Demise of Mr S P Chua

Source: Channel News Asia

Founding member of Boys' Brigade S'pore dies at age 96

SINGAPORE: The last founding member of the Boys' Brigade Singapore, Mr Chua Siak Phuang, died peacefully last Saturday at the age of 96.

The late Mr Chua was an honorary president and one of 12 founding members of the Boys' Brigade Singapore when it started in 1930.

He had served in the Brigade for the past 80 years - as BB Boy, Officer, Captain and Brigade President.

During the Japanese occupation, he risked his life to preserve sacred items of the Boys' Brigade (BB), like drum sets and BB literature, including minutes of meetings.

Immediately after the Japanese occupation, he quickly revived the First Company and the BB Battalion in Singapore.

His body is lying at the Boys' Brigade headquarters in Ganges Avenue.

The cortege leaves at 9.30am this Friday for a service at Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church and then to Chua Chu Kang Christian Cemetery for burial.

Articles with regards to Mr S P Chua

There is no retirement in the BB - because it is the Lord’s work. The time I retire is when God stops me working - through sickness or death.” S P Chua

JUNE 23, 2004

This pioneer Boy is still in the Brigade 90-year-old Chua Siak Phuang, honorary president of the Boys' Brigade here, has been active in the movement for 74 years
By Crystal Chan

HE MAY be 90 years old, hard of hearing and too frail to walk more than a few steps at a time.

'I didn't know what i was going for, because I was only attracted to the BB uniform shown on the poster.' -- Mr Chua Siak Phuang, on why he joined the movement in 1930. -- ONG CHIN KAIBut Mr Chua Siak Phuang, honorary president of the Boys' Brigade (BB) in Singapore, says he will continue serving the youth organisation until his last breath.

After 74 years in the uniformed group, the nonagenarian still attends its annual general meetings when his health permits.

That S.P. Chua, as the retired businessman is known to friends and colleagues, is one of the 12 founding members of the boys' movement here may explain why it is so close to his heart.And yesterday, when his family held a big bash at The Pines country club to mark his birthday, they invited all his old friends from BB to join in.

Some of them stood up during the dinner to remember his contributions, from his first days as a cadet up through the military-style ranks of officer and captain and then the top post of president.

When British architect James Fraser founded BB's first company in Singapore in 1930, 47 years after the movement was established in Britain, Mr Chua was among the first dozen to sign up.

He had seen a recruitment poster in his school, the then-Anglo-Chinese Continuation School, now Anglo-Chinese School, he recalled in an interview with The Straits Times yesterday.

'And I just went to the Prinsep Street Presbyterian Church where Mr Fraser held the recruitment.'I didn't know what I was going for, because I was only attracted to the BB uniform shown on the poster,' he said, referring to the distinctive navy blue shirt, bermudas and pillbox hat.

Although his parents believed in ancestral worship, they did not object to him joining the Christian-based BB as it made him more disciplined.

Showing this reporter a faded photograph of a gymnastic team from the first Singapore BB company, he said: 'I'm in this picture. I loved gymnastics as it was a good way to flex my muscles. Eventually, I became a gymnastics instructor to the younger cadets. Even though I'm 90, I still have a flexible body.'Ten years after joining the BB, Mr Chua, who was by then an inspector with the then-Singapore Improvement Trust, the Housing Board's predecessor, succeeded Mr Fraser as captain of the BB's first Singapore company, leading the group in activities such as gymnastics, camping and community service.The Japanese Occupation were dark days for him and the movement. Two members were killed when the Japanese found them with badges given by the Brigade.

'The BB was seen as a British organisation and the Japanese hated anything connected with the British,' he explained.

He had to hide his BB paraphernalia such as documents in his wife's family home - he married Rosie in 1942 - at Veerasamy Road, off Serangoon Road.

When the war ended, Mr Chua and his BB comrades revived the movement.

He rose to be its president from 1958 to 1965, during which it grew from strength to strength. In 1999, as a tribute to him, it made him honorary president.

Today, he is the only pioneer member still active in the BB, which has grown in membership from 4,500 in 1999 to 7,000 today.

Joining the Brigade has become a family tradition. His three sons and a daughter were members of the Boys' Brigade and sister group, the Girls' Brigade. His nine grandchildren too were part of both organisations.

Asked why he remains a lifelong member, Mr Chua said: 'I'm thankful to the BB because it transformed me from a rebellious boy to an obedient son. 'As I spent more time with the organisation, it became part of my life.

'Last night's celebrations at The Pines was attended by 150 people, including BB alumni and former army chief Winston Choo and MP Chiam See Tong (Potong Pasir).Mr Chiam, who was under Mr Chua's captaincy in the 1940s, said: 'S.P. has spent most of his life with the BB; he's become synonymous with it.'There should be more dedicated people like S.P., who devoted himself to the BB without any material gain.

Officers & Primers Bonding Overseas Trip

Date: 10th - 11th October 2009

On the morning of 10th October, some of our officers and primers meet at 7am in KCPSS, getting ready for a cycling trip in Malaysia! It has been a long time since the leaders of the company has come together for a time of fellowship overseas and everyone was looking forward to it.

Officers who attended the trip are:

Our Chaplain Pastor Stanley Soh, Mr Yam, Mr Gerard Su, Mr Amrish Ramzeen

Primers are as follows:

Gerald, Moses, Jason, Nicholas and Shijie

The trip started with the bus ride to Changi Village for our breakfast. Some of us wanted to eat the famous Changi Nasi Lemak but was told that it will only be opened at 10am. No choice we had to eat from the other stall.

After having our fill, we made our way to the jetty(the one that we took to Ubin). We surrendered our passports and waited for about 45 mins before we are able to get on a bum boat which took 1 hour to reach Malaysia.

Upon reaching the jetty in Malaysia, those who have their own bikes cycled while those who are renting took a car for abt 2km and rented the bikes from a shop owned by a Singaporean. $18 for 2 days. A shot b4 starting our journey......

The journey begins. The fitter ones started chionging like nobody's business and the weaker ones were at the back enjoying the scenery..taking their time to cycle. A shot while taking a break.

After cycling for about 20km which took us about an hour plus, we reached the town where we have our first meal in Malaysia. Most of us are hungry by now and cant wait to fill our stomachs. Ordered the typical chi cha style(seafood is for the next day). Heres a glimpse of what and where we had our lunch.

After lunch some of us spent half an hour grocering around for our dinner stuff and some of us just walked around. After which we proceed on with our cycling but this time round our bags filled with our ingredients for our self cooked dinner. We were told its abt another 10km to our destination, Sunrising beach resort.

On the way to the resort, all of us took a break and a grp shot was taken....one of the best shot taken during the trip.

Continued to cycle for about 4km. We finally reached our destination at 3.30pm. Did the check in stuff and here is where we will stayed for the night.........

Upon settling down, 3 of us went to fish while the rest of us soaked ourselves by the beach playing frisbee.

By 5.30pm, all of us gathered back at the resort getting ready to prepare dinner. 9 guys taking 2 hours to prepare dinner. I'm sure all of us enjoyed ourselves preparing the dinner and helping out one way or another. Dinner was great be it cooking or eating, in the fellowship of brothers.

After dinner was a time of sharing with one another on our lives as well as BB commitments and responsibilities. Its also a time of encouragement where each one of us thank each other for the help and care that was given in their BB life.

Pastor Stanley ended off the session with a sharing.

After sharing was free and easy...the primers and officers gathered for a game of taboo! The guys really had a great time of laughing at each other's interesting way of describing words. Some of Shijie - Hawaii is a country in Asia and he asked "What word is this sial? and he pronounced - Dal - Ma - TIan. LOL...oh ya and according to SJ, Boomberang is the opposite of Frisbee, and yet some of us got it right! According to Jason, Iron is something to make your pants smooth!

Ended the game session after all the laughters and went to sleep at abt 12MN.

Some of us woke up the next day at abt 7++am to prepare breakfast and the rest got up at 8 to eat. After breakfast was fishing and beach fun again. Only one of us stayed back to sleep again.

We left the place at about 11.45am and cycled all the way to somewhere near to where we had lunch the day b4 for our seafood lunch! Although its not a buffet as expected by Jason, all of us had our fill, 9 of us and it cost onli RM216! Thats about SGD$100 for 9 of us, and not forgetting we had crabs!

With our stomachs filled, we cycled all the way back to the bicycle rental place while the 5 of them cycle to jetty and we waited for abt an hour b4 getting onto the ferry.

Overall the trip was great, with lots of fun and laughter although tiring. We'll definately have one again soon, probably for the Boys?

On 15th August, the officers from the 5th coy BB and 28th Coy GB had a 'get together' session to enjoy some fellowship with one another. We got together to learn some cooking skills as well as to enjoy the food that we learnt to cook. An ex officer of 5th Coy, Mr Mervyn Phan was the chef that day to teach us how to cook.

I would say every single one of us enjoyed ourselves that day cooking, eating and fellowshipping with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

First dish we were taught to cook was Chicken stuffed with Feta Cheese. We were taught the basic steps in cutting onions and garlic, followed by the method to stuff the cheese. Seems easy but there can be disasters if things are not done properly. Here you are....

Our 2 youngest officers trying to prepare the chickens...

our chickens waiting to be cooked

our finished products...yum yum...

2nd dish was mussels...not much work for that. Mainly washing, cooking and putting the ingredients. Not much of prep work as compared to the chickens. Olive rice was cooked by Mr Mervyn Phan himself but he showed us the method. Here are the officers with their chicken and olive rice. Most of them is their first time cooking their own chicken...

after main dishes, we were taught to do deserts. Creppes with German Yoghurt. All of us were given the chance to flip over the Creppe. Not many of us succeeded.

A picture of our Captain Mr Lim preparing to flip his creppe.

Finally groups pictures to end off the session....

It was a really wonderful Saturday afternoon getting together with our fellow sisters in Christ.

Annual Adventure Camp 2009

Time flies. Another adventure camp is over in a flash.

The Boys in 5th Company has once again completed a fun, exciting and tiring adventure camp!

39 Boys attended this camp in all and all of them finished the camp happy(I hope).

This year camp is very different from previous years. Although we did not have the chance to have an outdoor camp at Pulau Ubin, the Boys got the chance to do more activities then previous years.

For first night, hike as usual. Something different abt this year hike is that the location is very near to our hometown Bishan. From Bishan the Boys hike to Toa Payoh, back to Jln Pemimpin, to along Sin Ming ave and all the way to Macritchie then back to Bishan. The Boys managed to complete the hike within 5 hours. No Boys gave up. Well done!!

For 2nd day late morning, the Boys were brought to St. Andrews Cathedral for an event PLAYMAX organised by Singapore Youth For Christ. The Boys were brought around the place, playing games and watching stage performances. Some of the Boys even get to "spar" with each other.

Night came and the night highlight is entitled WHERE IS SHEEEE? Boys were showed the movie quarantine first den followed by game briefing. Boys were tasked to be detectives and solve the murder of a girl(played by Ms Celine Tan) by questioning the suspects: Ex Boyfriend of the girl. her uncle, her step brother, the psychic, her ex boyfriend's father as well as her step mother....idea of the game is to ask smart questions to solve the murder.

Not sure if the Boys really enjoy this game but 1 thing for sure, the Boys had fun "playing" with the suspects.....

Boys were given a chance to have fun at an adventure activity on Sunday. Sec 1s and 2s did abseiling in school while the sec 3s are brought to Kallang for a short session of dragonboating.

Be it abseiling or dragonboating, I'm sure the Boys enjoy themselves tremendously.

The last highlight for the camp is fresh ration cooking followed by a time of skits and games in the air conditioned innovation hub. All platoons were tasked to act a skit. All the platoon came out with interesting skits that sets even the officers laughing.

In conclusion, some Boys says the camp rocks, some say it was fun to the MAX. Whatever it is, 5th coy has once again did it! Well done camp committe.......let me name out all of them.

Game helpers WO Benjamin Lee, WO Nathaniel Chua & WO Chua Yong En

Thanks guys for taking the time off your studies to help out in the games. Really appreciate it. Study hard and all the best for your Os.

Camp Admininstrator SCL Pang Xueyang -

Nice camp booklet done. Thanks for taking the effort to do out such a wonderful and nice camp booklet.

Camp Logisticians SCL Gerald Lee & CLT Jason Lee, SCL Gerard Cheah

Without 3 of you the Boys will have to go hungry. Thanks for arranging all the food and accomodation for the Boys as well as ensuring that the place is kept clean.

Camp CE coordinator CLT Joshua Yeo

thanks for coming out with the camp CE materials as well as organising the worships.

Camp programmers SCL Daryl Wee & CLT Moses

Thanks guys for planning such wonderful games. I'm sure the Boys enjoyed most if not all of the games you guys spent days planning.

Hike Coordinator CLT Nicholas

Thanks for taking time to plan the hike for the Boys. Its not easy planning a hike and we know its tough. Well done!!

Assistant Camp commandant CLT Ong Shi Jie

Its been tough assisting the commandants executing the programes, controlling the Boys as well as the committe. Thanks for doing it well. Well done, keep it up!

Most Importantly

Camp Commandants Mr Jerome Ong & Mr Amrish Ramzeen

Really appreciate you guys for planning such a wonderful and fun camp for the Boys. Alot will be impossible without your time and efforts in planning for the camp. I'm sure the Boys agree with me that this is one of the most wonderful camps they ever went to. Thanks Jerome and Amrish. Keep up the good work!!

Lastly just wanna thank all Boys, NCOs, primers and officers for making the camp possible. Lets continue to keep the 5th coy flag up high!!

God bless all of you.

Annual Adventure Camp 2009

Drill 2 Test

Attention all Drill Stage 2 takers.

Pls take note that the following will be covered in the theory test this Saturday as per the drill manual.

1. Direct and indirect results of drill
2. Rules of compliment
3. Drill Definitions & Drill theory

- Definition of Alignment, Pivot Man and File.
- 2 Fundamental Foundations of Drill
- Ways in which a Squad may move.

4. The word of Command

- 3 Parts of a command and example of each part
- Be able to write out the commands in malay in consecutive order.

Here are some examples. You gotta do some visualisation.

From Original Fall in position, in consecutive orders

Face original left - Bergerak Ka-Kiri Ber-tiga tiga, Ka-kiri Pu - SING
Face original back(need to do a left turn) - Sekuad akan mengahadap ka-belakang, Ka-kiri Pu - SING
Face original right(need to do a left turn) - Sekuad akan Bergerak ka-kiri, ka-kiri Pu - SING
Face original left(need to do an about turn) - Bergerak Ka-Kiri Ber-tiga tiga, Ka-belakang
Pu - SING

In summary,

when you are facing original front(squad in line) and you need to face left or right to change formation to squad in threes, use Bergerak ka - kanan/Kiri Bertiga tiga(turning in threes)

when you are facing original back(squad in line) and you need to face left or right to change formation to squad in threes, use Sekuad akan Bergerak ka - kanan/Kiri

From original back to original front - Use Sekuad akan menghadap ka-hadapan
From original front to original back - Use Sekuad akan menghadap ka-belakang

From Original left/right(squad in threes) and you need to do an about turn, use Bergerak ka-kanan/kiri Ber-tiga tiga

If you need to face front, use sekuad akan mengadap ka-hadapan(front)
If you need to face to original back, use sekuad akan mengadap ka-belakang(back)

That should be all you need to know for Drill Stage 2.

All the best for your tests.

CRO 060609

COMPANY ROUTINE ORDER

Date : Saturday, 6th June 2009

Time : 0845-1245hrs

Venue : Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School

Attire : Mufti with Shoes

Duty Personnel:

Duty Officer : OCT Amrish Ramzeen

Company Orderly Sergeant : SGT Matthew Lu

Duty Squad / NCO : Squad 4
Programme:


Time Programme Venue

0830 Roll Call Parade Square
0900 Worship and Word Church
1000 Adventure Lesson 1 and 2 Classroom
1130 Recreation Parade Square
1230 Dismissal Parade Square

Notice:

1. All Boys are to take note that the date of our Annual Adventure Camp is 12 - 15th June 2009. Do inform your parents on the dates to avoid any clashes with your family plans.

2. All Drill Stage 2 Boys, please take note there will be a theory test after parade.

3. All LDC 2 participants please submit your consent form and money.

4. All First Aid stage 1 and 2 takers, please take note there will be theory exam during June Adventure Camp.

CRO 18th Apr 2009

Date : Saturday, 18th April 2009

Time : 1200-1930hrs

Venue : Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Secondary School
Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School

Attire : Full Uniform

Duty Officer : LTA Yam Kai Chow

Company Orderly Sergeant : CPL David Tiarso

Duty Squad / NCO : Squad 2

Time	Programme	Venue
1200	Final BB Week Collection	Classroom
1300	Roll Call & Uniform Inspection	Parade Square
1315	Company Phototaking	Front of General Office
1345	Unveiling of Colours	Parade Square
1400	Parade form up for marking of position	KCPPS
1445	Start of Enrolment & Dedication Service	LPPC/KCPPS
1800	Refreshments	KCPPS
1900	Area Cleaning	KCPPS
1930	Dismissal	KCPSS

1. All members of the company are reminded to submit your BB Week collections and cards this Saturday if you have not done so. THIS IS THE FINAL COLLECTION

2. Boys involved in the guards-of-honour are to fall in at 1130hrs in mufti with boots.

3. All appointment holders for enrolment service are to bring along your gloves.

4. Platoon commanders are to ensure all Boys are informed of the details of enrolment service.