As of 9th May 2008, representatives from ShelterBox were already in Myanmar distributing 620 ShelterBoxes. More ShelterBoxes are required.
Each ShelterBox (as shown below) contains tent, groundsheets, blankets, stove, tools, axe, cooking pots, mosquito nets etc which represent basic survival kit which can be used by the victims of the natural disaster.”

18th District
3310 Assembly & PETS:
Date: 10th to 13th, April 2008
Venue: Pacific Sutera Hotel, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah |
Updated 28 April 2008
Every year, just like any other
Rotary Districts elsewhere, District 3310 holds training seminars
for all the incoming club presidents. This training is referred
to as “PETS’ (Presidents-Elect Training Seminar). They will
also join their incoming club officers for training at the District
Assembly immediately proceeding PETS.
The purpose of these training
sessions are specifically designed to prepare the incoming club
officers for their year in office so as to equip them with the
necessary skills to efficiently and effectively manage their
respective Rotary clubs to implement effective community projects
and as well as promoting public awareness of the vision and
mission of Rotary as a whole.
|
Group
Photo of all Presidents-Elect, District Training Committee,
Facilitators, District Officers, District Governor Chris
Chen, District Governor Elect Edward Sung Burongoh and
the Council of Past District Governors |
Congratulations to the Organizing
Committee and the host club – Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu –
for the great success of this year’s PETS & District Assembly.
There were 435 participants including Rotarians, Rotarians’
family and Friends of Rotary from Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
There
was a Group Study Exchange - “GSE” Team led by District Governor
Nominee Dr Hans Berkel from Ohio, United States.
The
training was well organized and educational, and the fellowship
a heart warming and inspiring experience.
All the facilitators and Past
District Governors shared their Rotary knowledge and experience
with much enthusiasm.
|
Our
Rotarians and family with District Governor Elect Edward
Sung Burongoh (Front standing sixth from the left) |
Together with the team of District
Trainers, our PP Hj Andre Suharto once again demonstrated his
vast organizing skills and leadership qualities as the current
District Trainer.
Our club excelled by winning
three District Awards:
1. Best District Public Relations
Award
2. Best Presentation for District Award submissions.
3. Commendation recognition for Kapit Avoidable Blindness project.
District Governor Chris Chen
presented the District Awards to our club President Leslie Phuan
at the District Assembly Welcome Dinner on 11 April 2008 at
the Sutera Pacific Hotel, Kota Kinabalu.
|
President
Leslie Phuan receiving the awards from District Governor
Chris Chen. |
Our Rotarians have shown the
spirit and fellowship of Rotary with 23 attendees including
Rotarians’ spouses and children.
Past President Rotarian Bobby
Chai and spouse Siew Pheng specially flown in from Ipoh to show
their support. Their dedication to Rotary and our club need
no further explanation. Support from the spouses, which have
always been strong and unwavering, is evident throughout the
whole event.
We have acquainted and enjoyed
fellowships with many Rotarians, especially with our sister
club, the Rotary Club of Queenstown Singapore.
|
Rotarians
(from left): PP Kho Ping, Rtn Wilford Teo, Rtn Andrew
Chong, Rtn Gary Chieng, PP Bobby Chai, PP Ee Guan Teck,President
Leslie Phuan, Rtn Frankie Ong, PE Dr Leonard Ng. |
|
Rotarian
and Spouse (from right): Siew Pheng, Pauline, Geraldine,
Caroline, Norzan, First Lady Siew Fong, Joanne (daughter
of PP Sylvester), Assistant Governor Elect PP Sylvester
Fong, PP Abel Chieng(standing) |

Courtesy visit
to the Mayor of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – Rotarian spouse led by
District Governor Chris Chen.

With Rotarians
from our sister club – Rotary Club of Queenstown Singapore.
“ROTARY BRINGS
VISION TO KAPIT” –
A PROJECT TO PROVIDE FREE EYE SCREENING AND SPECTACLES
TO THE KAPIT COMMUNITY |
Updated 10 December 2007
A team of volunteers comprising
of 7 members of the Rotary Club of Kuching Central and 14 medical
personnel departed Kuching for Kapit to embark on a noble cause
of providing free eye screening and free spectacles to the Kapit
community.
|
The
medical team members at Meligai Hotel, Kapit attending
briefing by organising chairman prior to the start of
the project |
The group departed Kuching for
Sibu via AirAsia on 16 October 2007 and from Sibu they took
an express boat leaving Sibu at 12.30pm on the same day. They
arrived in Kapit at around 3.45pm.
|
Part
of the team arriving in Sibu from Kapit |
|
Part
of the team at Kuching International Airport leaving for
Sibu |
|
The
project team in the Hugsvana Express boat on a 3-hour
journey from Sibu to Kapit |
The project was scheduled from
17-18 October 2008 from 8.30am until 5pm was officiated by YB
Alexander Nanta Linggi at Meligai Hotel, Kapit.
The team was led by the project
organizing chairman Past President Hj Andre Suharto of the Rotary
Club of Kuching Central. The medical personnel comprises of
optometrists, ophthalmologists, general practioner, sisters,
nurses and paramedics from Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak General Hospital,
Sibu, Serian, Sri Aman hospitals as well as Kapit District Hospital.
|
Christopher Ngu giving a helping hand to write the number
on the next queue |
The team operated from the conference
room of Meligai Hotel, Kapit.
The project was jointly organized
between the Rotary Club of Kuching Central and Kapit Life Care
Society where the latter is responsible in providing site preparatory
works and awareness.
|
Dr
Faisal (from Pakistan) performing eyes check on a patient |
|
Dr
Mallika (from India) performing eyes check on a patient |
“This project has been sponsored
by many entities such as the Association of Malaysian Optometrists
which provided the spectacles frames, Euro Lens (M) Sdn Bhd
which provided the lenses for the spectacles, the Sarawak Health
Department for providing most of the medical personnel, the
Rotary Clubs of Bandar Seri Begawan, Singapore, Malacca and
Taipei Golden Eagle for their monetary contributions as well
as YB Alexander Nanti Linggi for sponsoring the hotel rooms
for the project team members at Meligai Hotel”, said PP Hj Andre
Suharto.
|
Optometrist
Amit Buang from Serian Hospital was also in the team |
Andre said, “My project organizing
committee members and I are happy and excited that this project
received tremendous responses from many NGOs, individuals, companies
and as well as other Rotary Clubs to support this project.”
|
Part
of the Kapit community queuing for registration number
on the 1st day |
There were 590 people whose eyes
were screened during the two days of operations. 38 of them
were detected to have matured cataracts; 11 with immatured cataracts,
33 are required for further referrals in either Kapit or Kuching
Hospitals and 288 were discharged.
|
PP
Kho Ping busy distributing water to waiting patients.
He was also the official cameraman for the project |
A total of 219 spectacles were
given out. Our initial budget was to donate 100 pairs of spectacles.
|
Optometrist
Lim Poh Lai from KL adjusting free spectacles on a patient |
|
Optometrists
Mariana Doleb and Lim Poh Lai trying out the free spectacles
during break time |
These spectacles will be delivered
to Kapit District Hospital for collections by the respective
recipients in two batches dated 17 December and 3 January 2008.
|
Rtn
Thomas Ngu was stunned seeing the number of people turning
up for the eyes screening |
We will now raise more money
to look into the possibility of performing free eye cataract
operations for the 38 people who were detected with matured
cataracts.
|
IPP
Chai Ko Jee and Norhanim of Sibu Hospital performing vision
tests |
|
Nurses
from Kapit District Hospital busy doing patients registrations |
All volunteers and sponsors
were given a certificate of recognition handed out by YB Alexander
Nanta Linggi.
|
YB
Alexander Nanta Linggi (2nd right) being briefed by PP
Hj Andre Suharto. Also in the picture Wong How Ching &
President Leslie |
|
Mr
Wong How Ching, Chairman of Kapit Life Care Society, presented
with a certificate of recognition by YB Alexandar Linggi |
|
YB
Alexander Linggi presenting a 'Pua Kumbu' cloth to President
Leslie Phuan of R C Kuching Central as a toke of appreciation |
It was indeed a successful project
and one that has inspired every one in the project team.
|
A
sightseeing trip after the project was completed |
Updated 30 September 2007
On the morning of 9 September
2007, a fund raising jogathon was successfully concluded by
the club members, family, Interactors and Rotaractors at the
Kasuma Resort complex.
It started at around 7.30am with
preparatory works. The weather was perfect too.
|
Photo
1: PP Polycarp Teo Sebom smilingly receiving the trophy
from President Leslie Phuan for being the overall champion |
Overall champion from the club
was none other than our Yoga Guru, PP Polycarp Teo Sebom, who
is fitter than his age. Therefore it was not surprising that
he came out as the overall champion.
|
Photo
2: Rotarians with their respective families turning up
eagerly for the jogathon |
First runner-up was President
Leslie Phuan followed by PP Aw Tai Hui and IPP Chai Ko Jee.
As of the publication of this
news, we have collected nearly RM6,000 of funds. There are still
10 cards which are yet to be returned. We hope to raise RM10,000.
|
Photo 3: Rotarians
and families having breakfast after the jogathon. |
After the prize giving ceremony,
the Rotarians and families proceeded for breakfast.
PRESIDENT LESLIE
PHUAN OFFICIALLY INSTALLED AS
THE PRESIDENT OF THE CLUB FOR THE ROTARY YEAR 2007-08 |
Updated 17 July 2007
President Leslie Phuan and his
board of directors were officially installed on Friday, 29 June
2007 at the Merdeka Palace Hotel & Suites, Kuching, Sarawak,
Malaysia.
The ceremony that
was graced by YB. Dato’ Sri Wong Soon Koh, Second Finance Minister
and Minister of Urban Development and Tourism.
The past one year has been another
successful year for the club. Outgoing President Chai Ko Jee
and his able board of directors completed several noble and
worthy service projects. Some of the notable ones are:
1. Donation of medical and other supplies to
Tsunami victims in the Aceh Province, North Sumatera, Indonesia.
2. Grants & Vocational Awards to recognize individuals
who achieve vocational excellence in their respective vocation.
3. Promote Youth Leadership training by sponsoring
students to attend Rotary Youth Leadership Award event.
4. Participate in the Rotary Youth Exchange
program by sponsoring Malaysian students to other countries
to promote international goodwill and friendships.
5. Organise career counseling and development
projects for young people in our community.
6. To assist in the rehabilitating of “Cerebral
Palsy” sufferers in and around Mambong and Siburan areas by
supplying appropriate equipment and monthly nutritious food
supply.
|
Born
42 years ago in Kuching, Leslie is the second youngest
child of 5 brothers and 3 sisters. Leslie has been involved
in the running of his family’s business since he completed
his tertiary education.
He is married to
Lo Siew Fung and is blessed with 3 children. He is currently
a director of Paragon Concrete Piles Sdn Bhd, Direct Concrete
Industries Sdn Bhd and G n W Concrete (Sarawak) Sdn Bhd.
|
His membership in Rotary started in 2002 and
has since been an active member of the club. He was the Club
Service director for the previous Rotary year.
Incoming President Leslie Phuan and his new
board of directors will work along the set of new emphases under
the Rotary Theme for 2007-08, ‘Rotary Shares’. There are already
2 major projects identified for implementation namely:
1. Avoidable Blindness project in Kapit, Sarawak,
Malaysia comprising of the following scope of works:
- Eye screening
- Donation of used spectacles
- Cataract operations
2. Buildings and facilities improvements for
3 orphanage schools in Aceh, North Sumatera, Indonesia.
These are major projects which require volunteers,
funds and collaborations with private sectors.
Those who are keen to participate
in any of the above mentioned project may send an email to andre_suharto@yahoo.com