Striving for - Maleisie.be

THE MAGAZINE FOR SINGAPORE EURASIANS • SEPTEMBER 2004
ea news
MITA (P) 234/04/2004
Striving for
highlights
•
•
•
•
Excellence
ECF Education Awards 2004... pg 4
Dutch Eurasians Get Together... pg 6 & 7
Plans to Set Up EA Choir... pg 10
Sarong Nite with Tombola... pg 12
President’s Message
THE MINISTER
Representing the Eurasians in Cabinet
Dear Friends
BG (NS) George Yeo
Another quarter has passed and as we celebrate our nation’s Birthday, we can reflect on what this
country has given us, and what we can do to give back to society. It is important to share our new
Prime Minister’s vision and take steps to ensure that the vulnerable among us, the young and the old,
are cared for. For this to happen, we need to cultivate and develop a stronger spirit of charity and
volunteerism. Our challenge is to help the Eurasian community continue to grow as an integral part
of multi-racial Singapore.
THE EURASIAN ASSOCIATION, SINGAPORE
There are families threatened with job losses due to structural unemployment. The EA has programmes
to offer help at job-finding and re-training. Over the last 15 months, we have placed 200 Eurasians
in jobs and assisted another 40 in re-training. Many more from other ethnic groups have also been
placed in jobs. Our Family Support Services continue to help disadvantaged families with daily living
expenses, education and retraining. The FSS is looking at new ways to reach out and help.
In this newsletter, you will notice our rich cultural heritage. For example, the Dutch Eurasians’
Westerhout clan had its first Asian get-together recently. Even Eurasians have many origins, much like
our multi-ethnic Singapore society. This diversity enriches our cultural heritage, and paying attention
to this heritage gives us confidence to play a strong role in multi-cultural Singapore. One last word on
the Westerhout clan: ancestor Newbold Benjamin Westerhout was a founding father of the EA and an
early EA president. Nearly a hundred years later, his descendants continue to play a leading role: Tim
De Souza, EA Trustee and former EA president; Burton Westerhout, former EA vice president.
(Established July 1919)
Patron
Herman R. Hochstadt
President
Bryan Davenport
Vice-President
Gerald Minjoot
Honorary Secretary
Gerry de Silva
Honorary Treasurer
Roy Higgs
Assistant Honorary Secretary
Edward D’Silva
Committee Members
I am heartened by the vibrancy and commitment of our new Management Committee elected by you
in April, and by the enthusiasm of our volunteers and staff. We have a solid volunteer base but we
need more. We would like you to make a difference to our community and our Singapore.
Rene Shepherdson Jr
Valerie Scully
William da Silva
Ann Oehlers
Michelle Soliano
Geoffrey da Silva (co-opted)
Freddy Fox (co-opted)
Mel Ferdinands (co-opted)
With Warmest Regards,
Endowment Fund Selection Committee/
Our Youth Committee has planned exciting programmes, and together with the newly formed
Performing Arts Chapter, will get members to gel, interact and learn more about the uniqueness of
our rich and diverse heritage.
Finance Review Committee
Lawrence Da Silva
Myrna Braga-Blake
Rene Pereira
Bryan Davenport
President
Legal Advisory Panel
Eurasian Association
From the Advisor’s
Desk
As I prepared this issue, one fact hit me. There were many
stories of Eurasians striving for achievement, for excellence.
Look at Travis Woodford, 11 and top Singaporean in his age group in the triathlon. The pocket
dynamo is EA’s Sports student of the year. There is Annabel Pennefather, former hockey
international who achieved double ‘firsts’ - first Eurasian and first woman to lead our national
Olympic contingent.
In Singapore excellence is usually linked to academic achievement. In that we can be proud of Jonathan
Capel with his First Class Honours in mechanical engineering at NUS. He achieved this while devoting
time to the EA’s youth committee and bagged the Top University Student Award at EA’s merit and bursary
awards event. Recognition does not exclude those unlike Jonathan, who is a scholar. Ronald Batchelor, 19
and profoundly deaf, against the odds went through mainstream secondary schools. He enrolled at Ngee
Ann Polytechnic which has no facilities to aid him. After picking up EA’s Most Improved Student Award,
the second-year horticultural and landscape management student said he wanted to work independently.
“I have to be prepared to work with people who can hear.”
There is another type of striving - the type displayed by Keith Morton who pursued his dream of becoming a
chef of his own fine-dining restaurant. Along the way he touched scores of hearts with his humble demeanor
and kind personality. He even volunteered a dish at a National Day Observance pot luck dinner that was
planned after the usual EA soccer session. Keith always tried to make it for EA Sunday Soccer, such was his
zest for life. He never made it. He died in a car accident that Aug 15 Sunday morning. His life showed the
kind of excellence many aspire to - achievement-orientated, a big heart, and a love for those around him. He
was 25.
Gerry de Silva
Advisor EA News
Hon Secretary, Eurasian Association
William Jansen
Michael Palmer
Martin Marini
Honorary Auditor
Ernst & Young
General Manager
Maurice A Phillips
Public Relations & Promotions Manager
Pat Monkman
Senior Social Worker
Peter Lean
Accounts Executive
Anita Lee
Education Executive
Joyce Frugtniet
Executive Assistant
Lorraine Bligh
CareerLink Office
Manager (Employment)
Manager (Training)
Julia Tessensohn
Karen Ang
Editorial Committee
Editorial Advisor
Pat Monkman
Yvonne Lim
Gerry de Silva
news
1
Travis Woodford
- EA’s Top Sports Boy
Travis Woodford, Singapore’s only Under-18 national triathlete, has been
awarded Top Sports Boy award at the Eurasian Community Education Fund
2004 Awards on 21 August. And to think he only started training seriously
a year ago.
The 11-year old student of St Stephen’s School has taken it in his stride
to swim 3km, cycle 40km, and run 10km - three times a week. Add two
voluntary training sessions, and you have a remarkable boy who has the
endurance and mental discipline of athletes twice his age.
Travis took second place in the under-12 category of the A’Famosa Triathlon
2004, held in Malacca in June last year he beat more than 100 others to
emerge eighth place in his first triathlon, the OSIM Singapore Triathlon.
The inspiration behind Travis’ remarkable sportsmanship is Lance Armstrong,
the cyclist who beat cancer with his single-minded determination, grueling
training and positive energy and emerged to become the greatest cyclist.
It all started when his dad gave him Armstrong’s autobiography. “I was
then in Primary 4, and I didn’t even know what ‘triathlete’ meant. But I was
inspired by Mr Armstrong’s determination to fight cancer. His principle that
it’s not about the quality of the bike you ride, but the quality of the rider,
guides my training today. “
Training for triathlons has made Travis more disciplined and hardworking.
He trains at the Singapore Management University pool, the Triathlon
Association of Singapore (TAS) pool, and Changi Coastal Road. Travis’
ambition is to win the triathlon event at the 2011 SEA Games.
A report of the ECF Awards can be found on page 4
Picture courtesy of SPH
Meet our
New General Manager
Maurice A. Phillips
Maurice A. Phillips, a retired Colonel with the Singapore Armed
Forces, has joined us as General Manager.
He replaces Victor Pinto who had been with us for three years and
is now retired.
Maurice served the SAF for nearly 30 years, and was, for four years
Singapore’s Defence Attache with the Singapore Embassy in the
Philippines. Following his retirement, Maurice initially entered
the world of management and consultancy dealing in project
management, and then into the IT world.
A father of two, Maurice approaches his new task at EA with a
“strong desire to serve the community.” You can reach him at
[email protected] or telephone 6447 1578.
The EA wishes Victor all the best in his future and welcomes Maurice.
- Article adapted from The New Paper.
JONATHAN
MARK CAPEL
First
Class
Achievements
First Class
Jonathan Mark Capel is awarded the Top University STUDENT 2003-04 at
this year’s ECF Education Awards held on 21 August. Jonathan graduated
from the University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical
Engineering), First Class Honours.
Despite his heavy commitments, Jonathan remains active in the EA. He is
the second Vice-chairman of the Eurasian Association Youth Committee. He
believes that his community work in the Association is one of the ways to
return to the community all that he has received over the years.
Jonathan, 24, will soon be pursuing a career in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
See page 4 for full reporton the ECF Education Awards 2004
2
news
She Scores Another First as
Leader of Singapore
atAthensOlympics
Ms Annabel Pennefather, Vice President of the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC),
was appointed as the first woman Chef de Mission, and also the first Eurasian for the
Singapore contingent.
Annabel is a long time stalwart of the local sports scene, having played hockey at the National
level from 1964 to 1980. She then went on to preside the Singapore Women’s Hockey Association
for 11 years, and was elected to the Singapore Hockey Federation as vice president in 1992. Since
then, she has also been an active member and vice president of the Singapore National Olympic
Council. She was awarded the Sporting Singapore Inspiration Special Contribution Award
in 2003.
In a recent interview with the EA
before going to Athens, Annabel
highlighted her hopes and dreams for
Singapore sports.
As the first woman Chef de Mission
to represent Singapore in the
Olympics, What are your hopes for
the contingent at the Games?
The Olympic Games is the pinnacle of sporting
competition. My hopes first and foremost are
for all our 16 athletes to achieve best personal
performances and to display a strong fighting
spirit, sportsmanship and show fair play in the
process. If in the course of achieving the goals,
one or more of them get into medal contention,
my support team and I will do our very best to
help them.
previous results that we stand the best chance
of getting within striking distance of a medal in
table-tennis and badminton.
In your opinion, which local
sportsperson will shine at the Games?
I see the local sport industry growing in the
next 5 to 10 years. The increase in marquee
sport events and outstanding students from
the Singapore Sports School will in turn attract
more commercial sponsors and sport industry
Whilst I hope that all our 16 athletes will shine
by being the best that they can be, I believe from
Self-Help Group Coordination
Where do you see the local sporting
industry headed to in the next five to
ten years?
Council
The CEOs of the Self-Help Groups (SHGs), i.e., SINDA, MENDAKI, CDAC
and the Eurasian Association have been meeting regularly to exchange
views and ideas and work together on common projects, either on a multilateral or bi-lateral basis. Some of the programmes which the SHGs have
collaborated on include:
The SHG Coordination Council had its inaugural meeting on 1 Jun 2004.
The members of the Council are Rozlan Giri, CEO MENDAKI, Sam Tan, CEO
CDAC, S. Vivakanandan, CEO SINDA, Bryan Davenport, President EA and
Gerald Minjoot, Vice-President EA. MCDS is represented in the Council by
Amy Hing, a Director in MCDS.
• Finding jobs for the unemployed through CareerLink
At its inaugural meeting, Bryan Davenport was elected Chairman of the
Council. The Chairmanship is rotated annually among the CEOs.
• Providing tuition to primary and secondary students through the
Collborative Tuition Programme
• Organisation and participation in the annual Camp Teen.
• Organising and participating in other racial harmony programmes
together with the Joint Social Service Centre.
Lately, as a result of the recommendations of the Remaking Singapore
Committee, the CEOs of the SHGs were invited to come together and
institutionalise their co-operation through the formation of a SHG
Coordination Council.
The objective of the Council is to be a forum for discussion and
implementation of programmes that cut across the ethnic groups.
The Council would focus on a few meaningful core programmes for
implementation. The prioritization of implementation of programmes was
as follows:
• Ongoing joint programmes e.g. Joint Tuition, CareerLink.
• Extension of existing joint programmes where applicable and necessary.
• New joint programmes which the CEOs agree to launch.
news / events
players. Next July, Singapore will host one of the
biggest sports meetings when the IOC meets in
Singapore to choose the host city for the 2012
Summer Olympics. All this media exposure and
the presence of so many influential sport officials
can only help Singapore in its aim to develop the
local sport industry.
that I found myself in. Although these roles kept
me quite busy, I was at least able to have more
control over my time and my life than when I was
in full time legal practice. Even when I recently
resumed practice as a Consultant for sport law,
I chose a very flexible arrangement which still
gives me time for myself and my family.
How do your achieve balance
in your life, with your hectic work
schedule as a lawyer, commitments
to the various sports councils in
Singapore and still have time for
yourself?
You have been actively involved in
sports at the National level for the
past four decades. How does it
feel to play such an integral part in
Singapore sports?
In order to have more time for myself and my
family since I underwent heart surgery in 1996, I
chose to cease full time legal practice after more
than 25 years. After that, I spent my time mainly
involved as a volunteer in the various sport roles
Joint Tuition
Awards
Ceremony
Fifteen
Eurasian
students
were
officially recognized for their academic
improvements in the Self-Help Groups
Joint Tuition Awards Ceremony that took
place on 10 July 2004.
Melissa Orchard
Best Overall Academic Performance
GCE ’N’ Level
Michelle Theseira
Best Overall Academic Performance
PSLE
Darren Spruyt
Best Overall Academic Performance
GCE ‘O’ Level
my family. I feel very honoured and very fulfilled
to be playing such an integral part in Singapore
sports and I hope that my experience will
encourage and also enable more women to be
involved in sport at all levels and in all roles.
When I first started playing hockey, I never
imagined that I would one day be involved in
so many different and challenging roles in sport.
It just seemed to be a natural transition for me
because of my deep love and passion for sport
and the unwavering support that I received from
Self-Help Group
From clockwise:
3
The Eurasian Association, together with
the Chinese Development Assistance
Council, Singapore Indian Development
Association and Yahasan Mendaki held
the inaugural ceremony at the Nanyang
Polytechnic. Guest of Honour, Assoc. Prof
Yacob Ibrahim, Minister for Community
Development and Sports, presented the
certificates.
The following were awarded:
PSLE LEVEL
Michelle Theseira
Johnson Lee
Bryan Ang
Josephine Pereira
Vijayaletchumi d/o Badivel
Mahalakshimi Dhanabalan
Cassandra Joseph
Nicole De Souza
GCE ‘O’ and ‘N’ LEVELS
Darren Spruyt
Valencia De Souza
Jesse Joan
Dionne De Souza
Saravanan s/o Badivel
Melissa Orchard
Eugene Jude Nonis
The award is aimed to encourage these
students to continue to excel and achieve,
at the least, post secondary qualification.
Special mention should be given to the following
students who achieved Best Overall Academic
Performance in their respective levels.
The awards were handed out to students
for PSLE, GCE, “O” and “N” levels. Each
received a certificate and book voucher.
Michelle Theseira - PSLE
Melissa Orchard - GCE ‘N’ Level
Darren Spruyt - GCE ‘O’ Level
4
education
EURASIAN COMMUNITY FUND
Education
Awards 2004
SPECIAL AWARDS WINNERS
•
•
•
•
Timothy Jeremy Jansen
Joseph Christopher Ang
Marylou Ann De Silva
Travis Woodford Sports Boy, 2003-2004
(Sponsored by Harry Elias)
TOP STUDENTS - ACADEMIC AWARD WINNERS
The Eurasian Association ECF Education Awards 2004 - our top students (from left):
Ivan De Souza (Top PSLE), Bevin Desker (Top A-Level), Jeanne Duclos (Top O-Level),
Jonathan Capel (Top University / First Class Honours), Travis Woodford
(‘Sports Boy’ Outstanding award), Ronald Batchelor (Most Improved Student)
and Charlene Hendricks (Top Polytechnic Student).
• The ‘Peter H Fernandez Award’ for Top
PSLE Student 2003 - Ivan Francis De Souza
(sponsored by Mr Lawrence da Silva)
• The ‘Colonel R J Minjoot Award for
Top ‘N’ Level Student 2003 - Shawn Moses
Macintyre (sponsored by Mr Gerald Minjoot)
• The ‘Evelyn Rodrigues Award’ for
Top ‘O’ Level Student 2003 - Jeane Gwendoline
Duclos (sponsored by Mr Edmund and
Evelyn Rodrigues)
• The ‘Peggy Wai Chee Leong Award’ for
Top ‘A’ Level Student 2003 - Bevin Rozario
Desker (sponsored by Mr Herman Hochstadt)
• The ‘Oscar F da Silva Award’ for Top
Polytechnic Student 2003 - Charlene Teresa
Hendricks (sponsored by Mr Lawrence da
Silva)
• The ‘Henry David Hochstadt Award’ for Top
University Student 2003 - Jonathan Mark
Capel (sponsored by Mr Herman Hochstadt)
• The ‘Coral Davenport Award’ for Most
Improved Student 2003 - Ronald Oliver
Batchelor
COMPARATIVE RESULTS
STUDENTS IN 2003
More students recognized - brains and grit
A new award - The Special Awards - was introduced in this year’s Eurasian Community Fund
Education Awards.
The Special Awards recognize excellence and effort in achievement beyond the confines of mainstream
education and including non-academic achievements.
Altogether 173 Eurasian students received their ECF Awards in a special ceremony on 21 August at the
EA House. The awards are presented to outstanding students as well as those who have shown good
progress and effort in their studies.
The EA has over the last 11 years awarded over $310,000 in bursaries and other awards to 1685
award winners.
The ECF is funded by Eurasians through the Central Provident Fund Board. The Awards are aimed to
help defray the cost of education and encourage and honour students who achieve academic progress
and excellence.
Guest of Honour Mr Chan Soo Sen, Minister of State (Education), presented the Awards. He
commended the EA for celebrating the achievement of our youths and noted the tuition and
co-curricular classes for primary and secondary school students.
OF
EURASIAN
Eurasian students have consistently performed
well in school examinations at the national
level. The performance for the 2003
examinations were:
PSLE:
O Level:
N Level (Ac):
N Level (Tech):
A Levels:
100% passes
98.8% passes
100% passes
79.3 % passes
100 % passes in General Paper
Eurasians top the cohort in English at the O level
examinations.
In the ‘O’ and ‘N’ level Maths and Science exams,
the grades of Eurasian students are comparable
to that of their other ethnic counterparts.
• 70% of Eurasian students take Mandarin as
2nd Language
• 30 % take Malay as 2nd Language
• Improved success rates for both.
heritage
DutchTreat!
RECONNECTING THE DUTCH DESCENDANTS
‘Reconnecting through our roots - International
gathering of Dutch descendants’ was a special
and unique event focusing on the three Dutch
descent communities found in Malaysia, Dutch
Eurasians originating from Malacca, Dutch
Burghers originating from Sri Lanka and Dutch
Indos originating from Indonesia.
The two-day event was held in ‘The Atlas Ice
Building’, Malacca, on July 17 and 18. It was
organised by the Malaysian Dutch Descendants
Project under the auspices of H.E. John C.F.
von Mühlen, Ambassador of the Netherlands
to Malaysia. Other co-operating organisations
involved were the Melaka Museums Corporation
(PERZIM), Malacca Heritage Trust and the
Maritime Archaeology Museum at Malacca.
The purpose of this event was to show the
historical and ancestral ties between the three
Dutch descent communities and to allow those
of a common heritage to reconnect with each
other. The event also attempted to display the
history and heritage of the Dutch community
and to demonstrate the existence of these
communities in Malaysia, although they were
thought to be extinct.
The venue for the event was at a recently
rediscovered Dutch building, popularly called
the ‘Atlas Ice Building’. Located on Jonker
Street within the old ‘Kampung Belanda’ (Dutch
Village) vicinity in Malacca, the building is also
known as the ‘1673 Building’ because the year
that the building was built has been fixed on its
facade. The building is believed to be originally
the ‘boomkantoor’ (tax-office) for the VOC
(Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie - Dutch
East-Indies Company) where the ‘havengelden’
(harbour taxes) could be collected in Malacca
during Dutch times. In the beginning of the
20th century, the Atlas Ice Company purchased
the building from the Dutch Eurasian families
Baumgarten and de Wind. Recently, the Malacca
State government acquired the building and has
restored it.
The first day of the event began with the
official opening of theexhibition by Dr. Badriyah
Salleh, the General Manager of the Melaka
Museums Corporation.
The exhibition featured the historical and
ancestral background of some families from the
three Dutch descent communities.
For the Malacca Dutch Eurasians, there were
translations of seldom seen genealogies
obtained from the Central Bureau of Genealogy
at The Hague, genealogies from private research,
old family pictures from private collections and
reproduction of Dutch records obtained from the
Malaysian National Archives.
5
As part of a coinciding event, the Westerhout
world-wide family reunion also took place in
Malacca and members of the family participated
in this gathering.
Gathered in a setting of a newly restored 17th
century Dutch building, almost 150 people
attended the gathering. The crowd was made
up of Dutch descendants from Malacca, Ceylon
and Indonesia and even South Africa. For the
very first time, all the communities of Dutch
descendants of the world were represented
there that day.
The gathering was truly the right opportunity for
all who came to reconnect with each other, more
so because of their common heritage. There
were many friends who met again after so many
years of being apart and relations from afar who
met each other for the very first time.
For the Ceylon Dutch Burghers, the exhibition
included the genealogy from private research
of families such as van Dort, Manen and Jansz.
There were reproductions of genealogical data
published in the extremely rare Journal of the
Dutch Burgher Union in the early 1900s at
Ceylon, some old Burgher family pictures from
private collections and extracts from a diary of
an adventurous Dutch Burgher in Malaya named
Cyril Ephraums.
On the Dutch Indos, displayed were some old
family pictures from private collections during
their time in Indonesia, the genealogy of some
families and some information regarding the
‘Pasar Malam Besar’ - the largest gathering
of Eurasians in the world held annually in
The Hague.
The gathering was officiated by John C.F. von
Mühlen, ambassador of the Netherlands to
Malaysia and Datuk Chua Peng Song, Deputy
Chairman of the Melaka Tourism, Culture and
Heritage Committee who acted on behalf of
Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam, the Chief
Minister of Malacca.
There were several talks given on the first day,
most notably from the organiser’s special guest
for this event was drs. Pim ten Hoorn from the
Netherlands, who delivered a talk on the Dutch
Eurasian community in the Netherlands. Pim, a
Dutch Indo born in Palembang, Indonesia now
resides at The Hague, where he is involved in
various Eurasian organisations there.
The ambassador said that Queen Beatrix of the
Netherlands had taken note of the gathering
and delivered her very best wishes to the Dutch
descendants there.
The second day began bright and early with
a heritage walkabout of Kampung Belanda.
Participants were brought on a tour to discover
the history and heritage of Malacca’s treasured
Jonker Street and Heeren Street and informed of
conservation efforts currently taking place.
The highlight of the event was the first-everinternational gathering of Dutch descendants.
Dutch descendants attended this historic
gathering from not only Malaysia and Singapore,
but also from Australia and the Netherlands,
New Zealand, the UK and the USA.
With the coming together of so many Dutch
descendants and the Royal recognition it
received, the event is destined to be recorded
in history as the first-ever congregation of Dutch
descendants since Malacca was given up by
the Dutch to British hands 180 years ago. And
probably the only of its kind gathering in the
world. Many Dutch descendants left feeling a
little more proud of their Dutch roots.
Dennis De Witt
Co-ordinator
Malaysian Dutch Descendants Project
Please see centerspread for more on
Dutch Descendants.
6
First Asian
Gathering of
It took four years to organize. On the weekend of July 17 & 18, 2004, eighty
members of the world-wide Westerhout family finally gathered in Malacca,
many meeting each other for the first time! Representing four generations
(7th to 10th generations) they travelled from 7 countries spanning 4
continents to be at the 2nd World-wide Westerhout Family Reunion. The
inaugural reunion was held in Sacramento, California, USA in 2000.
The Reunion Programme began in Singapore on Friday, July 16, with a large
contingent from the USA touring the Island and visiting places associated
with their grandfather Alexander Westerhout. Alex was a fifth generation
descendant, who later migrated to the USA in 1916. The tour included stops
at the Botanic Gardens to visit a palm tree first discovered by Johannes
Bartholomeus Westerhout (Alex’s grandfather) in central Malaya, and also
the new Eurasian Community House to view the Eurasian Heritage Centre.
The group was proud to learn that Newbold Benjamin Westerhout (5th
generation descendant and brother of Alexander) was a founder member
and past President of the Eurasian Association in 1919. Before leaving, they
sampled a Eurasian-style lunch at Eddie’s Café.
The next morning they took a coach to Malacca to join the rest of the clan
for the second stage of the Programme.
At the Reunion dinner held on Sunday, July 18, the family members learnt
of the remarkable story of their origins and connection to Malacca, specially
presented by Geoffrey Morris (husband of Nanette Westerhout - 7th
generation descendant).
The Westerhout story is one of a brave 14-year old Dutch boy, Sjouwke
Jansz Westerhout from Jevers, Friesland (now part of Germany) who signed
on as Ship’s Boy on the “Meerlust” a ship owned by the Dutch East Indies
Company (VOC). The ship sailed on May 24,1741 for Batavia (Jakarta
today), a journey that took 8 months. Sjouwke rose through the VOC ranks
and eventually captained his own ship, the “Bonte Kijerd” before finally
settling down in Malacca in 1757. The rest, as they say, is history.
Joining the Westerhout family members at the Reunion dinner were H.E.
Jonkheer John von Mühlen, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Malaysia
& his wife Danielle; Dr Badariyah Salleh (GM, Malacca Museum); Mr Mat
Nasir Baba (Director, Dept. Museums and Antiquities); Mr Martin Carvalho
(Special Assistant to the Chief Minister of Malacca) and Mr. Dennis De
Witt (historian, genealogist, & driving force behind the Malaysian Dutch
Descendants Project).
Earlier in the day, family members visited the historical sites of Malacca,
many of which are connected with the history of the Westerhout family.
These told of the family’s involvement in Malacca through both the Dutch
and British governance of the Settlement. Some of the earlier Westerhouts
7
By Burton Westerhout
are commemorated by wall plaques in the altar area of Christ Church in
Malacca. These can still be viewed today along with the Reredos - the tiled
mural of the “Last Supper” behind the altar presented to the Church by the
5th generation Westerhouts in 1910.
One of the highlights of the Reunion programme was a walk-through of the
house of Johannes Bartholomeus Westerhout (grandson of Sjouwke). The
building was fully restored by the Malacca State Government only recently
and has been now been declared a National Monument of Malaysia. Plans
are afoot to turn it into a museum. The Westerhout family members were
honoured to be the first visitors to the restored house.
Another highlight was the chance to reconnect with other Malaysian
Dutch Descendants at a special morning tea organized by the Malaysian
Dutch Descendants Project in the newly renovated “Atlas Ice Building” in
Jonker Street.
I am a Westerhout descendant through my Grandmother,
Olivia Westerhout (my father’s mother) who is the sister
of Burt’s father, George. Burt is therefore my uncle. Olivia
was the only girl in that family with 5 brothers. She was
a 5th generation Westerhout, making me a 7th generation
descendant... There were 85 at the Reunion, which was a
fantastic event!
Research into the family origins has been a multi-national effort over the
past 40 years with many recent contributions coming from family members
and friends. The 31-foot long wall chart of the family tree on display bore
testimony to the amount of effort put in by Joyce Westerhout-Freeland, the
family’s proclaimed historian. There are still a lot of gaps to be filled, but
the quest continues, especially tracing those descendants who moved to
India in the 19th Century
Even though the Reunion Organizing Committee was globally dispersed,
the power of IT and the Internet enabled them to connect with family
members around the world and quickly spread reunion news and updates.
Family members voted to hold the next Reunion in Perth, Australia
in 2008.
Timothy De Souza
EA Trustee & former EA President;
Burt Westerhout: former EA Vice President
The
hardworking
Committee
comprised:
Nanette & Geoffrey Morris (Singapore); Kerry
Reutens (Singapore); Phyl Westerhout-McArtney
(Auckland); Hazel Westerhout-Song (Malacca);
Daphne Westerhout-Lee & Hedley Westerhout
(Kuala Lumpur); Vernon Westerhout (Perth); Joyce
Westerhout-Freeland,
Elizabeth
WesterhoutBarclay and Dale Westerhout (California); Hedley
Westerhout (London) and Burton & Maureen
Westerhout (Singapore/Yokohama/Muscat).
8
family support services / news
FAMILY Support Services
The Family Support Services (FSS) is a pillar of our Eurasian Community.
Our mission is:
1 To ensure our elderly is well taken care of through financial assistance.
We strive to ensure that their remaining years are spent with dignity, love
and care.
Bryan Davenport
awarded
Public Service Medal
2 To ensure our younger, under privileged families are provided with jobs,
retraining and counselling to help cope with the modern day pressures
of life.
3 To uplift the lives of our young children in terms of financial assistance,
tuition and counselling.
Bryan Davenport
(right) welcoming
President SR Nathan
at EA Community
House opening last
year.
The FSS Committee comprise:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bryan Davenport (President, Eurasian Association)
Ann Oehlers (MC Member, Eurasian Association)
Michelle Soliano (MC Member, Eurasian Association)
Peter Lean (Social Worker, Eurasian Association)
Victor Pinto (Member, Eurasian Association)
Royston Jalleh (Special Projects, The Patrician Society)
Shakthi Sivasubramaniam (HOD Pupil Welfare, St. Patrick’s School)
Karen Pereira (Teacher, St. Patrick’s School)
The Family Support Services Current Programs:
1 Provide rations to approximately 80 families.
2 Provide counselling, care and referral services to the elderly and to
younger families.
Upcoming Projects
1 The Golden Years - Be prepared. Talk by our financial consultants and
family planners to be held in November.
2 Project to assist N-level students at St Patrick’s School.
3 Uplifting young families through counselling, job placement and retraining.
A True Story
There is a family of 11 living in a three-room flat in Jurong, with a total
monthly income of $500. Some of the children are not attending school.
However, we believe that by educating the older children in the family and
getting mentors to guide this family through their difficult times, we will be
offering some help to our community.
There are many other Eurasian families in similar circumstances. The EA
is able to do only do so much. We need mentors and volunteers to assist
us in improving the lives of these families. If you have a couple hours a
month with which you can volunteer your time and services, please do not
hesitate to call us at 64471578. You will be making a big difference in other
peoples’ lives!
If you need a place in a home or have difficulty handling your old age, we
are able to help you. Younger families who require financial assistance
and/or counselling to manage your lives, please contact us. We have
many schemes and plans to help you. Please contact our social worker,
Mr Peter Lean, at 64471578.
Bryan Davenport, EA President and tireless volunteer social worker, was
awarded the Public Service Medal (Pingkat Bakti Masyarakat) at this
year’s National Day Awards for his contributions to society. The awards
are presented annually in conjunction with Singapore’s National Day
celebrations.
Bryan, now serving his third term as EA President, has pioneered several
programmes to help the disabled, elderly, dysfunctional families and singleparent families. He was also instrumental in establishing the EA CareerLink
with other Self Help groups. CareerLink is currently one of our top job
placement agencies.
Bryan is also Chairman of the Community Outreach Services, Chairman of
Self Help Groups’ Coordination Council, member of the National Steering
Committee of Inter Racial Confidence Circles and Director of Ang Mo Kio
Community Hospital. In 2002 he delivered to the Community the Eurasian
Community House, a milestone in the history of the community.
EA at
Istana
The Eurasian Association was present at
the Istana on two occasions in August.
On 10 August, the EA Committee was
invited to the National Day Party by the President of Singapore SR Nathan
and the Cabinet. On 12 August, the EA was back at the Istana to witness
and celebrate the historic inauguration of Singapore’s new Prime Minister
Lee Hsien Loong (above).
The EA was represented by EA President Bryan Davenport, Hon Secretary
Gerry de Silva and members of the MC, including Ann Oehlers, Rene
Shepherdson Jr and Michelle Soliano.
The EA were invited along with other self-help groups and other
representatives from all walks of life. The EA is proud to represent the
community at such significant occasions.
news / youth
KeithMorton
Keith Andrew Morton, 25, had a passion for cooking, for soccer, for life.
The son of William Adam Morton (Deputy Superintendent, Singapore
Prisons Emergency Action Reponse team) and Myra Rodrigues, Keith
returned to Singapore from London late last year. There he had spent
three years undergoing a culinary course at the Leiths Culinary Academy,
and working in a restaurant. He had plans to set up a fine-dining fusion
restaurant here.
9
Soccer School
NATIONAL DAY
Observance Ceremony
Keith was a member of the EA Youth group and used to play soccer with the
EA soccer team, which is described as one solid unit of boys.
Brian Batchelor, an old friend and former EA soccer coach, said Keith
always gave 100 percent whenever he was called to play. “He had good
heading skills. He was big and his size was intimidating, but he had a jewel
of a heart,” added Brian.
Keith died on the morning of Sunday Aug 15 in a car accident in Upper
Changi Road. That was the same day as the Observance Day Potluck
Dinner and Keith had planned to cook a dish. The EA extends its deepest
condolences to Keith’s family.
EA Youth Soccer School held its first National Day Observance Ceremony
and Pot Luck Dinner on 15 August at Ping Yi Secondary School.
Approximately 200 showed up, including friends, supporters and parent
volunteers who prepared fantastic food - such as Sugee Cake and Devil - for
the potluck. There were football matches that involved approximately 70
young EA footballers between the ages of 6 and 14.
At the end of the matches, there was a one-minute silence to honour Keith
Morton who died in a car crash early that morning. Keith, a gifted cook,
had earlier prepared Shepherd’s Pie as his contribution to the potluck, but
the dish was yet to be baked. It was completed later that day and shared
among family and friends.
Chief Coach Freddy Fox led the singing of the National Anthem followed
by the taking of the Pledge and the cutting of the National Day cake. EA
President, Bryan Davenport gave away the prizes to winning soccer team.
Deep appreciation goes out to all volunteers.
Keith Morton (back, centre) surrounded by cousins
Gary and Desiree and brother Russell (right)
Ronald Oliver Batchelor
One for the album - Ronald Batchelor
(extreme left) and his family share a
moment with Mr Chan Soo Sen, Minister of
State(Education) (second from left)
Perhaps more than anybody else, Ronald Oliver
Batchelor has to work doubly hard to gain an
equal footing in society. Roland, who receives
the Most Improved Student award, was born
profoundly deaf.
While there was nothing Ronald could about
his hearing loss, he did not let it impair the
opportunities that lay ahead. At 19, Ronald’s
Against the Odds
future is indeed promising. Currently he is in
his second year of a 3-year-course in
Horticulture and Landscape Management at
Ngee Ann Polytechnic.
are very helpful, and they have learnt to use sign
language. My deaf friends and I have learnt to
work and mingle well with the hearing school
mates,” he said.
Ronald was born to Colin and Hui Kim Batchelor
both also profoundly deaf. His 23-year-old sister
Charlene, also a polytechnic grad and who
works as an operations executive in an autism
company, is also profoundly deaf. The family
communicates by lip-reading and sign language.
But Ronald has never felt disadvantaged or
different. He has always enjoyed school life.
He has received numerous awards, including the
Outstanding Deaf Student Award by Singapore
School for the Deaf and in 2002 the EAGLES
award for his leadership skills. He was a member
of his class management committee, chairman
an adviser of the Hearing Impaired Club, a senior
prefect and a peer leader in secondary school.
Ronald attended primary school at the Singapore
School for the Deaf, but moved to a normal
mainstream education to Upper Serangoon
Secondary School, where hearing-impaired
resource teachers help interpret for deaf
students. “I have many friends, both hearing
and hearing-impaired. In fact my hearing mates
Beneath the calm smiling exterior lies an
incurable extrovert. Sports is a passion. Roland,
a striker, has played for One United Football
Club. He also enjoys tennis and jogging. He is a
gentle, happy teenager who enjoys entertaining
his friends with his bag of magic tricks. He is
also an avid reader, keen photographer and
nature lover.
10
performing arts / career link
Choir
EA
to be formed
THE EURASIAN CHOIR
If you enjoy group singing, then this is for you! EA is forming
a choir in September and all are invited to register. If you’re
over 12, and with some experience singing in a choir, please
contact our secretariat for more information. If you have no
experience, we’ll still be pleased to meet up with you and
assess your vocal range and suitability. We’ll be having our
first session on 11 September at the EA House, 2 -4pm.
SEE YOU AT OUR 1st SESSION:
11 SEPTEMBER, 2 - 4 pm, EA House
MORE MUSIC LESSONS
We are increasing the number of music lessons currently offered at
the EA House. Instructors Dixie Ferdinands and Claudio Arriola, both
established local musicians, have brought many students to the next level
of musicianship.
You can sign up for lessons in acoustic or electric guitar, bass guitar, drums
or if you have bunch of talented friends and want to form a band - get in
touch with our secretariat and leave your contact details so that we can in
touch with you!
Music mentor and teacher
Dixie Ferdinands
MUSIC, DANCE + HOSTING
We are planning workshops for public speaking/hosting; broadcast DJs,
guitar workshops and dance competitions. For details, contact the office if
you have any ideas, or if there is a particular aspect of the performing arts
that you would like to see more of.
PERFORMING ARTS CHAPTER
The Eurasian Community has many notable personalities who have
excelled in the different aspects of the performing arts. With this in mind,
the Performing Arts Chapter (PAC) was recently introduced as a program
for the EA.
Our mission is to provide for all Eurasians a platform to nurture and
develop talent and the love for performing arts. Several programmes are
now open.
Enquiries: Ring Lorraine 6447 1578
or email: [email protected]
CareerLink
ARE YOU UNEMPLOYED?
Career Link Can Help
Call us at 6254 3711 ext 100
Are you unemployed? Do you need training to learn a new skill or upgrade
your current skills level?
Every job and every opportunity to train and learn is a step towards your
goal. Our CareerLink staff will be able to help you. We can help to kick start
your new career.
Contact us straightaway. Call our CareerLink office Tel: 6254 3711 ext 100
or email [email protected]
Or drop in personally. The address is 381 Toa Payoh Lorong 1, #01-07, S
319758. The Centre is next to Block 116, exit B from Braddell MRT station.
Facilities at CareerLink:
Use the centre to get your work done. Create your resume, type and send
out application letters. You can use the computer, telephones (not personal
calls), fax and email to help you with your job search.
There’s also a library where you can read up on interview tips and gain
ideas on how to write effective and up-to-date resumes.
And if you’re not quite sure where to start, just approach our consultants
and tell them what’s on your mind. Or you can speak to our Case
Management Officer, Malcolm Norfor.
announcements
11
Drama AWARENESS
CAMP
From June 15 to June 18, 22 young enthusiastic Eurasians embarked on a
journey of self-discovery through our first ever-organised drama camp. The
camp showed them how to explore choices and moral dilemmas in a given
situation, which helped build up their confidence. They expressed different
points of view and test their individual viewpoints against others. They
explored conflict, negotiation and resolution.
Through the camp the children, aged between 7 and 16, learned to
brainstorm a skit, write a script to include all the participants, rehearse,
prepare props and costumes and finally to perform at the EA Awareness
Day on Sunday, 20 June - their big day!
By Debbie Woodford
Song & Dance
Goodwill
The Song and Dance Troupe received numerous
invitations to perform during the Racial Harmony
month in July - which means that the public
got a chance to savour and enjoy a slice of
Eurasian culture.
The Troupe performed at the Heritage Fest at
Suntec City on July 24 and 25. The event was
organized by the National Heritage Board.
Sisters Carmen and Cynthia Meyer took up a
booth and sold their beadwork and handmade
porcelain dolls.
EA also participated in The National Heritage
Board’s Heritage Food trail by hosting a typical
Eurasian lunch at our Community House on 24
July. The food was prepared by Mrs Helen Joseph
and her team of helpers. Mr and Mrs Lionel
d’Cotta provided the Eurasian cakes and Casa
Bom Vento their delicious jelly drink. Participants
were given a conducted tour of the Eurasian
showcase as well as a talk on Eurasian heritage
food by Valerie.
They also performed at the Thye Hua Kwan
Moral Society’s Multi-racial, Multi-religious
Line
Jazz up your rock n roll grooves in time for
the year end parties. New classes begin on 9
September. Your dance instructor is the fab
Andre De Silva, five times South East Asia Latin
American Champion. After this course, Andre
may be running Salsa classes too. So watch
this space!
Harmony Night at the Singapore Expo, and at the
Nee Soon Community Club. They also enthralled
audiences at the Southeast CDC’s multiracial
campfire at East Coast Park on Saturday 31st
July. This was the first multiracial campfire and
opened by Mr Othman Haron Eusofe, Mayor of
SE CDC.
Valerie Scully and Marian Lazaroo ran a 7session dance workshop of the Jinkli Nona for
students of Ghim Moh Secondary, as part of
Singapore Discovery Centre’s “learning each
other’s culture” programme in July. In August,
the duo delivered talks on Eurasian culture to
HDB staff and a small group of Tanjong Katong
Secondary School teachers.
Class Do you want to dance like a cowboy?
Put on your cowboy boots, hats & jeans & come
on down to The Eurasian Community House
and join the Line Dance Class. Classes are every
Wednesday evening with our instructor :
Allan Pereira from 7.30pm - 9.30pm.
s
’
t
e
L
Rock ‘n’ Roll
Price for the course is $50 for 6 sessions
For more details:
Contact Lorraine
at 6447 1578
or E-mail : [email protected]
Your rock and roll dates:
When:
Every Thursday, 8 - 9 pm
Where:
Dance Studio,
Eurasian Community House
How much: $90 for eight lessons
Ring Lorraine at 6447 1578 or email
[email protected]
to confirm
your participation.
Hatha
YogaClass
Want to de-stress and yet have a
workout? Why not try yoga ?
The Eurasian Community House offers
Hatha Yoga Class every Thursday evening
with our instructor Christine Toong from
7.30pm - 9.00pm. Come join us.
Price for the course is $80 for 8 Sessions.
For more details
Contact Lorraine at 6447 1578 or
E-mail : [email protected]
12
announcements
Auston Singapore
Scholarships
Need a scholarship for your tertiary education?
Eddie’s Place
Children’s Special
(below 12 years)
September: FREE ice-cream with meals
October:
20% off your Fish ‘n’ Chips
November: 20% off your Chicken Chops
Eurasian students can apply to pursue their tertiary education at the Auston Institute of Management
and Technology. The Auston Scholarship is open to Eurasian students (Singaporeans and permanent
residents) with a household income of less than $3,000 or a per household capita income of $750
and below.
The Auston Scholarships, worth $4 million in total, are granted to the four Self-Help Groups and
spread over 10 years. This marks Auston’s commitment to providing each Self Help Group with the
full registration, tuition and examination fees up to a million dollars. Two Eurasian students who
have been awarded the scholarship are Alfie D’Silva and Kevin Peter Braberry. Congratulations
to both.
For further information, please call Joyce at EA Education at 64471578.
Happy Hour promotion from 3.00 pm - 8.00 pm daily
1 Jug of Beer at $14.50 (usual $ 16.50)
REMINDER
Operating Hours
Tuesdays - Thursdays
Fridays
- Sundays
Closed on Mondays
We are holding tuition classes in Malay and Mathematics at all Primary and Secondary levels. Ring
Joyce at EA Education on 64471578 for more details!
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
- 10.30pm
- 12.00 am
Call Jasmine at 63488739 for reservations
or enquiries
We cater for outside functions as well.
GetBetterGrades!GetyourtuitionatEA
The
Ladies Circle
The Ladies Circle at EA continues to grow in numbers. Ladies who have signed up with Circle
membership are invited to their monthly meetings which are held on the last Wednesdays of each
month (subject to change).
Activities planned at the Eurasian Community House:
Lunch
Don’t miss our popular Sunday lunches, held
once a month only. Enjoy the Devil, Smore, Pulot
Hitam and more…
Dates : 26 September, 24 October 28 November
Cost : $12 adults / $6.00 children (below 12)
3 September, 7 - 10 pm
Sarong Nite with Tombola
It’s Tombola with a difference. Wear your sarongs in your own unique style! There’ll be light snacks
and drinks. Great price. Call the EA (6447 1578) to register.
12 September, 2 - 6 pm
A Cultural Exchange
Afternoon with the Ladies from
the Arab Community
Make yours a unique afternoon of tea and delightful company with ladies from the Arab community.
Mdm Khatijah Sahel, Counselor and Family Therapist, will enlighten us with a special presentation on
Arab Women Today. Places are limited, so call 6447 1578 to book your places. Members: $25.00.
EAYC’s
“ Treasure Hunt
on Wheels”
The Car Treasure Hunt will take place on Sunday, 21 November. Cars will be flagged off,
sending their drivers off to a fun and exciting chase for treasures! Hint: Some of the treasures
will be cleverly concealed around Singapore’s cultural landmarks.
The event, organized by EA Youth Committee, will take on a multi-racial theme. Our friends
from the other self-help groups will be invited to join in the treasure hunt.
Participants will need to register now, so do hurry.
Ring Angie at 64471578.
announcements / social
THE
PRESS
FOUNDATION
DONATION
EURASIAN
ASSOCIATION
presents
Glitter &
Glamour
Nite
The Eurasian Association gratefully
acknowledges the donation of $10,000 from
the Press Foundation of Singapore Limited
in August.
We are extremely touched by this kind
gesture. The donation will help fund the
various on-going projects that serve
the Eurasian community.
WANTED
Your Countdown to 2005
Dinner & Dancing
King & Queen of the Ball
Lucky Draw Prizes
Live Band
DJs
Circa 1930. Pte George Prior, SVC
(Courtesy Prior Family/Terry Foenander)
Old and New Photos of
Eurasian Servicemen
and Servicewomen
for our Publication
The Eurasian Soldier
In Defence of Settlement, Colony,
State and Nation
31 December 2004
7 pm - 2 am
Glamour
Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel (Havelock Road)
$95.00 nett per person
$950.00 nett per table
Date:
Time:
Dress:
Place:
Price:
Please contact:
EA Secretariat
tel: 6447 1578
Free flow of soft drinks & mixers
No corkage on duty-paid hard liquor
Special price of $5.oo+++ corkage per bottle of wine
Ann Ebert Oehlers
tel: 6545 1008 email: [email protected]
Barry Pereira
tel: 6445 2405 email: [email protected]
REPLY SLIP
LIMITED TABLES. BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT
Glitter & Glamour Nite 2004
Complete form with cheque made out to: The Eurasian Association.
Send to Eurasian Association, Eurasian Community House, 139 Ceylon Road, Singapore 429744.
Or contact Lorraine at 6447 1578, or email [email protected]
I wish to book
seats / tables for the event.
Total amount:
Cheque no:
Bank:
Name:
Address:
Tel:
13
Handphone:
Email:
HAVE YOU been HOME lately?
- Eurasian Association
Awareness Day
The Eurasian Community House vibrated with laughter, music, drama, sports and overall good cheer
on Sunday 20th June 2004 when the EA threw open its doors for our very first “Awareness Day.”
Spearheaded by the EA Youth Committee, the event was conceived as a full-day “open house” to
reach out to our fellow members of the Eurasian community and make the many EA community
services, facilities, sports and education programmes better known. There was a strong emphasis
to attract new EA members and encourage potential volunteers to step forward. In the words of
Youth Chairman Rene Shepherdson Jr, “Our youth felt there is still a need to reach out to more
Eurasians and Singaporeans to do their part for the community. The aim was to provide a platform to
introduce Eurasian culture, heritage and activities to all Singapore Eurasians and non-Eurasians. Also,
to reach out to those who require help and who can give help in return, to make a difference in each
other’s lives.”
Rallying around the event’s theme “Have YOU Been Home Lately?”, each and every EA subcommittee gave their utmost and robust support.
The Song and Dance Troupe’s lively practice demonstration, wedding re-enactment and display of
traditional Eurasian wedding and cultural artifacts was just one of the excellent displays put up for
the more than 350 visitors, the majority of whom were new to EA. Highlights included the Family
Support Services’ innovative display of the actual ration items distributed to needy families, the
mini-soccer tournament staged by the Soccer School at the adjoining field along Ceylon Road, and
the Art activities and numerous performances in the Mutli-purpose Hall. Every group, including
the Secretariat, Education sub-committee, Ladies’ Circle, Senior Citizen’s Committee and Youth
Committee energetically promoted and generated much interest in their activities. The wide spectrum
of activities even included provision of free Legal Advice.
A key attraction was the Eurasian Showcase, our heritage centre that chronicles Eurasian heritage, culture,
values and customs. This is Southeast Asia’s first and only such centre. The Showcase has garnered numerous
accolades from visitors and VIPs over the years, and is also on the Education Ministry’s “Learning Journey
Programme” for schools.
Sparkling entertainment was provided in the Multi-Purpose Hall by local band the Newnotes, the EA Guitar
Class students, and the Song & Dance Troupe. A notable debut was made by the young performers from the
EAYC Drama Camp. Warm appreciation was expressed by EA President Bryan Davenport to the organizers,
all EA groups, sub-committees and visitors. To add the icing on the cake, media coverage was provided by
Channel I which featured a two-minute segment on the nightly TV News that same evening.
You can reach us at:
EURASIAN COMMUNITY HOUSE
139 Ceylon Road, Singapore 429744 • Tel: 6447 1578 • Fax: 6447 3189 • http://www.eurasians.org
EA News is the official publication of the Eurasian Association, Singapore
EA News is distributed free to members • Correspondence to the Eurasian Association (Singapore) can be directed to the above address.