The Rover 'H' Petaling Scout Crew was unofficially formed by Mr. Ekbert Yong Yen Loong (now Scoutmaster for the crew and Assistant District Commissioner for Petaling (Administration & IT)) in June 1997. It started off with 7 members headed by Mr. Edwin Lee Town Ley as the Crew Leader. Rover 'H' Petaling Scout Crew was officially established as a Rover Crew ten months later by Mr Ekbert Yong with permission from District Commissioner Tuan Haji Jamil B. Ali, on the 16th of March 1998, bearing the registration number M9320 given by The Scout Association of Malaysia (Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia).

The reigns of leadership was taken over by Mr. Leong Yoon Loong in 1997 as the Crew Leader with the help of his assistant, Mr. Brian Mark Hendroff. By then there were three Scoutmasters for the crew, namely Mr. Ekbert Yong, Mr. Ling Doh Seong and Ms. Pang Sin Yee. The chairman of our crew's lay committee was Y.B. Dato' Kapten Patrick James Kilroy Augustin.

A 1,200 km rover expedition to Cameron Highlands was organized in 1997 by Mr. Ekbert Yong. A total of 15 rovers participated in this expedition. Among the activities held were a 25 km hike to the highest peak in Cameron Highlands, which is a watchtower, and volunteering their service in the Health Department of Cameron Highlands. In Cameron Highlands, the crew also managed to visit the BOH tea Plantation and many vegetable farms. In the same year, the Rover 'H' Petaling Scout Crew volunteered in an Intertroop camp as the service team.

In 1998, the rovers painted the Pusat Anak Yatim building. Besides volunteering their time, energy and skills, various activities like marching and outings were organized as well.

In 1998, eight rovers received the Rover's Expedition badge for the first time: Mr. Brian Mark Hendroff, Mr. Leong Yoon Loong, Mr. Terence Lim, Ms. Bong Ai Wei, Ms. Koh Ai Ling, Mr. Khoo Wei Ren, Mr. Wee Sung Ken, Mr. Bernard Tan and Mr. Wan-Leong Juangti.

In 1999, the first Kings' Scout of 73rd Petaling Scout Troop, Mr. Wan-Leong Juangti became the Crew Leader aided by Assistant Crew Leader Mr. Ernie Lui. Our current Assistant Scoutmaster, Mr. Ng Tuck Yew was at this time a Quartermaster for the crew.

A hike to the Kanching Jungle, Rawang was conducted later on the 19th of January 1999 led by Mr. Wan-Leong Juangti (now our Assistant Scoutmaster). Two days later, 14 rovers attended a Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation & First Aid course held in Subang Jaya Medical Center (SJMC) between 21st and 22nd of January 1999. The first rover camp was held from the 11th to the 14th of November 1999 in Templer's Park. The rover camp was held with the objective of fostering ties and increasing the skills of our rovers.

In the year 2000, many activities were held such as trips to Port Dickson, kayaking expeditions and various volunteer service work. The Crew Leader's position was now taken over by Mr. Ng Tuck Yew (now our Assistant Scoutmaster) with his assistant Ms. Lim Hui Lin in 2000 and later Mr. Heng Lit Herng in 2002. Our current Crew Leader, Ms. Khoo Su Yin was then an assistant to the Crew Secretary.

Our diamond-shaped crew badge was approved by the Scouts Association of Malaysia on the 6th of December 2001. Our crew volunteered to teach scouting at the Malaysian Association of Guardians for the Intellectually Challenged (MAGIC), Petaling Jaya for the whole year of 2001. It was headed by Dr. Wong Sai Hau the member of state parliamentary Kampung Tunku. Six rovers went up to the Tempurung Caves in Perak state on the 30th of June 2001 for a day trip. On the 25th and 26th of August, our crew volunteered at the Malaysian Chinese Association's (MCA) family day in SS3, Selangor. Rovers from our crew volunteered as assistant trainers for a Patrol Leaders' Training Course (PLTC) for Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, held from 31st August to 2nd September 2001.

In 2002, the chairman of our lay committee was taken over by Mr. Shawn Julian Kilroy Augustin. Rovers from our crew were sent to the attend a Wood Badge Training Course (Part I) for the first time on the 19th of January 2002 at University of Technology Malaysia in Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur. A camp for the rover squires was held in Hulu Langat, Selangor from the 1st to the 3rd of March 2002. Two rovers, Mr. Poh Yeh Han and Ms. Kuan Li Lian, assisted Mr. Ekbert Yong by supervising 3 Kings' Scout nominees from the 73rd Petaling Scout Troop, during their community service tests between the 27th and 28th of April 2002.

On the 11th of May 2002, we volunteered as the service team for a Wood Badge Training Course (Part I) in Sekolah Sri Kuala Lumpur, Subang Jaya. On the 13th of May 2002, a marching session (with and without staves) was conducted by our crew to brush up our skills in Taman Rimba Kiara. On the 18th of May 2002 we volunteered our help to Venus Kindergarten's Sports Day held at SRJK (C) Puay Chai [2] in Bandar Utama. From the 21st to the 23rd of May 2002, 4 rovers lent a helping hand as trainers in the Petaling District's Cub Scouts Camp held at Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM). We also assisted as station officers and are part of the Malaysian Contingent Pre-Jamboree Camp service team, which was a camp preparing the participants for the 20th World Jamboreein Thailand.

In the same year, six rovers from our crew, Mr. Ng Tuck Yew, Mr. Poh Yeh Han, Mr. Khor Chee Seong, Mr. Nicholas Aw Kai Foong, Ms. Kuan Li Lian and Ms. Khoo Su Yin, who completed their Wood Badge Training Course (Part I) was sent for the first time to a Wood Badge Training Course (Part II for Boy Scouts) from 7th to the 9th of June 2002 held in Pusat Rakan Muda, Kuala Lumpur. The same rovers who attended the course were invited to teach the 147th Petaling Scout Troop based in SMK Tropicana that same year. They too, successfully organized the troop's first Tenderfoot Camp from the 9th to 11th August 2002.

A one-day expedition to Bukit Datuk, Malacca for the rover squires was held on the 19th of January 2003. Also, the rover squires volunteered to clean and repaint the MARES (Malaysian Amateur Radio Emergency Service) clubhouse on 15th of February 2003. The crew's first Annual General Meeting was held this year on the 14th of March 2003 at the Selangor Youth and Cultural Complex in Shah Alam, Selangor. The leadership of the crew for the year 2003 changed hands to Ms. Khoo Su Yin (who is now part of our district's national scouts' training team) when Mr. Ng Tuck Yew was promoted to an Assistant Scoutmaster. She is aided by Mr. Nicholas Aw Kai Foong and Ms. Loong Siow Ping as her assistants.

From 1st to the 4th of May and the 14th to the 16th of May, five rovers attended the Wood Badge Leadership Training Course (Part IV a for Boy Scouts), which is a 7D/6N camp in Templer's Park, for the first time in our crew's history. This is the second final stage before they receive their two Wood Badge beads - an award internationally recognizing them as qualified Scout Leaders. On the 17th of May 2003, the new batch of rovers, who were invested earlier this year, was sent to attend a Wood Badge Leadership Training Course (Part I) in Sekolah Sri Kuala Lumpur, Subang Jaya. The crew was requested by the Petaling District Training Team to assist as Camp officers in the Petaling District's Kem Muhibbah (Goodwill Camp) in Templer's Park from 25th to 27th of July 2003.

We also organized 147th Petaling Scout Troop's 2nd camp from 8th to 10th August 2003. During the camp's cultural night, Mr. Ivan Goh and Ms. Chen Yih Wen were awarded with their first rover badge which was the World Events badge. Also, Mr. Poh Yeh Han and Ms. Khoo Su Yin were invested as official Assistant Scoutmasters of 147th Petaling by Mr. Ekbert Yong. Mr. Nicholas Aw chaired the organization of a Leadership Camp in SMK Bandar Sri Damansara (2) from 22nd to 23rd August. The camp wea attended by selected representatives from various uniform bodies in the school. Mr. Nicholas Aw was invested as the official Assistant Scoutmaster of 152nd Petaling at the camp's closing ceremony.

Six Rovers organized an expedition to Pulau Pangkor for their Expedition badgework from the 12th to 14th September 2003. They spent 3 days camping, hiking and sea activities. Four Rovers assisted with the Selangor State level camp in Templer's Park from 19th to 21st September 2003, providing manpower for the teaching sessions. A week later, 6 junior rovers attended a Wood Badge Leadership Training Course (Part II for Boy Scouts) as participants while 3 senior rovers volunteered as the service team. It was organized by the Petaling District Training Team from 26th to 28th September 2003, also held in Templer's Park.

We were invited to co-host a Cultural Night in Kajang High School for the Singaporean and Indonesian participants returning from a Goodwill Camp in Thailand on 10th December 2003. Among the activities organized were songs, games and a brief sketch. From 21st to 23rd December 2003, six Rovers were appointed by Tuan Hj Harun to assist as camp officers in the state's King's Scout Standardization camp held in Templer's Park. Mr. Colin Khoo was awarded his Project badge while Ms. Chen Yih Wen received her Expedition Badge during the opening ceremony. Later, these six Rovers were also invited by Mr. Eric Chee, the Malaysian World Scout Jamboree 2002 Contigent Leader, to attend a World Scout Jamboree reunion night held in SMK Damansara Jaya on 28th December 2003.

The crew gathered for an Extraodinary General Meeting on 11th January 2004, to discuss the change of the office bearers and also to welcome the new squires. Ms. Khoo Su Yin was officially succeeded by Mr. Nicholas Aw as the Crew Leader, due to furthering her studies overseas. Other changes include Mr. Ivan Goh appointed as the Deputy Crew Leader, Ms. Sarena Che Omar as Assistant Treasurer and Mr. Foo Juen Lim as the Log Keeper.

In 2003-2004, our crew members were volunteering as Assistant Scoutmasters in three scout troops - 147th Petaling Scout Troop (SMK Tropicana), Sri Indah Boy Scouts (SMK Sri Indah), and 152nd Petaling Scout Troop (SMK Bandar Sri Damansara [2]). We are also expecting to volunteer in SMK Bandar Utama (3) in 2004. Among activities planned for 2004 are kayaking, expedition, badge work and attendance in Wood Badge Leadership Training Course (Part II).

The Rover 'H' Petaling Scout Crew has come a long way since its inception six years ago. Our closely knit family has grown progressively within a short span of time and will continue to actively volunteer our service to the community and at the same time, improve our own scouting knowledge and enjoy our rovering life.

Source: Hawk Rovers Petaling