The Straits Echo postbag (4)

More chess-related letters that appeared in The Straits Echo in the months following the formation of the Penang Chess Association. Don't be bored....

POSTBAG, 22 April 1972
SIR - Please permit me some space in your newspaper to thank the Hon Secretary of the Penang Chess Association for the explanations in Postbag of April 3 with regard to my letter.

I am happy to note that the Penang Chess Association is giving consideration to its junior members, particularly the students. The questions now are when is this move to be implmented and how is it to be achieved. To be fair to the students, this move should materialise as soon as possible.

I understand that for years now there has been a Penang Schools Chess Council. I suggest that since there is now a chess body in Penang, it is time that this Council should merge into the Association (as an autonomous group, maybe).

I am sorry to say that the Hon Secretary has misconceived some of the points in my letter. I did not mention any names apart from that of the Hon Secretary's and thus it is unfair of the Hon Secretary to come to the conclusion that I was pointing my finger at Mr Thomas Samy, the Treasurer of the Association. I was not questioning Mr Samy's election to the post of Treasurer. What I had meant to convey was that in future there might be a co-opting of librarians, and this should be prevented from happening.

I am not questioning the venue or the address of the Penang Chess Association. In fact, I agree with the Hon Secretary regarding the use of the Penang Library as it is advantageously situated. In the severing of ties, I meant that the Association should not be an activity of the Penang Library or vice versa. From what I have noticed of late, the Association has indeed stopped using the Library, and in this regard I congratulate the Association.

I am fully aware that books pertaining to chess which are at present circulating among the public belong to the Penang Library. The Penang Library is an organisation which has to cater to the general public and thus has to acquire books covering many subjects, chess being one of them.

The Association, however, is a specialist in one field, ie chess. Being that, it is only natural that anybody who wants to further his chess knowledge shduid approach the Association to consult any book or magazine. I think that the Association should take the first step in acquiring such publicatibns.

At the time of writing my first letter I was under the impression that the simultaneous display by Mr Choo Min Wang was initiated by the Penang Free School Chess Club. Since then I have been approached by the Chairman of the above club and it was only then that it came to my notice that Mr Tan Yam San was the first to approach Mr Choo. I would like to take this opportunity in tendering my apology to anybody to whom embarrassment has been caused.

My wish now is that any misunderstanding caused by my letter of March 15 will be cleared up with the above clarifications. I would also like to stress that these discussions through the Press are made without any intention of smearing the good name of the Penang Chess Association.

QSS
Penang