2011 ACS Sitiawan OPA 35th Annual Dinner on 21.05.2011


The Cosmic Cowboy Band - Tan Leng Kiong on drums, Ching Neng Bin on bass and Ken Tan on guitar/vocal at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Members took to the stage to sing a Cantonese song - "cheen, cheen, cheen" & "No money no talk, no money no honey" led by Mr Ling Leong Choong at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


The 31 dinner tables with members from outstation and as far as Ireland at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


The 31 dinner tables with members from outstation and as far as Ireland at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


The 31 dinner tables with members from outstation and as far as Ireland at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Cosmic Cowboys accompanying Ching Bee Geok and Lim Hun Ching singing a song at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Cosmic Cowboy Band - Tan Leng Kiong on drums, Ching Neng Bin on bass and Ken Tan on guitar/vocal at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


President Ching Bee Geok and Lim Hun Ching singing "Red River Valley" at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


President Ching Bee Geok, Ching Neng Bin and Ching Meei Jin at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Ken Tan belting out a number at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Ching Neng Bin taking a break with his wife Catherine at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.
 

Claire Aw and Dilys Yeak singing a Korean song at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Catherine, President Ching Bee Geok, Yanti and Lee Siew Eng at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Dr Goh Chooi Beow, Ching Neng Bin and Catherine at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Lee Siew Eng and Ling Leong Chnong at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Lee King Hiong, President Ching Bee Geok, Ngooi Ngok San, Stephanie Yong, Josephine Ooi, Low Sow Lin at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Dr Tay Kah Hey, President Ching Bee Geok, Lee King Hiong and Ngooi Ngok San at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Low Sow Lin, President Ching Bee Geok and Mrs. Tay Kah Hey at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Lucky draw prizes for ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Phang Sim Mee, Lim Hun Ching & Mrs. Lim Hun Ching at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


Dr. Ashley (current Principal of ACS Secondary) giving a speech at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.

Ching Bee Geok delivering the President's Speech at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


President Ching Bee Geok presenting a gift to band member Ching Neng Bin as a token of appreciation.


President Ching Bee Geok presenting a gift to band leader Ken Tan as a token of appreciation.


President Ching Bee Geok's gift to committee member Su Mee Lock at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


President Ching Bee Geok's gift to committee member Lim Hun Ching at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


President Ching Bee Geok's gift to committee member Seow Key Me at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


President Ching Bee Geok's gift to committee member Aw Koon Luk at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


President Ching Bee Geok with the Merit Award recipients for 2010 examinations at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.

Audrey Lee Ying Shin, Aw Sheng Min, Daniel Khoo Lian Yi, Darren Hong Tze Cheng, Dianne Hong Sze Wei, Ding Kwan John, Elaine Ling Huey Sing, Eric Arvind Pillai a/l Muralitharan, Guok Yow Jun, Eugene, Henry Ling Sheng, Joy Tong Yu Ning, Ling Hui Ern, Ling J-Lyn, Michelle Su Yean Hua, Nydelene Llewellyn Tong Yiu Shyo, Philip Ong Soo Wen, Puveeniyal a/p Govendan, Rychard Hong Zhen Ter, Sam Shien Wenn, Samuel Wong Tian Jin, Seline Ding Sze Leel, Tan Li Ann, Tien Hou Zhen, Yu Seet Hoong


Outgoing President Ching Bee Geok handing over of duties to Incoming President, Jason Ling for year 2011/2012 at ACS OPA 35th Annual Dinner 2011.


OPA Committee Members for 2011/2012
Back L-R: Dr James Ding, Dr Chieng, Kong Weng Chai, Secretary Peter Ling, Lim Hun Ching, Kong Yee Leng
Front: Treasurer Aw Koon Luk, Su Mee Lock, Pre. Jason Ling, IPP. Ching Bee Geok, Seow Key Me, Ngo Moi Moi


///ACS Sitiawan OPA Annual Dinner on 21.05.2011
 
The Cosmic Cowboy
A Country and Western Band
from The Rotary Club of Sitiawan


2009 Malay Mail by Shiv Das:
They are not likely…no, strike that and substitute with will not make it to any pop chart but they do win hearts whenever they play.

As four guitarists and a drummer, they have come together to revel in “oldies” music and song of the fifties, sixties and seventies. Meet Frankie Yeap, 63, Lim Kim Moon, 61, Ching Neng Bin, 55, Tan Keng Hui, 52 and the drummer Tan Lean Khiong who at 45 is the “baby”.

They are members of the Rotary Club of Sitiawan, seemingly the only such club in the country that does not have to outsource its band for social gatherings. Says Tan Keng Hui who once owned a travel agency but now spends time mostly teaching English in-between shuttling back and forth to England where his wife and three children reside:

“It’s not about money but the joy we get out of playing. We have our jobs during the day but at night we have our pastime. We play by ear...very simple.” It is a feather in their cap that they played at the state air travel fair in Ipoh recently. Keng Hui doubles up as the main vocalist with Yeap, a retired teacher, joining in from time to time.

If it’s not Rotary, demand for their joyful services also comes from the town’s senior citizens club which has its own building for members to indulge enthusiastically in ballroom and line dancing as part of their activities.

The band, largely self-taught, began with just Ching, a bank manager and Tan Lean Khiong, a teacher to begin with and who now runs a tuition centre, getting together in 1995 for jam sessions. Lim, who was with the Ministry of Defense serving at the naval base in Lumut, joined two years later, followed by the remaining two.

What began as a fad has turned into a “bonding service” these musical-minded Rotarians are providing with great effect.
 
///

2 comments:

  1. Hi Ching,
    As always, thanks for sharing the OPA annual dinner pictures, another success down memory lane, sweet memories indeed. Best wishes and keep it up!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Philip Ting01 August, 2011

    Neng Bin,
    Great pictures. Hope to see you at the ACS reunion in KL on 20th August. Hoping to make it there.

    ReplyDelete