EDITORIAL TEAM: It’s no secret that you are one of the longest serving member in the club, since 1972. Share with us your journey and how has it been since, Dr. Chin?
DR. CHIN: I joined RCPJ when the club was quite youthful with some 30 plus members, meeting weekly at the Cellar in Jalan Barat, PJ. We were a closely knit club with high attendance at meetings and much involvement by all members. It was then an all male club, meeting often at the homes of members, thereby allowing us to be closely connected to all families of members.
Rotary rules then were rather strict, particularly in respect of attendance, which must be above 60 percent. In fact, we did much better. We were awarded the District Attendance Award four times in a row, for an average attendance above 95 percent! The situation has changed much. The attendance rule has been scrapped and current attendance wavers around 30 percent. And, of course, we now have a substantial number of women members!
EDITORIAL TEAM: You have witnessed members come and go, what would you say are the qualities you look in the younger members so that they can also find longevity in Rotary?
DR. CHIN: I believe Rotary membership is for the selected few. I have seen too many members join for the wrong reasons, and they eventually resign. There has to be, above all, a strong passion for fellowship and a commitment to want to serve the community.
EDITORIAL TEAM: You have seen many changes in the club. How does it feel to experience all these transformations?
DR. CHIN: We live in a fast changing world. We all are aware of technological changes in our lives, but there are also subtle changes in society. There has been a lot of disruption to society, and family relationships have been put to the test. Social networks are less intimate and new stresses and disruptive behaviours have challenged society.
These changes are today’s reality and we in Rotary have to manage them to remain relevant. I must acknowledge that the RCPJ today has managed the transformation very well.
EDITORIAL TEAM: Should RCPJ remain true to itself or forego some of its traditions to stay relevant as we move in time, especially in attracting the younger generation to join the club?
DR. CHIN: There is a constancy in the objects of Rotary. Its dictum SERVICE ABOVE SELF is our guide to behaviour. The externals may change, but the soul of Rotary remains. One great change in the movement of younger people is distance and mobility. They work further away, and long distance imposes a considerable strain on the time taken to attend meetings. I foresee the day when meetings will be concurrently physical and virtual once the kinks of virtual transmission are fully resolved.
EDITORIAL TEAM: Describe RCPJ in four words.
DR. CHIN: Fellowship. Care. Generational. Community.
EDITORIAL TEAM: Let us move to another topic. At the club, you are known as the Qigong Master and a sifu to many of us. What is uniquely beneficial about Qigong?
DR. CHIN: Qigong is a health therapy that has been practised for more than three thousand years! It’s focus is preventive and its purpose is healthy longevity. Everyone can learn and practise qigong which essentially brings together gentle movements, diaphragmatic breathing and mindfulness to protect body and mind against the ravages of biological ageing.
EDITORIAL TEAM: It made us wonder, how is Qigong different from Tai Chi?
DR. CHIN: Qi refers to lifeforce and gong is its practice. Some three hundred years ago when China was facing enemy forces, elements of qigong were structured to focus on power through movements and breath for fighting purposes. Hence, tai chi was created. That is why tai chi can appear more intricate with continuing movements.
EDITORIAL TEAM: Well, it appears our time is up, Dr Chin. We appreciate you taking the time. But before we end, do you have any message for our readers and club members out there?
DR. CHIN: If we want to grow as a person and belong to an organisation that values community, then a Rotary club like RCPJ is a good opportunity to offer a fantastic social life, personal development, and good citizenship.
Interview by
Editorial Team
Photography by
Connie Ho, Captain H.S Dharan, Rotary Club PJ
