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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. |