History Of The Penang Regional Group
 

ROLL OF HONOUR
PAST CHAIRMEN OF THE PRG

Dr Ho Seng Hooi - 1988, 1989, 1990
Mr Lim Keow Kheng - 1991
Ms Chua Lean Chooi - 1992
Mrs Andre Looi - 1993
Mr Yew Fung Han - 1994
Ms Looi May Li  - 1995, 1996, 1997
Mr Lee Thong Ghee - 1998, 1999
Mr Joseph Ow Yong Kean Guan - 2000

In late 1987, the then Hon. Secretary of the Malaysian Mensa Society,Mr Lee Loy Fatt, came to Penang to meet the members. About 20 Penamg mensans attended the gathering at the coffee house of Hotel Merlin (now City Bayview). A Protem Committee was elected with Dr Ho Seng Hooi appointed as Protem Chairman. This simple gathering heralded the birth of The Penang Regional Group of the Malaysian Mensa Society.

1988

First General Meeting. On 12/04/88, members met at Kelab Ilham and the Founding Committee of the Penang Regional Group (PRG) was elected. They were:
 

 Chairman             : Dr Ho Seng Hooi
 Secretary            : Mr Gunananthan Nithyanantham
 Treasurer            : Mr Lim Chin Hee
 Co-ordinators
   Board Games SIG  : Dr Akbar Ali
   Astronomy SIG    : Mr Ewe Hong Tatt
   Telephone Chain   : Ms Daphne Westerhout
 Committee Member  : Mr Lim Ben Su

The month of June saw the visit of Mrs Helen Kupper, the Director of Development, Mensa International, to Penang. PRG members had the opportunity to meet and chat with her at a tea gathering held at Kelab Ilham.
On 28/11/88, the Magic SIG was formed with Mr Fredy Yiap Beow Soon as co-ordinator.

A study trip cum picnic excursion to the USM Biological Research Station at Muka Head was organised during the August school holidays.

The first of the monthly gatherings was held on 21/01/89 at Kelab Ilham. Board games and friendly exchanges were the order of the day.

The PRG in collaboration with the National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC) organised a public talk "Bright Child, Education and Development" by Mrs Frieda Painter, a founder member of NAGC, UK and author of numerous papers and books on gifted children. This was held on 05/08/89 at Komtar auditorium. The talk was followed by the launching of the Penang Chapter of the NAGC.

Tea with Mrs Painter after the talk

First Annual Dinner held at Kelab Ilham on 30/12/89

1990

Another visit to the USM research Station at Muka Head was organised in January.

31st of March saw the formation of the Mega Youth Mensan with Mr Khoo Beng Teik as Co-ordinator and Ms Dianne Chang the secretary. The MYM as they were popularly called played an important role in all the activities of the PRG.

On the 3rd of April, some of the Committee Members of Malaysian Mensa, lead by the Chairman, Mr Goh Ching Min, came to Penang and met the members at a gathering at Kelab Ilham.

At the AGM on 13/05/90, Dr Ho retained chairmanship of the PRG. The AGM was preceeded by a very interesting talk on ‘The Four Dimensional Cube’ by Prof. Tang Weng Seng, Dean, School of Mathematics, USM.

In May, the PRG sent a busload of delegates to attend the National AGM in KL, lead by PRG Vice Chairman Dr Akbar Ali.

The PRG held an exhibition and testing sessions at USM in August, in conjunction with Pesta Konvo USM.

The first Annual Chess Tournament for the Dr Ho Seng Hooi Trophy was held on 18/11/90

A busload of members went on a trip to Pulau Pangkor in November, stopping en route to visit the Taiping Zoo and meet some of the Taiping mensans.

The Annual Dinner was held at the E&O Hotel and graced by the presence of the Chairman of Malaysian Mensa, Mr Goh Ching Min and Committee member, Mr Stephen Shum.

1991

Dr Ho handed over the chairmanship of the PRG to Mr Lim Keow Kheng at the AGM in May.

The PRG Chess Team emerged runners up at the First Penang Bayview Chess League Tournament. The tournament was held over 11 Sundays with the final round held on 21st July. The PRG was represented by Dr Akbar Ali, Ms Belinda Tan Yew Ming, Mr Chan Wei Kit, Mr Lim Chin Hock, Ms Loh Yin San, Mr Ooi Peng Seng, Ms Tan Theen Theen and Mr Ung Tay Aik.

The RPG SIG held its first Annual Camp at Disted College grounds.

The 3rd Annual Dinner was also held at the E&O Hotel and was graced the presence of the Malaysian Mensa Chairman, Mr Heah Kok Soon, Mrs Heah and their daughter.

1992

Ms Chua Lian Chooi took over as PRG Chairman at the AGM in April.

A group of PRG members lead by PRG Chairman, Ms Chua, went by bus to KL to attend the Mensa Funday and AGM of the Malaysian Mensa.

The Annual Dinner was held at the Ferringhi Beach Hotel.

1993

Mrs Andre Looi was elected Chairman of the PRG.

The month of October saw a Beach Funday at Hotel Casuarina  attended by about 70 persons.

The Annual Dinner was held at Ferringhi Hotel with Mr Goh Ching Min as guest of honour.

1994

Mr Yew Fung Han assumed the post of PRG Chairman.

October was a memorable month as Penang members hosted a tea gathering at the E&O Hotel in honour of the visiting International Chairman of Mensa International, Mdm Velma Jeremiah.

                    How's the tea?                                            Pretty lasses                                   Group photo with Mdm Velma

The Annual Dinner was held at Cozy Corner.

1995

Ms Looi May Li took over as PRG Chairman and held the post for three years.

Annual Youth Camp was held at Pykett School grounds.

Malaysian Mensa Chairman, Encik Ismail Sulaiman graced the Annual Dinner at E&O Hotel.

1996

On 24th March, the PRG organised a talk by Dr Fung Lan Yong titled “Learning Styles of Bright Students”, held at the Uplands International School.

The PRG Beach Funday was held on 28th July.

A Public Seminar in aid of the La Salle Learning Centre was organised on 28th July. Topic was “Ke Arah Kecemerlangan Diri” by Encik Idris Mohd.

Annual Youth Camp held during the year end school holidays at Pykett School Grounds.

The Annual Dinner was held at Tanjong Country Club.

1997

The PRG together with the YMCA and the Penang Scrabble Group, jointly organised the 1st Penang Closed Scrabble Tournament.

Penang hosted the Malaysian Mensa Society AGM,which was held outside the Klang valley for the first time, on 31st May at the Casuarina Beach Hotel. A Funday was held in conjunction with the AGM.

Two seminars were held, the first on Social Etiquette by Datuk N.A.Ogle and the second a half-day seminar by Dr.Shukri Abdullah on Memory Improvement.

The official Opening Ceremony of PRG’s office lot cum meeting room at Komplex Masyarakat Penyayang was officiated by Malaysian Mensa Chairman, Ms Sulynn Choong Shum on 14th December.

The Annual Youth Camp was held at the Pykett School grounds from 26 to 28 December

1998/1999

At the AGM on March 23, May Li handed over the PRG Chairman's post to Mr Lee Thong Ghee.

Me TG Lee uccessfully conducted 2 Internet Workshops in April & July 1999 at USM Computer Lab.

The Penang YMCA, Malaysian Mensa Society  (Penang Regional Group) and Penang Scrabble Club jointly organsieD the Second Penang Open Scrabble Tournament on 13th and 14th November 1999 at the Wisma Putra Infoteck, Jalan Bukit Dembar, Penang.

Y2K TALK, AGM & ANNUAL DINNER 1999

Held on 11 Dec 1999 at Cititel Penang. The evening started off at 6.00pm with a talk on Y2k by Mr TG Lee. This was followed by the AGM at about 6.45pm. The meeting was graced by the presence of the Malaysian Mensa Vice Chairman, Mr Lawrence Hie, Treasurer Mr Danny Hoe, Exco member Mr Stephen Lee and MMM Sig Coordinator Mr Chong Zhiwen @ Ah Wen.

Next on the Agenda was the election of office bearers for the year 2000. It was heartening that for the first time in the PRG history there were two candidates nominated for the post of Chairman. Mr Joseph Ow Yong was returned by the slenderest of margin. Mr TG Lee was declared the IP Chairman.

2000

MENSA INTERACTION GET-TOGETHER 2000

Held on  23 April 2000 at Clubhouse, Lavinia Apartments, Taman Sri Nibong. Hosted by the Committee Members.

MENSA INVITATIONAL SCRABBLE TOURNAMENT 2000

Held at Dewan Masyarakat Penyayang on 3rd June, 2000.