The Straits Echo postbag (1)

This is the first of several letters that appeared in The Straits Echo in the months following the formation of the Penang Chess Association. I'm not going to deny that the QSS in this letter was me but the fact was that the letters illustrated the growing interest of the chess-playing public in the affairs of the Association and we voiced our concerns regarding the direction of chess in the schools in those days.

POSTBAG, 15 March 1972
SIR - It is most disheartening to note that the constitution of the Penang Chess Association has not made any provisions for the inclusion of student representation on its Management Committee, despite repeated clamours from student quarters pertaining to this issue.

It is an undisputed fact that the calls for the formation of this association came mainly from the students, and the Honorary Secretary, Incik Ghulam Sarwar, himself in his address at the inaugural meeting of the Penang Chess Association admitted this.

In accordance with Article IV, Clause (b) of the constitution, "associate, junior and institutional members shall have all the privileges of ordinary membership except the right to vote at General Meetings or elections of the Association or to hold office in the Management Committee of the Association."

This clause denIes all junior members (most of whom are students) voting rights, and also the rights to stand for election. Does this imply that the students (particularly those in their late teens) are not mature or responsible enough to vote or hold any post?

As a large percentage of the Association's membership will comprise students, it is not only unjustified but also most undemocratic to deprive these students of these rights. This prejudicial attitude and lack of foresight on the part of the Management Committee should be terminated in the interests of the Association.

Now since that the Penang Chess Association has been formally recognised as an independent body, it should cease to remain under the "wings" of the Penang Library and must sever all ties whatsoever with the said Library.

Though credit must be given to the Penang Library for initiating this Association, under no circumstances should the precedence be set to co-opt librarians from the Library into the Association's Management Committee. All chess literature bought with the Association's funds should be catalogued under the Association's library instead of the Penang Library.

With regard to the simultaneous display by the Malaysian Chess Champion, Mr Choo Min Wang, it should be brought to the attention of the public that it was the Penang Free School Chess Club, and not the Penang Library which took the initiative to invite Mr Choo to give a pubic demonstration. It was only through mutual agreement that a compromise was reached for the display to take place at tbe Penang Library instead of the Penang Free School.

This letter bears no accusation at any particular person, and it is my hope that due consideration will be given to the student population In the future.

QSS
Penang.