Our History (Malaysia)

In 1978 a group of Malaysian Christian brothers attended a FGBMF Banquet in Singapore and met Bro. Khoo Oon Theam who encouraged them to start a Chapter in Kuala Lumpur. A protem committee consisting of Dr. Peter Tong, Bro. Ang Chu Lai, Dr. Joy Seevaratnam, Bro. Timothy Phua and Bro. Michael Cheng was formed to register the Chapter under the Societies Act.

In 1979 the Chapter was officially chartered in Singapore by the late Founder President, Demos Shararian. The Chapter grew in strength and later Chapters were formed in Penang, Malacca, Ipoh, Kuala Trengganu and Seremban.

In 1985 the Malaysian chapters met in Kuala Lumpur and decided to form a National Body for the development and coordination of FGBMF activities. Consequently, FGBMF was incorporated as a public company limited by guarantee not having a share capital under the Company Act 1965. The Registrar of Companies approved the formation on 14 February 1986 with Dr. Tong and Bro. Khong Kim Kong as directors of the company.

With the incorporation of FGBMF Malaysia, chapters which were previously registered as societies were dissolved in that same year and converted into new chapters.

The ministry prospered and multiplied resulting with new chapters being established throughout the country. Bro. Timothy Phua was invited to join the Board on 11 January 1989 to help the ministry. When Bro. Khong resigned as a director of the company to go overseas, Bro. J.S. Deveraj, a retired civil servant replaced him on the Board on 18 June 1990.

The National Board from 1990 comprised of Dr. Tong as National President, Bro. Deveraj as National Secretary and Bro. Timothy as National Treasurer. Bro. Deveraj was responsible for strengthening the administration of the secretariat to function efficiently as more chapters were formed. He was still tirelessly serving the Lord in that capacity when he was called home on 16 October 1999.

Bro. Lee Gee Koon, a retired architect, and Dr. Stephen Goh, a retired lawyer and international arbitrator, joined the National Board on 1 July 2000. The Board again lost one of its members when Bro. Timothy resigned on 9 August 2000 to concentrate on church work.