The Rotaract Dilemma

Last week, I met two people who told me about their negative perception on Rotaract. One is a young lawyer from KL Bar Young Lawyers Association, and another is my lecturer. Generally, the words they used implied that Rotaract is a club for posers and people who like clubbing. I did not enquire further the reasons for they have formed such perceptions, as I perfectly understand the disease that has been plaguing the Rotaract organization, especially here in Malaysia.

When Rotaract was first conceived in 1968, it was meant to be a vehicle for young adults to serve the community, develop their professional skills and to nurture these young adults into responsible citizens. No where in the Rotaract constitution and by-laws provides for the requirement of “fellowship”. Nevertheless, taking into consideration the importance of good networking for young adults, and the necessitation of good networking to ensure the smooth running of projects, the idea of fellowship was readily embraced by Rotaracters. Then, the motto “Fellowship through Service” took centre stage.

Notice how the motto is worded as “Fellowship through Service”, rather than “Service through Fellowship”. The message is simply loud and clear, to serve first, and to have fellowship alongside that, and not the other way around.

However, forty years on, the concept of “service”, and even leadership and professional development is being slowly taken over by the idea of “fellowship”. Slowly, people with wrong intentions and motives are trickling into the organization. We have allowed Rotaract to be used as a vehicle to self-gratification and self-promotion. Rotaracters look upon themselves as elitist, and have forgotten their primary objectives. The young lawyer I met, scoffed at Rotaract and said, “We are different (referring to KL Bar Young Lawyers), we do our work, rather than just talk”.

Worst still, this negative culture is also much much alive in Interact (a Rotary service club for school students aged 14-18), and I can testify to this fact through my years in Interact, and as Group Discussion Leaders in the previous Interact Conference. We cannot blame them for this. They lack proper guidance, be it from Rotarians or Rotaracters.

I must qualify myself: that there are many good Rotaracters and Rotaract Clubs out there, who have stayed true to the spirit of Rotaract. They are the sincere ones, who put the needs of others above their own and they are inspiration to other youth. I am inspired by them. As I ask myself the need to sacrifice my time and energy on an organization that is potentially losing its way, I am reminded by the reasons Rotaract Club of ATC was formed a year ago, to make changes, to better ourselves, and to inspire others to better themselves.

I am thankful that the Rotaract Club of ATC have not digress from its true purposes. I have seen how my fellow Rotaracters have progressed in person, and how Rotaract have changed them for the better bit by bit. Of course, along the way, we all did have our dose of fun. However, despite the many things we have done, there are still some people who perceive Rotaract as a “drinking, clubbing, party” club. Perhaps, it is because the club itself is not totally free from what I would call the “Rotaract Dilemma”. There are people who want to be in it just for the fun the benefits of it, never for the work and sacrifices.

It is perhaps that Rotaract is trying too hard to be everything, that we have become lost in translation. I have met former Rotaracters who left because they find it hopeless to be in Rotaract. Many former Interactors refused to join Rotaract as they cannot find inspiration from the organization.

We need to define ourselves by looking back at our origin, the real reasons of our existence. I believe that Rotaract have the capabilities to be better than what it is now, and that Rotaract can live to inspire people, especially youth. Let us not be engulfed by this Rotaract Dilemma