Vol 21 Number 07 Rotary District Conference

78th District Conference Date: 7 - 9 December 2012 Venue: Sunway Resort Hotel Host club: RC Shah Alam
The purpose of the district conference is to provide opportunities for networking, inspirational addresses, and discussions of Rotary-related matters. The event should recognize the service programs, projects, and public relations achievements in the district in order to inspire Rotarians to become more involved in service. The conference should also give Rotarians and clubs a vision of Rotary beyond the club level and provide a memorable fellowship experience. Many Rotarians have said that they were never truly enthusiastic about Rotary until they saw an inspirational presentation at a district conference. In Rotary, one's social status does not matter as long as the spirit of Rotary is one's guiding principle.

SELAMAT PAGI

18 August 2012

UNDI MSIA!
Building DIY Action Communities
Sometimes it's a struggle to get your mind working on a Saturday morning but this week we witnessed a passion rarely seen at any time of day. Our guest was Edmund Bob Tai Soon who kindly came along to show that idealism and a sense of justice is allive and well in the younger generation. He is a member of UnsiMsia a movement created to engage young Malaysians in understanding and engaging more as a Citizen in the Democratic process that is Malaysian politics. It is often quite refreshing to be woken out of your own aged cynical views of the world on occassion and Edmund didn't hold back from covering a wide range of topics. However at it's core, UndiMsia is there to assist young Malaysians to ask the right

Edmund - a man with a mission

questions to make informed choices when they vote as well as keep their eyes "on the ball" prior to and after the vote. Such is the scope of the movement that in its first year the main issues they intend to focus on are: - socio-economic rights in respect of food and housing - civil and political rights in respect of freedom of expression - understanding the Budget in respect of education Although the climate is pretty much the same all year round in Malaysia one did get a sense that "spring was in the air"

Congratulations to Siew Hwa whose duaghter was taking part in the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympics

President Ghaurry presenting Edmund with his gift

ATTENDANCE
Guests:

Member's Contribution
Holiday in Kabul Anyone?
At 4am, the kidnappers burst in. Shouting so loudly we could barely make out their words, they rounded us up at gunpoint and forced hoods over our heads. Dizzy with exhaustion, gunshot ringing in our ears and completely disorientated, we were held hostage for over three hours. Four of us werephysically sick with fear. And the most terrifying Kabul Hills, taken from part of the ordeal? This was only a The Gardens of Babur training exercise. What we faced in in Kabul could be much worse and we were only working for the FCO. The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Kabul insists on putting its staff and contractors through Hostile Environment Training before they arrive so that they are under no illusions as to the dangers they might face in a state ravaged by war and political conflict. Insurgents have continued to launch attacks not only against the Afghan government who are struggling to rebuild the city, but US-led NATO forces, foreign diplomats and Afghan civilians. Trying to create a functional democracy is a near-impossible venture the seven main tribal factions (of which the largest, the Pashtuns, makes up 40%) prevent any real political stability. In the three years since my visit the situation has improved, but progress is still slow because of a fundamental lack of understanding of history and culture on both sides. Our United Nations Humanitarian Air Services plane flew low across the Hindu Kush mountains at night. We disembarked almost as soon as the wheels hit the tarmac just six hours earlier, a suicide bomb had taken apart a US jeep convoy just outside the airport. The threat level for anti-aircraft missiles had escalated. We realized immediately why Hostile Environment training had been compulsory. That night however there was no kidnapping, and we slept as soundly as one can in a converted shipping container surrounded by anti bomb-blast sandbags. Despite the difficulties the city faces, it remains the 5th fastest growing city in the world with a population of over 4 million. The Afghan staff at the FCO are true heroes, risking their lives just by coming to work each day the insurgents consider them traitors as they work for foreigners and the enemy government. The future is still uncertain, but only those who see a better one and are willing to take risks to realize it will achieve the type of democracy Afghanistan is looking for. Although a beautiful territory, I would recommend you wait a few years before a holiday there unless your ideal vacation involves bulletproof vests and bodyguards! Contributed by:

Gerrie , Guest of Steve Krishnan, Guest of Cecelia Attendance: 61% Fines: -

Announcements
Steven, Club Admin Director: - 25 August tree planting project: members and mentees to sign up with Willa - 27 August new mentors will be given initial orientation and training - 16 September Broga Hills trip is scheduled for a 4am start Alvin International Service Director: Our sister club, RC Bugis Junction is partnering RC Ujong Pandang, Makassar, in an international project for cleft lip/palate and cataract patients that may include 20 clubs. (See article elsewhere) President Ghaurry: Announced that there will be a Group 7 Inter-city Meeting on the 20 September 7.30pm. The meeting will be held at Bukit Kiara Club and is hosted by Rotery Club of Kelana Jaya. The Topic for the meeting is "Digitial Fundraising". This meeting replaces the usual Saturday meeting scheduled for 22 September.

Kingsley

The markets such as Bird Street were packed but you could feel the tense atmosphere of anticipation wherever you went.

www.trailblazerfoundation.org

Kingsley overlooking Kabul from Swimming Pool Hill with an armed guard

Today's Speaker
Dr. Yap Tuan Ngan Topic: Nutrition - Myths and Beliefs
Dr. Yap has a MSc in Genetics from University Malaya and a PhD in Cornell University in New York state on a Fulbright-Hays scholarship. His research in nutrition was The safety and nutritive value of single cell algae (Spirulina). Working at Sime Darby for 23 years, first as biotechnologist, and then moving to business development, latex products and marine aquaculture. Hobbies include tennis, photography and orchid hybridisation and cultivation. He has one phalaeonopsis named after his mother. Now into breeding Discus fish for competition. In a recent show in KL his fish won the open class champion. He is currently working on food related projects: freshwater fish, aquarium fish etc

NEXT CHANGE
25 August (Sat) 7.30am No Meeting - Tree planting project 1 September (Sat) 7.30am Speaker: Interactors from SMK Sri Hartamas 8 September (Sat) 7.30am Speaker: Anthony Pinto Topic: Actualizing Human Potential with Neuro-Semantic NLP

CALENDAR of EVENTS
Tree Planting @ Raja Muda Forest Reserve Date: 25 August 2012 New REF Mentors Training & Orientation Session Date: 27 August 2012 @ 6.30pm Venue: Creative Horizons, TTDI Trekking @ Broga Hills Date: 16 September 2012 Inter-City Meeting Date: 20 September 2012 Relay for Life 2012 Date: 13 October @ 6pm until 14 October @10am Venue: Bangi Stadium Vocational Visit to Infoquest - Flight Simulator Date: 13 October 2012 Cost: Adults (RM30). Kids (Free)

Rotary Information Foundation Grants (Future Vision)

What is future Vision?The Future Vision Plan is The Rotary Foundations new model to support district and club humanitarian and educational projects. Why was it adopted? The Foundation identified a growing need to streamline i't's operations for improved efficiency. In 2007, the Foundation spent 20 percent of its program budget on long-term activities with high impact, and 80 percent on short-term activities with minimal impact. The new grant model will reverse that: 80 percent of the program budget will support high-impact, sustainable projects. When does it start? In July 2010, 100 Rotary districts began to test the plan as part of a three-year pilot. All districts will adopt the new model in July 2013. What are the areas of focus and how were they selected? The six areas of focus are: Peace and conflict prevention/resolution Disease prevention and treatment Water and sanitation Maternal and child health Basic education and literacy Economic and community development

Duty Roster
18 August (Club Admin) Sargeant-at-arms Desk Duty Introducer Thank Speaker Fines Karen Steven Sunny Siew Hwa Cecelia

How does it work?The Rotary Foundations new grant model supports district and club humanitarian and educational projects through three types of grants: district grants, global grants, and packaged grants. Where can I find learning resources? Go to learn.rotary.org for tutorials and other resources to help you understand the new grant model.

1 September (Vocational) Sargeant-at-arms Desk Duty Introducer Thank Speaker Fines Poay Lim Willa Steve

Visit our website @ www. rcbks.org.my

Board of Directors 2012/13

President Ghaurry 017-3854905 President Elect James Cheong 012-2214543 Immediate Past President Steve Robinson Vice President Cecelia Matuya Honorary Secretary Mike Carr 012-2822999 Honorary Treasurer Angie Ng Club Administration Steven Lim Service Projects PP Karen Chong The Rotary Foundation PP Frances Po Public Relations Tan Siew Hwa Membership PP Aravind Viswanathan REF Chairman PP Graham Bennett Sargeant-at-arms PP Tan Poay Lim
Vocational Service Chair - Poay Lim Community Service Chair -Dr Sanjay International Service Chair - Alvin New Generation Chair - Susan

International Service Project - Makassar Hope II

A joint project between RC Bugis Junction, Singapore and RC Ujung Pandang at Makassar, D3400, Indonesia, with the support of ten Rotary clubs in Districts 3310, 3300 and 3500 will be conducted in March 2013. The incidence of cleft lip/cleft palate is above average norms so the proposed project is to provide some 200 cleft lip and cleft palate operations for very needy children at Makassar, South Sulawesi, with some 40 cataract operations for needy adults. RC Bugis Junction is launching the project with the participation from Rotary Clubs in District 3310 and Sister Clubs via the contribution of PHFs. The total number of PHFs needed is 25, and we are looking for partners for Makassar Hope II project and support of PHF contributions and donations. Please approach the Chairman and co-Chairman of the project Director Eric Benghozi (email eric.benghozi@me.com, mobile:65-90034201) and Director Dominic Tan (email dominictanwahping@yahoo.com , mobile 65-90048828) respectively for clarification and assistance. Most kids experience teasing at some point and it can be very difficult for them to handle. Kids with a cleft lip/cleft palate or other physical differences can be easy targets of teasing and bullying, because the differences are so visible. Rotary Club Ujung Pandang (RCUP) prepared the operational budgets for cleft lip and cataract procedures, arranged for local doctors to offer their services through the Indonesian Doctors Institute, had the generous cooperation of Haji Hospital to donate their staff and facilities for the operations, also an Eye Clinic to perform the cataract procedures for needy adults. To round off the successful project RCUPG will prepare the final report necessary to satisfy the Matching Grant of US$25,000. RCBJ and RCUPG have the capability and experience to execute Makassar Hope II successfully.

District 3300
District Governor Mansoor Saat 019-323 7630 mansoor.saat@gmail.com Assistant Governor Michael Foong 012-201 2288 foong.michael@gmail.com Rotary Clubs in Group 7 Bernam Valley Bukit Kiara Sunrise Pantai Valley Petaling Jaya Tropicana Damansara

Sister Clubs
RC Bugis Junction [D 3310] Saturday, 08:00 am Tanglin Club 5 Stevens Road, Singapore RC ChiangmaiThinthaingam[D 3360] Thursday, 12.00 noon International Center Chiangmai University, Thailand RC Chungli Chung Shing [D 3500] Thursday, 12.00 noon No 4, Ln 10, Gwo-Ti Street Chungli, Taiwan

Bulletin Committee
Sunny (Editor) Poay Lim/ Mike (Prod) Siew Hwa (Speakers Programme)