A Time for Change and Healing

America today voted in a black President, a most unlikely candidate, but Barack Obama with much tact and perseverance managed to convince the electorate of a need for major change. Americans have spoken. What a change it was. Obama scored a bigger electoral victory than Bush did in either 2000 or 2004. He polled 349 against McCain’s 174, a margin of 2:1.

America has shown the world leadership in race relation. They have put aside their racial differences and voted as a united people disregarding petty differences for a greater good.

With three small words, he captured the hopes of not just America, but of the world. 'Change has come,' said Barack Obama. In his acceptance speech, President Barack Obama spoke of the dreams of the people and the values they all share. This phrase is meaningful: “…we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress. As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, 'We are not enemies, but friends though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection.'

All across the world, people of various nationalities and colour celebrated his victory. Kenya declared Thursday a public holiday. Obama’s father was from Kenya. In Singapore, a post in the Straits Times wrote, 'This is our moment. This is our time...that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond...Yes, we can.'

Yes we can, the campaign theme of Obama resonates even now to the rest of the world, telling us that we must unite and promote peace if we are to build a future for our next generation.

Spreading Peace and International Understanding Through ART

The Lions Club of Subang Jaya organised the annual World Peace Posters Art Contest on the 12th October in conjunction with the Health and Sightfirst Project which saw many students aged 7 to 13 participating.

These are our children who envisioned through their innocent minds their idea of world peace. And their visions were translated into drawings and colour for everyone to see and appreciate. And what a colourful display they gave on that day. The paintings depicted people of various races and nationalities from around the world living in harmony with doves flying symbolising peace and harmony. Colourful display of flags and national buildings add to the multinational approach in promoting international understanding.
This year’s contest was won by Vivian Teoh for the age 11 to 13 category and by Tey Li Sin for the Junior category of 10 and below.

The theme of the 2008-09 Peace Poster Contest is "Peace Begins With Me."

Each poster is judged on originality, artistic merit and expression of the theme. The international grand prize winner will receive a trip to a special award ceremony with the sponsoring club president and two family members at Lions Day with the United Nations in New York City, New York, USA.


Last year Ming Yang Soong a 13 years old from Ipoh, Malaysia did the country proud by winning the international grand prize. Judging by the good response and performance from our children, the country would very likely be represented once again this year among the winners.

Happiness in sharing

I had the privilege of presenting a kidney dialysis machine on behalf of my company to a non-profit dialysis centre that provides discounted service to members of the public last Friday. Together with a reprocessor (a steriliser-like equipment), the two costing USD20K were donated to Pusat Dialysis Touch in Sunway Damansara. (http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/Streets/Saturday/Stories/2395037/Article/) With this addition, their capacity increases to 66 patients. At the time of presentation, the centre serves about 3o patients.

Each patient requires 4 hours three times a week and each treatment costs not more than RM110 (USD30). The centre also helps patients to apply for government subsidy of about RM50 per treatment thus reducing their cost to RM60. I spoke to some of the patients undergoing dialysis during the tour around the facility and many were in good spirit. They attributed their end stage kidney failure to many reasons including TB and stress. Hepatitis patients were isolated with use of their own machine to prevent infection.

The centre is clean and well laid out. Volunteers managed the centre while salaried nurses (two shifts per day) serve the patients. The promoters of the centre are individuals commited to serving the community. There is an increasing need for such facilities as number of kidney patients continue to rise. I encouraged them to continue this good cause and wished them success.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2008/11/12/central/2494045&sec=central

A Tribute to Mr Chua

The poem below is an apt illustration of one student’s special regard and respect for Mr Chua Cheng Chye, the primary school headmaster of ACS Malacca during the mid 60s till the writer completed his secondary school education in 1976.

Teachers Paint our minds
and guide our thoughts
Share in our achievements
and advise our faults

Inspire a Love
of knowledge and truth
As they light the path
Which leads our youth

For our future brightens
with each lesson they teach
Each smile they lengthen
Each goal they help reach

For the dawn of each poet
each philosopher and king
Begins with a Teacher
And the wisdom they bring

- Poem by Kevin William Huff

Such were the unselfish dedication and contributions of teachers who helped made student life in school fun and inculcated a learning mindset to excel in every aspects of life. They helped to mold characters and develop minds towards becoming better citizens of tomorrow. Mr Chua exemplifies one such teacher who has through the years helped molded many students to becoming professionals and leaders of today. The years passed quickly and his students have now arrived and many speak volumes of his great influence on their lives and how his kind words and support have impacted positively in shaping their future.

Mr Chua is remembered for his regard in the welfare of his students, especially the under-privileged as this writer experienced on a personal level. During one school day I lost my pocket money and was searching for the lost coins, tears streaking down my face, along the road fronting Mr Chua’s office not knowing that he was watching from a short distance,. To my surprise, Mr Chua approached me to enquire about the problem and without hesitation he placed his hand into his pocket and out came some coins that made up the loss. What a joy and relief!

Over the years the friendship between Mr Chua and the writer grew with more friends added into a special circle; Mr Chua as the mentor and advisor. The blossoming of this friendship led to the informal Magna 7 (M7); a group of boys influenced by characters from story books coming together to establish a bond of friendship. We regularly met (almost weekly) at Mr Chua’s residence in Kampung Pantei to listen to his words of wisdom, enjoy his good food (which was really a treat to us students who experienced for the first time special recipes; from nyonya laksa to western food), and the rides in his car – a black Austin around town and sometimes to the outskirts. These were good times and the fond memories of the yesteryears flashed back as one reminisced the past and the times spent together.

Mr Chua, we salute you! You have made us into who we are and words fail us in expressing our deep appreciation for your kindness and mentorship. We cherished the moments shared together and will continue to treasure the memories. For many of us who came from poor background, your words of wisdom, the books, the magazines, the newspapers, not forgetting the times when you examined us as the Scout Movement’s District Commissioner for our proficiency badges, your commitment to the Boys Brigade; these were the first tastes of what education can bring for us and what a good Christian represents. And you motivated and prepared us to face the future with confidence.

The original M7 extended to include many other friends. These students have over time gone separate ways, some residing in far away countries, others returning and a few in the capital city of KL. The rest that stayed in Malacca were your regular companions. Those that are further away made a point to visit you on occasions when we returned home. Your students have now become Educators, Engineers, Accountants, Entrepreneurs, Surveyors and emulating your good examples. We are approaching retirement age ourselves and like you we hope to touch the lives of those we come into contact with, but it would be a tough act to follow.

Mr Chua we know that old age and poor vision may make it difficult for you to read what is written but we believe that deep inside, you are aware of our appreciation towards your friendship and the positive influence you have made in our lives. We pray that you will have many more years of good health and may God’s special blessings continue to fall upon you.

In honour of his memory, an adapted version of this article was printed in The Star Section 2 (page T10) on the 11th Nov 2008.

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/11/11/lifefocus/2444873&sec=lifefocus


[Mr Chua left us for a better place on the 7th Nov 2008. May he find eternal peace in God's bosom]