RI President-elect Sakuji Tanaka unveiled the 2012-13 RI theme, Peace Through Service,during the opening plenary session of the 2012 International Assembly, a training event for incoming Rotary district governors. Rotary Images/Alyce HensonRotary International on FacebookRI President-elect Sakuji Tanaka will ask Rotarians to buildPeace Through Service in 2012-13.

Tanaka unveiled the RI theme during the opening plenary session of the 2012 International Assembly, a training event for incoming Rotary district governors.

Flood Relief Mission ( courtesy of Pres Ng Swee Poh )

“Peace, in all of the ways that we can understand it, is a real goal and a realistic goal for Rotary,” he said. “Peace is not something that can only be achieved through agreements, by governments, or through heroic struggles. It is something that we can find and that we can achieve, every day and in many simple ways.” Peace has different meanings for different people, Tanaka said. “No definition is right, and no definition is wrong,” he said. “However we use the word, this is what peace means for us. “No matter how we use, or understand the word, Rotary can help us to achieve it,” he added.

Tanaka, a businessman from the greater Tokyo metropolitan area, shared how becoming a Rotarian broadened his understanding of the world. After joining the Rotary Club of Yashio, in 1975, he said, he began to realize that his life’s purpose was not to make more money, but to be useful to other people.

Flood Relief Mission ( courtesy of Pres Ng Swee Poh )

“I realized that by helping others, even in the simplest of ways, I could help to build peace,” Tanaka said. He noted that the Japanese tradition of putting the needs of society above the needs of the individual helped his country rebuild after the tsunami and earthquake in March.

“This is a lesson that I think the whole world can learn from, in a positive way. When we see the needs of others as more important than our own needs — when we focus our energies on a shared goal that is for the good of all — this changes everything,” he said. “It changes our priorities in a completely fundamental way. And it changes how we understand the idea of peace.”

Flood Relief Mission ( courtesy of Pres Ng Swee Poh )

Tanaka will ask Rotarians to focus their energy on supporting the three priorities of the RI Strategic Plan , he said. He added that he will ask the incoming leaders to promote three Rotary peace forums, to be held in Hiroshima, Japan; Berlin; and Honolulu, Hawaii, USA.

“In Rotary, our business is not profit. Our business is peace,” he said.

“Our reward is not financial, but the happiness and satisfaction of seeing a better, more peaceful world, one that we have achieved through our own efforts.”

 
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PP Che Who then took the members of RCJB through his experiences of having participated in the END POLIO Trans-Sabah Walk and Climb.

The Speaker and his team of seven members prepared themselves well in advance for the walk as it was no easy feat. All, with the exception of two members were well into their fifties. They were accompanied by a support vehicle and they were also equipped with safety gadgets, as their walk commenced daily at approximately 2.00am, in order to avoid the afternoon heat. This meant that they had to be clearly visible to the other road users, of the often narrow and treacherous roads.

END POLIO Trans-Sabah Walk and Climb by PP Leong Chee Woh

Many fellow Rotarians, friends and supporters were there through different stages of the walk to give the members of the team moral support and encouragement. The members faced several challenges, some of which were extremely daunting. In addition, there were many nights, when members had very little or barely enough sleep and yet had to prep themselves and set out to accomplish what they had initially set out to do; the climb up Mount Kinabalu.

END POLIO Trans-Sabah Walk and Climb by PP Leong Chee Woh

District 3310 decided to do something extraordinary and out of the normal by organizing the walk, to awaken members of the public to the call to end Polio. It was a 320km walk, mostly over mountainous terrain. The team began their journey at sea level and reached the highest point of Mt Kinabalu at 4,095m.

For the speaker and his team – mates, it was really an adventure, which held many memorable moments especially as they reached the peak of Mt Kinabalu. It was a great sense of achievement for all, as they took it upon themselves to do something extraordinary, in contributing towards Polio eradication and to motivate and inspire others to do the same.

END POLIO Trans-Sabah Walk and Climb by PP Leong Chee Woh

The magnificent scene at the peak was a sight to remember; with clouds rolling above and below them, the clear blue sky and the protruding peaks.

District Governor, Hj Zainie Aucasa, was closely involved with the team in planning the walk. He was their chief instigator and supporter. PP Chee Woh informed members that the District is close to achieving the target of raising UD$100,000.00 towards the END POLIO mission.

Well done to the “Big Walk” man of RCJB and his team of seven, who did a wonderful job of accomplishing the extraordinary 320 km walk to the peak of Mt Kinabalu. The speaker was thanked in the usual manner by PP Dr Roland Lim for having thought “out of the box” and for having made this walk a dream come true.

Despite a stagnant global economy, Rotary clubs around the world have succeeded in raising more than US$200 million in new funding for polio eradication.

The fundraising milestone, announced today at Rotary’s annual International Assembly in San Diego, was reached in response to a $355 million challenge grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. All funds have been earmarked to support polio immunization activities in countries where this vaccine-preventable disease continues to paralyze children.

We’ll celebrate this milestone, but it doesn’t mean that we’ll stop raising money or spreading the word about polio eradication,” Rotary Foundation Trustee John F. Germ told the annual conference of Rotary leaders. “We can’t stop until our entire world is certified as polio free.”

“In recognition of Rotary’s great work, and to inspire Rotarians in the future, the [Gates] foundation is committing an additional $50 million to extend our partnership,” said Jeff Raikes, chief executive officer of the Gates Foundation.

“Rotary started the global fight against polio, and continues to set the tone for private fundraising, grassroots engagement and maintaining polio at the top of the agenda with key policy makers.”

Since 1988, the incidence of polio has plummeted by more than 99 percent, from about 350,000 infections annually to fewer than 650 cases reported so far for 2011. The wild poliovirus now remains endemic – meaning its transmission has never been stopped – in only four countries: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan. However, India on January 13 marked a full calendar year without a case, paving the way for its removal from the endemic list.

But other countries also remain at risk for polio cases imported from the endemic countries. In Africa in 2011, Chad and the Democratic Republic of the Congo had significant outbreaks. Also in 2011, a small cluster of polio cases in China, which had been polio-free for a decade, was attributable to a virus from Pakistan.

Rotary members not only reached into their own pockets to support the Gates challenge, but engaged their communities in a variety of creative fundraising projects, such as a fashion show in California that raised $52,000; benefit film screenings in New Zealand and Australia that netted $54,000; and a pledge-supported hike through Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, that brought in $38,000. Many events were planned around October 24, widely observed as World Polio Day.

To date, Rotary club members worldwide have contributed more than $1 billion toward the eradication of polio, a cause Rotary took on in 1985. In 1988, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention joined Rotary as spearheading partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

More recently, the Gates Foundation has become a major supporter. In 2007, the Gates Foundation gave Rotary a $100 million challenge grant for polio eradication, increasing it to $355 million in 2009. Rotary agreed to raise $200 million in matching funds by June 30, 2012.

Reaching children with the oral polio vaccine in the disease’s remaining strongholds is labor and resource -intensive due to a host of challenges, including poor infrastructure, geographical isolation, armed conflict and cultural misunderstanding about the eradication campaign.

Promote the success of the US$200 million challenge in your community To help you publicize your club or district efforts toward meeting the US$200 million fundraising challenge in support of polio eradication, a news release template will be available for download in eight languages by Wednesday, 18 January at www.rotary.org. In addition to distributing this news release to your local media, share it through social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and include it in your club or district newsletter.

One Liner Joke….
Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm……

( PP Dr Ho )

During the 1st meeting of the Jawatan Kuasa Wabak Denggi, Daerah for 2012, the commendation by the “Ketua Penolong Pegawai Daerah Johor Bahru” En. Sidek Bin Paiman confirms the exemplary role of Rotary Clubs in Johor.

( IPP Dr Siva )

Prior to joining GYC Financial, he was a Director in UBS AG and one of Singapore’s pioneering independent financial advisors. Mr Cai has been widely featured in the Straits Times, Sunday Times, Business Times, The Asian Wall Street Journal, The Edge, Channel News Asia, Channel, Radio 93.8 FM, financial internet portals, magazines and books.

The speaker also recently wrote a book “How To Be A Successful Investor,” which he promoted at the meeting with 45% of the proceeds of the sale of each book being donated back to RCJB.

The speaker shared his views and ideas on how investors could manage their investments successfully. The members were introduced to investment strategies that they could adopt and learnt how to identify important market reversals that can be capitalized on.

The speaker also spoke about the possibility and importance of market timing with market sentiment, momentum and market-breath indicators. Investors who were interested in fundamental analysis were not disappointed as the speaker also kept RCJB members updated on market valuations. The speaker ended the session with his market views for 2012.

D3310 Is Now An Incorporated Entity Limited By Guarantee
( PP Leong Chee Woh )

Mr Harban gave a rather detailed talk on Tg Piai, its wonders and beauty and simultaneously its life-threat, if members of the public do not awaken to the reality of its gradual erosion to the waters converging the mangroves.

The Tg Piai Ramsar site was designated a Ramsar site in 2003 and this coastal mangrove is an important landmark of Malaysia, the most southern tip of the Asian continent.

Tg Piai is part of the larger SW Johor Wetlands. The south -west Johor coastal wetlands are unique as they represent diverse ecological habitats where mangroves are the dominant wetland habitat type. The SW Johor Wetlands safeguard enormous biological diversity, while providing important benefits and services of national interest, commercial fisheries, designated and protected state parts and which supports the livelihood of the local communities Tg Piai is suffering from coastal erosion and the area has been identified as one of the critical areas for coastal erosion under a National Coastal Erosion Risk Study.

In recent years, mangrove trees have been uprooted hence exposing the shoreline. This will contribute to the loss of ecological integrity. Restoring the coastal hydrology by the means of appropriate interventions, as for example the proposed planting of the seedlings by RCJB is pertinent, as this would be beneficial and yield long term environmental, social or economic benefits Maintaining the ecological integrity and characteristics of the Tg Piai Ramsar site is the prerogative of the National Parks Corporation ( PTNJ).

The Tg Piai Wetlands is frequented by students from around the country and even university students in the region, due to its rich diversity. It is an ideal location for education and even as a camping site.

Dato Freddy Long thanked the speaker for his enthusiastic, informed and detailed talk, which left RCJB members with a greater sense of awareness, for the need to be actively involved in the forthcoming project by RCJB in the planting of the seedlings.

Dato Freddy Long has been busy co-ordinating the various aspects of this project, which is hoped to take off from February – April 2012, during the dry season.

Picture shows damage from the March Tsunami that devastated parts of Japan. Rotary Clubs and Districts worldwide mobilized to bring aid to the victims. Rotary Foundation established the Rotary Japan 2011 Disaster Recovery Fund which raised almost USD 6 million for long term recovery projects. The Fund is being administered by a committee of local Rotarians, who are identifying communities’ needs, managing the distribution of funds, overseeing and reporting on project implementation and reporting on proper stewardship. Rotarians have already completed 10 projects with USD400,000.00 from the fund.

Clubs and Districts held benefits in support of tsunami victims, including a concert by Miki Okubo, a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar from Japan studying in Paris.

2. RI Theme:

RI President Kalyan Banerjee unveiled the 2011- 2012 theme “Reach Within To Embrace Humanity” during the International Assembly in January. He urged Rotary leaders-in-training to harness their inner strength to achieve success in Rotary.

3. The Fight Against Polio:

 
India has been making great strides towards polio eradication in 2011, with only one case of virus reported from January till early December. Rotarians helped administer bivalent oral polio vaccine to more then 35 million children in the country during a Sub-national Immunization Day on 13 November.

On 20 November a team of Rotarians from District 3700 ( Korea ), served in a health campaign in Meerut, Utta Pradesh, where children were immunized against the disease. The camp was organized by Indian Rotarians, in co-operation with local health officials and UNICEF.

Rotarians also worked to get out the message about polio eradication for World Polio Day in October. In Australia, Rotarians and the Global Poverty Project carried out a petition drive to persuade world leaders to fully fund the critical work of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Almost 25,000 supporters signed the petition resulting in a A$20,000 ( US $20,700 ) contribution to Rotary’s US$200 Million Challenge by the Rotary Club of Crawley Western Australia which had offered to donate A$1 for each signature.

In Perth, the Global Poverty Project’s End of Polio Concert on 28 October raised additional funds. The concert coincided with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the city; Rotarians had teamed up with the group to urge government leaders to put polio eradication on the agenda. After the meeting, the governments of Australia, Canada and Nigeria, along with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, announced a combined pledge of more then US$100 million to support polio eradication efforts.

4. R I Convention:

More then 16000 Rotarians from around the world converged in New Orleans, Louisiana USA in May for the 2011 RI Convention. Rotaractors, Rotarians and Rotary Foundation Alumni participated in service projects to help families still recovering from damage caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2000. Among the highlights during the four packed days of plenary and breakout sessions was a speech by Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in which he praised Rotary for its success in the campaign to eradicate polio and urged Rotarians to redouble their efforts to keep the disease from spreading. Another speaker was Michael McQueen, a leading authority on youth trends, who said Generation Y has much to offer Rotary.

5. Strategic Partnerships:

The Rotary Foundation Board of Trustees approved four strategic partnerships in 2011 under the Future Vision Plan.

These partnerships will help Rotary broaden its impact in the areas of focus by offering service opportunities for Rotarians through packaged global grants.

Rotary clubs will be teaming up with UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education to train scientists and engineers to solve problems related to water and sanitation, particularly in developing countries. Grants will support scholarships for master’s degree programs at the institute’s campus in Delft, the Netherlands.

Through the partnership with Aga Khan University, vocational training teams will enhance the clinical and administrative skills of health educators at the university’s campuses in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

Rotarians will work with Oikocredit International to advance community and economic development through the Netherlands-based cooperative’s network of microfinance institutions.

And the partnership with Mercy Ships will enable clubs to get involved in improving health care services in West Africa.

The packaged global grants are available to Future Vision pilot districts and clubs.

What does US$50,000 DDF mean in terms of total funding for flood rehabilitation in Thailand?

Let’s say for example the US$50,000 is divided into 10 equal portions with each US$5,000 portion applied to a matching grant project involving partnering clubs in D3310 and D3350 (see below). Let’s also say for example that partnering clubs raise a further US$5,000 in cash contributions to match D3310’s DDF. I believe this US$5,000 is a realistic amount and can very well be more.

With 100% TRF matching for DDF and 50% matching for cash, the total funding for a single MG project is US$17,500, worked out as follows:

DDF     Cash    TRF     Total
5,000   5,000   7,500   17,500

Ten projects of the same would yield a combined total funding of US$175,000.

This amount can very well be exceeded. Clubs have every incentive to plough their intended donations into a MG project because it would make every dollar go further (with TRF matching).

What this initiative means is a potential total US$200,000 for flood rehabilitation in Thailand. Yes, that’s what we are doing for the Thais!

Every D3310 club that has a sister-club relationship in D3350 must take advantage of this initiative. If you do not have a sister club, you can still participate in this initiative. Come forward to be a volunteer partner and let me know how much cash you would like to donate.

Don’t wait, do it now. Let’s put it together for Thailand.

( PP Leong Chee Who )

Dear Rotarians,

On the 8th December 2011 ,President Ng Swee Poh,PP Tony Ong and myself went to Messrs L.Parthiban, Zulkiflee & Associates’s office in JB, Solicitors for Messrs Tan Chang Yong Holding Sdn.Bhd (Interested Purchasers) who are interested to purchase RCJB Foundation’s 5 Units of properties at Wisma Abad.

Our Units are:
1) S2-18 (225 square feet)
2) S2-42 (225 square feet)
3) S2-43 (225 square feet)
4) S2-44 (225 square feet)
5) S2-45 (400 square feet).

They offered to buy the Units at RM 100.00 per square foot. They later revised it to RM115.00 per square foot as we are an NGO. We told them we need to get the RCJB Members approval first before we can make any decision.

At the RCJB Foundation AGM on 20th Dec.2011 the members decided to appoint our own member PP Tan Beng Sooi to do a valuation of our units before we make the decision on the offer by the interested purchasers.

( Rtn JS Kwang)

Mock Cheque Presentation of RM100,000.00 by Ms Chua and PP Wong to Pres Ng S P…..

Pres Ng S P thanks Ms Chua for the kind gesture of the donation of RM100,000.00 which will go a long way towards providing dialysis care for the patients at RCJB’s Haemodialysis Centre…….

Purchasing necessities for the children……...

Hard at work packing the items into individual bags for the children…..

One for the camera, together with the princess and the children, after they had received their bags of goodies….

The children being treated to a hearty meal…...

 President Elect Training Seminar & District Assembly 2012

The President Elect Training Seminar and District Assembly will be held from 22 – 25 March 2012 at the Grand Paragon Hotel. Register and give RCJB your full support!!

To The Trustees,

The Dato’ Chua Song Lim & Datin Koh Sai Eng Foundation.

Who donated two (2) units of ‘Fresenius’ Haemodialysis Machines and funds for our needy patients amounting a total of RM 100,000.00.

“Thank you very much” for selecting the Rotary Club of Johor Bahru as a beneficiary for the above. The Rotary club of Johor Bahru pioneered the setting up of the first non-profit dialysis center in Johor Bahru 20 years ago. Our initial success has given others confidence and today there are dialysis centers in almost every big town in Johor.

We operate 18 machines and provide dialysis treatment to about 65 patients in 2 shifts and are among those that have been inspected and approved by the Ministry of Health. Most of our machines are approaching the end of their economic life and your kind donation is most timely.

We will be forwarding you the invoice from Fresenius Medical Care, the supplier of these 2 units of dialysis machines upon receiving them. Each machine costs RM 44,000.00 and the invoice will be for RM 88,000.00. The balance of RM 12,000.00 will be donated to patients who are facing problems with paying their ‘subsidized treatment’ bills.

( President Ng Swee Poh )

End Polio Walk…. Look Who’s Walking

“I’ve had calls from President Bobby Lim and Mark Koh of RC Batu Pahat that they will join us for fellowship in Yong Peng on Sunday 26th December. RC BP will also contribute RM500.00.

With activities in Labis (Maria and Nick), Yong Peng (RC BP), Ayer Hitam (RC Kluang), Kulai (RC Kulai), Johor Bahru (RCs JB, Pontian, Puteri Lagoon, Straits View, etc) and Singapore, we will be pretty busy for the rest of the course.

Thanks very much, everyone. Merry Christmas!”

( PP Leong Chee Woh )

( Rtn Lee Soo Tong, Secretary )