PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

The greatest challenge for this year is to raise RM500,000 for funding our projects for the next three years. The fund-raising committee has jumped into action. It is headed by our Club Service Director with a team of very experienced and capable Rotarians. Last night was the second long meeting the committee had. Briefly, the fund-raising project will focus on a charity dinner & show on our Anniversary, the 6th of January 2009 at the Sheraton Subang. It will be an evening of great entertainment capturing a well-known artiste. I need all Rotarians to help out in this project as it is our responsibility to raise sufficient funds for the next three years to complete our community obligation to the people of Petaling Jaya. I’ll keep you updated on this.

Another serious thought in my mind is to reach out to the children who are really in need of medical care and surgery. The invitation to the RC of Makati West had really touched me. The parents of these children who went through successful surgery in congenital heart ailment were so thankful to the Rotarians from the Makati West. The cost was minimal. On this note, our Club could think of projects that can create impact in helping children so that they can MAKE DREAMS REAL. We need to explore the possibility of other projects, particularly those in the medical field that can really lift up the spirit of humanity.

In my year as President, I would like to work towards and see the spirit, the co-operation, the synergy, the selflessness and the egolessness in moving towards a simple common goal and objective and that is to help people who need help. Towards this, the PE, the VP and I plan and assist each other for the next three years. The line of demarcation for ‘my year as President’ has been removed. We have crossed the boundary and help each other for the common good of the Club. Rotarians of the RCPJ, I need your assistance and co-operation. We’ll work towards a better tomorrow.

When we’re in this state of static mind-set, it’s good to think of those times when we’ve not made it yet in life. Think of your student days at the university. We had to forego so many things, just to survive. I had to eat bread for all meals for years because rice was not common in Australia then and it was so darn expensive. Perhaps we could say, we’re creatures of habit. We don’t have the mental strength to change. How could one eat salted fish when he has been eating chicken all the while?

There are lots of things we could think about when there’s a need to economize. Food is a luxury in this country. There’s so much of it too. How about eating less or just enough? It’s so healthy! Depart from unhealthy habits, I mean smoking. Cigarettes are so expensive today. I wouldn’t like to comment on drinks.

Therefore, there are ways to lead a more moderate lifestyle. We needn’t keep on living the same way. Do we?