331. THE CHANGING OF GUARDS…YET THE FOCUS ON SOCIETY REMAINS

We are already in the 9^th day of 2011 and the 4th day of Safar 1432. I've been deliberating on the topics to write as my first article of this year.

There are a few of interest especially the impact of price increases in many commodities on the public and the continuous floods that has and is hitting various regions in Malaysia. Mind you constant price increases poked huge holes in the pockets of the rakyat, yet the leaders we chose played safe by being mute and dump. I do know what I need to do to this kind of leaders come the next election. There is one stinking rubbish bin in my house ever ready…

nonetheless, the show must go on.

Last Wednesday, at the Perak Royal Golf Club, a new President presided the first meeting of our service club, KELAB BAKTI GUNUNG KELEDANG (Keledang Club) for this year.

Dato' Razali Khalid (DRK) was installed as the 2011 President of the Keledang Club on the 12^th December 2010, 10.40p.m, witnessed by our club patron, the Raja Muda of Perak, DYTM Raja Dr Nazrin Shah ibni Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah, in a very colourful and blissful atmosphere.

DRK, who was the 2010 Vice President, ascended the presidency, taking over from the industrious Dr Zakaria Abdul Kadir who completed his office of one year.

In Keledang, it is customary for a member to hold the office of Presidency for only one year to facilitate the office of presidency to be rotated among the members.

Sdr Haji Megat Ahmad Shahrani, who was the 2010 Honorary Secreatary was elevated to the office of Vice Presidency.

In outlining his mission this year, the new President was very focus to move forward all the ongoing projects especially the club's two major project viz. THE RELIEF CENTRE FOR UNWED MOTHERS (additional building) at Ampang, Ipoh and THE YAYASAN KELEDANG ORPHANAGE HOME In Kampung Melayu, Ipoh.

With the streams of big funds rolling in from donors including from the Menteri Besar Perak who pledged RM100,000 and the Perak Islamic Religious Council who donated RM200,000, those building projects should be completed and ready for occupation by the third quarter of 2011.

Under the present difficult circumstances where we are facing social problems of gigantic nature, it is only right that we get together under the banner of NGO to help alleviate the problems by contributing in the positive manner.

Leaving all the problems to the government to resolve does not seem right. Quoting Tun Mahathir's words during our club's encounter with him some time back "NGOs have positive roles to contribute to the society..."

My mission for the year is to assist our club to mobilise more resources from all possible legal avenues so that more social projects can be undertaken by our Keledang club and through the club.

On this score, I humbly record my sincerest appreciation to a good friend and a fellow blogger, Tuan Syed Mohri Al-Idrus who was very sensitive to the needs of the orphans. One phone call to purchase ten watches from his special sales took a twist when he was told of the actual intention of those intended purchases. That phone call led to his direct contribution in the fund raising programs for our YAYASAN KELEDANG's new orphanage home.

Thank you, Sir. Looking forward to meeting you to deliberate our next course of actions.

Just ponder a minute on those little things that we can do to make Malaysia a better place for us and our brothers and sisters to live in…