In the same tent

Old pictures from 10th KL Air Scout Group album.

“Believe not each accusing tongue, As most weak persons do, But still believe that story wrong, Which ought not to be true...’ THESE wise words written on the back of an old black and white photo dated 1955, addressed to one Kong Ming, make me smile. Looking out from the photo is a handsome young lad in his prime, a beret jauntily perched on his head, and looking splendid in full scout gear. “That’s KC,” points out the aforementioned Kong Ming, now in his 60s, happily sharing his precious collection of pictures.

“I was very handsome, eh?” chuckles KC, or Liu Kwai Choong, the subject of the picture, now 72. The veteran scout master and icon of the 10th KL Air Scout Group, a group formed in 1915, looks on with interest as more memories unfurl in front of him, of the camaraderie between strapping young boys toiling over a tent, forming a human pyramid on a beach somewhere, and the formal pose together with their scout masters. The Piang Fah Hall, the main activity area on the first floor of the group’s den, located on the grounds of the Methodist Boys’ School, on Jalan Hang Jebat, KL, is filled with old boys who’ve come to pay their respect to KC, whom they also regard as their teacher, mentor and friend, the person who’s led the group and seen their progression since the early 1950s.

To honour his contributions, they recently named the building on which the 10th Group Den stands, the Kwai Choong Den. Many 10th Group scouts from the past and present, as well as their parents and friends reunited to mark the momentous event. “To have realised scouting for the school and the young, and to have this scouts’ den, is something I’m very proud of,” beams KC.

The den was completed in 2007, the product of kind donations from the old boys. Continues the father of three: “They answered the rallying call and donated money to have this building realised. The building committee itself comprises old scouts — the architect, surveyor, engineer, and contractor. They built it at no fees charged.” Admittedly, it’s not the only scouts’ den in the country, but says KC, previously a teacher for 11 years, it’s the first of its kind that’s built fully from the funds of the old boys. “We even have a CF for this building,” he smiles.

KC’s interest in scouting began early. The stories he read in books about scouting exploits captured his imagination. “I got the chance to become a boy scout when scouting was offered as a curricular activity.” When he got to Form Five, he was elected a scout master. “It’s a great responsibility,” says KC, the second of seven siblings. “You have to guide and build the characters of all these boys under your wing. It’s your duty to ensure they walk the correct path in life.” Scouting, adds KC, whose parents were both Chinese school teachers, isn’t only about the great outdoors although it does form a vital part. It’s the eventful years when a boy becomes a man, guided by the 10 Scout Laws and promise. It’s the character-building leading to independence yet within a brotherhood, and subsequently into a responsible citizen in the community.

“What I’ve inculcated in them is that as they grow older, they must always look out for each other and continue to exemplify the spirit of brotherhood. They share and sleep in the same tent. They have to eat the same rice. There’s no rich or poor.” As a boy, KC wanted to be a pilot but that never happened due to the costs involved. “Then, I decided to join the Royal Military College but my father wouldn’t consent to it,” he chuckles. “He didn’t like anything that was linked to the military. When I finished my Senior Cambridge, I dreamt of being an inspector in the police force. I went to the Gurney Road police depot to see how I could get in. But again, my old man said no way. So, I ended up becoming a teacher!” While KC never got to fulfil his flying ambitions, he’s proud to share that many of young scouts from the 10th KL Air Scout Group have gone on to become pilots.