Here are some of the ideas I shared for the benefit of all the Rotarians reading this blog.

It is an undisputed fact that many Rotarians for one reason or another fail in their obligation to share Rotary. This is not due selfishness but because we are complacent or lack conviction in what we are doing in Rotary. We lack the courage of our convictions are we ourselves are not convinced that what we are doing in Rotary is truly meaningful. For some, it is because their fellowship has no purpose, for others it is because they lack an understanding of their true power as Rotarians to make a better world.

I want to share with you this painting by Rosa Branson commissioned by Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI). The thematic work, entitled Service Above Self, depicts the many facets of Rotary’s humanitarian service, including the global campaign to eradicate polio and efforts addressing literacy, health, hunger, and water issues. Branson discovered Rotary’s work on a trip to Sierra Leone to visit the land-based operations of Mercy Ships, which is depicted in the painting and provides health care to port cities around the world.

I love this depiction of Rotary. It is empowering and makes me feel important in the scheme of things. What great things we do as Rotarians. Feed the hungry, help people in disasters, heal the sick and work for a more peaceful world. This is why we are Rotarians. This is why we must stand up and be counted. In a world that has gone mad – we are the hope for sanity and goodness. What we do is as Michael Jackson says, “Heal the world and make it a better place”. Let me share some of the lyrics of his inspirational song:

There’s A Place In Your Heart
And I Know That It Is Love
And This Place Could be Much Brighter Than Tomorrow
And If You Really Try……….

There Are Ways To Get There
If You Care Enough For The Living
Make A Little Space, Make A Better Place…

Heal The World, Make It A Better Place
For You And For Me, And The Entire Human Race………
And The Dream We Were Conceived In
Will Reveal A Joyful Face
And The World We Once Believed In Will Shine Again In Grace.
THE PARADIGM OF POWERLESSNESS

Many people in the world are consumed by the paradigm of powerlessness. They feel there is nothing they can do in the face of the overwhelming problems that confront the world. So much so that they are numb to human suffering. Everyday the media of the world bring images of suffering into our living rooms – LIVE. We watch these events of human misery unfold before our very eyes. Images like these:

They shock us, but many people take the position there is nothing they can do about it. So, they turn off the TV, have dinner and go to sleep. It’s not that they don’t care – they just don’t know what to do about it. They are trapped by their own problems – not realising that it is nothing compared to what many people suffer. They rationalise and justify their inaction and simply………

GIVE UP.

I want you to now take a journey with me. Back in time – to when you were a little boy or girl. When you were seven or eight years old.

DO YOU REMEMBER THE TIME?

It was the time when you were really you. It was a time when all things were possible and the indoctrinations of life had not happened. I remember that time well. And whenever I falter in life and think back to the Siva of seven or eight. The Siva who would give the beggar on the street his 10 sens pocket money and not think about what the beggar was going to do with it. The Siva who believed and trusted in the inherent goodness in all people. The Siva who believed in Superheroes.

Don’t laugh at me cynically. We all did – you did too. So did everybody. Because deep down everyone wants to see good truimph. Most people forget the real them. Life takes over and as Shakespeare put it – the whips and scorns of outrageous fortune condition people into a hardened state. Impervious to human suffering – numbing themselves to preserve their sanity.

ROTARIANS AND NOT AMONG THEIR NUMBER – BECAUSE WE HAVE RESOLVED TO FIGHT ON – TO END HUMAN MISERY.

The fact of the matter is that we are outnumbered and outgunned and we need to rearm and recruit. The total population of the world surpasses 7 Billion people. About half that number live in poverty and can’t even help themselves. So we have about 3 Billion people who live in the developed world. We have 1.2 million Rotarians. Even if you multiply that number by 20 to reflect the altruistic people of the world – we have 240 million people. Against a human population of 7 billion and a viable population of 3 billion. The world is not in good shape. Why? Because most people have been defeated by the paradigm of POWERLESSNESS.

Its time we turned to these people and shared our passion and commitment for humanitarian service. That is what membership development is about. We do not need more members – WE NEED MORE ROTARIANS. Believe this and ACT on your belief – REACH OUT.

These were the four founding members of Rotary. Such distinguished gentlemen, Gus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, Hiram Shorey and Paul Harris. What did they share in common with you? They yearned for fellowship. Saw it as an opportunity for service and shared that message with their friends. They believed a fellowship anchored on the ideal of humanitarian service was lasting and meaningful. But even the very first Rotarian group had their retention problem – 50% of this group left Rotary. But the remaining two perservered – that is why we have Rotary International today.

What else will we have in common with them? Yes, we will all die some day. Just like they did. 106 years on, we are still talking about what they did. A friend of mine, once told me, that every person has 2 deaths. I was confounded by what he said and asked him, how is that possible? He said, Siva a man dies the first time when he is dead physically. But he really dies only when people stop talking about him. When the memory of him is dead. That is the 2nd death! Live your life in such a way, that the 2nd death does not happen to you.

My friends, we as Rotarians live a life of service to others and therefore long after we are dead – the memory of our deeds will live. This is why we must commit ourselves to sharing Rotary and bringing in new and young members, so that, the good work that we do will carry on and long endure. Membership development is about ensuring that we leave a legacy of good. THIS IS THE ROTARY WAY.

Our mission, to provide humanitarian service, to promote high ethical standards and to advance understanding, goodwill and peace, is so fundamental and essential to improving the human condition.

GOD BLESS ROTARY

This year I have been given the opportunity by our District Governor Dr Ravee to Chair the Membership Development and Retention Committee. I will be blogging on this at http://rotary3300membership.blogspot.com/

Your suggestions and ideas would be most welcome.

Thank you.

PP Dr Siva Ananthan

Teacher: History is a very interesting subject. It tells you about what had happened in the past.
Student: Please teacher, I don’t think I want to study history.
Teacher: Why?
Student: There is no future in it!

Teacher       : Ted, if your father has $10 and you ask him for $6, how much would your father still have?
Ted              : $10.
Teacher       : You don’t know maths.
Ted              : You don’t know my father!

Mother        : David , come here.
David           : Yes, mum?
Mother        : You really disappoint me. Your results are getting worse.
David           : But I will only get my report book tomorrow.
Mother        : I know that. But I am going to Hong Kong tomorrow, so I am scolding you now.

Father      : Why did you fail your mathematics test?
Son          : On Monday, teacher said 3+5=8
Father      : So?
Son          : On Tuesday, she said 4+4=8 And on Wednesday, she said 6+2=8.. If she can’t make up her mind, how do I know the right answer?

Girl: Do you love me?
Boy: Yes Dear
Girl: Would you die for me?
Boy: No, mine is undying love

Man: How old is your father?
Boy: As old as me
Man: How can that be?
Boy: He became a father only when I was born

Teacher     : Simon , your composition on ‘My Dog’ is exactly the same as your brother’s. Did u copy his?
Simon        : No, teacher, it’s the same dog!

Father      : Your teacher says she finds it impossible to teach you anything!
Son          : That’s why I say she’s no good!

Teacher: ‘Where were u born?’
Student: ‘ Malaysia, Sir.’
Teacher: ‘Which part?’
Student: ‘All of me, Sir.’

A boy came home from school with his exam results.
‘What did u get?’ asked his father.
‘My marks are under water,’ said the boy.
‘What do u mean ‘under water’?’
‘They are all below ‘C’ (sea) level’

Absolutely Brilliant – The Germans Take Over Again!!!
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as “Euro-English”.

In the first year, “s” will replace the soft “c”.. Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard “c” will be dropped in favour of “k”. This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome “ph” will be replaced with “f”.. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent “e” in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing “th” with “z” and “w” with “v”.

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary “o” kan be dropd from vords kontaining “ou” and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi TU understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

I hope this made you laugh and have a great day my friends!

A LITTLE THREE YEAR OLD BOY IS SITTING ON THE TOILET. HIS MOTHER THINKS HE HAS BEEN IN THERE TOO LONG, SO SHE GOES IN TO SEE WHAT’S UP. THE LITTLE BOY IS SITTING ON THE TOILET READING A BOOK. BUT ABOUT EVERY TEN SECONDS OR SO HE PUTS THE BOOK DOWN, GRIPS ONTO THE TOILET SEAT WITH HIS LEFT HAND AND HITS HIMSELF ON TOP OF THE HEAD WITH HIS RIGHT HAND.

HIS MOTHER SAYS: “BILLY, ARE YOU ALL RIGHT? YOU’VE BEEN IN HERE FOR A WHILE”.

BILLY SAYS: “I’M FINE, MUMMY… I JUST HAVEN’T DONE IT YET. “

MOTHER SAYS: “OK, YOU CAN STAY HERE A FEW MORE MINUTES. BUT, BILLY, WHY ARE YOU HITTING YOURSELF ON THE HEAD?”

BILLY SAYS: “IT WORKS FOR TOMATO SAUCE!”

The recently concluded 76th RI District 3300 Conference at the Shangri-La, Kuala Lumpur was the epitomy of efficient organisation and precision. Everything was well planned and executed. Kudos to the organising club – RC Pudu and their partners. I must make special mention of two other clubs, RC Danau Desa for organising a wonderful fellowship night and RC Central Damansara for hosting the wonderful house of friendship. These Rotarians exemplify the very spirit of Rotary service and friendship. We owe them a great debt of gratitude for their tireless efforts on our behalf.

It was a great conference and the only downer for me was the Elvis show. It wasn’t really that great but I suppose the reason for that was that the promotions before the conference heightened my expectations to such a degree that anything short of a great show was bound to disappoint me!

But the RC Pudu deserves an A+ for effort. Great job guys!

Moving on to the subject of this piece. This District Conference is also notable because for the first time, what has been rotary gossip mill fodder over the last many years, the issue of Di-Raja status for Rotary clubs was dealt with head-on. The District Strategic Planning committee decided to put the question to the delegates once and for all and end this debate one way or the other.

It proposed a resolution which essentially argued that the name of a Rotary Club must not have a prefix like the Royal Rotary Club of  xxx. In truth, this is an RI policy and requirement and the question therefore is whether calling a Rotary club, the Rotary Club of xxx DiRaja offends this policy and flouts this requirement.

The committee put it to the delegates that the translation of the word Royal to Di-Raja is against this policy and requirement and fundamentally offends the principle of truth in Rotary. 

Therefore, a resolution was put to the delegates that Rotary Clubs are not allowed to change their club name to include “Di-Raja” to depict the “Royal” status.

There are several issues involved here and need careful consideration.

1. The principle of equality. If one takes the view that all Rotary clubs are equal and united by the singular ideal of ‘service above self’, then any kind of differentiation based on class or pedigree should be avoided. As David Allan Coe said, “All men are created equal, it is only men themselves who place themselves above equality.”

2. Local customs and practices. In reality, the practise however contradicts the philosophical position. For example, all Rotarians have a Rotary name and we are supposed to address each other by our Rotary name. However, as mark of respect (and sometimes sychophancy) often we find Rotarians referring to Dato so and so and Tan Sri so and so. Is this wrong? If one takes the view that it is not, then similarly, recognising a Rotary club that receives Royal status and the like is not wrong. If however, you take the view that it is wrong to refer to anyone other than by his or her Rotary name, then it follows that it wrong for a Rotary club to differentiate itself in this way. In this context perhaps the most appropriate comment is that famous quote from Bob Dylan who said, “All this talk about equality. The only thing people really have in common is that they are all going to die.” So until then, we live in an unequal world.

3. Legal implications. It has been suggested that to question the status of a DiRaja club is sedition. One person even suggested to me that a police report should be lodged against the promoters of this resolution!

The Sedition Act is a law prohibiting discourse deemed as seditious. The act was originally enacted by the colonial authorities of British Malaya in 1948. The act criminalises speech with “seditious tendency”, including that which would “bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against” the government or engender “feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races”. The latter provision includes the questioning of certain portions of the Constitution, namely those pertaining to the special rights of the Bumiputras.

Section 4 of the Act specifies that anyone who “does or attempts to do, or makes any preparation to do, or conspires with any person to do” an act with seditious tendency, such as uttering seditious words, or printing, publishing or importing seditious literature, is guilty of sedition.

So that we are reasonably well informed on the subject, the scope of matters viewed as having a seditious tendency is dealt with in Section 3(1) as follows:

(a) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against any Ruler or against any Government;

(b) to excite the subjects of the Ruler or the inhabitants of any territory governed by any government to attempt to procure in the territory of the Ruler or governed by the Government, the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any matter as by law established;

(c) to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection against the administration of justice in Malaysia or in any State;

(d) to raise discontent or disaffection amongst the subjects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of the Ruler of any State or amongst the inhabitants of Malaysia or of any State;

(e) to promote feelings of ill-will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Malaysia; or

(f) to question any matter, right, status, position, privilege, sovereignty or prerogative established or protected by the provisions of part III of the Federal constitution or Article 152, 153 or 181 of the Federal Constitution

So the question is whether moving a District resolution to adopt a District policy that requests Rotary clubs not to use the words “DiRaja” in their name, amounts to:

(i) bringing into hatred or contempt or excites disaffection against any Ruler, or

(ii) raising discontent or disaffection amongst the subjects of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong or of the Ruler of any State?

I suppose it is debatable but in my opinion it would be highly dubious to suggest that moving the resolution itself amounts to sedition. When in fact over the years many Rulers have graced many Rotarian events and Rotary D3300 has shown such great reverence and support for the Royals of Malaysia. Furthermore, the resolution is prospective in effect and therefore does not seek to reverse or undermine any previous conferrals or decisions.

4. The power of RI to terminate clubs. There have been important recent developments in this area. If a club is deemed to have misused funds in a matching grant project or if there are other types of serious misconduct, the RI Board has the power to terminate such clubs. The argument therefore is that if a club has DiRaja status and is terminated by RI would that not be an insult to the Ruler. At the very least, in such a situation the question of terminating the club will prove more complicated. Given that historically, some clubs have been terminated in our District, this is an important issue to consider.

5. Last but not least there is a question of semantics. RI does not allow any prefix before the word Rotary. Therefore the Royal Rotary Club of xxx is a no no. However, the Rotary Club of xxx DiRaja is allowed and RI has approved it, argued one PDG. What is the RI Policy therefore? Is it a purely formal rather than a substantive objection – that sylistically nothing should come before the word ‘Rotary’? Or is it a substantive objection – that all Rotary clubs are equal and therefore there should be no differentiation in the names? The position should be the former if what was informed to the delegates by the PDG is correct.

The RCP 33.020.6 states,

So, we are now at crossroads – “to be or not to be, that is the question”, indeed. I have friends on both sides of the divide and I have great affection for all my friends, regardless of their point of view. I have always been a firm believer in shooting the message and not the messenger.

The delegates of D3300 have emphatically supported the view that having DiRaja clubs is something that is consistent with the ethos of D3300. The resolution was emphatically turned down.  If one believes in democracy and the rule of the majority – then this matter rests here.

Due to the overwhelming response to this blog, I have decided to continue writing. My new blog is www.onerotary.wordpress.com

See you there.

PP Dr Siva Ananthan

I started this blog to share my thoughts about Rotary and to give everyone and opportunity to have their say. It was never my intention to usurp the role of the D3300 District Trainer. It has been brought to my attention that a blog called Rotary Trainer may be the source of some confusion and that some Rotarians may errorneously believe that I am the District Trainer. For the record, I have had the privilege  in the past to serve as a Deputy District Trainer on two ocassions.

However, I want to stop this misconception. I have the utmost respect and admiration for our D3300 District Trainers, past, present and future, whom I beleive put in a great deal of effort and do a tremendous job. 

Accordingly I am ending this BLOG with immediate effect.

I have said my piece and I am very grateful for the hundreds of Rotarians who have been following this blog and sharing their views with me. I have learnt a great deal from the views you have expressed.

Thank you and GOD BLESS ALL OF US. Let us go forth to Build Communities and Bridge Continents.

I don’t know about you but for me it brings a sense of deja vu. Haven’t we been here before? Heard more or less the same message – grow your membership! do innovative projects, support TRF, bring in new members! enjoy fellowship, support the DG, bring more members! Attend installations, attend district seminars, attend district dinners, awards, the lot. I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family. All that’s missing is Barney as our mascot!

Amid this calamity many a Rotarian is lost and eventually leaves Rotary. It is easy in life to get burned out. This is true of Rotary too. There are many things in our day that stress us out and prevent us from having a fullfilled day. The rituals of Rotary sometimes can be tiring and mundane and have the effect of wearing us down.

Don’t let it. I want to encourge you to find your passion for Rotary and and recharge your commitment to the unfinished task of humanitarian service. RI President Ray asks us to apply “cowboy logic” and make Rotary clubs “bigger, better, and bolder.”  He says the fundamental principles of cowboy logic are taking pride in your work, talking less and saying more, doing what has to be done, and remembering that some things just aren’t for sale. Integrity does not have a price nor does our commitment to Rotary.

In a time when altruism is waning, we need inspiration. Inspiration to be better than what we really are. One of the things that keeps Rotary fresh is that a new group of people come in every year with new and fresh ideas. My hope is that DG Kok Beng, his team and all the incoming Presidents and their Boards, will look to providing us with this inspiration in large measure. We need a positive message that is seen in action, rather than words. When we ask others to be charitable, we must lead by example and show them the way. This is the inspiration Rotary needs in our District, the inspiration that comes from deeds and not just words!

Let me end by sharing with you the great words of Edward Everett Hale,

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.

Time capsules are placed on purpose and intended to be opened or accessed at a particular future date. It is an attempt to capture a moment in time and provide input for future generations about the past. Our Rotary time capsule is such an attempt at providing a snapshot of Rotary at the turn of the second millennia for future Rotarians.

It is common place for time capsules to be lost due to thievery, secrecy or poor planning. Our own time capsule is in urgent need to maintenance and refurbishing. Which is why the efforts of RC KL DiRaja is commendable. Our time capsule will enrich posterity by assuring that the voices of this generation of Rotarians are heard in the future.

There are any number of famous time capsules “buried” over the years. The 1939 New York World’s Fair time capsule was created by Westinghouse as part of their exhibit. It was 90″ long, with an interior diameter of 6.5 inches, and weighed 800 pounds. Westinghouse named the copper, chromium and silver alloy, “Cupaloy”. It contained everyday items such as a spool of thread and doll, a Book of Record (description of the capsule and its creators), a vial of staple food crop seeds, a microscope and a 15-minute RKO Pathe Pictures newsreel. Microfilm spools condensed the contents of a Sears Roebuck catalog, dictionary, almanac, and other texts. This first modern time capsule was followed in 1965 by a second capsule at the same site, but 10 feet to the north of the original. Both the 1939 and 1965 Westinghouse Time Capsules are meant to be opened in 6939. Guess none of us will be around to see it!! Unless you believe in reincarnation!!!!

The Crypt of Civilization (1936) at Oglethorpe University, USA, scheduled to be opened in 8113, is generally regarded to be the first successful implementation of a modern time capsule, although it was not called a time capsule at the time. George Edward Pendray is responsible for coining the term “time capsule”.

NASA has sent snapshots of earthling culture on interstellar probes out into space. The Pioneer Plaques and the Voyager Golden Records have been attached to spacecraft for the possible benefit of spacefarers in the distant future. Another time capsule, the KEO satellite, will be launched in 2012, carrying individual messages from Earth’s inhabitants addressed to earthlings around the year 52,000, when KEO will return to Earth.

An international consortium is in the middle of placing time capsules under the surface of Antarctica, which, of course, leads one to think alarmingly about a time when the polar caps will be history themselves.

This Sunday, 13th June 2010, we will all be commemorating the 10th years of our Rotary Time Capsule at Dataran Merdeka at 11.30am. It is particularly momentous that Y Bhg To’ Puan Juriah will also be there. It will be great to see her after all these years. I can remember what a great first lady she was, kind and always affable.

We must all thank Pres Elizabeth Yam for all her hard work in putting this event together. She was then DG Dato’ Jeff’s secretary, but today she is a Rotarian herself, no doubt inspired by his example. She herself is an example to all of us, she could have been content to enjoy her retirement by doing the things that bring her selfish gratification, but instead, she is one of us. Battling each day to leave the world a better place then when she found it.

Let me end this piece by sharing her rousing words,

“You served as club presidents, assistant governors, secretaries & district chairs in RY1999-2000 under the late PDG Jaffar Mohd Ali. Many of you today still have wonderful memories of that year, the Millennium. Rotary Theme: Act with Consistency Credibility Continuity and many of you don the theme jacket with such pride  even today; many of you still chose to do so.”

LONG LIVE ROTARY D3300!!!

“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” – John M Richardson

Shakespeare’s Hamlet made the impassioned plea ”To be, or not to be”. Oft quoted and oft misquoted. To Hamlet and to the majority of people, who generally treasure life and fear death, the question of what happens after death is both intriguing and terrifying at the same time. Sharon is Chinese and for her the mere mention of death is taboo. So you can imagine the trauma I cause her. I find that strange because as a Hindu the dicussion of death in everyday discourse is normal for me. At the temple we place the holy ash on our foreheads as a reminder of this and of the need for humility. Not that all Hindu’s are profound and humble, certainly not me. Age and experience of course, is causing me to reflect on things differently.

The Spanish American philospher George Santayana once said, “There is no cure for birth and death other than to enjoy the interval.”

That is certainly what I had resolved to do from a young age. Lao Tzu prosed,

A man is born gentle and weak.
At his death he is hard and stiff.
Green plants are tender and filled with sap.
At their death they are withered and dry.
Therefore the stiff and unbending is the disciple of death.
The gentle and yielding is the disciple of life.

These two aphorisms exemplify for me how life should be lived. Enjoyably and with kindness and moderation.

All men are born to die, and life is merely a journey from womb to tomb. Regardless of the journey, the destination is the same. So what’s all the fuss about? No matter what endeavours one might make, everyone succumbs to mortality within a certain time span. Nothing can be done other than follow the natural process from birth to death, just as grass sprouts in spring like the essence of youth and withers in autumn like the onset of old age.

The founder of Taoism, Lao Tzu said uncompromisingly,

Man comes alive into the world

And goes dead into the earth.

Three out of ten will live long.

Three out of ten will live short.

And three out of ten will strive for long life

But meet premature death.

And for what reason?

Good to have a good hard think about that.

Life is only worth living and preserving if it benefits the general welfare of mankind. A life well lived is one in service to our fellow man. While we can all come to this realisation, in practice, it is very difficult to implement. This is because we all have only a limited sense of altrusim. Human personality is defined more by self interest than the interest of others. This is what makes Rotary’s enduring motto both inspiring and ridiculous – SERVICE ABOVE SELF. This is the the very epitomy of a highly evolved and civilised society but reality bites. My experience of Rotary is mixed bag of good and heartwarming experiences set against the backdrop of petty bickering, sycophancy and political strife. But we must all soldier on because the ideal is worthy and great. Fight we must, all hypocrites and villains, who masquerade in a Rotary mask for personal gain. Fight to liberate the ideal of SERVICE ABOVE SELF. Sometimes, it’s a fight against ourselves. And the diminishing aspect of our own character, this is what I have found.