Visit to National Leprosy Control Centre

Date: 4th August 2013
Time: 9am - 12.30pm
Venue: National Leprosy Control Centre (NLCC) , Sungai Buloh

     We have heard enough discrimination and marginalization. There are discrimination based on sex, gender, racial, and various social groupings and classes. The minorities are being squeezed to corner. Some of us may even feel that they are somehow being discriminated at time. However, how many of us witness or experience the actual serious consequences of these social phenomena? Perhaps the visitation to the National Leprosy Control Centre [NLCC] would enable us to learn that ignorance could make us humankind being extremely unkind to our fellow human, even within a similar social group.

      Talking to a few inmates and Ms. Joyce Wong, the author of the book “The Valley of Hope – National Leprosy Control Centre, Sg. Buloh”, we decided to organize small group visit to the forbidden ‘Leprosy settlement’, NLCC.

    On the August 4^th,  Sunday morning, 36 of us, Lions, Leos, our family members and friends were punctually gathered at a hall in the NLCC, welcome by dedicated Sister Kamariah. Sister Kamariah has been servicing in NLCC since 1980. She could have opted to serve in other hospital; she was touched and moved by the inmates’ stories and their sincerity. Sacrificed her precious family time in the holy month of Ramadan, Sister Kamariah volunteered to be one of the speaker. Her presentation to introduce NLCC could reflect her passion and dedication. She sought our support to convert a little empty land next to the hall to a resting garden for the inmates. We are positive to her request.

    The centre was established in 1929, named The Federal Leper Settlement at Sungai Buloh or Sg. Buloh Settlement. In 1965 it was renamed as Sungai Buloh Leprosarium, and changed to its current name in 1969.

    The settlement was like a self-contained township, it had its own council [Patient Council in 1946, then renamed to Sg Buloh Settlement Council.] that membered by the inmates to assist in administering the settlement. The inmates were trained to be nursing and enforcement personnel; as few were willing to work in the settlement. It had its own valid currency for goods and services transaction. There were places of worship for different faiths, provision shops, school, and land for food cultivation.

    The inmates were allowed to get married. Many of their children were arranged to be adopted due to the limitation of resources to cope with the child care activities. It was another sad story.

    Joyce Wong was sharing on her very own experience in the settlement. Being a daughter of inmates in the settlement or NLCC, she was advised and reminded by parents since her childhood not to reveal her background as a child of the ex-leprosy patients. She kept the secret until 2002 when she decided to write a book jointly with her friend, Peng Qiu Xia.

    It was abnormally quiet in the hall; all were paying their full attention as Joyce Wong sharing her story. As nobody aware of her background, she had got the ‘privilege’ to be advised by the ‘normal healthy’ adults, “Do not get near to the Leprosy Settlement, and do not mix with the children from the settlement …”

    The Malaysia government has done great job to make NLCC one of the best administered Leprosy settlement in the world. From providing a peaceful settlement that enabled the inmates to live with pride, to administer the illness with effective drugs, Dapsone in 1948, Multi-Drug-Therapy [MDT] in 1988.

    There are inmates staying in the settlement for the pass 60 to 80 years. They are all recovered from Leprosy. But they would never recovered from the injuries that caused by discrimination and marginalisation. A 91-year old inmate who was being sent to the settlement at the age of 9, she was allowed to leave the settlement at 18. However the supposing good time with her father was rather disappointing and hurt. She was ostracized by the community where she and her father were in; she could not even use the toilet! She had to go far deep in the forest, dig a hole for that. It was a long 6 months, she then opted back to the settlement, NLCC.

    After an active interaction with the two speakers, with the help of Joyce Wong, we were then leading our youthful and dedicated Leos to the wards.

    We talked to the inmates, listened to their stories; the Leos were singing and playing some music to cheer them up. Some of them even sang along with us.

    Joyce Wong led us to tour this heritage, with some real live stories. We found the visit meaningful, informative and educational. Together with Joyce Wong we hope that more visits of this kind shall be organized. Engage with our future leaders, the youth, show them the effect of discrimination. Hopefully we may do a little to lower down discrimination of all sorts, a social phenomenon among humankind.

    A feedback from the inmates via Joyce Wong, all of them were very happy to our close interaction with them, they were well entertained by songs and music. So it was only the beginning; more youth shall be arranged to visit NLCC.

It was a wonderful and rewarding 4 hours social activity! We Serve! Roar!

Joint Installation of President & B.O.D.s 2013-2014 and Induction of New Members

Joint Installation of President and B.O.D.s 2013-2014 for Lions Club of Sungai Buloh, Leo Club of Sungai Buloh and Leo Club of SMK Seafield

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Blazes in Sumatra, haze in Semenanjung.
Woke up in the morning, thought that I was in Genting Highland.
Oh! No! The haze had returned.
I was worried about the attendance for the function.
The Joint Installation of President and B.O.D. 2013-2014 was held in Restaurant Sin Choi Wah, Bandar Menjalara, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.
Lions Dignitaries and Fellow Lions coming from as far as Penang, Taiping, Ipoh and Johor Bahru.
Their spirit of Lionism brushed aside the haze.
There wasn't an empty seat in the room.
Our District Governor Tan Swee Kok, 1st Vice District Governor Lee Boon Hoe, 2nd Vice District Governor Ooi Chao Syhuan, Past District Governors Hudson Hah and Woon Fong Piew and even the Immediate Past District Governor for District 308  B1 Dr. Ben C Ng were among the VIP guests.
We were honoured with their presence and thank them for sparing their precious time to attend this auspicious function. The Lions who were present were impressed by their top leaders’ commitment.
It was a good fellowship ,fellow Lions and Leos were interacting among themselves and exchanged words with the Lions Dignitaries.
The Leo Club of SMK Seafield and Leo Club of Sungai Buloh have outperformed the Lions Club of Sungai Buloh and were credited with numerous awards by the District.
The Leo Club of SMK Seafield is gaining confidence and Leo Club of Sungai Buloh  is gaining ground.
The Lions have to work harder and set a good example for the juniors.
This indeed is a good starting point for the Year 2013-2014.

The Joint Installation of President & BODs 2013/2014 and Induction of New Members

Dear All,

Please be informed that the Joint Installation of President & BODs 2013/2014 and Induction of New Members with the Leo Cub of Sungai Buloh and Leo Club of SMK Seafield will be as follows:
 
Date  :  23rd June(Sunday)
Time  :  12.00pm to 3.00pm
Venue:  Restaurant Sin Choi Wah, Bandar Menjalara, Kepong.
Cost  :  RM 50.00
Attire :  Formal
 Your attendance is very much appreciated.  Kindly confirm your attendance ASAP via e-mail Patricia (pat_3338@yahoo.com) or SMS (012-337 3338) to the undersign before 9th June 2013.



Thank you and Regards
Lion Patricia 
    

Chinese New Year Fellowship Dinner

Project: Chinese New Year Fellowship Dinner
Date: 4th February 2013
Time: 7pm - 10pm
Venue: Restaurant Sin Choi Wah, Bandar Menjalara

Remember this statement? ‘To unite the clubs in the bonds of friendship, good fellowship and mutual understanding.’ With this familiar statement, shall we do a review for ourselves at the beginning of the year? How many fellowships had we attended last year? How frequent did we keep in touch with our fellow lions?

We may be too busy in our own career, and unable to join other clubs’ events and/or fellowships, but we could not give too many excuses for that of our very own club. Good fellowship would enhance the club unity and thus the power to serve the community. Please do remember our initial desire to be in the Lionism, To Serve! 

 On Feb 4^th, Monday, hardly a week before the lunar festive, we had some distinguished Lions to join us in our Chinese New Year fellowship, they are:

1) PDG Woon Fong Piew

2) 1st VDG Lee Boon Hoe

3) 2nd VDG Ooi Chao Syuan

4) Region 8 Chairperson Anthony Das

5) Region7 Chairperson Dato Neo

6) Zone 15 Chairperson Mejar Patrick

7) DC Convention & OSEAL Forum R7 & 8 Roger Phuang

8) DC Leo Clubs Development R 7 & 8 Nelson Wong

9) DC Youth Camp & Exchange R7 & 8 Royce Ng

10) DC Membership Growth Tai Sing Nge

11) President Lion Kelvin Wong (Lions Club of Ampang City Garden)

12) DC Youth & Campus Francis Lai 

        Being confident in the Lionism, we held our annual election for the office-bearers [2013-2014] just before the fellowship dinner, and with our distinguished guests being the witnesses. 

        This round we make thing different, there is no more voting by showing of hand; all of us casted our vote by marking the given ballot paper [one for each member who was present] that contains the approved nominated list. As the Election Chairperson, Ln Hai collected those ballots that casted by us, each and every ballot was carefully scrutinised and counted. Upon completion of the ballots counting, the office-bearers for the Year 2013-2014 were then announced by the Election Chairperson. 

      Congratulation! Ln Bobby Yip is now our President Elect.

      Our CNY fellowship was begun with joy and celebration. Joy – we have our peaceful election witnessed by the distinguished guests. Celebration – enjoying the harvest we gained from our community services and looking forward to the promising and confident new leadership for the coming term; it must be a productive and joyful year ahead for the club.

      Words of encouragement and support from PDG Woon Fong Piew, 1^st VDG Lee Boon Hoe and 2^nd VDG Ooi Chao Syuan were like a shot in our arms. They acknowledged our club’s performance and acclaimed the way we conducted our 2013-2014 election.

      We believe that we could do even better with everyone put in time, effort and the Spirit to Serve. Bravo! LC of Sg Buloh.
 
      Roar! Roar! Roar!

Lions Roar at the National Leprosy Control Centre

Date: 27th January 2013
Time: 9am - 12pm
Venue: National Leprosy Control Centre (NLCC) , Sungai Buloh

It is nearly a norm for the city folks to wake up a little late on Sunday morning and spends the rest of the day with family members. On January 27^th, 2013, Sunday, about nine in the morning, there were more than a hundred of people gathered at the new multi-purpose hall of the National Leprosy Control Centre [NLCC] in Sungai Buloh; they are all Lions and Leos. The very first time nearly forty Lions Clubs from District 308 B1 and B2 work together to have a joint programme in conjunction with the World Leprosy Day [always the last Sunday of January]; a great effort by the committee led by the Organising Chairperson, Lion Chu Tham Sang of LC of Taman Tun.

Food and some daily use items were among the goodies that distributed to each and every inmate in the NLCC, Chinese New Year song and Gangnam style dance were presented by Lions, Leos and young children of the Lions to cheer the aged and lonely inmates.

This programme is meaningful. Besides showing our care to the unfortunate inmates, we are reminding the people that NLCC has been a ‘safe paradise’ to so many leprosy patients and then ex leprosy patients. From keeping them away from the outside world, to providing a safe heaven that enable them to lead a new life; where they earn a decent living by selling their labour and agricultural products.

There were too many sad stories about the inmates; they were like us lived a normal life until being diagnosed leprosy. They were sent to the centre by force. Many of them were disowned by the families. They were sent in as young as twelve years old. There were students who excelled in academic performance had their dream dashed as they became leprosy patient.

Of the total 230ha leprosy settlement that set up in 1930, 78ha has been gazetted as national heritage in April 2011. It was originally named as Sungai Buloh Leprosy Settlement. It then changed to Sungai Buloh Leprosarium in 1965. In 1969, it has then become the National Leprosy Control Centre [NLCC]. It was a self-contained settlement; it had its own school, police force, places of worship, library, theatre, and even currency. 

Currency note used in the settlement (Shoba Mano, thestar.com 2007)

NLCC is one of the greatest humane programme in the world. It has put Malaysia in world health care history. At its peak [1960s], there were about 2000 inmates. Today there are about 200 fully recovered inmates. They have spent the most of their lives in NLCC, they find no other better place other than NLCC. A ninety-year old inmate Mdm Lee Saw Cheng said that, “Being 77 years here, I have gone through three governments, the British, the Japanese and the current one. During the Japanese Occupation, as the Japanese soldiers were scared of being infected, we were all saved; we were free from all the reported cruelties. My family members visit me occasionally and brought me out; I have seen the outside world. This is my place d. I have lived too long …”

This settlement of the unfortunate patients is getting popular as a nurseries centre rather than NLCC. From a place of stigma to a nursery with various colourful flowers and plants; it is always crowded during weekend and festive season. It is really a Valley of Hope!

The Lions’ visit has crowded the NLCC with care and love. My interaction with the inmates was rather enlightening. It makes me put in effort to find out more and of course to share with my family, especially my two teens.

While writing I contacted the co-author of the book “Valley of Hope”, Joyce Wong, who had grown up in the settlement as a child of leprosy patients. I would meet her in a very near future for further chat.

Cancer Awareness Forum

Date: 20th October 2012
Time: 9am - 12pm
Venue: SJKC Desa Jaya, Kepong
 

This is our very first forum that targets the teachers; we hope that teachers may share some of this information with young learners and the parents, and we would able to get bigger crowd for our future forums.
 

On October 20th, we invited Oncologist Dr Ho Gwo Fuang to share with us what is cancer? He also touched on causes of cancers, diagnosis and treatment of cancer, some statistics on cancer, some myths and facts about cancer.
 

Dr Ho advised us to lead a healthy lifestyle, proper working-resting-eating-exercising schedule. He stressed that the quality of life of a cancer patient is of utmost important. Give the patient the respect he/she deserved. He cited an example that family members of a cancer patient restricted all the favourite food of the patient; he felt that the patient could have been happier if his feeling be shared and made known to all family members, and his favourite food be allowed in moderation. So we should let the cancer patients lead a happy lives, the state of their mind could be helpful to them in fighting the illness.
 

When a patient is terminally ill, both the patient and all the other care-providers, normally the family members are equally suffered. Hospice is an organisation that covers this aspect with no cost. Hospice provides palliative care, loaning required equipment like wheelchairs, ripple mattress, oxygen concentrators and so on. And most importantly educate patients and their care providers on basic nursing skills.
 

Mr Wong Koei Onn, the Director of Kasih Foundation was shared on his journey with Kasih Hospice. How he managed to cheer some patients. How did Hospice help to ease the care-providers of patients?
 

We have put so much emphasis in welcoming a new life; don’t we hilarious in welcoming a new-born baby? Could we put the equal effort if not more in taking care of someone who is in the final journey of his/her life?
 

Of course it is never easy to take care of the terminally ill patient; hence the awareness of Hospice service is of paramount important, and please bear in mind, the service is totally Free Of Charge!
As a retired accountant who worked in English speaking environment for years, Mr Wong did his sharing in fluent and beautiful Mandarin.
 

The last speaker was Mdm Connie Wong, 46, a fourth year stage four lung cancer patient, a single mother with two young children of seven and four. I always get her on stage to share on her journey. She had gone thru four chemotherapies. I told her that her sharing would cheer up many others, and she was in fact helping others. I told her mother and two young kids to be proud of Connie. 

Connie Wong practises qi-gong, as a Buddhist she prays, as a mother of two, she is just like others, sending her kids to and fro schools. Of course, she has got strong support from family members. She was grateful to have few charitable people to donate some money for her last chemotherapy. She was also grateful to have CNI Foundation to support her with few months’ food supplements. She is willing to go on the stage so long as her health allows.

Even though the crowd was not big enough, we were still happy as the teachers were active in the Q&A session. We would continue to hold forum of this kind so long there are listeners. 

Peace Poster Contest – It is more than a contest!

 

Project :  Peace Poster Contest – It is more than a contest!

Date      : 22nd September 2012 (Saturday)
                       6th October 2012 (Saturday)

Time     : 9:00am - 12:00pm

Venue   : SJKC On Pong 2 School, Pandan Mewah, Ampang, Selangor 
               SJKC Desa Jaya 2, Bandar Sri Damansara, Selangor

We quite like the theme of 2012 - 2013 Peace Poster Contest (PPC) “Imagine Peace”. All of us agree that embracing, mutual respecting and equality are the key factors to achieve peace. It seems so easy and simple, yet peace seems so distance to many of us. There are still wars, racial conflicts, religious conflicts and many other conflicts around the world.

Our club organised two PPC contests at two different areas. On September 22^nd we did it at SJKC On Pong 2 (On Pong National Type Chinese Primary School 2), Pandan Mewah, Ampang,Selangor. We invited two other Natinal Type Chinese primary schools and three National primary schools around Ampang area. There were Chinese, Malay and Indian pupils took part in the contest. In the event three best posters were selected.

On October 6^th, we did it at SJKC Desa Jaya 2, Bandar Sri Damansara, Selangor. We managed to get one private school, one National Type Tamil primary school and two other National Type Chinese schools around the area to participate in the contest. The participants were come from different cultural and social economic backgrounds.

On the Oct-6^th PPC, we wanted something different, as we notice that the so called winning posters are seemed to share a similar idea; dove, rainbow, globe and flags, perhaps the difference could be the colouring skill.

Our judge Mr TanPoh Chuan of Poh Chuan Art Centre, an experienced and committed art teacher, also teaches art for special need children, suggested to us that judging the product of any contest should not neglect the potential of others; peace is embracing and giving other the equal chance.

For the Oct-6^th PPC judging process, we followed Mr Tan Poh Chuan’s idea. At the end of the contest, posters were divided into three groups:

First group, the completed product of good colouring and drawing skill but low creative skill.

Second group, the completed product of moderate colouring, drawing skill and moderate creative skill.

Third group, incomplete product, moderate colouring and drawing skill but good creative skill.

Another judge, a class assistant in an International School, a peace lover, a yoga instructor who majored graphic design in her varsity study, Miss Tan Li Xuan, suggested to interview each and every participant about his/her product.

The first group would tell you that that was the peace poster his/her art teacher wanted.

The second group would tell you that they are trying to get close to the norm, but their idea of peace could be different from the norm.

To our surprise, the third group’s answer reflected our negligence; there are other views on peace, their views would not be accepted by teachers, judges and other adults. It was a touching moment, few pupils were in tear.

We then selected the best from the three groups, an embracing outcome. Of course it was not an easy process. We believe that it would not be well received by others, as most of us are comfortable with the norm and the presence.

I would like to suggest to Lions International HQ, instead of having Peace Poster Contest annually, could we organise Peace Poster Exhibition annually at all levels? There is no winner, but allowing our children, our youth to have their views of PEACE to be shared by others, the local level and the international level.

Let the people from all over the world; with different social economic and cultural backgrounds share their views of PEACE.