KUCHING: The Sarawak Scouts hosted the second Borneo Active Top Achiever Scouts (ATAS) Gathering II Dinner at the Dormani Hotel on Saturday (June 20), bringing together King’s Scouts and top scout award recipients from across Malaysia.
Held in conjunction with the Malaysia King’s Scouts Brotherhood Members Conference 2026 at the Sarawak Scout Headquarters from June 19 to 21, the event attracted approximately 60 members nationwide.
National Chief Scout, Major General (Rtd) Professor Datuk Dr Mohd Zin Bidin described Scouting as a broad and meaningful movement that enables individuals to contribute towards making the world a more liveable place.
“Scouting is a platform where values such as care, love, understanding, mutual assistance, brotherhood and positive character can flourish among humanity,” he said in his speech.
Zin urged members of the Malaysia King’s Scouts Brotherhood and ATAS to regard their involvement in Scouting as a lifelong commitment to serving society.
“Becoming a King’s Scout is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning of a lifelong responsibility to continue serving others, mentoring younger Scouts, and upholding the values that Scouting has instilled in us,” he said.
Drawing from his own experiences, he shared how Scouting played a significant role in shaping his character and contributing to his success throughout his military and professional career.
“The true value of Scouting could not be fully explained through words alone but could only be genuinely understood when one embraces the movement wholeheartedly and lives by its principles,” he said.
Earlier, Sarawak Scout Council President, Tan Sri William Mawan Ikom, welcomed the delegates and participants while expressing appreciation to the National Chief Scout for his continued support and frequent visits to Sarawak.
In a speech read by Vice-President Datuk Mohamad Safri Abdillah, Mawan said Scouting is fundamentally about character building, leadership development and community service, adding that organisations such as the Malaysia King’s Scouts Brotherhood and ATAS provide an important platform for King’s Scouts to remain actively involved in serving society while maintaining the bonds of friendship.
Mawan also highlighted the need to increase the number of King’s Scout Award recipients in Sarawak.
He revealed that despite having more than 17,000 registered Scouts and over 2,600 adult leaders throughout the state, Sarawak has produced fewer than 20 King’s Scouts annually over the years.
