KUDOS, PEARL CLUB: FOR SHOW OF STRONG FRATERNAL BONDING AND
LOYALTY TO AIA.
AIA Pearl Club has once again radiated eminently as an
exemplary model depicting a large “extended family” of the company they have
associated with by instilling in them the sense of belonging to their employer
they have had served for at least 30 years. At the same time, the club has
successfully garnered close fraternal bonding among the members.
This aura of strong affiliation was epitomised by the
ambience manifested during the recent fellowship gathering in Johor Baru, at
the Southern tip of Malaysia, and the "next door" neighbouring island nation of Singapore
from May 31 to April 2.
About 130 people comprising mainly retirees and those still attached
to American International Assurance (AIA), and a few spouses, first
participated in the annual general meeting (AGM) held at a hotel in Johor Baru, the capital city of Johor State.
A heartfelt appreciative atmosphere was set by the speech of outgoing
president Jeffrey Kee (he was thereafter re-elected for another term together
with most of his executive committee members at the AGM). He rendered accolades
to Lam Phing Wong, who is an active senior agency leader with 51 years of
service to-date and also the club’s Past President and Honorary Adviser. He
recognised Lam as the person who pivoted the club to the present stage of
development.
Jeffrey expressed appreciation to the management of AIA for
granting a sponsorship subsidy toward the three-day event which incorporated a
main dinner, other meals and excursions around Johor State and Singapore as the
sequel to the AGM. He also thanked the Life Underwriters & Sales Executive
Board (LUSEB) – an association formed by many agency leaders of AIA – for its token
monetary contribution. Meanwhile, each participant had paid a fee to cover the balance
of the overall cost of the entire event. Such gestures reflected the existing
goodwill between Pearl Club, AIA and LUSEB.
When it came to Lam’s turn to deliver his short address, the
septuagenarian praised his successor. The number of participants attending this
year’s gathering was tremendously more than the past similar events, he said. Lam also made special mention of Hashim Ismail, who instrumented the
formation of Pearl Club in 1972. However, the former Principal Officer could
not qualify to be a member when he retired as he fell short of just one day to
the requirement of 30 years' consecutive service. In response to Lam’s
revelation, Jeffrey later secured the consensus of members to propose the
induction of Hashim as an honorary member, subject to AIA Management’s
consideration and decision.
Choo Sin Fook, the Assistant General Manager for Agency
Distribution, represented the company in gracing the AGM and the main dinner
that ensued thereafter the meeting. He was pleased to note the close fraternal
spirit fostered by Pearl Club. He said new initiatives were being mapped out by
the company to enhance its brand name, which members should be proud of.
The crescendo ambience was aroused by the words of wisdom
shared by the two guests-of-honour from Singapore, Tan Khia Fatt and Minor
Liu. Their testimonies touched the hearts of all present.
Well respected by those who worked with him during his helm
as Regional Vice President of AIA Malaysia (equivalent to the current top
position of Chief Executive Officer) till he retired in 1979, Tan encouraged
all to reap elating memories for themselves by contributing any way they could
to their fellow-mates they associated with. One could gain a long and
meaningful elderly life by cherishing such feel-good deeds, he said
emphatically at age 88.
( Tan energetically encouraged members to create memorable feelings for themselves by contributing to the society they associated with. "You can live up to 120 years old if you feel good about yourself," he quipped.)
Minor, looking sprightly at age 91, said she still wanted to
contribute to the agency she belonged to in AIA Singapore as long as her health
permitted so. In fact, she had closed one S$5 million sum assured life policy
quite recently. Delivering her impromptu testimony in clear, concise and steady
manner, she goaded Pearl Club to keep up its activities of togetherness. Obviously,
she added, the club in Malaysia was more prominently active in organising
events than its counterpart in Singapore. Her positive disposition and radiant
countenance earned the reverence of her audience.
Indeed, Pearl Club has played well the role as the extended
AIA family which cares for members and the company. Some deeds carried out in
the last few months were:
·
* The Pearl Club Band (yes, we have our
home-groomed music band) performed at the 2014 Kick-Off session in AIA Petaling
Jaya Branch as part of the booster programme for the agency force there.
·
* Token goodwill contribution to Mohd Latip, a
retired staff who is not well. He is now recuperating at home.
· * Token goodwill contribution to Chuah Tong Peng,
an agency leader who is now physically infirm. The President and few members
from Kuala Lumpur traveled to Taiping to visit and present him the token.
· * Token goodwill contribution to retired staff
Jack Lee who suffered a terminal illness. Jack subsequently passed away after
being hospitalised for a long period. Many members attended the wake and the
last rites. The club assisted the family members on the insurance claims.
· * Facebook created for the club most recently by
new executive committee member Tan Tiam Lai. This serves as the new platform
for members to touch base among themselves.
The total number of existing membership to-date is close to 600.
By virtue of this figure, no one will deny that AIA is a company that has honed
long serving loyal manpower - both in the staff and agency sides - contributing at least
30 years’ service. Pearl Club, with the support of the company, aptly paves the
platform for them to cherish their happy nostalgic moments in the company.
May I, the scribe of this article and a fellow member, say
KUDOS to Pearl Club. May I call upon all members to render full support to the
current committee in the forward drive with endeavours portraying the image of
a filial extended family of AIA!
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