Report on Annual Communication 2009
The 151st Annual Communication of the District Grand Lodge of the Eastern Archipelago for the year 2009 was held at the Pyramid 1 Sunway Convention Centre in Bandar Sunway, Selangor at 3.30pm on 5th December 2009 while the Banquet was held at Pyramid 2 of the same at 8.00pm thereafter.
Our honored Lodge was duly well represented at the Annual Communication by the esteemed presence of 7 W. Brethren and Brethren and 2 Honorary Brethren who were led by our W. Master, W. Bro. Ong Eng Loo. Those in attendance were W. Bro. Santokh Singh Nijhar, W. Bro. Siew Hon Hoong, W. Bro. Vijayakumar Karuppiah, W. Bro. George Hagan, W. Bro. Joseph Tio Khek Leong, Bro. Heng Cheong Jin and Bro. Kenneth Khoo with the 2 Honorary Members of our Lodge who are R. W. Bro. Datuk Dr. Yeoh Poh Hong and W. Bro. R. I. Rawlings.
The Annual Communication of the District Grand Lodge was a most venerable and distinguished affair which, as always, started right on time. During the Annual Communication, our W. Master together with all the Brethren of our Lodge were most proud to observe that our R. W. District Grand Master, R. W. Bro. Datuk Dr. Yeoh Poh Hong, had placed his high hopes and reliance on our honored Lodge by appointing our W. Bro. Siew Hon Hoong to become the District Grand Chaplain and W. Bro. Vijayakumar Karuppiah to become the District Grand Tyler, both these preferred Brethren, we are most sure, shall conduct their District duties with utmost dedication, fervency and zeal. Also during this dignified ceremony, Freemasons in the District had witnessed the installation of our new Deputy District Grand Master, W. Bro. Leslie Struys, after the retirement of our W. Bro. Datuk Ngui Tet Yin. W. Bro. Yap Pak Vui was also installed as the new Assistant District Grand Master during this such ceremony.
As is customary, the R. W. District Grand Master, R. W. Bro. Datuk Dr. Yeoh Poh Hong, delivered his Address to all the Brethren which, as always, was crafted in a manner which overflowed with the virtues of wisdom, strength and beauty and fully cloaked with the protective shield of brotherly love, relief and truth. Through this honored Address to the Brethren, R. W. Bro. Datuk Dr. Yeoh Poh Hong continued to encourage the Brethren to live their lives in a most humble manner in service to their Brethren and to their communities - for the highest is he who performs his part best, and not he who fills the most exalted position.
The District Grand Lodge was then closed by the District Grand Master at exactly 5.30pm and the Brethren adjourned for refreshment of coffee and cakes in the Foyer area.
At 8.00pm on the same day, the Banquet proper of District Grand Lodge was held at Pyramid 2 and it was well attended by close to 350 Brethren and their lovely spouses. The Brethren from our Lodge who were present were most honored to have our W. Master and his lovely wife to lead us. At the same time, Bro. Michael Geh had driven all the way from Penang in the afternoon to be present and to have fellowship with all of us.
During the Banquet, our R. W. District Grand Master, R. W. Bro. Datuk Dr. Yeoh Poh Hong was most pleased to present the Certificate of Service to W. Bro. Sheikh Nahkoda Noordin for his long and committed service to Freemasonry in this District and throughout the world. A standing ovation by all the Brethren and their ladies were duly expressed by all present to W. Bro. Nahkoda for his rare and esteemed achievement.
The festivities continued through the night with 2 wonderful bands entertaining the Brethren and their wives. As always, the Annual Communication of District Grand Lodge allow not only the proper functioning of District Grand Lodge to take place, but is also an warm and wonderful opportunity for each and every mason to renew his vast and sincere commitment to the grand principles of brotherly love, relief and truth.
Kindly please note that the photos were taken by Bro. Michael Geh and Mrs. Carol Hagan.
by Bro. Dr. Kenneth Khoo
Photo album: Annual Communication 2009
