JCI Ipoh Held 47th Installation & Awards Luncheon
by KT Leong
Junior Chambers International (JCI) Ipoh held their 47th Installation & Awards (IA) Luncheon at Kok Thai Restaurant Ipoh on March 9.
JCI is a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that aims to build leadership in their members through community works, and is notable in that the president and board of directors only serve 1-year terms, so as to give all its members an opportunity to grow.
This 47th IA Luncheon was special in that it also paid tribute to the immediate past president Wiliam Hong, who passed away earlier this year on January 27 at just the age of 33.
Wiliam had been fighting cancer for some time and had left for Kuala Lumpur for treatment in October last year when his cancer had a recurrence, but he was still actively contributing to the community as recently as late August last year, when AdsPilot and JCI Ipoh sponsored 3 sets of television units to be placed at the Urban Transformation Centre (UTC) Perak in Ipoh.
NGOs had helped Wiliam when he needed it, so Wiliam wanted to help NGOs back.
It was Wiliam who revived the previously inactive JCI Ipoh chapter and although he was a “lone ranger” to begin with, in the short time between taking up the mantle of JCI Ipoh President and the recurrence of his cancer, he had managed to organise 7 events to help the less fortunate, including raising as much as RM12,000 for the Perak Deaf Sports Association (PESDef) via a charity golfing event held at the Glass House at the Royal Perak Golf Club; to working with TGV Cinema Aeon Kinta Mall to bring a weekend of joy to scores of orphans with goodies and free viewings of Guardians of the Galaxy 3 and Fast X.
Wiliam was also fortunate enough to have assembled a new roster of members for the chapter, including the now installed, current president of JCI Ipoh, Jasmine Liew Xue Wen, who helped carried his burdens when his health went into decline.
Jasmine paid tribute to Wiliam in her maiden speech as president, “We moved up the installation several months to March, hoping that he could make it for the handover of the presidency from himself to me. But one day Wiliam called and apologised, saying that he didn’t think that he’ll be able to make it. I implored him to hang on for just one more month, but unfortunately, he finally passed away. I cried for 3 days afterwards.”
JCI Ipoh resolved to continue Wiliam’s good work, so the theme of this 47th IA Luncheon was to Return, Rebuild and to be Reborn.
Past JCI Ipoh presidents, from as long ago as the 80s and 90s, came in support of the chapter’s return.
Many sponsors also came and contributed, including Y.Bhg. Tan Sri JCI Senator Ong Ka Chuan, PSM, SPMP, DPMP and Patron of JCI Ipoh, with a RM5,000 cash sponsorship. As well as representatives from HAMI Eco Farms, K1 Media, V Signature, Verve Property Management, Smartrider, COMMA, YEG, RT Petroleum, EUROPA Lubricants and Carsifu Auto Service, in order to help the chapter rebuild.
And with new members joining, namely Chong Jia Long, Yoong Chun Kit, Teoh Wai Kit and Yeong Xue Li, as well as the new board of directors consisting of Local President Jasmine Liew, Local Secretary Yip Ying Ying, Local Treasurer John Ng, Executive Vice President Emily Wong, Vice President (Business & International) Rex Cheng, Vice President (Community) Teh Cheah Soon and Commission Director Lilly Yeong, they have a solid basis from which they can be reborn.
They’re not going to just rest on their laurels however. As they are already planning another 520 Charity Movie Night as well as a Sepang Race Car Event, where the plan is for participants to experience the thrills and rigors of going 250 kph in a race car. Keep an eye out at Ipoh Echo for more details.
To contact JCI Ipoh, kindly call or WhatsApp 016-5570689 or email jciipoh1977@gmail.com.
