Penang Scout | Coronation Camp

Use to be "Coronation Scout Campsite"

Location: Waterfall Road (Jalan Air Terjun, 10350 Penang, Malaysia.)

History
The use to be Coronation Camp which is located outside of the Botanical Gardens, Penang, at the end of the Waterfall Road (Jalan Air Terjun), in the valley of Waterfall River (Sungai Air Terjun). Its are is 8 acres, bordering with Waterfall River in the south, and the hills in the north. now no longer available to the scouts. currently is just another flat land.

It is opened all year long. The campsite is 6 acres in size and it is recommended for Children camp (below 13 years old), Family camp (where family are participating as a unit) and Nature camp (nature and botany studies), King Scout Camps, Adventure Camp, Penang Jamboret, Jamborees, Patrol Leader Camp, Campfire Leadership Course, Woodbadge course and etc...

The campsite was discovered in 1951 by the 1st Penang Rover Scout Crew, under the leadership of the late Mr Oon Hoot Ewe, in a hiking activity. Mr Oon immediately applied it as the second campsite for scouters in Penang and the nation for their Wood Badge courses.

The other campsite that was to be returned to the government due to the expiration of lease in 1962 was in Teluk Bahang. Until 1952, even though without buildings, bathrooms, and piped water, the Wood Badge course was organized by the Penang State Scout Training Team and several groups of scouts had been using Coronation Camp for their weekend camping. Temporary bathrooms were built, and piped water was obtained from nearby houses.
Mr Ho Wai Foon took care of the campsite from 1952 till 1953, in addition to his duty as the Camp Warden of Jubilee Camp in Teluk Bahang. Mr Ho was the person who gave the name Coronation Camp to the campsite as 1953 was the year of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.

In 1954, a troop hall and storerooms were constructed, and were officiated by Sir Rowallan on 6 November 1954. There is a stone engraved into the walls of the headquarter building stating that Sir Rowallan officiated the opening of the troop hall and storerooms. The first Camp Warden was Mr Yeoh Cheng Wah, followed by Mr Jamboo Rajah, Mr Paul Kandasamy, Mr Lim Eng Ghee, Mr Ho Wai Foon, Hai Hussain bin Che Mat, Mr Wong Soon Lee, Mr. Benny Toolseram, Mr Tan Chooi Poh. In 1956, several toilets were built in the low side of hill slope. There were four bathrooms and four toilets constructed.

An American Scout Troop from Thailand visits the Penang Coronation Camp & Butterworth Scouts for a week.

In 1967, Mr Yeoh Phee Tin, State Scout Commissioner at that time, directed ten hutments from the first Malaysian Jamboree in Teluk Bahang be transferred to Coronation Camp.
The camp's fixed kitchen was donated by the King's Scout Council in 1975. As several jamborees were held in conjunction with the World Jamboree, more bathrooms and toilets were built to accomodate the huge number of scouts in 1971 and 1975.

In 1985, Malaysian Girl Guide Jamboree was held here and 30 portable bathrooms, together with all 2-inch water pipes worth RM5,000.00 were purchased. Several thousand ringgit was spent in the construction of several spot lights throughout the campsite for children one-night camps, and night activities, campfires and night games. Fluorescent tube lights were installed in the troop hall and in the hutment's.

in 1998, while under the care of camp warden Benny Toolseram, the team manage to get fund to renovate the whole campsite, inclusive repairing the portable bathroom since 1985 to a safe and clean bathroom for all the scouts & guide who use the campsite. Also with the same renovation all hutment from the Jumbilee camp are maintain and repair.

Sadly to say the campsite were to be return back to the PBA for the expansion of the botanical garden. Camp Coronation campsite have been use by most of the NGO's body in Penang, a sweet memory for most of the youngster and is so close to nature yet close to the city. This is the best strategy venue to develop the youngster love of nature and leadership development, many training were conduct here, many country of scouts have step foot on this historical site yet very sad that the Presiden of Penang Scout also the Presiden of PBA during that time which is Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon didnt stop the return of the said land but agree for the return of the campsite to PBA. This is the sadness news to all the NGO's in Penang. Another historical site destroy by the goverment led by Tan Sri Koh Tsu Koon.

The Coronation Camp is owned by the Penang Water Supply Corporation (Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang) and managed by the Penang State Scout Council (Majlis Pengakap Negeri Pulau Pinang).


The map of Coronation Camp

the 15th Asia Pacific Girl Guide Jamboree in Camp Coronation Camp

TSU KOON'S 'GRAND ACHIEVEMENT'
written by Stephen Tan Ban Cheng, Friday, August 22 2008 12:26 am

It was under the watch of Koh Tsu Koon that the Penang Scouts ended up without a viable Scout Camp.

For the record, we have two camps - one in Guillemard Reservoir where camping is impossible as high-rise apartments hover just next door and the other within the National Forest Reserve in Teluk Bahang. The Teluk Bahang camp was paid for by the Penang Scouts through a RM88,000 donation made by the late Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew.

Penang, which saw Scouting being established in 1908, used to have two camps. One was in Jubilee Camp which hosted the First Malaysian Jamboree way back in 1966 under the leadership of the then Penang Chief Minister Tan Sri Wong Pow Nee. The other was Coronation Camp near the Waterfalls. The lease for Coronation Camp was finally withdrawn about three years ago, despite strenuous representations made to the Penang State Government.

This meant that one of the "grand achievements" of the Tsu Koon-led State Government was to virtually rob thousands of Penang Scouts of any viable camp to celebrate the first one hundred years of Scouting.

I know this because I was an Assistant State Scout Commissioner (ASC) for Penang after spending a two-year spell as its Penang State Boy Scouts Association Legal Adviser.

As a former troop leader, I left as ASC without any rancour, except that I feel there must be adequate facilities for training for our boys since they are the future leaders of the country.

In a moment of insanity, the Tsu Koon-led State Government made the conscious decision to sacrifice that future for their present needs.