From the DRC

Speech given by District Rotaract Chairman PP Arthur Yeong during Charter Night of Rotaract Club of Asian Institute of Medicine Science and Technology

Guest of Honour DGN Dr Rajindar Singh
My dear Rotaractors & Guests
My fellow Rotarians

Today is the seventh day of the Lunar New Year and the Chinese traditionally celebrate the birth of Man on this day by having raw fish. It is therefore auspicious that we are celebrating the birth of the Rotaract Club of Asian Institute of Medicine Science and Technology.

My message is simply this : the survival of this Rotaract Club will materially depend on two key persons : the Rotaract President and the Rotarian Advisor.

Of course the President being one person can only do so much. She will need the support and cooperation of each of her Board Members. Garnering those two elements may be the most difficult part of the job.

President, you must bear in mind that as the chief executive of your Club, you are responsible for every single thing concerning the Club. If you have a Director who does not perform, that is your fault. If a project fails, that is also your fault. If a Director resigns, that too is your fault. You are ultimately answerable for everything that goes wrong.

Having taken all the brickbats it would only be human to reach for the bouquets when they come, if they come. However I urge you to make that extreme sacrifice of always giving the credit to your Directors and Members. I urge you to only bask in the glory that reflects off them. I know this is unfair, but it is the mark of a great leader and President.

PP Ann Ang I understand that you have the privilege of being advisor to RAC AIMST. Welcome to a little known but elite band of Rotarians in this District. They are the ones who attend Club Meeting after Club Meeting, Board Meeting after Board Meeting of Rotaract Clubs. They dispense advice when it is sought, they correct the same mistakes year in year out. This group of our fellow Rotarians have to bear with their well meaning advice being rejected by Rotaractors. They have to be strong for there is much to put up with. These Rotarians walk that fine line between keeping the Rotaract Club on an even keel and controlling and running the Club. The former is a duty, the latter would be a sin.

However should your Rotaractors ever contemplate carrying out anything legally or morally wrong, you must come down hard on the side of what is legal or moral.

Do not underestimate the value which your Rotaractors will place on your presence at their Meetings. When the Rotaract Year is over and they look back, they would have forgotten much of what you have said but they will always cherish your always being there for them.

The most valuable things you can give your Rotaractors are neither money nor sponsorship but your love and attention.

As of last week, AIMST was the third largest Rotaract Club in the District after UTP and Bernam Valley, with 70 members. I congratulate you on that and I leave it to you whether you should try to be the largest. As I have always told RAC UTP, it is not good enough to be the biggest, it is better to be the best.