Professional Documents
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What is Rotaract?
Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young men and women ages 18 to 30. Rotaract clubs
are either community or university based, and they’re sponsored by a local Rotary club. This makes
them true "partners in service" and key members of the family of Rotary. As one of Rotary’s most
significant and fastest-growing service programs, with more than 7,000 clubs in about 163 countries
and geographical areas, Rotaract has become a worldwide phenomenon.
Purpose of Rotaract
The purpose of Rotaract is to provide an opportunity for young men and women to enhance the
knowledge and skills that will assist them in personal development, to address the physical and social
needs of their communities, and to promote better relations between all people worldwide through a
framework of friendship and service.
History of RACUTP
The Rotaract Club of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS was chartered on the 26th day of June 2000 by
the Rotary Club of Kinta during the presidency of Rtn Arthur Yeong and the governorship of
Allahyarham Dato' (Dr) Jaffar Mohd Ali.
Sometime in mid 1998, an ex-Interactor from the Interact Club of SMK Methodist (ACS) Ipoh named
Chee Wei Liang called on Rtn Arthur who was the Rotarian Advisor to his Interact Club from 1996 to
1997. Wei Liang had by then become an undergraduate of UTP. Together with a few like-minded
friends who were former Interactors and Leos from other States, he had wanted to continue to do
service to his community and the idea for a Rotaract Club was formed.
Rtn Arthur was then the Director of Community Service in RC Kinta. The idea of chartering a Rotaract
Club was not well received by the Rotary Board of Directors. "We already have 4 Interact Clubs". "We
have not much experience with Rotaract Clubs". "Our last Rotaract Club of Goon's Institute closed
down (because the Institute closed down)". "Who is going to travel all the way to Tronoh for their
Meetings?". "An institution-based Rotaract Club has no continuity". "The New Generations Director is
not prepared to do it".
These were some of the objections raised. Even Rotarians from outside RC Kinta and one Past District
Governor tried to dissuade the charter of a Rotaract Club Tronoh.
However it was impossible to deny the enthusiasm of Wei Liang and his friends and say "No" to 30
names, NRIC numbers, addresses, handphone numbers, matriculation numbers and course names
neatly written on one side of an A4 paper. There was also no stopping an idea whose time had come.
After several tentative Meetings of pro tem Board of Directors, some of which were not attended by
the pro tem Rotarian Advisor who as usual had lost his way or could not tell the difference between a
Universiti Sains Malaysia block and a UTP one, the provisional Rotaract Club of UTP was formed and
started to carry out projects such as recruitment drives, visits to the Old Folks' Home in Jelapang,
International Understanding Night and so on.
Chee Wei Liang, who was instrumental in forming the Club, became the Vice-President of that first
Board of Directors. The first President was Beh Wei Liang.
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shared with us that the center has been broken assigned to scrap old paint of the gate as well
into 4 times in the last 7 months! as to give the gate a fresh coat of paint.
18th of June
On the day we arrived, we did an impromptu trip to Carpenter Street and visited a tribal tattoo parlour
there, just for the fun of it. The others who had arrived earlier, went on a Jalan-Jalan Cari Makan
adventure. That night, we were surprised with a dinner at the Hornbill Restaurant. Greeted by five
Rotarians was definitely a delight.
19th of June
After the visit to KAA (Kuching Autistic Association), we headed off to UNIMAS. We were given a tour
of the civil engineering labs. This is when we began to appreciate the lab facilities provided in UTP.
However, the students’ area at UNIMAS had a bowling court, snooker sets and a room for mini-karaoke.
This was our hang out spot in UNIMAS for the next two hours.
20th of June
It was our free day and we were joined by Michelle’s friend, Sam!! We headed off to the cultural village
and got a RM15 pass each. Basically, it was a 7-stop-tour, with each stop showcasing a traditional
house. What was most interesting would be the daily cultural show at the Rainforest Stage. The 45-
minute-performance was packed with dances of various tribes of Sarawak, some of which were quite a
sight. At the end of the show, most of us joined the dancers onstage.
21st of June
We set off early to the Bako Jetty and got a boat to the National Park, which was about half an hour
away. Most parts of the trail looked postcard-perfect – the surreal greeneries, the pitcher plants, and
the rocky cliff which looked like the surface of the moon. The beach and cliff were definitely worth our
trek. The group then trekked to the beach and we hung out there for about 2 hours – chatting, napping,
swimming and cam-whoring. By the time we reached the city, it was already 4pm. We had a quick KFC
lunch with the Rotaractors before parting ways.
22nd of June
We took a boat trip to Sibu. We were welcomed by a banner which read ‘University of Technology,
Tronoh’. In Sibu, we went to the longhouse settlement of Sungai Aup. There we handed out 16 sets of
hand-outs worth RM10 for each family.
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Monday morning was a fair-weathered one. We decided to arrive earlier to try to sell off our extra
ticket - which we did in the end after much haggling with a tourist.
As explained earlier on, the 'express boat' was the exact like the ferries we took to Pangkor Island.
Throughout the 5 hours, what we did mostly would be to catch up on our sleep and to have the fresh
air blown 120km/h onto our faces at the deck. It was rumored that if we were lucky enough, we could
actually spot a dolphin or two. But I guess everyone was too tired / busy to be bothered. So, yeaps, no
sightings!
Relief and joy. Those were the only words I deem suitable for us when we arrived at the Sibu Jetty.
Lesson learnt here: think twice before boarding a 5-hour-air-conditioned-boat-ride.
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Upcoming Events
Installation Night
Date : 17th October 2009
Time : 7pm-11pm
Venue : Undercroft, UTP
Ticket Price: RM40
RAC-UTP in Facebook!
Get all your updates in RAC-UTP through our facebook group:
Rotaract Club of Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS
http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=10395431577
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