INTRODUCTION
1. The Management Committee of MACVA headed by the President together with 15 other members (VPs, Committees and members) visited KK from 24 Oct to 26 Oct 23.

2. The objective of this visit is to honour MACVA membership to two very distinguished Malaysian veterans. They are First Lt Datuk Chin Phui Kong, the only survival hero from Force 136 and Brig Gen Datuk A Arulpragasam from Regula Intake One. Datuk Chin is now aged 99 and going 100 on 26 Dec 23 While Datuk Arul is 94. Both are still looking good and energetic.

IMPLEMENTATION
24 Oct 23 (Tuesday)
3. The main entourage departed KLIA on 24 Oct 23 by MH2614N with a total of 10 pax including spouses. The aircraft took off at 1255hrs and arrived at KK Airport at 1520hrs. Lt Col Andy Lai was there to receive us and we were then boarded a bus provided by the Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) based at Teluk Sepanggar.

MACVA ENTOURAGE (MEMBERS & SPOUSES) AT KLIA 1. FROM LEFT. DATO’ LEE, RUBY CHEAH, MARY KOH, IVY ANG, ANG CHIN HUP (STANDING BEHIND), CAROL LOO, JOHN SOON (STANDING BEHIND), CHEO YEW HOCK, PC CHEAH AND NG JC

RMN 36-SEATER BUS TAKING THE ENTOURAGE FROM THE AIRPORT TO GAYA HOTEL CENTER

4. In the same evening, all of us were assembled at Kinabalu Yatch Club for sunset viewing and dinner hosted by Maj Ong Kean Soon (Retired). Many of us enjoyed the company, home cooked food and drink provided and most importantly the comradeship and camaraderie between one another. Before we beat good bye to everybody, Dato Lee, the President presented MACVA corporate shirt and a cap as a token of appreciation to Ong for hosting the dinner.

BEAUTIFUL SUNSET

THE ENTOURAGE. FRONT ROW FROM LEFT. LINDA TEOH, JULIANA LAI, ALICE KO, IVY ANG, MAGGIE PHOON, RUBY CHEAH, MARY KOH, CAROL LOO, MRS ONG AND NANCY CHEN. SECOND ROW FROM LEFT. NG JC, KO KP, MIKE TEOH, PC CHEAH, ANG CH, ANDY LAI, JOHN PHOON, CHEO YH, PUI ST, LOO CC, JOHN SOON, DATO’ LEE, TAN SUI, ONG KS, SKY CHEN, DATIN HO & DATUK HO

FROM LEFT. SKY CHEN, DATO’ LEE, JOHN SOON, ONG KS, CAROL & MIKE

DATO’ LEE AND HIS 3 VPS. JOHN PHOON, CAROL AN SKY

‘THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THE DINNER’ FROM DATO’ LEE TO ONG

25 Oct 23 (Wednesday)
5. It was a hectic day, started our first program at 0800hrs at Datuk Chin’s Likas resident. Among those presence was:
a. President, Dato’ Lee Kwang Lock.
b. VP Army, Carol Loo.
c. VP RMN, Sky Chen.
d. Hon Sec, Tony Ho.
e. Hon Treasurer, Mary Koh.
f. CM Cheo YH.
g. CM Ko KP.
h. CM Ang CH.
i. CM Pui ST.
j. CM Ng JC.
k. CM Loo CC.
l. Members.
(1) Andy Lai.
(2) PC Cheah.
(3) John Soon.
(4) Tan Sui.
m. MACVA guests.
(1) Ar Datuk Ho JL.
(2) Ar Chin Bin (Kami), son of Datuk Chin.
(3) Ir Richard Ho, brother of Datuk Ho, also neighbour to Datuk Chin.

6. The MACVA entourage upon arrival was warmly received by Kami, Datuk Ho and Richard. Datuk Ho has also bought everyone breakfast. While enjoying our breakfast, some of us were talking to Datuk Chin regarding his involvement in Force 136. Datuk Chin, a legend, war hero, also a marine biologist and expert in various fish species, aged 99 going on 100 comes 26 Dec 23.

We are proud and honoured that Datuk Chin is with us and has accepted to become our Honorary Member (HM). Our credit to the prominent architect Datuk Ho Jia Lit for being instrumental in getting MACVA to meet up with Datuk Chin. Datuk Ho’s personal interest is obvious, as his late father, Ho Su Shen, a very good friend to Datuk Chin, were two Borneans who form part of the group of five assigned to Force 136, just a few months before the surrender of the Japanese Forces in Malaya.

SOME OF THE MEMBERS TALKING TO DATUK CHIN WHILE EATING BREAKFAST

BOOKS WRITTEN BY DATUK CHIN

A CAN OF BEER A DAY MAKES DATUK CHIN 99 GOING ON 100 BY 26 DEC 23

MEMBERSHIP PRESENTATION TO DATUK CHIN BY PRESIDENT OF MACVA, DATO’ LEE KL

DATUK CHIN IS NOW MACVA HM BESIDES TAN SRI (DR) K THANABALASINGAM, FIRST CHIEF OF NAVAL STAFF, RMN

CREDIT TO DATUK HO (SECOND FROM RIGHT) FOR BEING INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING MACVA TO MEET UP WITH DATUK CHIN

OTHERS WHO WORKED BEHIND THE SCENE WERE (FROM LEFT) IR RICHARD HO, AR CHIN BIN (KAMI), DATO’ LEE & DATUK HO

MACVA’S EXTENDED FAMILY IN KK

7. Our next itinerary for the day after Datuk Chin’s resident was the visit to the RMN Naval Base at Teluk Sepanggar. The overall coordinator was none other than Lt Cdr Syazwan RMN. We were taken by two CB90 from Jesselton Jetty to the base. All of us especially non-Navy had a very good experience boat ride. Thanks to the fair weather and bright sunshine.

MARY THUMBS UP FOR THE BOAT RIDE

8. Among the various organisation we visited were:
a. Submarine Training Center and simulator.
b. Naval Air Wing.
c. Wisma Kejora.
d. KD KEDAH.

9. We were greeted by the Head of the various organisation followed by briefing and short tour. Sweet memory for all the retired sailors and good experience for the rest. After that, all of us were taken to the officers’ Mess for lunch before we proceed to KD KEDAH, the final destination before we were taken on a bus tour around the base, after that proceed to hotel for our next program of the day.

THE ENTOURAGE WAS WELCOMED BY LAKSMA MOHD RAZIB BIN TAHIR, PANGLIMA ANGKATAN KAPAL SELAM

BRIEFING BY THE CO OF SUBMARINE TRAINING CENTER, KEPT MOHD YUSRI BIN YUSOFF RMN

GROUP PHOTO BEFORE LEAVING THE SUBMARINE CENTER

BRIEFING BY CO SKN 503, CDR HAIRUL AFIKIN BIN TUKIMAN RMN

THE LADIES - ONE FOR THE ALBUM

TOKEN OF APPRECIATION FROM MACVA

GROUP PHOTO WITH THE AIR WING STAFF

HEADING FOR LUNCH AT WISMA KEJORA

LUNCH WITH THE BASE COMMANDER, KEPT MUHAMAD SHAKIR BIN SALLEH RMN

EXCHANGED OF MEMENTOS BEFORE WE LEAVE FOR KD KEDAH

WELCOMING MACVA ENTOURAGE BY LT NUR AKHMAR BTE ZULKARNIAN, NAVIGATION OFFICER OF KD KEDAH

TEA BREAK WITH CO KD KEDAH, CDR ABDUL HADI BIN HJ ABDUL RAHMAN RMN

GROUP PHOTO IN KD KEDAH BEFORE LEAVING THE NAVAL BASE

END OF VISIT

10. The final official program for the day was the visit to Brig Gen Datuk A Arulpragasam in his home. The meeting was to present him MACVA Associate Membership (AM). MACVA again is proud and honoured to have Datuk Arulpragasam, from Regular Intake One as our AM. Though he is aged 94, he looks very energetic with a commanding voice, and so happy to meet all of us. We had tea with him before we left for dinner at Mayflower Restaurant organised by Loo CC.

DATUK ARUL RELATING HIS STORY TO US

LOO CC (FIRST FROM RIGHT) MADE IT HAPPENS

DATUK ARUL RECEIVED HIS MEMBERSHIP FROM MACVA PRESIDENT, DATO’ LEE KL

11. During the dinner, the President of MACVA, Dato’ Lee took the opportunity to thank those who has helped to made arrangements for both the official visits. Letter of appreciation was given to Ar Datuk Ho Jia Lit and Capt Loo CC for their hard work.

“THANK YOU SO MUCH DATO’ LEE…. PRESIDENT OF MACVA. ON BEHALF OF OUR NEIGHBOUR’S DATUK CHIN PHUI KONG & FAMILY AND MY LATE FATHER HO SU SHEN (BOTH MEMBERS OF FORCE 136) & OUR FAMILY…IT IS US TO THANK YOU AND ALL YOUR KIND MEMBERS FOR MAKING SUCH AN EFFORT TO ORGANISE YOUR COMMITTEE TEAM TO FLY OVER TO KOTA KINABALU TO PRESENT YOUR HONORARY MEMBERSHIP AWARD TO OUR MUCH-DESERVED DATUK CHIN. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN. KIND REGARDS: AR HO JIA LIT”

26 Oct 23 (Thursday)
12. Before we depart for Kuala Lumpur, our member in Sabah Tan Sui and Sky Chen and family had organised transport to pick us up at the hotel for breakfast. We then left by MH2641S depart KK at 1500hrs and landed safely at KLIA at 1735hrs. Mission accomplished and home sweet home for everyone.

Reported by Lt Carol Loo (Retired)

VP Army, MACVA
31 Oct 23