SUMMER 2012 ISSUE
THE SELANGOR SCOTSMAN SELANGOR ST ANDREW’S SOCIETY
CHAPTER 1
CHIEFTIAN'S CHATTER A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHATS WHAT AND OH THAT
Newsletter sponsor Asian Tigers Malaysia Tel: 603 9222 9688 Fax: 603 9222 9788 www.asiantigers-malaysia.com
CHIEFTIAN’S CHATTER Our annual dive trip in April was to the stunning island of Pulau Redang and all participants, divers and non divers alike, had a fantastic time both in and out the water.
I look forward to seeing you all at the Welcome Back Nicht on the 29th September..... Have a great summer break ! Yours aye,
The new members night was held at J&R’s Damansara on the 12th May and was a wonderful social evening with over 60 people in attendance.
Ali www.ssas-online.com
On the 26th May, it was our annual concert and what a fabulous time was had by all. Desh Mesh drummers, St John’s, KLPD, Malaysian Sikh Band, Hip hop dancers, the hugely talented Whisky Kiss band and the hilarious Craig Hill provided the entertainment for the evening. If you couldn’t attend the evening please watch the videos on our SSAS Youtube channel (the links are included later in Chapter 6). After distributing the allocated moneys to our chosen charities we received a lovely letter from Erskine Hospital for ex service men, asking that we thank all the members for our continued support. So well done to us all, may we have many more opportunities to help them. Many of you will be making the annual migration home to bonnie Scotland for your “summer hols” so please travel safe and remember to take your umbrella and winter clothing !!
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CHAPTER 2
THE SELANGOR ST ANDREW’S SOCIETY
ABOUT S.S.A.S. CHIEFTAIN 2012 Ali King Vice-Chieftan Lynn Maitland Honorary Secretary Alan Bernard Honorary Treasurer Hector Ingram Committee Yvanka Jeffery Jeff Ross Lorna Mair Elaine Cameron Zoe Shuttleworth Kathleen Whyte Newsletter Alan Bernard Dance Convenor Richard Thompson Alice Smith School Rep Yvanka Jeffery
The Society’s aims include fostering of matters of Scottish interest, the celebration of St. Andrew’s Day and the organisation of social events for our members. In addition to our formal annual events – The Burns Supper and our St. Andrew’s Celebration, we organise ceilidhs, golf days, highland weekends, pub nights and whisky tastings. The Society has, in recent years, staged a series of concerts with Scottish musicians such as the Battlefield Band, Capercaillie, Red Hot Chilli Pipers and Bags of Rock. In addition the Society has also engaged Scottish comedians Craig Hill and Daniel Sloss to perform at Society events. Date
Event
Venue
29th September 2012
Welcome Back Nicht
TBA
13th October 2012
Great British Ball
Shangri-La hotel, KL
10th November 2012
Whisky Tasting
TBA
24th November 2012
St Andrew’s Day Celebration Park Royal Hotel, KL
2nd February 2012
Burn’s Supper
Hilton Hotel, KL
May 2013
May Concert
Hilton Hotel, KL
RESIDENT PAST CHIEFTANS Stewart Forbes (1987), Tristan Russell (1989), Patrick Russell (1997, 2004) Roger McGowan (2005), John Thomson (2006), Hector Ingram (2007) Paul Henderson (2009), Richard Thompson (2010), Johan Murison (2011)
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CHAPTER 3
ANNUAL DIVE TRIP
DIVE TRIP 2012 The stunning island of Pulau Redang was the location for this years annual society dive trip which is now sadly over. All 17 participants, divers and non divers alike had a fantastic time both in and out the water, and more so the kids and the big kids with their immediate discovery when we arrived on the island of the next door resorts "iceberg"! We had three milestones this year with Mira conducting her first Open Water Discovery Dive, Lewis Mair (aged 13) conducting his first Open Water Night Dive and a major milestone with Kieran Mair (aged 9) discovering and getting up close to his first turtle! Don't miss out on next years adventure, diver or non-diver you are guaranteed a fantastic weekend away. Additional photos of this amazing weekend have been uploaded to our Facebook Page (Selangor St Andrews Society). *** Photographs courtesy of Johan Murison and Lorna Mair. ***
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CHAPTER 4
JOHN DUNCAN 1935-2012
JOHN DUNCAN 1935-2012 John Duncan, a life and possibly the senior resident member of the Selangor St. Andrew’s Society, has died aged 77.
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Having lived in Malaysia almost continuously since 1953 he was one of the senior members of the resident British community and one of a diminishing sub-set that knew Malaya and Malaysia preand post-independence.
John Malcolm Brian Duncan was born on 20th April 1935 in the UK to Brian and Irene Duncan. The eldest of four children, his father was a barrister who joined the RAF on the outbreak of war, and later became Judge Advocate General of the RAF and British Army. John was at an RAF Air Station during the whole of the Battle of Britain – aged 5. John later attended the Merchant Taylors’ boarding school Moor Park, near London from 1947 to 1953. At school he played cricket and tennis well. He was also keen on Bridge, but his greatest interest was Chess. He became Hertfordshire Junior Chess Champion, and carried on playing by post for some twenty years. In 1953, aged 18, John volunteered for National Service in the Army rather than defer until after university. He applied for a commission and requested to serve in Malaya during the emergency. His interest in Malaya stemmed from his Aunt Eileen, who married a schoolmaster in
Singapore and lived in Johore, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. During the war her husband died in Thailand, on the railway. In Malaya, John was appointed Transport Officer with the Royal Army Service Corps in Kluang, Johore. His job was to manage stores convoys - an obvious target for bandit ambushes – all over the country. He did this for two years and later remarked that in all that time he never saw an RAF aircraft – only Army Lysanders & Austers and Royal Navy helicopters & ground attack aircraft. John left Malaya in 1955 to read History at Queens’ College, Cambridge. He was always interested in history, and proud of his descent from the British (and Scottish) naval hero, Admiral Adam Duncan who crushingly defeated the Dutch under Admiral De Winter at Camperdown in 1797 - a British naval victory scarcely less significant than Trafalgar a few years later. Hence his interest in all things Scottish. On leaving Cambridge John’s sole ambition was to get back to Malaya, and he interviewed with Boustead’s in London. On the day he ignored, as usual, half a dozen entreaties to get to get up and eventually left the house too late to catch the last suitable train. He needed to change at Baker Street for Marylebone. As usual, his ‘Guardian Angel’ took a hand. Whilst buying a ticket, John noticed a train pulling away from the platform. He hopped on as it gathered speed. In true Harry Potter style the train went non-stop…. to Marylebone, a routing not scheduled. As he got off the Guard rushed up demanding to know “Are you the man who got on at Northwood?” To John’s - “Yes, why?” - the Guard replied: “Because we don’t stop there! – this is the express from Watford to Marylebone - we only slowed for an Amber Signal.” 9 / 30
JOHN DUNCAN 1935-2012 So – clearly fated - John joined Boustead’s in November 1958 and was posted to Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu) in British North Borneo (now Sabah) before moving to Kuala Lumpur in 1961. There he spent a couple of years managing the Shipping Dept. of Boustead’s until in March 1963 he transferred to Guthrie’s. He was wanted for ‘Transport’ of all types (Road, Rail, and Shipping), largely based on ! his RASC time in Kluang during the emergency. John stayed with Guthrie’s for almost thirty years, retiring in April 1992. In this time he lived through momentous changes - not least the ‘dawn raid’ by the Malaysian Government on Guthrie’s shares in 1981, which succeeded in transferring control of the business from the UK to Malaysia. Remarkably, he also survived successive culls of expatriate planters and other staff from the 1970’s onwards, a feat which speaks either to his indispensability or his diplomatic skills – and probably a bit of both. For hobbies, he retained interests in Horticulture (growing orchids) History and Highland Dancing, the latter of which was invariably with the St Andrew’s Society in the company of his popular and much loved first wife Margaret. Above all, he loved the Hash. John joined Mother Hash on 15thJune 1961 and served as Joint Master in 1965 and Hon Sec in 1968. He per-
sonified the spirit of the hash. His trademark white tennis shorts and beaten up cars along with a succession of faithful Dobermans - Anthony Benton, Bujang and Boomer - were a prominent feature of Mother Hash and later Petaling, which he joined in 1977. For many years he acted as KL’s ‘inter-hash secretary’ nurturing interclub relations and trying to ensure no two clubs ran from the same place at the same time! After a few beers John’s spirited renditions of “The Lobster Song” and “Three German Officers” became famous in KL hash culture. He hashed continuously from 1961 and was still setting runs until his health failed him around 2008 – almost 50 years. John also became very interested in the jungle and the peoples who lived in it, and became passionate about organizing monthly “Hash Walks” for his friends, diligently doing the recces each month and sending out directions. The walks would fill a Sunday with an exploration of the jungle and typically a summit in the vicinity of KL. John was extremely fond of the group, and the “Hash Walks” were a most important part of his later years. In 2007, he undertook an expedition to visit Orang Asli settlements in the Perak jungle. The trip comprised a number of four wheel drives and gifted clothes, books and food to the Orang Asli. He later said this trip gave him his greatest satisfaction in many years. John was also an enthusiastic supporter of the renowned “Peninsular Research Institute for Cultural Knowledge”, which still holds an annual lunch-symposium just before Christmas at KL’s famous Coliseum Café. These well lubricated events have been for many years and remain an annual highlight enjoyed by blokes of a certain age nostalgic for British institutional cuisine and schoolboy humour. 10 / 30
JOHN DUNCAN 1935-2012 In recent years John’s health deteriorated and he developed Alzheimer’s. He moved with Aza to Nilai in Negri Sembilan and became less seen by his friends in KL, and on the Hash. He attended his last St Andrew’s Night Ball at the Selangor Club in 2008. In this period his main ambition was to get better and be ‘fit’ again: so he could rejoin the Sunday Walks; climb mountains; and be back in his own orbit again. Sadly this was not to be, and he died after his condition deteriorated in June 2012. When he married his second wife Aza, John adopted the Muslim faith and was accordingly buried within 24 hours of his passing, in Muar, Johore. John’s rich life was celebrated and passing marked at a wake attended by some 100 friends and admirers at the Coliseum Café on Sunday July 1st 2012. John married twice, firstly Margaret (4th January 1969) and secondly Aza (14th February 2005). Both survive him. There were no children. !
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Kuala Lumpur July 2012 / Patrick Russell with contributions from Peter Duncan, Chris Boyd and Richard Moss.
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CHAPTER 5
NEW MEMBERS NICHT
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CHAPTER 6
MAY DINNER AND CONCERT
WHISKY KISS CONCERT Over 400 people attended this fantastic evening held at the Hilton hotel on the 26th May 2012. It was an evening of fine food and wonderful entertainment with Desh Mesh opening the evenings entertainment with an amazing drum display - glowing in the dark! The hilarious Craig Hill, as MC, had the guests rolling with laughter, during the Battle of the Sponsors, and the rest of the evening with his amazingly quick and funny humour. The “drum off” battle between the Malaysian Seikh, St John’s and the KLPD bands whetted peoples appetite for more and the “Pipe off” followed. Everyone in the Ballroom was standing as the three bands combined to perform Scotland the Brave and Highland Cathedral. The hair on the back of my neck was standing to attention and i’m sure there were a few tears shed by some - what an amazing sound and sight.
Whisky Kiss were the main act for the night with the Scottish dancers Lianne and Lisa “dancing off” against the hip hop dancers Uchop and Glad. Rachel’s vocals were mesmerizing and powerful for such a wee lass, with Iain (accordion/bass), Chris (Guitar), Ewan (drums) and the amazing Siobhan on violin. The evenings entertainment drew to a close with Auld Lang Sing and our 2nd national anthem “i will walk 500 miles”. What a night ! Many thanks once again to our great sponsors
*** Photographs & Video courtesy of Alan Bernard *** 15 / 30
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THE VIDEOS Please click on the links below to view videos of the event :-
Part 1 - The Drummers Part 2 - Craig Hill Part 3 - Battle of the Sponsors Part 4 - Drum off Part 5 - Pipe off Part 6 - Pipe Band Part 7 - Whisky Kiss and Dancers
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CHAPTER 7
INTER-SOCIETY GOLF 2012
INTER-SOCIETY GOLF The annul Inter-society Golf tournament was held on the 20th May 2012 at the Bukit Unggul golf course. Despite having the two best scores of the day (Well done Gary Pyott and Willie Watt!) we came second to the Auld Enemy by only 7 points. Let’s make sure we win it back next year? Start practicing folks !
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CHAPTER 8
CAMERON HIGHLANDS WEEKEND
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CHAPTER 9
ALL ABOUT SCOTLAND
SCOTLAND’S GLENS Carved by glacial erosion during the last Ice Age and steeped in history, Scotland’s breathtaking and stunning glens are unique and inspiring places which have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Scotland’s glens are places of great splendor, beauty and tranquillity, where you can spend time enjoying the fresh, clean Scottish air and delighting in the stunning flora and fauna. No adventure into the Scottish glens would be complete without a visit to the Great Glen, a giant geological fracture which cuts across the Highlands from Inverness, on the Moray Firth to Fort William, at the head of Loch Linnhe. The Great Glen Way is 117 km and is a popular route along an ancient fault line that should take you around four to seven days, passing a series of long, interconnected lochs which nestle in the shadow of Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, at 4,409 ft (1344 m). One of the most dramatic glens in Scotland is the iconic Glencoe. This spectacular mountainous valley is a National Scenic Area and holds a host of environmental designations. It is also steeped in Scottish folklore and world renowned for the quality and variety of its winter climbing. Glen Affric is a magical place and widely considered to be the most beautiful glen in Scotland thanks to the spectacular lochs, magnificent mountainous scenery and the largest area of ancient Caledonian pine forest in Scotland. The Angus Glens are made up of five glens which run in the same general direction, giving the impression of the fingers of a hand stretching through the breathtaking countryside of Angus and finishing at the outer edge of the Cairngorms National Park. The Scottish glens are a beautiful part of Scotland's magical and mysterious landscape, each with a great diversity of wildlife and stunning flora and fauna.
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CHAPTER 10
BITS N BOBS
E & O GALLERY
The Eastern & Oriental Hotel in Penang has embarked on a project to set up a Gallery that will allow visitors to experience the social history of Penang. To build this gallery, the E&O Hotel welcomes personal stories and/or memorabilia related to the experiences of people who have visited, stayed or worked at the Hotel. The story may reflect any era and may be in a personal, societal or historical context. The associated mementos need not have any monetary value. These recollections will help preserve the heritage and historical record of the island’s rich history. Stories of celebrations of special or historical moments at the E&O including the ‘St Andrew Annual Celebration’ at the E&O hosted in earlier years by the then existing Penang St Andrew Society are being sought. You are invited to share your story or information relating to the above by contacting Kulwant Jessy, project manager at kulwantjessy@hotmail.com. If you happen to visit the E&O hotel, you may record your story in the hotel visitors’ record book of memories at the Duty Manager’s desk.
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SFC SUPPORTERS CLUB
At the tail end of last year a number of people met up to watch the Scotland V Czech Republic football match in Finnegans Changkat Bukit Bintang and a good night was had by all. With world cup qualifiers starting later this year I was looking to see if there was any interest in forming a Scotland Supporters Club in Kuala Lumpur where we can all meet of and watch the games together. Obviously time differences will have an effect on if this is possible or not. There may even be the option of travelling should they head over to Asia for friendlies. On a very rare occasion would Astro show a Scotland game but I have friend back in Scotland who currently sends me live Scottish football via a slingbox. This is a one to one feed not a normal stream. If anyone is interested in exploring this drop me an E-mail to srbrockett@googlemail.com and I collate the names and if sufficient numbers reply arrange a get together to discuss it further and get others ideas.
Stewart Brockett
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REQUEST FOR INFORMATION We are all familiar with stories regarding the alarmingly high incidence of snatch theft of the streets of Kuala Lumpur. This week I sent a letter of concern to various officials regarding this growing problem and have now received a reply from the RMP, viz: "I am refering to your email to the Inspector-General of Police and also letter to the Sun editor today under the title ' where are the policeman?' on the above subject. I take note of your concern on incidents of Snatch Thievery and in fact i am in the process of drafting a reply to your letter. In the meantime, may I request you for some details of incident where you fell victim and that of others. It would be very helpful in narrowing down my scope of reply to this menace affecting your area. Sincerely, Officer-in-Charge of Criminal Investigation, Kuala Lumpur." I wish to draft a reply to this request and would be grateful if your members could send brief details of their experiences in order to pinpoint where offences of this type are taking place. As most of these crimes go unreported, this will assist the Police in their efforts to respond appropriately and target areas of high risk. I would ask that you please provide: a) Time of day b) Street/Location c) Brief summary of event d) Your concerns. How this time of crime affects you even if you haven't personally been a victim. Please send this information to me at fabbydabbydoo12345@yahoo.com. I will then collate their responses into a report, and reply to the Officer, in the hope that this will encourage a more visible police presence in trouble spots in the capital. No names or email addresses will be included in my report. With many thanks for your cooperation. Sandy Low. 30 / 30