10th KL Air Scouts Group

Once again, we were playing host to our counterparts from Singapore. As part of the Tampines District Overseas Exchange Program 2009, several groups including ours have been selected by the national HQ to take part. We were to exchange scouting ideas and thoughts to further improve each and every aspect of it.

We had sessions with 2 troops from Singapore. We taught them a favorite game of ours which is 1-on-1 tug-of-war. We even had a friendly match with them. Milo and banana cakes were served to fulfill everyone’s hunger temporarily. In between all of these, Gary Lee, talked to them about the Scout Den and gave them a comprehensive idea of how scouting is conducted in our group. Laughs and ideas were exchanged as they had their stories to relate as well.

Before we said our goodbyes and parted ways, we managed to exchange some badges which turned out to be a relative success as many faces were seen smiling after it.

Group photo taken from a look out tower in Taman Pertanian Malaysia

Visit Our Gallery here.

.

This work camp which last for 3 days and 2 nights was situated at a resort-like venue with a swimming pool and small wooden huts equipped with beds. It was considered as a luxurious camp as we are not really camping. The reason is, the main objective of this camp is to prepare our year 2009 closed campfire.

11th of December 2009

Before we enter the park, which is a Malaysia Agricultural Park (Taman Pertanian Malaysia), we confronted several ‘challenges’. ‘What? Heng Yuen told us the entrance fee is RM2 per person!’ We dealt with the clerk, telling her that we had requested the special price of RM2 per person from the office. She called to the office and the answer was disappointing. “Tak da, office cakap RM4.” We decided to pay it as we don’t want to get into this kind of challenges. Since we pay RM4, we waited for the bus service which bring us to our campsite because we paid for this service! Unusual from other camps, this time we don’t have to set up tents because we rented 8 huts for accommodation. While the boy scouts are preparing lunch, the rovers can’t get over with the temptation from the swimming pool and eventually jumped into the blue water. After lunch, no no.. Not swimming again yet. Boy scouts learned the Zulu dance from Chon Ming and the seniors practiced Hakka dance. The rovers, some sitting aside observing while some assisting in the performances. After observing the Hakka dance from the seniors, the rovers jumped in with a more spirited ones and of course, its better than the seniors’ Hakka dance with only 3 dancers. When we finished preparing the performances, some of us dipped into the swimming pool again while some prepare dinner. Opps, we missed up an important point: there are KRS girls around our campsite!! In fact, there are boys too, but of everything which came into the mind of our scouts, there are only girls. Kar Wai, as usual hooked up with the girls and invited them to join in our campfire at night. After dinner, and after cleaning up, we began our campfire. With just a few hours of learning and practice, the boy scouts performed their Zulu dance in front of the KRS. Seniors and rovers performed a sketch and Hakka dance respectively. The KRS are also invited to do a performance, they performed a chinese song. When the campfire ended, Zhi Hao drove Lung Chuin, Kar Wai and 2 other KRS up the hill to survey the route that the KRS are going to hike at midnight. We had an idea to hike with them but after the survey, we gave up because the road is too steep. Everything went well on the first day.

12th of December 2009

With a simple breakfast of bread with kaya or tuna, we started the activities on the second day. The boys were kind of exciting when they heard of cycling. Few rovers went to the shop and rented a few bicycles. Rovers are suppose to prepare the lunch so most of them did not get to cycle around. Therefore, rovers prepare lunch while the seniors and boy scouts enjoyed cycling around. After lunch and clean up, all of us change into full uniform and went for a hike to the look out tower, where the photo above was taken. Ying Joe who supposed to lead the way back to the campsite, brought the whole gang walking rounds with him and returned to the same place. With some effort, at last he managed to figure out the right way and brought us back to the campsite. Back in the campsite, the pool is booked so we waited beside the pool. The seniors claimed that they are capable to prepare the dinner on time with only 3 person. Scout law number one, no choice but our stomach’s fate is on their hand. Rovers and boy scouts played Captain Ball in the pool and all of them enjoyed themselves. When the time arrived, we were informed to get ourselves prepared for dinner, cooked by only 3 seniors and yet it looked delicious. After the meal, we are invited by the KRS to join in their cultural night, something similar to a campfire. They did it so formally with all the speeches and so on and the rovers are requested by Heng Yuen to perform the Red Indian song. With just around 15 minutes of practice, the rovers managed to do it although it doesn’t looks perfect. We carry on with our night game after the KRS’ cultural night. We played a game so called Fox Game. This game is played in dark so that we can’t really recognize who is our enemy and team mates. Things were not so well when Benedict fell and injured his leg with a deep hole. Immediately, the game was stopped and he was sent to the hospital to seek treatment. Everybody was tired after the day and slept soundly.

11th of December 2009

Nasi lemak is always served in one of the meal in every camp we go. Not sure what had went wrong but what I’m sure is that we ate ‘nasi lemak without lemak’ (without santan). There were so much left over and they were packed and brought back to school to be distributed. After all the clean ups, we left the campsite silent again and we headed back to MBS to break camp.

Thanks to those who attended this work camp. The next work camp will be on 18th and 19th of December.

Event photos, CLICK HERE

Kwai Choong and Piang Fah

Phang Piang Fah

Continued with scouting in MBSKL after the second world and rekindled the scouting spirit in MBSKL. During his tenure as Group Scoutmaster, 10th KL was merged with 15th KL to form the enlarged 10th Kuala Lumpur Air Scout Group.

His nurture of the boys produced the successors of many scout leaders in 10th Group.

MBSKL “lost” Piang Fah to the Jalan Kuantan School on his promotion as headmaster to that school. His love was still for 10th Group where he returned often and delivered many a yarns to the younger generations.

Piang Fah did us proud when he was appointed the Camp Chief of Selangor.

Piang Fah went home on 2006.

Liu Kwai Choong

Succeeded Piang Fah as Group Scout Master in 1962 whilst a teacher in the MBS primary school and continued on when transferred to the secondary school. Many years of MBS scouts benefitted from his training, camps and journeys he initiated.

Kwai Choong is best remembered for giving birth to the idea of 10th Group’s den. He is credited with raising the clarion call to his peers and charges for a permanent home for 10th Group.

With his leadership, permission was granted by the school authorities for the site. The fund raising led by Kwai Choong raised more than RM150,000 to build the den.

10th Group is proud to name the den after our GSM who has spent more than 50 years with the group.

Organising Committee:

• Captain (R) Ho Fooi
• Fong Yuen Hoe
• Ho Chee Wah
• Wan Heng Yuen
• Dr. Wong Tuck Meng
• Low Kong Ming
• Tam Chee Keong
• Dr. Anthony Foong
• Chan Mei Fui
• Choo Chon Ming
• Gary Lee
• Yap Hoy Hoong
• Charlie Ng
• Wong Hsien Loong
• Richard Kong
• Hooi Weng Cheong

Logbook

The event started off with flag break like what we do during our regular scout meetings. Captain (R) Ho Fooi, the organizing chairman of this event welcomed the guests and the investiture of honorary scouts is started.

The purpose of this investiture is to welcome the honorary scouts into the brotherhood of scouting. They have been obeying the scout laws,  joining the scouts for activities like camps and hikes. For a myriad of reasons, they did not get a chance to be a scout. The idea of this investiture is originated from Mr. Liu Kwai Choong, the key person of this event.

The Group Scoutmaster Wan Heng Yuen conducted the investiture by reciting the scout promise which is followed by the honorary scouts. The 10th KL scarves are then put on the honorary scouts and the Tenderfoot Badge (Lencana Keahlian) pinned on their shirt.

Dedication speeches are given by Captain (R) Ho Fooi, Mr. Chu Tham Sang, Mr. Charlie Choong and Dr. Wong Tuck Meng. All of them talked about the leadership, commitment and contributions of Mr. Liu Kwai Choong to the group.  Mr. Liu Kwai Choong is the one who came out with the idea to build the Scout Den, now known as Kwai Choong Den with the main activity hall, Piang Fah Hall, named after late Mr. Phang Piang Fah.

Days before this event, Mr. Liu Kwai Choong was interviewed by the New Straits Times to profile him in the newspaper. It was published on the 6th of December. The story of Mr. Liu Kwai Choong is available  here. This online pages do not carry all the photographs. The original pages in the newspaper are here: page 1 page 2.

Several old scouts gave testimonials  on Mr. Phang and Mr. Liu.

After that, this event is continued by acceptance speeches by Mr. Liu and Ms. Phang, followed by unveiling the plaques symbolizing the dedication ceremony of the Scout Den and the main activity hall as completed. Last but not least, dinner was served to the guests to warm their stomachs.

The organizing committee would like to acknowledge to all who helped out in this event full heartedly and of course thanks to the guests who attended.

Photos of this event are available in the gallery here.

It’s that time of the year again when we celebrate upon the beauty of the Moon. As part of our Rover Crew’s annual programs, we organized the Mooncake Festival at the MBSOBA.

First, some background summary of pre-event preparations. The organizing committee encountered some major issues, especially with the booking of caterer for the event. Friday was an awfully busy day with all the final preparations and checking of equipments being done. Everyone involved stayed up late to wrap the presents.

After a brief rest and shuteye, again we began to work at breakneck speed, moving equipments from the Scout Den to MBSOBA, finalizing the registration list and so on. Tables and chairs, shelter, PA system and projector, everything including lighting and decorations were set up till we only had lunch at 3 pm.

By 6 p.m. we finished the setup and opened the registration booth.  Arriving guests were seated down and our emcees for the event, Au Yong Min Hao and Tai Weinan started the event off with a welcoming speech. Soon, food was ready and everyone began feasting.

Various food were served along with the roasted pork and lamb. Mooncakes were also being cut and passed around the guests. A slide show specifically about Bukit Takun that was done by Kar Wai by compiling all the old photos and new ones was shown. All the old scouts were in camaraderie as they sat discussing and reminiscing the past. They gleefully pointed out who is who in the slide show. We were not left out as the slide show included photos of our undertaking of the Bukit Takun Hike.

An energetic and “high” song session was led by Kwai Choong, who even though drunk, was still full of vigour and energy. Classics and oldies with some retro songs from the likes of ABBA and many others were sung with gusto by the old scouts and guests present.

Later on, a lantern riddles session was conducted. 10 riddles, 5 in Chinese and 5 in English were written and pasted to lanterns hanging around the compound. Everyone had a  good laugh at the wild guesses and ridiculous attempts. A highlight will be a riddle about balloons. It was suggestive and many people laughed out loud when Mr Fong Yuen Kit, “Ah Kit” shouted “Condom!“.

The song singing session was continued and soon after, it was time to bid adieu as the night grew older and the Moon dimmer. Guests were leaving, saying their goodbyes to each other as they were leaving. We stayed back to clean up and keep the equipments. What a long night, yet it was enjoyable.

Special Moments:

Tai Weinan and Au Yong Min Hao are now in England, studying .

Tai Weinan’s other half, Debra Yap, was serenaded by Kwai Choong on behalf of Weinan. Weinan did not complete his rendition of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story”.

Visit our gallery for photos on this event.

The Rovers went to play paintball at Xtion Paintball Park, Bukit Jalil on July 19. A total of 11 rovers turned up for this activity. Visit the post on this event in the rover crew blog for more on this =)

Group pic before game starts

Pictures can be found in our gallery here.