Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia
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Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia (Malaysian Scouts Association) is an organisation for boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17, based in Malaysia. Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia (PPM) is part of the global Scouting movement and national member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM). It is the only uniformed body in Malaysia to have been established and officially regulated by an act of parliament.
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Philosophy
The following is translated from the original PPM philosophy in Malay:
The PPM's goal is to provide leadership training based on the Principles and Laws of Boy Scouts with the aim of doing good and increasing brotherhood among the WOSM regardless of skin, religion or culture as well as creating balanced people, intellectually, spiritually and physically based on a belief in God.
That effort is to increase build one's discipline and character, form the habit of being polite, as well as being responsible for one self, one's family, and society, fulfilling the goal of the Scouting movement to become a citizen useful to one's religion, race and nation.
History
Frank Cooper Sands in 1910 established two Boy Scout troops in Singapore for the children of the British colonists. From there, the movement spread to other states of Malaysia, or to be more precise, the other parts of the Straits Settlements.
Founders of Scouting in their Respective States
- Frank Cooper Sands in Singapore
- H.P. Hertslet in Pahang
- H.R. Cheeseman in Penang and Johor
- I.R. Wheeler in Perak
- E.C. Hicks, E.A.G. Stuart, R.P.S. Walker and C.W. Bloomfield in Kedah
- R. Brunstone in Malacca
- Ameen Akbar in Selangor
- A.J. Gracle in Terengganu
- Bird and Roger Smith in Negeri Sembilan and Perlis
- YM Tengku Ahmad Temenggong in Kelantan
- Reverend Thomas Cecil Alexander in Sabah and Sarawak
Organisation
PPM is headquartered at BP House on Jalan Hang Jebat, Kuala Lumpur. PPM is divided into various councils, one for each state, each led by a State Commissioner. Each state council is in turn broken down into district councils, each led by a District Commissioner.
Every district will consist of packs for Cub Scouts, troops for Scouts and Venturers and in the case of Rovers, crews, which are broken into patrols for purposes of making the patrol boys (although in this case patrol boys also refers to girls) easier to control. Most troops are based in schools, but are instead identified by a number based on when they were established, and their district's name, i.e. the 157th troop of Petaling. However, crews are identified instead by a letter, i.e. 'H' Rover Crew of Petaling.
PPM has four units:
- Pengakap Kanak-Kanak (Cub Scouts) is for those from primary four till six, or ages 10 to 12. However, there are few official Pengakap Kanak-Kanak troops in Malaysia, and thus most begin scouting at the Junior Scout stage. Its motto is "Buat Habis Baik" or "Do Your Best". Their official colour is yellow.
- Pengakap Muda (Scouts) is for those from secondary one till secondary three, or ages 13 till 15 1/2. It is the best known of all units. Its motto is "Selalu Bersedia" or "Be Prepared". Their official colour is green.
- Pengakap Remaja (Venturers) is for those from secondary four till secondary five, or ages 15 1/2 till 17 1/2. Its motto is "Pandang Luas" or "Look Wide". Their official colour is red.
- Pengakap Kelana (Rovers) is for those who wish to continue/begin scouting as adults, or those aged 17 1/2 to 35. Its motto is "Berkhidmat" or "Service"
Uniform
A Junior scout's uniform consists of a short-sleeve (girls wear long sleeves) grey shirt, with two pockets with buttons on the left and right breast, the official neckerchief, the forage cap, navy blue pants, the official bronze belt, navy blue socks and black canvas shoes with laces. A miniature Malaysian flag is stitched on the right breast pocket and the Tenderfoot badge stitched on the left one. The neckerchief, with red, white and blue stripes, must be worn on one's collar, and fastened with the official woggle. The forage cap has a badge with the Malaysian scout emblem on one side.
On one's left sleeve is one's patrol's name, and one's merit badges. On the right sleeve is one's state, one's district, and one's troop number. The advancement badge is sewn below the troop number when a Junior Scout earns it. Depending on a Junior Scout's rank and/or badges, he/she may be allowed to wear a lanyard.
A Senior Scout's uniform is the same as the Junior Scout's except for the position of badges.
The King's Scout badge is worn on one's left sleeve, five centimetres below the patrol badge. On one's left sleeve is one's patrol's name, and one's advancement badges. The Senior Scout's have up to five advancement badges. Once taken, the Senior Scout will go on to become a King's Scout. The King's Scout badge is worn 5 centimeters below the patrol badge in place of all the 5 Senior Badges.
A Leader's (Rovers/Scoutmasters) uniform is the same as the Junior Scouts with the exception of the badges sewn and the epaulettes worn. Rovers wear red epaulettes while Assistant Scoutmasters right up to the Chief Scout wears blue epaulettes with different symbols on it. A Rover Crew may make its own Crew emblem and the one can sew it on the right sleeve underneath the Crew Letter. The advancement badges for Rovers are worn on the left side, underneath the Rover badge, while the minaiture King's Scout Badge is worn on the right hand sleeve.
Logo
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PPM Logo
Meanings
- The three division fleur in red represents the three fundamental parts of the Scout Oath.
- Yellow, green and red represent Pengakap Kanak-Kanak, Pengakap Muda and Pengakap Remaja respectively.
- The two green five-pointed stars on the left and right divisions of the fleur stand for the 10 scout laws.
- The green band represents the brotherhood of scouting.
- The dark blue rope represents the unity of scouts and of the citizens of Malaysia.
- The crescent moon and star represent Islam, Malaysia's national religion.
- The colour yellow on the moon and star is the colour of royalty.
- The 14 points on the star represent the 13 states of Malaysia and the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur.
Creed and Rank Advancement
Scout Oath
The Scout Oath is (translated from Malay):
On my honour I promise that I will do my best,
- to do my duty to God and the King,
- to help other people all the time,
- to obey the Scout Law.
Scout Laws
The Scout Laws are (translated from Malay):
- A scout's honour is to be trusted.
- A scout is loyal to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, his country, his Scouters, his Parents, his Employers, and those under him.
- A scout's duty is to be useful and to help others.
- A scout is a friend to all, and a brother to every other Scout, no matter what country, class or creed the other belongs.
- A scout is courteous.
- A scout is a friend to animals.
- A Scout obeys the orders of his parents, Patrol Leader, or Scout Master without question.
- A scout smiles and whistles under all difficulties.
- A scout is thrifty.
- A scout is clean in thought, word and deed.
Scout Sign and Salute
To do the scout sign, the middle three fingers of the right hand are raised and the thumb covering the little finger, with the upper arm held horizontally and the forearm vertically. The three raised fingers represent the three fundamental parts of the Scout Promise, and the thumb over the little finger represents the strong protecting the weak. The scout sign is used whenever pledging the Scout Promise.
To do the scout salute, do the scout sign and then the middle finger is moved till it touches the right eyebrow.
Miscellaneous Traditions
The Scout Handshake in Malaysia is done with the right hand, as Muslims believe the left hand (with which the Scout Handshake is usually performed) is unclean.
Badges
Regardless of which unit one is a member of, one must pass the Tenderfoot test before being eligible for any other badges. This test examines one on one's qualifications to become a scout, testing one on the scout uniform, scout emblems, scout oath, scout laws, scout salute and sign, the history of scouting, and basic knot-tying, such as tying a reef knot.
For Pengakap Kanak-Kanak, one may receive the Keris Gangsa (Bronze Dagger) badge, Keris Perak (Silver Dagger) badge and Keris Emas (Gold Dagger) badge. The dagger or Keris is a malay dagger used as an official weapon by the royalty. One must attain all preceding badges before qualifying for the next one. One may also receive various merit badges.
For Pengakap Muda, one may receive the Usaha (Second Class) badge, Maju (First Class) badge and Jaya (Highest Award for Pengakap Muda) badge. One must attain all preceding badges before qualifying for the next one. One can also receive a total of eight merit badges; two for hobbies, three for knowledge, and another three for service. Once one has met certain conditions, one can receive the Rambu Pengakap Muda (Scout Lanyard) which is green in colour.
For Pengakap Remaja, one may receive Jaya Diri (Independence) badge, Kemahiran (Skills) badge, Perkhidmatan (Service) badge, Kegiatan (Activities) badge and Ekspedisi (Expedition) badge.
Once one has received all badges in Pengakap Remaja, one is eligible to become a King's Scout. To become a King's Scout, one must endure a battery of tests, spend five days and four nights in an expedition, spend three days and two nights alone camping, building at least 30 usable gadgets using one's pioneering skills. Then the King's Scout Candidate will receive a Bushman's thong which is self-made. Once one has passed, the certificate will be signed by every king/sultan from all 13 states of Malaysia as well as signed and presented personally by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at his palace.
Activities
Most troops meet once a week on Saturday, but officially meet only twice a month as the first and third Saturdays of each month are holidays for civil servants and thus most public schools are closed. Activities during a troop meeting range from preparation for tests for badges to pioneering to marching. Patrol meetings may be held independently.
Camping/hiking activities are frequently organised, with most troops having at least two or three camps in one year.
Troop Organisation
A troop is divided into several patrols, each with its own patrol leader and assistant patrol leader. A committee called the Patrol Leaders Council plans all the troop's activities, with guidance from the troop's scoutmaster(s). The Patrol Leaders Council consists of all the patrol leaders and their assistants if the council is too small. From the Patrol Leader's Council, Patrol Leaders are elected to become the Troop Leader, Assistant Troop Leader, Secretary, Treasurer and Quartermaster. This committee is called the Court of Honour and is the most exclusive committee in a troop. The posts mentioned are the least a troop can have. Besides the above mentioned posts, other posts such as Discipline Officer, Den warden, Librarian, IT Director, Historian and much more can be added if the need should arise.
A patrol itself, besides its patrol leader and assistant patrol leader, has a secretary for taking down the details of a patrol meeting, has a treasurer for recording the financial matters and has a quartermaster for taking care of the patrol's equipment. During camp, the quartermaster becomes the equipment quartermaster, and a food quartermaster is appointed. The secretary becomes assistant patrol leader if the patrol leader or assistant patrol leader does not show up for a meeting.