Wong (fourth right) cutting the cake as Tiong (fourth left) and other board members look on.
BINTULU: The Rotary Club of Bintulu Central (RCBC) will intensify its effort to create greater awareness of the danger of fire among the rural longhouse folk through its fire prevention projects.
The new RCBC president for the 2017-2018 term, Allen Wong Chin Seng, said his main goal for this year is to continue leading the club to achieve greater milestones.
“In achieving 131 fire prevention campaigns so far, we will continue to penetrate into farther areas within Bintulu zone.
“With the effectiveness of social media, we are often approached and requested by local communities to carry out the fire prevention programme in their area,” he said during RCBC’s 20th installation ceremony here on Sunday.
Wong said they will also focus on the fire prevention refreshment programme where the RCBC team will revisit longhouses to refresh the knowledge of residents on fire prevention.
“We are partnering with other sponsors right now in doing the rural school improvement projects,” he added.
Among the projects, he said, are improving the water quality, toilet facilities and classroom facilities in the schools.
“We are surprised with their current conditions and we are glad that we are able to improve these facilities for the schools, ” Wong added.
Acknowledging that there is no shortage of problems in the world, he, however, said RCBC cannot solve them all.
“Why do we care about these problems, because they are fixable and it gives them more secured homes and schools.
“I believe my team will continue to work on what we do best which is to serve the community, making a difference and together we make Bintulu better,” he said.
Wong also extended his gratitude to the out-going president Henry Tiong Kung Ho for leading RC Bintulu Central for the past 12 months. Tiong, who spoke earlier, said 2016-2017 was a landmark in his history with the Rotary Club as it was the period he served as its president for the second time.
In the last 12 months, he said RCBC had been able to reach to faraway areas in Belaga and Samarakan and each trip was unique in its own way, for which thanked its partners – the LDS Charities Sarawak, Syarikat Sri Minyak Tenaga, a trading company in Bintulu and members of Rotary Clubs in Melaka and Johor.
LDS Charities contributed financially to upgrade the toilet of SMK Bintulu and they also supplied school materials and fire extinguishers to SK Segaham, Belaga.
Syarikat Sri Minyak Tenaga Sdn Bhd, on the other hand, supplied fire extinguishers to Uma Aging, Long Daah Belaga and Rh Robinson Rantau Tajak, Samarakan as its corporate social responsibility projects in Bintulu.
Members of Johor Bahru and Melaka Rotary Clubs sponsored mattresses for the boarders at SK Rh Tayau recently.
“There is an ongoing project sponsored by LDS charities at SK Rh Tayai, namely the upgrading of electrical wiring, upgrading of bathroom and toilet facilities at the school.
“This will be completed during president Allen’s year. The teachers and the parents are very cooperative. They will provide the necessary additional manpower for the project. Our role is to coordinate, supervise and monitor the project up to completion,” said Tiong.
This year, he is confident that with the support of the members and sponsors and leadership of the new president, RCBC will reach out to the needy community effectively.
“With willing hearts and caring hands and inspired in the joy of service and fellowship, we can make this world a bit better for those in need. This is what Rotary is all about.” he added.
The new office bearers for RCBC for the 2017-2018 term are Allen Wong Chin Seng (president); Henry Tiong Kung Ho (vice president, Rotary Foundation); Victor Ang Zhee Vei (secretary, president elect, Administration); Yam See Lang (treasurer); Linnie Lee Lay Gheik (membership); Lu Yew Siong (public relations); David Ho Kiong Nang (international service); Winston Lu Hieng Ling (community service); Dave Kuan Ming Howe (vocational service); Dylan Sim (new generation youth service) and Charles Lee Yih Heng (sergeant-at-arm).