Boys' Brigade: Malaysia

Figure 1.--These Malaysian Boy's Brigade members are staging to prepare a parade in Penang during 2004. One reader reports that Malay boys like uniforms. Click on the image for another view.

Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country. There is a Christian community as a result of the British colonial period. We note a Boy's Brigade movement in Malaysia, but know little about it at this time. A reader reports on a Brigade rally on Penang Island. The boys wear a blue uniform similar to the New Zealand uniform. The uniform is mostly long sleeves and long trousers. Some boys roll up their sleeves, a few junior boys wear shorts. The rally included both marching and band units. Malaysia appears to be an open society. In many Muslim countries, public events on the streets like this, especially a uniformed group, would be dangerous. We have no information about the ethnic makeup of the Brigade in Malaysia. The country is predomninantkly Malay, but there is a Chinese and Indian minority as well. A reader reports that Malays in particular like uniforms.

Religion

Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country. There is a Christian community as a result of the British colonial period. Malaysia is a pretty open Muslim country compared to others. Muslims make up about 65 percent of the population in Malaysia.In many Muslim countries, Christian public events on the streets like this, especially a uniformed group, would be dangerous. The openess in Malaysia probably results to the relaxed form of Islam traditionally practiced in Southeast Asia and the fact that there is a substantial mon-Muslim population. In many Muslim countries the populstion is well over 90 percent Muslim.

Ethnicity

The country is predomninantkly Malay, but there is a Chinese and Indian minority as well. We have no information about the ethnic makeup of the Brigade in Malaysia. The Brigade is primarily drawn from the Chinese community in Malaysia which includes many Cgristiazns. A Malaysian reader writes, " The ethnic makeup of the BB in Malaysia is predominantly Chinese, Indians, Iban, Kadazan and other non-Malays. The Malays do not join the Boys' Brigade primarily due to religious background." [Chung]

History

Sir William Alexander Smith founded the Boys' Brigade in Glasgow, Scotland (1883). It is thus the world's oldest uniform youth organisation. From that beginning it spread arond the world, primarily within theB British Empire. The Brigade did not organize in Brtain's Asian colonies to the same extent it did in the Domonions, presumably because Chritianity was the major religion. The first Asian units were associated with Chinese Christians. Rev Guthrie Gamble founded the first Asian company in the Chinese city of Swatow (1915). It would have a very destinguished history. The first company in Southeast Asia was founded in Singapore. There is of course a relationship between Singapore and Malaysia. Singaportand and the Malay states at the time were all part of the British Empire. Singapore has a large Chinese population. James Fraserby founded the 1st Singapore Company before World War II (1930). The operation of the Brigade was not possible suring World War II. The Japanese occupied Malaya and Singapore at the onset of the Pacific War (1942). They looked on the Chinese community as essentially disloyal. Brigade operations were not possible until the British returned after the Japanese surrender (1945). Brigade units were not organized in Malaya itself until after the War A British soldier, Robert Davis, who was a former Brigade Captain in England (6th Birkenhead Company) discussed the Boys’ Brigade with a noted educator in Penang-- Geh Hun Kheng. He decided to become the first Boys' Brigade Captain in Malaya. At the time the Communists were organizing a guerrila insurgency in Malaya. Geh thoughtvthat the Brigade could help win the boys over from the Communists who were athiests. The first Brigade meeting attracted 20 Boys at the Methodist Church (1946). Penang thus laybched the Brigade cin Malaya. Other companies were susequently founded in in Kuala Lumpur and other cities. Afyer the Communist insurgency was defeated, Malaya achieved its independence as Malaysia (1957). The Boys’ Brigade participated Merdeka (Indepence) Day Parade. The Brigade spread to other towns as well as small rural ares of Malaya. The Brigade reached East Malaysia when Charles Henry Ingka founded the the 1st Kuching Company which was sponsored by the St Thomas' Anglican Church.in Sarawak (1961). The Malaysian Boys' Brigade organized the first National Review and Display in Kuala Lumpur (1966). The Brigade has held many more of thes Reviews which have been renamed the National Pesta and Convention.

Government Recognition

The Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Education recognized the Boys' Brigade as an approved Extra Curricular Activity (ECA) in Malaysian scchools. The Brigade is alsio affiliate of the Malaysian Youth Council (Majlis Belia Malaysia), an associate member of the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM), and an associate member of the of the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF).

Membership

The Brigade in Malaysia is expanding. A reader in 2009 tells us, "They are growing stronger by the year as they now have about 100 companies with 8600 members nationwide in Malaysia. There are quite a few large companies there with more than 100 members each."

Orgnization

The BB is generally divided into a few sections base on age group. The sections are : 1) Pre Junior - 5 to 8 years old 2) Junior - 9 to 12 years old 3) Senior - 11 to 19 years old 4) Primer - 16 to 19 years old

Uniform

A reader reports that Malays in particular like uniforms. Another reader reports on a Brigade rally on Penang Island. The boys wear a blue uniform similar to the New Zealand uniform. The uniform is mostly long sleeves and long trousers. Some boys roll up their sleeves, a few junior boys wear shorts. The rally included both marching and band units. Younger boys in the the Junior and pre-Junior sections wear short pants. The shorts are worn with white ankle socks. There is also a mufti uniform, an activities uniform with a uniform "T"-short rather than a regular shirt. The Senior section wears long pants.

Boys' Brigade in Asia

T he Boys' Brigade has grown into other countries in the region (Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines) from the "original countries" of Hong Kong, Macau, Brunei, Singapore and Malaysia. Basically Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei BB uniforms are more or less same.