An Apology: Of Volumes, Numbers, and Accuracy of Berita Anchor

In the past few days I've been pouring through all the Berita Anchor magazines that we have available in an attempt to piece together more of 3rd KL's history. This was made possible by BBMHQ which has diligently digitalised the copies back in 2021. Many of the editions were lost as BBM did not have a physical office in its years and therefore had no central location to archieve them. Due to generous contributors, namely Mr Tan Geok Soon and Mr Alfred Ong (the latter of which is the son of former BBM President, Mr Ong Tit Hoe, the Anchor Magazine's founding editor), we have been able to recover and digitise many copies which unavailable prior to 2021. 

Alas, today's random blog post (especially considering that my postings on this blog have become infrequent) is not about acknowledgements, but an apology - one that was made more than 14 years ago.

To understand the mistake, I must first talk about how Berita Anchor works. The Anchor Magazine, as it was known then, used a form of publication system that follows journals, where a calendar year represents the volume number and a "number" or "issue". A person who has gone to university and has read academic journals will be familiar with this. 

For example, Volume 1, is for the introductory year of publication - let's say 1960. If there were 4 issues published within the same year, each have a number. For examples, the first published in February 1960 is Vol. 1, No. 1, the next published in June 1960 is Vol 1. No. 2, another in August 1960 is Vol. 1, No. 3, and finally the December issue is Vol. 1, No. 4. The following edition that is published in, say March 1961, would be Vol. 2, No. 1. This is how it works in its simplest form. 

Beyond this, how and organisation practices its voluming depends on its preference. If there is a gap of publications of a year or more, organisations can either skip the calendar year and follow the volume sequencing where it left off : Example:

1960 = Vol. 1

1961 = No publication

1962 = Vol. 2 

Another method is a volume is skipped if there are no publications for a given year(s). Example:

1960 = Vol. 1

1961 = No publication

1962 = Vol. 3

 Our early pioneers adopted latter system as a means of tracking. 

Berita Anchor's first publication was in 1960 (though alas, there are no copies of it available at this time), making the year Volume 1. BBM's earliest available copy is Vol. 5, No. 1 that is published in 1964. For 21 years, the editors of Berita Anchor have faithfully kept this system. We know they did as there was no publication in 1966 and it skipped Volume 7 (but it didn't make sense that there wasn't any Anchor magazines that year - I would be happy to be proven wrong and if copies miraculously reappear). 

From 1981 and 1982, BBM forgoed the voluming system - publishing by month and year (the voluming system also indicates the month) - example: Berita Anchor January 1981.

In 1983, the volume system was returned, but with a "reset" back to Volume 1. There were 3 issues for the year: 

• January-June 1983, Vo1. 1, No. 1 & No. 2 (published as a single edition)
• Vol. 2, No. 3 (Month unknown - copies are missing)
• December, 1983 Vol 3, No. 4

In 1984, the numbering did not apply, but it continued the newly "reset" volume into its second year. 

• October, Vol. 2

By 1986 and 1987 (no known publications in 1985), volumes and numberings were forgone once again, replaced by an indexing system:

• 1/86
• 2/86
• 1/87

In 1988, the simpler month and year system was reestablished. Some years, only one edition was published the entire year. This was the case all up to 2005 when a version of volume system was reintroduced, but this time without numbers. However, the ones from 2005 onwards sequenced numbers according to the order they were published. It was also reset again to Volume 1 and did not practice the voluming system set by our early pioneers . The first two volumes did not have months assigned. 

• Vol. 1, 2005
• Vol. 2, 2005
• Vol. 3, July 2006
• Vol. 4, Jan 2007
• Vol. 5, Oct 2007

In short, there were many inconsistencies in how we published and index Berita Anchor - something I was keen to rectify. 

Okay - now all that is explained, time to own up to my massive mistake and error. 

I was editor of the last published Berita Anchor in February 2012 (at the point of this post anyway). Knowing how the various systems work, I was very keen to set things right and reintroduced the volume and numbering practice of our early pioneers. It all sounds well and good. I was pretty smug about it too.. 

However, I made what can objectively and scientifically be descripted by psychology medical journals as a stupid oversight. Somehow, in the Excel sheet in 2012 (which I still have) trying to track down and assign the correct volunes after 1980, I somehow made an administrative error and skipped several years. I don't know how this happened exactly (epecially when I replicated the mistake again today at the time of posting when double checking, though the error improved by 1 Volume), but I must've mixed up my labellings of years with "no publications" of Berita Anchor as years that "don't need a volume all the sudden" when it should (didn't make sense either way, so I dunno lah). 

In short, the last Berita Anchor, Vol. 47, Iss. 1, February 2012, should have been Vol. 53, Iss. 1, February 2012. Not sure why I used "issue" instead of "number" either - but this was still very consistent with academic journal practices. 

Yeah, so this should have been Volume 53, Issue/No. 1

My sincere apologies for the massive error. If you need to punch a hole in your wall / door / other forms of hard surface, my head is available for pro bono hire. I'd also take this opportunity to offer myself as editor for any upcoming issues of Berita Anchor, F.O.C. to make up for this grave sin (boldly making this offer cause I know it will probably not be cashed in - trends have changed and these magazines are out of touch already in its current form). 

If you're interested, the below are the copies of Berita Anchors. Green for ones available in BBMHQ, red are ones we know must have existed, and the black ones - we're just unsure if there were publications in those years unless they are marked "none". 

If you have any of the red and black ones above, please let me know. We'd like to digitalise them. Contact me at zhenyi.voon@3rdklbb.org. 

Tribute to Mr Tay Bok Guan

On the morning of 14th July 2026, a group of us went to send off the late Mr Tay Bok Guan, Hon Captain of 1st Petaling Jaya Company, at their homegrounds at the old sanctuary of Trinity Methodist Church Petalking Jaya. It was a solemn day with many a tear. I appreciated very much the sharings by his oldest daugther, Vera, as well as Mr Jason Tan, 1st PJ BB's current captain. They talked about aspects of him that were unknown to me, that was the man who at the weekly parades as a father figure. My thanks to them for the insight.

Eulogy by Ms Vera Tay, Bok Guan's eldest daugther, who took on his father's lead in becoming a banker and missionary

Touching eulogy by Mr Jason Tan, captain of 1st PJ. He was in tears right from the get-go, showing how much Mr Tay Bok Guan meant to him. Apparently he was one of the handful of Juniors that were around when Mr Tay first came in - that was how close the Company came to closing down

I wrote a Facenook post the night before, which can be read below, just to preserve my own memories of the main a proudly call my former colleague: 

I was sad to learn of the passing of a Brigade strongman – Mr Tay Bok Guan. I remember seeing him for the first time during the 2005 BCM in Sandakan. A vocal individual who was serving as Brigade Treasurer at the time (or was contesting in election to be), he had no problem speaking his mind. Back then, we was already a senior citizen, being a Bank Negara Malaysia retiree. Prior to our first encounter, I’ve already heard much about him from other BB officers – I suppose one could describe his reputation as being one that is “infamous”.

Our next encounter was during 1st Petaling Jaya Company's Enrolment Service of 2006 (see pic), but it was a very brief hi-and-bye. I was impressed by his willingness to volunteer in heading up the Company. 1st PJ is among BB Malaysia’s early companies, founded in 1959, which has seen its share of ups and downs. In fact, it has gone defunct once and was reestablished in 1983. It wasn’t until Bok Guan came along before it experienced a period of stability. He was able to pull a strong team around him – both young and (not so) old (especially compared to him), building a once struggling Company into one of BB Malaysia’s finest.

While my first two encounters with him was brief – but it was more than made up for when I had the privilege of working with him in BB Malaysia Headquarters for 22 months. Bok Guan volunteered to help BBM repair their accounts which was in disarray – particularly that of the depot. He was also asked by the Brigade EXCO to take care of the HQ which did not have an Executive Secretary at the time.

Initially, I was apprehensive starting the job alongside him due to the rumours. Mr Tay had a very charismatic personality with a certain brashness in the way he interacted with people – a type of confidence (one could also say overconfidence), if applied a tad more intensely, can be inaccurately perceived as insults or bragging. I can see why those who did not know him well could easily misunderstand his character. However, the man turned out to be quite a humble and decent man. Despite the difference in his age and seniority, he never once pulled rank. He was willing to listen to suggestions and ideas, rather than dictating how things were to run – a true “working together” experience, rather than one where I was “working for” him. There is a caveat – he’ll treat you well if you’re a team player and hard worker, always having your back and defending you (he certainly vouched for me on numerous occasions with the BBM EXCO). But, if you’re a self-centred slacker – you will incur his wrath and abundant amounts of criticisms/nagging (and he can be very, very vicious).

I have many fond memories working with Bok Guan in BBMHQ. In terms of work ethics, he was very hands on – willing to do the manual work. Once in a while, heavy uniform supplies will arrive at the office – and I mean really heavy boxes. Despite his age, he would push these supplies into the stores by himself, not wanting to bother the other HQ staff, nor did he want to use his seniority to tell us to help (of course I will always panic and insist to help – worried he might break his back. But some mornings I would walk into the office and find that it's all done - old ppl wake up in ungodly early hours). HQ also once had plumbing issues – I remember a morning or two where I would catch him in the septic tank (which is a pretty gross place to be) trying to figure out the issue. Once I was repainting the outer office walls, so I brought a waterjet sprayer to remove the paint. It was only half done on the first day – when I came back the next morning, Bok Guan was out half naked in the sun trying to finish off where I started off (photo available upon request - might put it into the comments if you're interested). He was certainly diligent and a workaholic – there were numerous times after midnight (sometimes at 2am) where I will find him logging on his computer from home, using TeamViewer to continue consolidating the depot accounts (cause the PC screen will be moving in the office and I could see him at work).

Mr Tay was also a man of integrity, preferring to do what is uncomfortable but what is right during times of crisis. In our quarterly meetings with the BBM EXCO, he did not shy away from the sensitive issues in getting to the root of problems (even when he was no longer in the EXCO - acting without fear or favour).

I'll cherish my memories of Mr Tay Bok Guan – driving around in his old Proton Saga, how he was highly looked up upon by his Boys and officers from 1st PJ (as some of them evidently took up his brash personality), the fellowship, mentorship, and being a person I can call a friend (and thank you for the recommending me for an extra half month bonus in 2010 - which I understand the rest didn’t receive, heh). Well done fighting the Good Fight and serving the Lord selflessly. Until we meet again.

Deepest condolences to his family and friends from 1st PJ BB.