques won in previous competitions.

Penang Scout commissioner Zulkafli Kamaruddin commended the organisers for a highly informative programme, noting that it was an ideal event for the youths to so-cialise and share their experiences.

SMK Berapit emerged champion in the knotting and morse code competition. Jit Sin Independent School won the pioneering project competition while SMJK(C) Jit Sin won the best booth exhibition contest.

Ng Wei Chien from SMJK(C) Chung Ling Butterworth won the bamboo sawing competition while Ong Soon Ta from SMK Simpang Ampat was the champion in the bushman’s thong contest.

Girl Scout Ooi Pei Ran, 17, from Jit Sin Independent School, said it was a great opportunity to participate in the skills challenge.

“They required lots of co-operation and teamwork among participants,” she said.

Celebrating a centenary of scouting

SCOUTS representing various generations gathered in Penang to celebrate 100 years of scouting, 50 years of Merdeka and 75 years of scouting with the St Xavier’s Institution.

The World Scout Centenary Dinner at Bayview Hotel was organised by the Xaverian B.P. Guild.

Among those present was national Chief Scout Commissioner Colonel Prof Datuk Dr Kamaruddin Kachar who had just returned from celebrating World Scout Day in Chelmsford, England.

Scouting started in Malaysia when the Young Men’s Christian Association formed the first Scout troop in Penang in 1909. The movement started in England in 1907.

”In Malaysia, our main aim now is to increase our membership of scouts to one million by 2010,” Kamaruddin said.

The Malaysian Scout Association currently has about 250,000 members.

Eric Khoo, the chairman of the Asia-Pacific Region Scout Council that has members from 23 countries, reminded scouts present that they were part of a revolutionary movement.

“We belong to a organisation which has 28 million members who help billions worldwide,” he said.

Also present was Finance Ministry parliamentary secretary Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya who represented Second Finance Minister Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcob.

Source : TheStar.com.my