Last week, I had reproduced a letter that I had written to The Straits Echo way back in 1972. Here is the reply from the Penang Chess Association secretary, Ghulam Sarwar. This is actually the second of a short series of letters that appeared in the defunct newspaper in the months following the formation of the association.
POSTBAG, 3 April 1972
SIR - I would be obliged if you could kindly allow me some space in your esteemed newspaper to clarify certain points that have been raised in particular by QSS (Postbag 15th March) in connection with the Penang Chess Association.
The question of student representation on the Penang Chess Association was discussed at meetings of the Pro-tem Committee of the Association during meetings held to draft the Constitution. In view of the fact that the Association is a public body, it is only logical that full membership should be accorded to adults. The Constitution therefore provides for Junior membership for students at a concessional subscription rate of $1.00 p.a. At the same time there is nothing preventing a student above 18 years of age from applying for their adult membership at the rate of $5.00 per annum.
In view of the fact that many schools in Penang have strong chess clubs, it would be (a) impossible to select any one school to represent all students on the Management Committee, and (b) if this were done, there would obviously be agitation from other schools as student representatives on the Committee (if any) could not come from all schools. This would be extremely unhealthy and could do irreparable damage to the Association.
Taking all this into account, the Management Committee decided to insert a co-option clause in the constitution of the Association (Article VII, section 60 to allow for co-option of members of the Association (adults or juniors) into the Management Committee.
It is the intention of the Management Committee of the Penang Chess Association to develop its junior section into a powerful wing of the Association (with its own leaders) as a large percentage of the Association's members will obviously be junior members. The Committee has every intention of co-opting one or two of these leaders of the junior section, who obviously would be more likely to have the confidence of the junior members as a whole than any appointed members, onto the Management Committee.
This will serve a dual purpose: (a) enhance the development of a junior wing of the Association which could operate independently; and (b) allow for student representation on the Management Committee of the Association.
Furthermore, QSS will have noted already that student interest is already adequately represented on the Committee in the shape of the President, Inche Fang Ewe Churh, who is this year organising the Malaysian Schools Sports Council's Malaysian chess tournament for students (the tournamnent will be held in Penang), and Inche Hashim Mydin, the Deputy Chief Education Officer, Penang, who is himself keen to promote chess in schools in the State.
Students therefore can rest assured that their voices will be heard by the new Chess Association which keenly realises that it is imperative that the game be promoted among the young.
QSS next takes the Association to task for remaining under the 'wings' of the Penang Library. He goes on to say that the Association 'must sever all ties whatsoever with the said Library'. Let me stress here that the Penang Chess Association is an independent organisation and has nothing whatsoever to do with the Penang Library.
The Penang Chess Association, like many other independent organisations of a cultural and social nature, has used the Penang Library as its official address and as its meeting-place for sheer couvenience. The advantages are immediately obvious - the Association has no premises of its own, and no hope of having one in the near future, the Library is centrally situated and easily accessible, and it is able to provide the basic services the Association requires. As a mailing address it ensures continuity over the years, for Committees may come and go.
Tt has been discovered often enough in the past by other bodies that to use the address of the President or Hon Secretary often leads a body into difficulties, as Presidents and Secretaries change over the years, and therefore amendements to the Constitution become necessary every now and then. In these circumstances, therefore, there is no better choice than the Library which should ideally be the cultural centre of the State.
At the same time, allow me to stress here, as I mentioned at the Inaugural Meeting of the Penang Chess Association, that a member of the Penang Chess Association does not have to be a member of the Penang Library to use the facilities that the Library has so kindly agreed to provide for chess. On the point of chess literature, allow me to state categorically that all chess books at present available at the Penang Library belong to the Penang Library and not to the Penang Chess Association.
These have been purchased by the Library in response to demands by chess enthusiasts, of some whom played chess at the Library under the auspices of the Library's Extension Activities Sub-Committee which initiated a chess group at the Library. The Penang Chess Association is at the present moment hardly in a position to venture into the establishment of a Library in view of its very inadequate resources although the Management Committee has agreed in principle that a chess Library be set up in the near future.
QSS has taken the Management Committee of the Penang Chess Association to task for 'co-opting' the Librarian onto the Management Committee of the Association. This is gross misrepresentation, as QSS will himself have noted at the Inaugural Meeting held on 12th March. Like every other member of the Committee, Inche Thomas Samy was elected at the meeting. His proposer, Inche Tan Beng Theam, in proposing Inche Samy, gave certain reasons as to why he thought Inche Samy suitable (he need not have done this at all). There was no other nomination, and Inche Samy was elected Treasurer.
With regard to the simultaneous display by Inche Choo Min Wang, the Malaysian Chess Champion, which was held at the Penang Library on the 9th of january this year, the Penang Chess Association had nothing to do with it, as on that date the association did not exist. It was only after the display that the resolution to form a Penang Chess Association was taken, and a pro-tem committee appointed.
Inche Tan Yam San, a senior chess player in Penang, and at present a member of the Penang Chess Association's Management Committee, received a letter from Inche Choo to the effect that he would be in Penang. Inche Tan approached the Penang Library to arrange for the display and the Library's Chess Group organised the meeting.
The initiative, therefore, came from Mr Tan Yam San and not from the Penang Free School, as QSS claims. The Penang Free School may have made its own arrangements with Inche Choo. Neither the Penang Library nor the Penang Chess Association is aware of these arrangements (if there were any at all).
It is hoped this letter will clear some of the misunderstanding and misgivings about the Penang Chess Association that have been cause by letters that have appeared in the Straits Echo Postbag.
On behalf of the Association, I would like once again to commend Inche QSS and others like him for their interest in the Association and in the game of chess. It is to be wished that other members of the public will be as enthusiastic. With such enthusiasm from members, the Association certainly has a bright future.
GHULAM SARWAR
Hon Secretary
Penang Chess Association
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