02/02/2026

MONDAY | FEB 2, 2026

6

‘Scouts corps good form of non-formal education’

Teacher finds fulfilment serving Orang Asli pupils KUALA LUMPUR: While many teachers opt for postings closer to urban conveniences, one educator has found deep fulfilment serving at a school in an Orang Asli settlement deep in the interior of Gua Musang in Kelantan. Hasmadi Ghazali, 48, reported for duty at Sekolah Kebangsaan Balar in Pos Balar in early January, ending nearly 11 years of a long distance marriage with his wife Norsiah Along, 50, a Temiar Orang Asli who lives in the settlement with their four children. Pos Balar is accessible only via an off-road journey from Kuala Betis and is about 90km from Gua Musang. Before being transferred to Pos Balar, Hasmadi, who is from Jengka in Pahang, had been teaching at SK Sri Kelana in Petaling Jaya, Selangor since 2013. “I am grateful and happy because it has always been my hope to serve in Pos Balar. This was my second transfer application and I did not expect to be posted here, although there are several Orang Asli schools in Gua Musang. “In this area, Muslims are a minority, so I hope to contribute to preaching efforts, especially outside my official teaching hours, to ensure that those who have embraced Islam continue to receive guidance,” he told Bernama recently. He said SK Balar, which opened in 1994, provides education to Temiar Orang Asli children from 11 surrounding villages. The school currently has 24 teachers and 296 pupils, including 69 Muslim students. Acknowledging that this is his first experience teaching Orang Asli pupils, Hasmadi said the teaching approach requires a deep understanding of the local community’s socio-cultural background as well as a high level of patience and creativity. “Here, the focus is on providing students with basic literacy and numeracy skills, with a compassionate, care-based approach. It is different from urban schools, where students are more exposed to technology and various forms of communication. “ Orang Asli children also face a higher risk of dropping out, which is why they require more focused attention. At times, a ‘personal outreach’ approach is necessary to encourage them to attend school regularly and remain within the education system,”he said. Hasmadi added that his ability to speak the Temiar language has greatly facilitated communication with both students and the local community, easing daily interactions and helping to build trust. He added that the Temiar language is also used in daily communication at home, further aiding his adjustment to life in the community. Many of these lessons were delivered through creative games that proved popular. The first Boy Scouts camp was regarded as a success. Following the publication of Scouting for Boys , Baden-Powell established a central office for the movement to register new Scouts and introduce a uniform. By the end of 1908, there were 60,000 Boy Scouts and groups began appearing across the British Commonwealth. In September 1909, the first national gathering of Boy Scouts was held at the Crystal Palace in London, drawing more than 10,000 participants, including a group of uniformed girls who called themselves the Girl Scouts. In 1910, Baden-Powell founded the Girl Guides as a separate organisation. – by Andrew Sagayam

KUALA LUMPUR: The Scouts movement is one of the best forms of non-formal education in life, especially for the young, said Berjaya Media Bhd executive director Datuk Seri Azman Ujang. He told theSun that Scouts emphasise training in discipline, self-esteem, integrity and the spirit of loyalty to King and country. “This forms the core values of the Scouts, which is a well-known global organisation that has existed for more than a century. “The Scouts movement will always be close to my heart. I became a Boy Scout during my primary school years at the Good Shepherd School in Marudi, Sarawak in the 1960s,” he said. Azman was among 35 individuals from various fields who received appointment letters as members of the National Scouts Council from National Chief Scout of Malaysia Major General Datuk Prof Dr Mohd Zin Bidin at the council’s headquarters here on Saturday. He said the Scouts movement was the only extra-curricular activity available then for schoolboys. “My favourite activity was overnight camping in secluded spots, during which we learnt at an early age lessons on how to face hardship situations and fears. “And there was no real peer pressure. It was actually the in thing to do at the time as we were growing up. “As a Boy Scout, the motive was not to advance in rank but to enhance our own personal character and wellbeing,” he said. When asked what he had gained most from joining the Scouts, Azman said it was training in self-discipline and always being law-abiding. “To add other important aspects that I have gained... is to always give your best in whatever you do. “No 50-50 or half-hearted effort. This has been my guiding principle as I rose through the o Movement nurtures discipline, self-esteem, integrity and loyalty among youths beyond classroom learning: Media firm director Ű BY ANDREW SAGAYAM newsdesk@thesundaily.com

Azman (second from right) was among 35 individuals from various fields who received appointment letters as members of the National Scout Council. – BERNAMAPIC

youth development. He said the ceremony marked the start of a new era of more dynamic Scout leadership, in line with the council’s commitment to support national aspirations. “I am confident in the strong commitment of all Malaysian Scouts Association (PPM) members and that the Scouts movement would not only achieve the targets of the strategic plan but also exceed expectations. “We are committed to supporting the aspirations of Malaysia Madani by incorporating the core values of sustainability, wellbeing, creativity, respect, confidence and compassion into every aspect of our operations. “Let’s work together to make PPM ‘from good to great’ in playing its role as a positive force that transforms lives, builds communities and creates a brighter future,” he said. Also present at the ceremony were PPM deputy president Datuk Ahmad Shazily Ismail Bakti and its acting chief commissioner Dr Mohammed Mukhyuddin Sarwani.

ranks from the lowest to the highest position in my 41 years of service at the National News Agency (Bernama). “In 2017, I received the Sabah Chief Scout award and I regard the appointment as a member of the Malaysian Scouts Federation on Saturday as a proud personal honour,” he added. At the ceremony, among other notable recipients of appointment letters as members of the National Scouts Council was Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Dr Johari Abdul. The event also witnessed National Adult in Scouting commissioner Prof Dr Mustaffa Ibrahim being appointed as administrative and governance commissioner as well as the presentation of credentials to several national commissioners and national headquarters commissioners. Earlier in his speech, Mohd Zin described the newly appointed leaders as “agents of change” and “architects of the future”, carrying significant responsibility in shaping Malaysian

Movement grows from experiment to institution KUALA LUMPUR: First established under the British Boy Scouts Association, the movement eventually evolved into Malaysian Scouts Association (PPM). formed by F.C. Sands, known as the “Father of Malayan Scouting”. Although based in Singapore, he played a significant role in influencing the Malayan scouting movement. for Boys . Originally intended as a manual for youths, the book became one of the 20th century’s best-selling publications.

South African War. Shortly after, Aids to Scouting , a military field manual he authored for British troops in 1899, gained popularity among younger readers. Boys enjoyed the lessons on tracking and observation, often creating games based on the book. Recognising this interest, Baden-Powell decided to produce a non-military field guide for youths that emphasised ethics and altruism. He initially tested several concepts with a group of boys. On July 25, 1907, he brought 21 teenagers to Brownsea Island in Dorset, where they camped for two weeks. Assisted by other educators, he taught camping, observation, reasoning, woodcraft, boating, lifesaving, patriotism and chivalry.

It combined practical woodcraft, camping and self-discipline with patriotic Victorian-era values to promote good citizenship. Baden-Powell’s name was already familiar to many English boys and thousands eagerly purchased the handbook. By the end of April that year, the serialisation of Scouting for Boys was completed and spontaneous Boy Scouts groups had begun emerging throughout Britain. In 1900, Baden-Powell became a national hero in Britain for his 217-day defence of Mafeking during the

The movement later expanded rapidly to Selangor (1909/1911), Pahang (1912), Sabah (1913) and Sarawak (1913). Before 1941, it operated as a branch of the Boy Scouts Association of Great Britain. After World War II, the organisation was restructured and following independence in 1957, the “Persekutuan Budak-Budak Pengakap Malaysia” was formed. The Boy Scouts movement began in England on Jan 24, 1908 with the release of the first chapter of Lord Robert Baden-Powell’s book Scouting

With a 118-year history, PPM now has more than 600,000 members and is the largest non-governmental organisation in the country. Although Tanah Melayu gained independence in 1957, the Scouts movement was only formally recognised by Parliament in 1968 and renamed Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia. Scouting in Malaysia began in 1908 in Penang as an experimental Young Men’s Christian Association troop before expanding regionally, making it one of the earliest scouting movements in Asia. In 1910, the first official troop was