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The 8th Penang Company is a local Company of the Boys’ Brigade (BB) movement based in Chinese Methodist Church Ayer Itam, the Company’s sponsoring authority. 8th Penang currently has its operations in Georgetown, Ayer Itam and Balik Pulau.

Since its inception in 1982, the Company has touched the lives of roughly more than a thousand young people under its care.

The 8th Penang Company is a part of the Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia (BBM), the national governing body of the Boys’ Brigade movement, and also part of the Brigade in Penang, under the umbrella body Penang State Council (PSC, formerly known as the Penang Battalion). Joining forces with other local companies in Penang, 8th Penang provides quality youth development programmes for the community via the BB Method.

The Company currently operates its Senior Section programme at its Headquarters, and also in Sacred Heart High School Penang, SMK Air Itam, Chung Ling High School and Penang Chinese Girls’ High School.

Since 2015, its Junior and Primer Section went into hiatus due to low membership in those Sections.

Sponsoring Authority
Chinese Methodist Church Ayer Itam Penang, officially founded as a local church in 1952, is located close to the bustling centre of the Air Itam Market, Penang at Jalan Paya Terubong. The church is a Chinese-language speaking church, and a body of the Methodist Church of Malaysia, governed under the Chinese Annual Conference.

As the sponsoring authority, the church sponsors the operational expenditure of the companies, provides office space as headquarters and it also appoints adult volunteers to become officers to administer the ministry and to run the programmes of the Brigade.

Rev. Ting Ming Teng is the incumbent pastor-in-charge of the church. Rev. Ting also serves as Chaplain to both 8th Penang BB and 4th Penang Girls' Brigade, and advises spiritual matters to officers and leaders.

History
Main Article: Refer to History of 8th Penang Company

Leadership
The Company has seen the leadership of three gentlemen appointed by the sponsoring authority. They are,

· Mr. Goh Eng Wan (September 1982 - 1997);

· Mr. Chung Kam Cheong (1997 – December 2002) and

· Mr. Teh Gim Beng (December 2002 - present)

The formation and advancement of the 8th Penang Company is not entirely smooth without mountains to scale and valleys to tread. The following is a timeline that records the ups and downs, and most importantly, the milestones of The Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia, 8th Penang Company.

Officers
An officer is a member of a uniformed service who holds a position of authority. In its broadest sense, the term “officers” includes non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and commissioned officers. However, when used without further emphasis, the term “officers” always refers to commissioned officers.

In the context of the Boys’ Brigade, officers are personnel appointed by the sponsoring authority to operate a BB company. They are adult volunteers committed to their own profession and, at the same time, the duties of a leader in the Brigade.

The 8th Penang Company is led by a team of officers. The origins of most officers can be traced to the rank and file of 8th Penang, and thus strengthening the cultural heritage and legacy of the Company.

As of January 2020, out of the 40 officers appointed in 8th Penang, 34 officers rose to their appointments from rank and file. In other words, well above three quarters of its leadership went through BB life in their younger years.

NCOs
The non-commissioned officers (NCOs) of the Senior Section form the backbone of a BB company and is a crucial link between officers and members. Since they are the most visible personnel with an age gap closer to members, they form a bridge to help officers and members communicate with each other better. NCOs include the ranks of Lance Corporal, Corporal and Sergeant, which form the basis of an NCOs Council.

NCOs' role is to carry out the assignments given by officers and to assist officers to achieve the BB Object. The NCOs also assume leadership positions in their respective school platoons. In some cases, senior leaders may carry out the duties of an officer, such as administration, planning and execution.

NCOs are distinguished from members with their insignia on their right chevron and they wear a white lanyard, a symbol of authority, on their left shoulder. Sergeants wear an additional red sash while a staff sergeant wears a blue sash over their left shoulder.

Incidentally, the Staff Sergeant is a member appointed from a member of the Senior Section, and is commonly regarded as a rank for an officer in probation. The role of a staff sergeant typically revolves around monitoring the NCOs Council and supporting the office administration. However, a staff sergeant is not an NCO, and not an officer. The rank exists separately on its own and is positioned above all the sections of the Company and right below the officers.

The NCOs in 8th Penang, like other BB companies, are the most valuable personnel, and they hold an office of authority in the NCOs Council and in their respective school platoons.

Full Time Staff (FTS)
In January 2007, with the approval from the sponsoring authority, 8th Penang appointed then Sgt. Teng Di Sheng as the Full-Time Staff (FTS) of the Company as a response to increasing needs in the ministry. The main role of the FTS is to carry out duties which volunteering officers are unable to fulfil due to availability and career constraints.

Initially, FTS candidates are members who finished their Sixth Form and in their gap year before entering college or university. In recent years, the Company has also included members who have just finished their SPM. This has provided a platform for young and passionate leaders to fully devote in expanding the BB Object. Conventionally, the appointment period for FTS lasts about six months, except for Mr Hong Kian Soon and Mr Lim Chong Chiat who accepted a full-year appointment in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

The role of FTS became increasingly vital when the number of NCOs began to grow in the late 2000’s. Conventionally, the FTS is assigned as the officer-in-charge of the Potential NCOs In-House Training (PIHT) programme to train, prepare and qualify members for their first promotion to NCOs.

The FTS project was considered a success model and the Company has been annually employing FTS, even officers (FTO) at times, on the basis of needs and the availability of candidates.

Old-Epians
8th Penang had always mooted about having an association for alumni and former members. The concept is somewhat similar to the Stedfast Associations (SA) for former members of the Boys’ Brigade in a particular region, for instance Ipoh SA, Kuala Lumpur SA, Kuching SA and Penang SA.

Since the company has made countless crossroads with young people for the past decades, 8th Penang felt a need of a group or association of its own. With the advent of social media in the early 2010’s and its popular usage among the masses, that idea of connecting former boys and members became feasible.

On 5th May 2012, the officers 8th Penang set up a Facebook group to connect all former members of the Company during the officers’ retreat. In the beginning, the network was used primarily to invite friends and former members to the 30th Anniversary. Later in early 2014, the Company decided to capitalise on the existing group to further strengthening the connection between existing members, officers and former members who are still interested to be updated with the happenings and development of 8th Penang.

On 2nd February 2014, former and existing members met at LK Western Food, Air Itam for a Chinese New Year Reunion. More than 40 friends and guests, including pioneering officers during 8th Penang’s founding years, attended. As a result, the Company is resolved to host a reunion gathering every year for the fellowship of old boys and to recount their old times as a boys in blue.

As of July 2017, the Facebook group has more than 350 members, and updates about the Company is posted from time to time.

The BB Method
The Boys’ Brigade programme is founded heavily on its badge work structure, or the Awards Scheme.

There are four different age groups in the Brigade, known as “sections”. They are the Pre-Junior, Junior, Senior and Primer.

Each section has its own scheme that targets specific needs, which are tailored and designed according to their audience group. This resonates the BB Method, a holistic approach towards educating and nurturing younger talents, based on Luke 2:52.

The designated programme offers all round development in spiritual, social, educational and physical aspects of a member.

The BB programme inherits the principles of the Twin Pillars, and the badge work / awards framework lays out activities that can be implemented.

For an all-round development, a quality BB programme has to encompass the four aspects of growth.

Awards & Badgework
The programmes are designed based on the schemes outlined by the Brigade Council, with local companies having full autonomy in executing the programmes.

A member shall participate in parades, courses, sessions, trainings or tests in to qualify for the awards, and eventually awarded with badges as recognition of his/her proficiency on a specific skill set. Besides, a member may be awarded with badges through character and leadership assessment, on top of his/her performance and level of participation in the Company. The former is classified as proficiency awards, and the latter falls under the special awards.

8th Penang’s strength lies in its Senior Section (age 13-20), as with most companies, and it puts much emphasis on the number of awards required before a member is considered a promotion in the ranks.

The average number of awards a member can obtain in a company, besides the company size, reflects a company’s strength and quality.

8th Penang requires at least 8, 12 and 15 badges for its Lance Corporals, Corporals and Sergeants.

Currently, W/O Loh Si Chyi is the officer-in-charge of the Senior Section’s Awards Scheme in the Company.

There are a total of 28 Proficiency Awards laid out by the Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia (BBM) in the Senior Section. These awards are categorised into Compulsory, Interest, Adventure, Community and Physical.

8th Penang currently offers the following badges in its awards programme, covering all the aforementioned categories on a regular basis:


 * 1) Target
 * 2) Arts
 * 3) Bandsmen
 * 4) Camping
 * 5) Christian Education
 * 6) Citizenship
 * 7) Communication
 * 8) Community Service
 * 9) Craft
 * 10) Drill
 * 11) Expedition
 * 12) Fire & Rescue
 * 13) First Aid
 * 14) Hobbies
 * 15) Nature Awareness
 * 16) Physical Training
 * 17) Recruitment
 * 18) Safety
 * 19) Swimming

The other awards not listed above are offered on an ad-hoc basis. They are:


 * 1) Athletics
 * 2) Buglers
 * 3) Computer Knowledge
 * 4) Drummers
 * 5) Environmental Conversation
 * 6) Gymnastics
 * 7) International Relations
 * 8) Life Saving
 * 9) Martial Arts
 * 10) Pipers
 * 11) Sports
 * 12) Water Adventure

The Founders' Badge
Members are constantly encouraged to plan diligently to obtain as many badges as possible. Ultimately, attaining the Founder’s Badge (the highest and most prestigious award in the Senior Section) is an aspiration of 8th Penang’s members. As of July 2017, 8th Penang has 19 members awarded the Founder’s Badge, the record holder for the most number of recipients in Malaysia.

The candidates are required to obtain the President’s Badge, the second highest award in the Senior Section that requires a proven proficiency in all of the award categories (Compulsory, Interest, Adventure, Community and Physical) and undergo the complete NCO Training School programme endorsed by the National Training Committee. Prior to applying the award, he/she is required to carry out local community services and work on a project beneficial to the Brigade, be it at the local company, state or national level. Aside from that, he/she is required to have his/her parents, teachers and the company captain endorsing him/her for the award through a set of character assessment forms. Finally, the candidate is reviewed by a panel of interviewers.

Once a candidate passes the final stage, he/she is referred as a Founder’s Man, or a Founder’s Woman, and the title is held for life. Founder’s Badge holders are not referred as Boys or Girls, but Men or Women, and this implies the embodiment of the ideal result of a member that underwent the BB Method and accomplished the BB Object

Receiving the Founder’s Badge is a significant event. In most cases, they are awarded in high profile events such as the Founder’s Day Celebration, the Brigade Council Meeting or the National PESTA, presented by guests of honor.

Outdoor Activities
8th Penang also advocates the importance of engaging in the outdoors as a leisure pursuit. For most members, they are involved in outdoor camping. But 8th Penang offers more than that. The programmes are adventurous in nature, which involves excitement, physical challenge and small amounts of risks.

Annual Training Camp (ATC) & Recruits Training Camp (RTC)
Camping is a key part in many youth activities and a fantastic way to be close to nature and to teach both self-reliance and teamwork

In 1999, a more mature form of the Annual Training Camp took its shape, providing a better outdoor experience for members. In line with the Camper’s Badge scheme, members are granted opportunities to strive for the said award. Typically it runs for four days and campers sleep in tents at an outdoor campsite. At day, much time is devoted to woodcraft and gadgets; campers are required to cook some portion of the meal on their own; while at night, it is all fun and games. As might be expected, campfire and talent nights can never be missed.

The outdoor equipment that the company has invested include tents, ropes, cutting tools, camping kitchen gears, rock climbing gears, archery sets and others.

The current model for the Annual Training Camp and Recruits’ Training Camp (ARTC) was adopted in 2005 as the membership of the Company grew. Members in the senior years will undergo ATC, while recruits take on the RTC training. Despite the similarities of both camps, RTC is relatively easier in terms of the challenge of outdoor activities and stay.

Expedition
The expedition programme of the Company is run in the form of a two-day journey (three days for the advanced level) where groups of member travel on a designated route at the countryside. Usually the journey covers Penang Hill and Balik Pulau. Participants form themselves in groups of four to six to complete assignments listed in the requirements. Upon completion, members are awarded the Expedition Badge.

The Special Training Unit (STU)
When a regular member completes RTC, two years of ATC and at least one expedition, he would probably be around 16. What awaits him/her next is the Special Training Unit (STU) programme, a survivalist camp in nature. It is the final stage of the Company’s outdoor camping experience for members where his/her physical and mental strength, leadership, teamwork, discipline and survival skills are tested to the limits. The STU experience shall only occur once for a member. As such, the details of the camp will not be divulged. Therefore, the potential trainees are always kept in suspense.

Traditionally, the experience is one of the criteria for a Sergeant’s promotion in the Company. STU plays a vital role in nurturing the aspiring leaders in the 8th Penang.

Fun Acitivities
Young people learn better through fun and games, and 8th Penang is very much aware of the social and educational impact fun activities have on members. Apart from the mini games and team building games members find in training and courses, the Company dedicates two camps annually to fun activities. They are the Annual Boot Camp and Youth Camp. Beyond the company level, BB members get a chance to participate the biennial National Pesta and Convention.

Annual Boot Camp
The Annual Boot Camp (ABC, sometimes AMBC for a mega one) of the Company was originally introduced in 2007, and it is vastly different from what the name implies – basic training for recruits. The ABC is a welcoming fun camp for recruits and existing members alike. It is a one day event where the Company organises fun activities and games for the whole day, similar to PESTA. The programme is filled with station games and group games, which allows each participant to enjoy the excitement of being part of a big organisation.

Youth Camp
Youth Camp is an annual fun camp for young people in 8th Penang. Hosted in the December holidays since 2004, it is a retreat for all the members in a four-day apartment stay. For more than a decade, the camp’s favourite locations have been the Brother’s Bungalow on Penang Hill and Stallions Apartment, Gelugor.

Aside from all the fun activities and sharing by the invited speaker, the camp also organises workshops that are relevant to young people and youth issues, for example, but not limited to, communicating with peers and parents, friendships and relationships, character and self-esteem. In recent years, some of these workshops are also open to parents by invitation. The Company believes that when parents are involved, the benefits on the members’ growth and development will be manifold.

National PESTA
The National Pesta and Convention, known as PESTA, organised by the Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia is a Brigade level (national level) event for local Brigade members as well as members abroad. Conventionally, it is hosted biennially, and each State Council takes turn to be the host. The participation number in recent years has easily reached thousands of campers. As PESTA is the national event of the Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia with the highest profile, members are aspired to be awarded and presented with their Founder’s Badge or other high achievements in PESTA. Apart from the four national competitions (Foot Drill, Dance, Singing and Band), PESTA also incorporates a range of fun activities and a tour around the host cities.

8th Penang made its PESTA debut in 1988’s PESTA in Penang, and have won the overall champion as a participating company in the year 2012 in Johor Bahru and 2014 in Kampar. The Company has come a long way to excel in the aforementioned national competitions to clinch the overall champion. The respective results can be referred in the dedicated sections written above.

Special Interest Group (SIGs)
The interest groups constitute a majority of the programmes in the Company. They possess high value in aesthetic appreciation and are items presentable in performances and display. With rifle drill as the only exception, all of the interest groups’ programme are geared towards competitions. Drill is also a compulsory element of the Boys’ Brigade.

Conventional Squad Drill
As a uniformed unit for young people, drill has been an essential part of 8th Penang and the Company is proud of what it has achieved.

“Drill is a means to an end, not an end itself.” This is what Sir William A. Smith was quoted saying. It is important to realise that the real aim of drill in the Brigade is the advancement of the BB Object, a means to further the habits (obedience, reverence, discipline and self-respect), to develop leadership and to encourage company esprit-de-corps.

Foot drill has been incorporated since the Company’s inception in the early 80’s, and reached its maturity in the 90’s, when 8th Penang started to clinch on the top places in the drill competitions organised by the Penang Battalion (currently the Penang State Council, PSC).

When the PSC Challenge Trophy was introduced in 2003, the Company has won the trophy in the years 2003-2004, 2009-2014 and 2016.

At the national level, 8th Penang made its debut in 1988 in the 9th PESTA in Penang, however, the first Championship came in 2010 in the 19th PESTA in Penang, followed by the 20th and 21st PESTA in 2012(Johor) and 2014(Perak) respectively, completing a hat-trick.

8th Penang’s school platoons also performed competently in drill competitions organized by the State Education Department (Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Pulau Pinang, JPNPP) at the zone (peringkat zon) and state (peringkat negeri) levels. Chung Ling High School and SMK Air Itam have been competing in the North-East District, while Sacred Heart High School is in the South-West District. Each school platoon had reached to the state levels before, and each was at least placed 1st Runner-up once throughout their participation in the JPNPP competition.

As of 2019, the Company’s Drill Officer is W/O See Wei Sheng.

Rifle Drill
Aside from the conventional foot drill, the Company introduced the Rifle Drill programme in 2007. The Rifle Drill is an advanced form of foot drill, where display movements are coupled with a mock performance rifle, ideal for presentation and performance during public events. Together with the flag drill, the two forms the colour guard and performances with the band is also possible.

The Rifle Squad made its debut on 17th August 2007 when Chung Ling High School celebrated the school’s 90th Anniversary. Soon after, the Rifle Squad participated in various performances and experienced ups and downs due to resources and technicality issues.

The programme had a reboot in early 2017 when the company acquired new performance rifles and routines that are better planned and organized for performance in discipline and uniformed units. The current routines of the Rifle Squad are inherited from the Republic of China (Taiwan) Marine Corps. The Rifle Squad’s notable debut include a performance in SMK Air Itam in February, and Chung Ling High school on 5th May and 17th-18th June respectively for the school’s sports day and centenary celebrations.

The Band's Origin
In the early years of 8th Penang’s formation, band was a major component in the Company. Throughout the years, the band has been persevering through ups and downs. Numerous attempts have been made for a comeback since the dissolution of the band in 1994.

The latest reform saw the concert band restructured and revived in 2001. The band has been under the tutelage and leadership of a few instructors along its journey. Mr. Chor Theam Hock, a passionate instructor, led the band training from 2001 to 2011; Mr. Lam was a temporary band instructor from Ipoh back in 2013 and 2014; while Mr. Ng Choong Yen succeeded as the Company’s current resident instructor in 2016.

Furthermore, the band is fortunate enough to have experienced the leadership of Singaporean guest instructors Mr. Yea, Mr. Hoe, and Mr. and Mrs. Goh. As veterans of the musical industry, their experience in building a band team were invaluable and their contribution to 8th Penang’s band was colossal. They have been strongly supporting the building of the concert band since 2009. Thereon, the Company witnessed a bolstered quality in the aspects of knowledge, performance, and appreciation as members attend the exclusive masterclasses of various musical instruments offered by Mr. Yea and Mr. Hoe. On the other hand, Mr. Yea and Mrs. Goh also provided fundamental instructor lessons to the band officers in the elementary training for new band members. Their presence in the band has raised the band’s standard and their encouragement has emboldened the band to take up new challenges.

Instructor
Mr. Ng Choong Yen is the resident conductor of the Penang Philharmonic Orchestra. As a passionate musician, he pursued his studies as a musical performer, honed his skills in playing a clarinet, and was trained as band conductor from the National University of Singapore. Mr. Ng was appointed as the resident conductor of the band in February 2016.

He was one of the band’s backbone in the intense preparation towards achieving the goal to compete in 2016’s BB PESTA in Selangor. He proposed Aztec Fire and Crossroads as 8th Penang’s competition pieces as the band consists of a strong trumpet section. His commitment became a strong factor for the Company’s successful performance, and further boosted the confidence of the band members to achieve greater heights.

Band's Structure
The concert band is led by officers and instructors during training, and the conductor during a performance. The band’s resident conductor Mr. Ng, is assisted by an intern conductor, Mr. Ooi Chi Hae Neison. As Warrant Officers of the 8th Penang Company, Mr. Ooi is also the officer-in-charge of the band along with Warrant Officers Chang Yen Fai, Kho Wei Yun, and Chan Kwan Hoong.

The fundamental members of the band are the instrument players. The concert band consists of brass players who play instruments of metal compositions, such as trumpets, trombones, euphonium, French horn, and tuba. The woodwind family consists of clarinets, flutes, and saxophones, while the percussion team is made up of mallet, drums, and cymbal players.

Dance & Singing
The dance and singing project started in the early 1990s, mainly in response to the dance and singing competition held in the National PESTA. Since the introduction of the new format of the dance and singing competition in 19th PESTA in 2010, where dance and singing are two complete different categories and are judged accordingly, 8th Penang decided to stick with the dance and singing project in long term. Previously, the dance and singing team will be assembled for the National PESTA competitions that is usually held biennially. An ensemble of performers are gathered for the Company’s anniversary celebrations once every five years beginning 2002.

The dance and singing team have been receiving training from professional instructors. In recent years, the dance and singing project have been establishing themselves, proven by their tremendous track record in the National PESTA competitions, also not forgetting various invitation for performances in charity, social and community events.

Since 2014, the year of the PESTA in Perak, the dance team is known as “The Amazination” (a word play between the words amazing and nation), while the singing team is referred to as “Shekinah”, meaning the dwelling of the divine presence of God.

W/O Cheah Ui Sern is currently the officer-in-charge of The Amazination while W/O Lilian Thong is currently the officer-in-charge of Shekinah.

School Platoons
The Company currently operates its Senior Section programme at its Headquarters, and also in


 * Sacred Heart High School Penang,
 * SMK Air Itam,
 * Chung Ling High School and
 * Penang Chinese Girls’ High School.

Scared Heart High School
In April 1997, 8th Penang Company introduced the Boys’ Brigade as a uniformed unit for co-curricular activities in Sacred Heart High School Penang (SHHS), Balik Pulau. The school is a Chinese national type school that is associated with the Schools of Sacred Heart Network of the Catholic Church. SHHS is currently the oldest expansion of 8th Penang’s Senior Section in a school. As of July 2017, it remains to be the only BB Platoon in Penang State’s Southwest District. The 4th Penang Girls’ Brigade also runs the Girls’ Brigade in the school.

In 2008, the drill team debuted in the foot drill competition organized by the State Education Department. They were the 1st Runner-up of the Southwest District, and that allowed them to advance into the state level and bagged 1st Runner-up. The commander for the team was Cpl. Joseph Lim Syn Hock and instructed by then W/O Goh Ewe Lee.

The school platoon has produced one President’s Badge holder and a sergeant, namely Sgt. Ooi Hong Liang in 2011.

The BB programme currently runs on Wednesdays, 12.30pm to 1.30pm, depending on the school calendar for all members from morning and afternoon classes.

In 2019, the platoon’s average attendance stands at 80 members. The current officer-in-charge is W/O Hong Kian Soon.

SMK Air Itam
In June 1997, the 8th Penang Company started the Boys’ Brigade movement in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Air Itam (SMKAI), a secondary school located in the township of Bandar Baru Air Itam. The 4th Penang of the Girls’ Brigade also operates the Girls’ Brigade in the school.

Throughout the years, the Boys' Brigade in SMKAI has been widely considered as one of the best performing uniformed units in the school. BB boys had been awarded the "Best Co-curriculum Figure" numerous times since the school platoon’s establishment.

The first sergeants of the school platoon were then Sgt. Tan Kwang Hao and Sgt. Yeap Wei Huon, both promoted in 2002. Sgt. Yeap was later appointed to staff sergeant in 2003 and a warrant officer in 2004, making him the first from SMKAI to achieve those ranks.

As of 2019, the BB in SMKAI has produced 1 Founder's Award Holder, 9 President’s Badge Holders, 4 staff sergeants and 13 sergeants.

The official BB activity is held on Wednesdays, twice a month, depending on the school calendar. The members meet from 7:30 am to 9:00 am. However, quite a number of members attend extra activities on weekdays for drill training and band training. Owing to the close proximity with Chinese Methodist Church Ayer Itam, most members are able to further benefit their time by participating extra Brigade activities in 8th Penang’s headquarters.

In 2019, the average attendance for the school platoon is about 90 members. Currently, the officer-in-charge is W/O Calven Chow, and assisted by W/O See Wei Sheng. The two officers are also former students of the school.

Chung Ling High School
The date was 3rd January 1999 when the Boys’ Brigade was introduced to Chung Ling High School (CLHS), a Chinese language boys’ school located in Air Itam. The school is prominent among Penangites and is widely considered as a top performing secondary school in Penang.

Then Cpl. Jerry Lee Hun Khuang, L/Cpl. Lim Kheng Tat, L/Cpl. Khoo Boo Keat, Pte. Tan Cheah Khing, Pte. Tham Wei Yem, Pte. Chong Kai Loon and Pte. Teh Chee Seng were the pioneering members. The Boys’ Brigade in CLHS is commonly referred to as B07, the codename it was assigned to in the school’s co-curricular administration.

Cpl. Jerry Lee Hun Khuang was made the first Chairman while L/Cpl. Khoo Boo Keat was B07’s first Secretary.

Mr. Lim Boon Chye was appointed by the school as teacher advisor and he served until 2007. Mr. Teh Guan Cheong then became the second teacher advisor and was succeeded by Mr. Teng Boon Leong since 2009. Currently, Mr. Teng is also the Technical Officer representing the Boys’ Brigade in the state’s Education Department.

The first sergeants of B07 were Sgt. Chuah Chia Choon and Sgt. Lim Hun Pin, both promoted in 2003. Mr. Chuah was also appointed as the first staff sergeant from the platoon in 2004. Later in 2006, then S/Sgt. Chuah and Sgt. Lim became the first Founder’s Men from B07.

In 2004, the Primer’s Section was introduced into B07 to cater specifically for members in the Sixth Form. Then Pri. Ong Teng Seong was the first Chairman of the Primer’s Section in B07. The Primer’s Section was later extended to Form 4 to 5 members.

In 2006, four of the first generation of recruits were appointed as warrant officers. They were Mr. Chuah Chia Choon, Mr. Lim Hun Pin, Mr. Ong Teng Seong and Mr. Tan Bi Peen.

The drill team’s debut in the PSC Drill Competitions was in 2003, led by then Cpl. Lim Kim Loon. It was the first PSC Challenge Trophy title for B07. They subsequently won the title in 2004, 2009 to 2014, and 2016.

In 2013, under the initiative of then Sgt. Lim Yong Shin, the drill team made their first appearance in the State Education Department’s drill competition. The drill team was under the command of Cpl. Ooi Zhi Heng and won first placing in the Northeast District and second placing in the state level during their debut.

With its membership constantly hitting more than 300 annually, B07 is divided further into three platoons (or known as sub-platoons, as B07 is a platoon itself) for better operation. Alpha Platoon is made up of Form 1 members and Bravo Platoon is made up of members of Form 2 and above, while Delta Platoon consists of Band members.

Up to 2019, B07 has produced 13 Founder’s Men, 56 President’s Badge Holder, one Robert Davis Award recipient, 11 staff sergeants and 37 sergeants.

Depending on the school calendar, members have their weekly meetings on Saturdays from 7:30 am to 10:00 am. However, members are always given the opportunity to opt for extra activities, such as band and drill, beyond the stipulated official times. The colour guard, which includes rifle drill and the flag drill, is also available.

In 2017, the platoon’s average weekly attendance is about 240 members. The current officer-in-charge is Capt. Teh Gim Beng.

Penang Chinese Girls' High School
The Boys’ Brigade in Penang Chinese Girls’ High School (PCGHS) was founded in 2011 by pioneering member Pte. Ng Sherlyn and the 20th Penang Company. The first batch of recruits, 18 of them, started their first weekly meeting in April 2011.

Pte. Sherlyn Ng was the first Chairlady of the BB in PCGHS. Ms. Quah Yee Hooi is the first and current teacher advisor.

In the following year, the pioneers recruited almost 70 members on the school’s recruitment day. In June, they made their first appearance in the BB PESTA in Johor Bahru. They had their first ever Awards Day in November 2013 in the school’s auditorium.

In January 2015, the school decided to transfer the operation of the BB in PCGHS to the 8th Penang Company. For 8th Penang, this marks the beginning of female members in the Company. Chaplain Chuah Chia Choon was appointed as officer-in-charge for the PCGHS platoon for the first two years of the transition period.

The BB in PCGHS debuted in the Penang State Council Drill Competition in 2016. This was also their first drill competition. The commander of the team was then L/Cpl. Lim Xin Ying.

In January 2017, the rifle drill was introduced into the BB programme in PCGHS.

In July 2018, the Drill Team of BB in PCGHS won the 2nd placing in Penang State Council Drill Competition. The commander of the team was Cpl. Chuah Wan Yong who won the Best Commander as well. While in August 2018, this Drill Team get the chance to compete in PESTA 2018 and won the 3rd placing in the Drill Competition. This marks the first victory of PCGHS BB in such an International Drill Competition.

The first batch of sergeants from the school platoon were Sgt. Jocelyn Teh Shuang Ru and Sgt. Wong Xiangling, both promoted in June 2017. Former student Sgt. Hong Qi Jun was also promoted at the same time.

In June 2019, a former student, S/Sgt Tan Ee Leen was appointed to be Staff Sergeant. She was the first Staff Sergeant from PCGHS platoon.

To date, the BB of PCGHS have produced 11 President's Badge holders, 1 Staff Sergeant and 8 Sergeants.

Currently, the girls meet on Saturdays from 8:00 am to 10:00 am, depending on the school’s designated schedule. On average, their weekly attendance is about 70 members. The current officer-in-charge is Lt. Carolyn Ch’ng, assisted by Lt. Lily Lee.