PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

October is Vocational Service Month.  It’s always the time that we recognize our workers for their passion and commitment in providing services to our community.  It’s these people who’ve silently and ceaselessly do their work to make our lives more comfortable.  Sometimes, it’s sad that these people are forgotten or they’ve been taken for granted.  Our Club had recognized barbers, morticians and other professions that are part of the necessities of services provided by these people in a community.  These people are committed to ‘honest business and unassailable ethics,’ according to our RI President, John Kenny.  This is absolutely true.  They work with passion in their vocation.  Let us honour them.  Our Club will continue to remember such people.

Saturday, 24^th October is World Polio Day.  This month marks 95 years since Jonas Salk, a developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine, was born.  Rotarians are raising US$200 million to match the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s $355 million in grants by 30^th June 2012.  Rotary Clubs are each being asked to contribute at least $2,000 annually for three years.

Our Sister-club, the RC Makati West will celebrate its 40^th Anniversary on November 29, 2009 at the Manila Mandarin Hotel, Makati City.  The Rotarians who had visited the club early this year will still remember the hospitality of President Fernando Pena and his Rotarians.  We need your support again to visit them.

The members of the interviewing committee, PP Yap Swee Fatt, PDG David Ho and I interviewed a candidate Mr Jason Soh for the Taiwan Cultural Ambassadorial Scholarship a few days ago.  This is the only candidate from our Club.

This weekend, Sunday 18^th, will be a time when we again put our resources together to ensure the success of our charity event, the Dama Musical Show – I have a date with Spring.  Up to press time, all the tickets have almost been sold out.  There are some tickets that cost RM155.  We need to thank PP Teo Woon Hud and Ann Karen for a wonderful job in organizing the event.  And also thank you to all Rotarians who have helped in selling the tickets.  Let us pray that it will be a sell-out show.  We really need the funds for our projects.

I would like to remind all Rotarians to invite their guests who have attended the Interest Meeting to come for our luncheon meeting on the 20^th.  We need to apply the concept of ‘Follow Through.’  There will be an evening meeting on the 12^th   November at the Grand Dorsett.  This is a meeting among the 5 Clubs in Group 11 – RC Kelana Jaya, RC Port Klang, RC Pantai Valley, RC Sungei Way and RC Petaling Jaya.  The aim is to get to know our Rotarians and Presidents from the five clubs.  The Presidents from the respective clubs are Elizabeth Yam, Patrick Ang, Santhirasegaran and June Lai.  The speaker for the evening will be Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam.

Thank you Rotarians and Anns for your assistance and support.

Irene and I wish all our members of the Hindu faith a ‘Happy Deepavali.’

In the September 29th issue of the PeeJay Pos I highlighted the SOS sent out by the Organising Chairman of the Dama Musical Charity Show PP Teo Woon Hud. Through his tireless effort and the chipping in by some members all the tickets that RCPJ was responsible for was sold. I am told that an incoming member took up a large number of the RM500.00 tickets.

Whilst I highlighted the difficulty some members have in dealing with the tickets allocated to them in that Editorial, I also believe the club should recognize the efforts put in by the others even in difficult times. I suggest PP Teo Woon Hud prepare a list of the actual ticket sales of the RM300.00 and RM500.00 tickets by the members of the club for circulation to all members of the club ONLY. For the 48th Anniversary Dinner I made a similar suggestion but it was not taken up. I feel it is important that the membership knows who have made the effort, and also it serves as a useful record.

Talking about Fund Raising it is my observation that in RCPJ and in most clubs in the district some members have the ability to do the job better than others. I am sure the Dama Musical Charity Show is a success both as a project and financially. And there is no doubt it is PP Teo Woon Hud who has made it possible. And there are a number of factors that have made it possible. First and most importantly is his special relationship with a large section of the membership who rallied around him with no question asked. Then throughout his 30 years as a member of the club he had helped many Past Presidents and members whenever asked. There is also his extensive connection with people in other organisations like the Porche Club and his personal friends who have come to support him.

But let me make it clear to all that this support comes with the more than 30 years of him supporting others. Many of us who have sold the tickets to our friends and colleagues will be approached later on to return the favour. So in actual fact we are indirectly contributing to all the ticket sales ourselves.

I hope this message will explain to some members of the club how fund raising works in voluntary organizations. As is often quoted “There is no free dinner”. We all have to work on whatever goodwill we can generate over a period of years to get results.

On behalf of President Dr Eric Wong and all the members of the Rotary Club of Petaling Jaya I would like to take this opportunity to thank PP Teo Woon Hud and Ann Karen for taking up the challenge of organizing the Dama Musical Charity Show, and to congratulate Woon Hud and his committee for a job well done. Let us all be at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Center this Sunday evening to enjoy the spectacular show and the fellowship.

A member of the club asked me one day what happens next year. This is the first year we are adopting the Club Leadership Plan. Even with the extensive preparation we were caught with the deficit in the Club Account budget that made the Fund Raising necessary. I am sure we have learned something from it to make sure that we can balance our Club Account budget next year. And all you members must also take an interest in the finances of the club in future. 

We had a very interesting speaker in Ms Evelyn Samuel who spoke on e-commerce and e-mobile. She started by classifying the community into the digital natives and digital dinosaurs. The digital natives are those below 35 years and the senior citizens. Those in between who are the baby boomers are generally left out.

She equated the mobile technology environment with the formula: E=KMC3
E is the e-commerce and e-mobile capacity. K stands for knowledge base, M stands for market centric, C stands for computer for support, C for contents and C for connectivity.

In the current market place e-commerce allows your product and services to be advertise fast and to extensive targets quickly. The information provide it short and highly focus so that your customer can make quick and easy decision. Hence many instant millionaires are created via e-commerce.

On e-mobile current devices and technologies allow for fun, interaction, ready support, concise information, remove social barriers, reduce embarrassment, bridge gaps in time and space, portable and most important mobile.

Rotary quote of the day presented by Rtn Raymond Goh:

“Next to my family and my religion, I consider Rotary the most important influence on my life.”
Past RI Director Robert O Brickman, 1997-1999

ATTENDANCE: 23/40 = 57.50%

My Road to Rotary – Paul Harris

In his autobiography, Paul wrote “Each Rotarian is a connecting link between the Idealism of Rotary and his trade or profession”. Although he was not talking directly of vocational service, he must have the second avenue of service in mind as Rotary’s classification principle closely identifies a Rotarian with his/her occupation or vocation.

A person joins Rotary as a representative of his/her business or profession. Hence, each club member has an obligation to his/her fellow Rotarians. At the same time, each Rotarian is obligated to exemplify the spirit of Rotary to others, in particular those associated with him/her. Vocational service emphasizes the need for each Rotarian to personally fulfil his/her service in the daily relationships with his/her fellow workers and associates.

The basic question concerning vocational service that every Rotarian should ask is: “What can I do in my daily work to be a little more helpful and friendly to others?” This is specially important since vocational service should be a living and daily experience.

Founder Paul Harris had an idea that friendship and business could be mixed and that by doing so would result in more business and friendship for everyone involved. As such, every Rotarian should personally contribute to society through his/her business or profession.

They Profit Most Who Serve Best

It is now realised that “Vocational Service” is one of the many reasons for Rotary’s success. Yet, this second avenue of service in Rotary is often neglected. If we want our club to grow, we must keep vocational service in the forefront -- in our planning and to take action. Ideas alone are useless unless put in action. Do what is right and put “Service Above Self”. 

Vocational service simply applies Rotary’s concept of service to business, the profession and the workplace. Before Rotarians go about putting the principles of vocational service into practice, they need to reflect on their daily relations, with employees, suppliers and peers. Otherwise, how can they apply the words of the second Object of Rotary, which instructs them to understand and practice.

High ethical standards in business and professions, the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations, and the dignifying by each profession to serve society call upon each Rotarian to examine what he/she is doing to fulfil this part of the Object of Rotary. Since this is subjective, only the individual Rotarian knows how loosely he/she is living up to his/her ideal. While the Rotarian is encouraged to individually practice vocational service on his/her own, many clubs have developed practical collective activities and programmes designed to give each member more opportunities and responsibilities in the second avenue of service. 

The objectives of vocational service are best exemplified if Rotarians work in accordance with the following guiding principles.

1. CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES

These four areas of responsibilities are generally recognised and seen as inseparable whole. 

2. ECONOMIC VIABILITY

Profitability and productivity are essential to discharging these responsibilities and staying in business. It is a measure both of efficiency and of the ultimate value that people place on one’s products and services. Without profits and productivity, it would not be possible to fulfil the responsibilities outlined above.

3. PERSONAL INTEGRITY

We must exercise honesty, loyalty and integrity in all aspects of our business; avoiding conflicts of interest between our personal and official activities in the conduct of our business. The offer, payment, soliciting and acceptance of bribes in any form and any unprofessional and unfair conduct are unacceptable practices.

4. WELFARE

It should be our policy to conduct our activities in such a way as to take into account the health and safety of others, and to give proper regard to the safety and conservation of the environment.

5. SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY

The most important contribution that we can make to the social and material progress of a country is in performing our basic activities as efficiently as possible. In addition, we need to recognise and take a constructive interest in societal matters which may not be directly related to our business. We must endeavour to take advantage of the opportunities available to be involved in community educational and youth programmes.

Fellow Rotarians, the future of Rotary is now in our hands. Carpe Diem... Let's seize the day!