Testimony from Sergeant Chiew Kin Yan

I remember, my first day in the 3rd Kuala Lumpur BB.. in std.4... that time, the green building was so unfamiliar, and the tar was rough on my canvas shoes. Thanks to my friend,former Jr. Leow Wee Chong who persuaded me to join, and another friend, former Jr. Alwin Rajasuria who provided transport for a certain period of time.Yes, without both of them, I wouldn't have known and joined this organization.

On my first day in BB, I already took part in Opening Parade. Actually, it was because ALVIN was late and he rushed in to report and pulled me along accidently. I didn't really know the moves and just followed around... I remember seeing the other recruits standing in the shade talking to Lt.Terence Tay while I, another recruit, was doing this thing called "drill" on my first day. The Parade NCO was Sgt. Yeoh Chee Keong, who had a deep and powerful voice.... and LOUD boots.. It was kinda scary at first, and I was just following blindly what the person next to me was doing. Stamping his feet ... ?!?!?!

OK, the uniform was really cool... and we had those colourful little button-like badges ... we had a great officer, W/O Edward Lim who was funny yet serious when needed. We also had Primer Jason Khoo, a presidents man who is now the Junior Section Head Officer. He was helpful especially during our badgework classes.

In fact, I am really thankful for such great officers such as Mr. Edward, Mr. Jason, Ms. May Chiam, and Mr. Daryl Leong. They are the ones who made my junior section experience so memorable. In fact, till today my batch who were under Mr. Edward still holds highly the Gold Award. To many of us, the Gold Award is cherished even more than the Presidents Award. Yes, it is true.

Back to the story, I don't remember our awards day that year, but I remember going for 10th Kuala Lumpur's FIRST awards day later that year. They were really a strong and happening company during that time. I also remember, as I was waiting for our company members to arrive at 10thKL's homeground, I was approached by a 10th KL parent , who took one glance at my nametag and said in a kind voice "Darryn, why aren't you falling in?" .... that shows how un-famous BB was during those days. I think the parent thought that there is only one BB Company in each state, and "10th" is given because they are the 10th state to have BB in it... (correct me if i'm wrong, thats what the parent REALLY thought... )

and of course, I remember founders day at 1st Kuala Lumpur BB. I remember seeing the letters M.B.S , and W/O Edward said do not make fun by saying Monkey Boys School or anything like that. Immediately I had the impression that those letters DID stand for Monkey Boys School. At that time, little did I have the idea that I was actually going to STUDY IN THAT PLACE where I now call my second home. I remember watching the sunset and the LRT passing at Plaza Rakyat station. That scene is still there in M.B.S and who wants to come to see it with me is welcome... hehehe!!

1999 - At the early part of 1999, the captain , Mr. Tan Chee Keong, whom I didn't really know well, was approaching just his 2nd Term as captain. He asked me to choose which band instrument I wanted to play. Naturally, the instrument which seemed easiest, most interesting and loudest was the DRUMS ... but there was no empty slot , so I was asked to choose again.

Looking around, I spotted some shiny pipes being blown. There was a long silver one with 3 valves, and a similar long gold one with no valves. There were also copper coloured ones and a gold one with 1 solitary valve. This section was amusing!! .... I immediately joined them. My leader was Cpl Sim Rick Kee and Sgt Ng Yee Khai. (I guess you all have heard of them at least once) . I started out with the BUGLE , (sadly, all are now missing except ONE) ..... I wasn't that fast a learner, and during band camp, Cpl Sim would always point me out ... " JUNIOR, why are you out of timing" .... "JUNIOR, you are not the only one marching here" .... of course, that time I was the only junior, and he was not familiar with my name.

That was 7 years ago. Now, I can play nearly the complete range of Brass and a wide selection of songs, as well as being the longest serving Brass section member alongside Sgt. Lum King Hui, who was a recruit when I was in std.5 .... BB certainly did change me a lot.

2000 - I was losing interest in BB. Due to my UPSR leave, I was drifting further apart, and on the 30th of December 2000, the phone rang.... mum said "Darryn, it's your call" .... I rarely get calls..... who might this be???

...... that was Captain Tan Chee Keong on the phone. He asked me to come for BB the following saturday, the first week of January. I gave lots of excuses, but..... all those who know Capt. Tan, you can guess what happened. For those who don't, he managed to persuade me to come back.


In my first year in Senior Section, I was put into Squad A-2 . My Squad Leader was Cpl Frederick Wong, and his assistant was L/cpl Voon Zhen Yi. Voon was on SPM leave and I never saw him or met him before!!! Then he was temporarily replaced by L/cpl Lim Hock King for the duties of Asst Sq Leader. The first year was a great one, with me getting everything i could get. I got 10 badges that year alone, where my friends only got 4.

In form 2 and 3, secondary schoolwork was beginning to put the pressure on me. Although I was much more enthusiastic in Senior Section than I was in Juniors, I was beginning to lose that enthusiasm too.... until at a camp in Tanjung Sepat, W/O David Ngo told me that I should never fall even when disappointments pushed me down.... I followed his advice until today.

The move from Junior to Senior Section had also brought up a change in one boy, Hooi Chin Gian. He was one of the noisiest and not a very well disciplined junior, but in senior section he dropped all those negative attitudes and really strived to change. He was fast and active in everything, and was never dependent on anyone. He is a good example of a true BB Boy.

Here I am now, in the middle of my 6th year in Senior Section. During these years in BB, many changes have been made by BBM, YMCA(our homeground) and other people. Officers and Instructors came, some stayed, some left.... the band is now no longer a Flute and Bugle Corps (pronounced as "Corr", not "Corps") but it's a Wind Band with complete range.... and I see boys come and go, many new friends, and memories of the friends who have left BB..... memories from the two pesta's I attended (2001 and 2003) ..... the Green building was changed to Blue, and it's now Yellow, and completely changed......



In retrospect, all these has made me a better person. How? Well, if you all know me since I was in junior section, you will know that I was a very quiet person and not serious at all. In fact, I was also quite lazy. I'm not saying here that these bad habits have left me entirely, but now I am more confident and able to address a crowd of people easier than before.

I also have many many more BB friends from all around the country, people I know just because they are linked to me through this organization. In fact, I do not see this feature in other uniformed bodies. They do not make friends from around the country within their organization as easily as BB members do.

Another thing I realised after all these years is that I'm now at the top, soon to finish my "career" as a Senior Section boy. I'm no longer a person who comes to BB to enjoy the activities planned by the seniors, but I myself are part of the seniors who plan for the company. At times, I regret for not taking the proper cause of action when I should have done, but then again God is always there blessing me with people who tell me and guide me when I go wrong.

In fact, God HAS really blessed the grand old company (3rd KL) . How the company has survived through the ups and downs is itself an amazing testimony of God's love. There has never (as far as I can remember) been a shortage of leaders to take charge and become the driving force of the company. God also has provided us with the resources we need. God is the true shephard of 3rd KL.

As a leader now, I have to spend more time focusing on training the members who will one day be in my shoes. Train them how to avoid the mistakes I have made. Train them to be more efficient than their predecessor. Train them to be leaders who learn to place their trust in God. When us leaders have successfully done that, it is a satisfaction for us to know that we have played our part in shaping a person's future.

In fact, that is truly what my officers have done. Even though we may have had (and will have) many conflicts in ideas and thinking, but every interaction in itself is a life long lesson. It teaches us to be a person who can stand up for what we believe in, a person who knows when he should submit to others, a person who leads by serving and a person who serves to lead.

Look, i'm sure you'll agree with me that many people have benefitted from this organization. For example, our own Private Low Kent. When he first joined senior section, he was still in his "junior section" mode... remember all those camps with colgate, camps where you couldn't sleep at night in fear of him, camps where you still couldn't sleep because he would be talking all night? ... BB meetings which he will be running around and talking the whole time .. Yes, if you know him then, you'd surely remember. However now he has changed alot. He knows when he should be heard and when he should not. I would say that at least part of it comes from BB training. So much for the noisy people. =P .

Anyway, to all the officers reading this, I appreciate you! Thanks for everything and thank you BB. Without all of you, I wouldn't be who I am today.

-Sergeant Chiew