RESPONSE AT INSTALLATION DINNER OF RATARY CLUB TG BUNGAH
Response by Y.A. Dato’ Abdul Hamid bin Hj. Mohamed
At the Installation Dinner
Of the President of the Rotary Club, Tanjung Bungah
24 July 1993
Tuan Yang Terutama Yang Di Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang, Tun Dato’ Seri (Dr) Haji Hamdan bin Sheikh Tahir, Yang Amat Berbahagia Toh Puan Datin Seri Hajjah Siti Zainab bt. Haji Baharuddin, Outgoing and Incoming President of the Rotary Club of Tanjung Bungah, Distinguished guests, Office-bearers and Members of the Club,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Usually when I speak, it is to deliver a judgment. I am not doing that this evening. Usually I am non-partisant. I am not this evening. Indeed I am asked to respond on behalf of one party – i.e. the guests. Usually, after I speak, one party will be unhappy – sometimes both parties are unhappy. I don’t know whether anybody will be happy this evening. However, I shall try my best.
Even though, as I have said, I am not delivering a judgment this evening, I hope I will be forgiven for recording a consent order. The order reads as follows:
“IN THE BAYVIEW BEACH RESORT HOTEL IN PENANG
In Re: The Installation Dinner of the
President of the Rotary Club of Tanjung Bungah
BEFORE THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE DATO’ ABDUL HAMID BIN HAJI MOHAMED, THIS 24TH DAY OF JULY, 1993, IN THE MARCO POLO CALL ROOM
UPON THE INVITATION of the Committee of the Rotary Club of Tanjung Bungah, upon eating the food served and upon hearing the beautiful music and the speeches made therein, BY CONSENT IT IS ORDERED that the Guests shall thank the Hosts for the sumptuous dinner AND IT IS ORDERED that the members of the Rotary Club Tanjung Bungah, their employers, agents, supporters and creditors shall pay the costs of this dinner.
Dated this 24th July 1993.
If required, I am very sure that the T.Y.T. Yang Di Pertua Negeri Pulau Pinang will, without hesitation, say “I assent”. There would not be any necessity for another showdown or a constitutional crisis to get His Excellency’s assent.
Ladies and gentlemen,
At a time when tradition is fast disappearing, it is heartening to note that members of the Rotary Club are still upholding their traditions. The installation ceremony of its President, I notice, is as elaborate as, if not more elaborate than, the swearing-in ceremony of the T.Y.T. Yang Di Pertua Negeri. Definitely it is more elaborate than the swearing-in ceremony of Judges. I am confident that they will match form with substance.
I am, indeed I am sure we all are, happy to note the many humanitarian projects that the Club has planned to do during the forthcoming year. I note that the projects include a “Save a Life” course in co-operation with the Red Crescent Society, blood donation, career guidance, youth exchange, cleanliness campaign and holiday camps for school children. There is no doubt that all these projects are aimed at improving the living conditions of human being and creating a better understanding amongst them.
Granted that the Homo sapiens are not as yet an endangered specie, nevertheless, they, be they white or coloured, Christians, Muslims, Hindus or whatever, are not less important than the trees and the whales. Therefore, any effort to improve their living condition or, at least, to enable them to continue living is most commendable.
On behalf of the guests, I congratulate the member of the Club and wish them every success in all their projects.
Thank you.
