Meeting Mr. Khoo Onn Soo, 1st KL's Founder

My friend Kenny Voon Zhen Yi had the great honour of meeting the founder of 1st Kuala Lumpur, Mr. Khoo Onn Soo, during a visit to Australia. Mr. Khoo also went on to become Boys Brigade Malaysia's very first Brigade President.

Voon shares his experience (original article archived here):

Mr. Khoo Onn Soo had a very interesting beginning with the BB. It seems that he was to follow the footsteps of his father, the late Rev. Khoo Cheng Hoe and his brothers which decided to join the Brigade earlier than he did. His father was the first Chaplain of the pioneer BB Company 1 st Penang Company in the year 1946. He decided to follow suit later on when he volunteered as a helper for the Methodist Church. Mr. Khoo Onn Soo took over the captaincy of 1 st Penang from Geh Hun Kheng and became the company's second captain.

Before long, the Methodist Church decided to station Mr. Khoo Onn Soo in Kuala Lumpur at the Wesley Methodist Church in 1954, where he took no delay in setting up the 1st Kuala Lumpur Company where he became the company's first captain.

After the separation of Singapore from the Federation of Malaya, Mr. Khoo effectively took over the helm of BBM. He remembers how it was like when the first EXCO was formed, and the plans they had for The Boys' Brigade Ministry.

Mr. Khoo was appointed the Youth Advisor for the Methodist Church in Malaysia . With that advantage, and also being the BBM President, he was able to spread the good name of the BB to more churches (which would be the reason why the BB is so common among the Methodist Church in Malaysia).

He emmigrated to Australia in the year 1970, coinciding with his retirement. He found it appropriate to live in Sydney as job opportunities were plentiful at that time. He worked at the corrections center. His wife continued her career as a teacher in one of the Aussie schools.

He has not been attached to any BB company in Australia , but Mr. Khoo was still deeply involved in the church ministry, offering his home to church members to conduct activities such as Bible Study and worship.

After the experience, Voon had this to say:

Although in his 90s, Mr. Khoo is still healthy and strong. When I got to Sydney I wasn't even sure if he was still alive as I only had a address with no phone number nor email. Thankfully, he lived only two grids away from where I stayed in Sydney . He wasn't in when I paid him a visit to his home in Castlehill the first time I visited. I left a note, hoping it'll do some good, and it did. Mr. Khoo rang me up on my mobile and gave me the warmest welcome to his home two days later. He was away on a holiday back to Singapore for a family reunion before I met him.

There on a lovely Wednesday morning, I saw for the first time the man whom has served the Brigade which much dedication till the days of his retirement. A friendly man, so anxious to tell his story of his works for the Lord through the BB ministry.

I had to say farewell to our first BBM president after a quick 45 minute chat. I was to catch a plane to Melbourne within the hour. He came up to me and shook my hand with the familiar BB handshake, saying “this is how we do it in the BB” and encouraged me not to give up serving the Brigade. Mr. Khoo Onn Soo has obviously not forgotten the Brigade even though he has been away from it for more than 30 years.