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Article from Rotary Club of Bugis Junction, 7th July 2001
BE ENGAGED - President-Elect Rotarian Paul Heng’s speech delivered during the Board of Directors installation dinner event, 7 July 2001
Guest of Honor, Dr Lily Neo
PDG, Kenneth Chew, and Ann Shelley
PADG, Allan Yap, and Ann Irene
PPs of Rotary Club of Bugis Junction
Fellow Club Presidents
Guests & Friends,
Fellow Rotarians,
I read somewhere that the best speech one can make is to ‘tell a story’. So, let me tell you one right now. This is a story of my involvement with Rotary.
Long, long time ago, a colleague and I work together for a major, local publishing house. We worked in different departments.
Along the way, my colleague, and by then, friend, left the organization to seek greener pastures. I, too, left the same organization some years later, and ventured into the Fragrant Harbour for a new, challenging regional role.
Two years after my return to Singapore, my ex-colleague, and by then, good friend PP Hoo Siew Sai spoke to me about Rotary at the Daichi Harbour View Hotel coffee house one evening in 1997.
Subsequent to that dinner, I had lunch with Siew Sai, Charter President Allan Yap, Charter Secretary Sel McVean & Past President Moss Pellen. We met at the Prego Restaurant at Westin Hotel. I can’t remember who paid for lunch but I do know for sure what I had for lunch - Rotary information. I found out later that that particular lunch was also an assessment session. An assessment to find out if I had, indeed, the right motivations to be a good Rotarian.
I was inducted as a member of the Rotary Club of Bugis Junction in July 1999. Our Club is the 2nd youngest club in Singapore and the only breakfast meeting club.
So, you see, my dear guests. True to the mark of a Singaporean, my life revolves around food - dinner at the Daichi, lunch at the Westin and now, breakfast at the Hotel Intercon!
Since then, I have been serving our fellow mankind through the Rotary movement. I also served on the Board of Directors thrice, as the Honorary Secretary for two consecutive years, and as President-Elect this year. Someone asked me. "Why be Secretary again?" I answered: "Two reasons. One, I had enjoyed myself the first time around, and secondly, I felt that 1 year was not adequate to learn enough of that role.
The opportunity to lead the Club came in Dec 2000. My fellow members thought I was ready. I felt I was ready. But I was not entirely sure I was ready. You see, at that point in time, it was a mere 15 months since I decided to venture into the world of self-employment. To me, business and my family will always come before Rotary.
Anyway, I bit the bullet - I was confident that the Lord will be there for me.
At the beginning of the year, being the President-Elect, I undertook the task of organizing the “Children In Need” major project. My committee successfully raised over S$50K for the benefit of some 50 underpriviledged children from four institutions.
In April this year, together with my other fellow 59 President-Elects in District 3310, some of whom are my guests here this evening, I underwent three days of training in Kuching, Malaysia to equip me with the knowledge to be a club president.
This evening, I stand before you, ready to undertake the challenging task of leading this dynamic Club for the next Rotary year.
What is the role of a president? We have near to 40 members in the Club, none of us are paid a salary for the work that we do. None of the members need to take any instructions from me. None of them need to do anything should they choose not to. So, how then can I lead this club?
To be frank, I do not know all the answers. However, one thing I do know is that I will try hard to be a good president, to be a good leader.
A good leader in this current world of ours, I believe, is to inspire and lead. It is not, to manage.
Inspiration, as defined by one dictionary is the "source of inspiring influence".
One can try to inspire others and to motivate them to action. However, it is next to impossible to succeed in doing these if the individuals do not feel motivated, within themselves, to do it.
In the business world, one is motivated to work hard so that monetary success can be achieved.
In the corporate world, one is motivated to work hard so that promotions, pay rises and bonuses can be attained.
In the world of voluntary work, the only motivation to contribute is the sense of personal satisfaction. To feel good about helping others.
To lead. By virtue of the fact that the president of the club is the most ‘senior’ role in the Club, implies that the incumbent has to lead the members to achieve certain pre-determined objectives, consistent with the objectives of the world-wide governing body of Rotary International.
Thus, for the next 12 months, I will work hard to inspire and lead the members of the Rotary Club of Bugis Junction to continue playing a useful role in the community.
Conclusion
In conclusion, allow me to state some facts:-
No 1
Most of us in this room, are successful people. Success, as all of us know, is very subjective and can be measured by so many determinants. So, I should not be far from wrong, if I say, we do have a room of ‘successful’ people here.
No 2
All of us have only one life to live. And, this I am very sure. All of us want to make the most of that one life.
No 3
All of us are relatively more fortunate than many of our fellow human beings. Some of the children that we have helped does not even have enough pocket money to buy food from the tuckshop during recess time. Some do not even have parental love – something that our own children have an abundance of.
Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu was born on Aug 26, 1910. At the tender age of 12, she felt for the first time, the desire to spend her life for God's work. But how could a young girl of 12 be sure?
She prayed a lot. She asked this question of her priest. He replied: "Through your JOY. If you feel really happy by the idea that God might call on you to serve Him, then this is the evidence that you have a call." He added: "The deep inner joy that you feel is the compass that indicates your direction in life".
On Sept 5th, 1997, around 9.30 Pm, Mother Theresa went to Heaven to be with her Creator. Totally finished and worn out, as he had given herself totally, wholeheartedly, freely and unconditionally to the service of the poorest of the poor, for the love of her Creator.
To all our guests here this evening, are you ready to give something back to society? I am not advocating that we try to find another Mother Theresa amongst you. In any case, I personally think it would be very difficult to find another person, who can repeat, or even come close, to what she had given to mankind. I also believe that we do not need to aspire to do what she did. Each of our little contributions can add up to a great deal of good for mankind.
And please allow me to repeat something that has often been mis-construed - Rotary IS NOT a rich man's club. You do not need to be financially very well off to be accepted as a member. What we are seeking are motivated people who feel good about helping others, and who sincerely want to contribute their time and expertise to help those less fortunate. Period.
To my fellow Rotary members, I would like to leave you with this challenge:-
What kind of a Rotarian are you planning to be this year?
Are you ready and willing to ‘Be engaged’?
Are you aware of anyone or any group of individuals who may benefit from our Club? If you are, are you prepared and willing to bring this to the attention of our Club so we can jointly decide if there is some assistance that we can offer?
It does not necessarily need to be financial help that we offer, it could be assistance in many other forms.
Charles Dickens, the famous English novelist once said:
“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another”
I am blessed to be part of a very dynamic club, with very motivated members. A Club that aims to continue being engaged with the community, to play a value-add role in society, for “Mankind is Our Business”.
Thank You.
Paul Heng
Club President, 2001/2002
Rotary Club of Bugis Junction
District 3310
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