118 Years of Malaysian Scouting

By:  Mohamad Letfee Ahmad

Today, September 1st, 2026, the Scouts Association of Malaysia (Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia – PPM) marks its 118th anniversary, following the establishment of the first Scout troop in Penang in 1908.

On the same date in 1957, just a day after the Federation of Malaya gained independence, the Federation of Malaya Boy Scouts was admitted as a full member of the World Organisation of the Scout Movement (WOSM).

Previously, Scout Day was commonly associated with February 22nd, the birth date of the founder of the worldwide Scout Movement, Lord Robert Baden-Powell.

The subsequent adoption of September 1st as the date, symbolically connects the history of Scouting with the journey towards independence and nation-building.

More than a century later, the movement has continued to make its mark on the international stage.

Kuala Lumpur, a World Scout Hub

WOSM’s decision to relocate the World Scout Bureau (WSB) to Kuala Lumpur in 2014 was one of the greatest achievements in the history of Malaysian Scouting.

The selection of Kuala Lumpur as the new location for the WSB, after London, Ottawa and Geneva, established Malaysia as one of the key hubs of the international Scouting network.

On August 7th, last year, this relationship was further strengthened when WOSM and the Ministry of Education Malaysia renewed their strategic partnership, which had been in place for more than a decade. The host country agreement reaffirmed their shared commitment to youth development, education and global citizenship.

Malaysia Leads Asia-Pacific Scouting

Malaysia’s major achievement in 2025 came during the 28th Asia-Pacific Scout Conference in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, on October 16th.

On that date, the Chief Scout of Malaysia, Major General Datuk Wira Professor Dr. Mohd Zin Bidin was elected Chairperson of the Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee (APRSC) for the 2025 – 2028 term.

The appointment reflects the Asia-Pacific region’s confidence in the experience and leadership of Malaysian Scouting to youth development.

As Chairperson, Dr. Mohd Zin’s focus has been on youth empowerment, educational innovation, diversity and inclusion, safety and well-being, good governance, membership growth, digital transformation, peace, unity and sustainability.

Beyond adult leadership, Malaysia’s young people have also secured a place within the leadership structure of Asia-Pacific Scouting.

At the same conference, Chua Qin Peng, a candidate from PPM, was elected as one of eight Regional Youth Representatives (RYRs) for the 2025 – 2028 term.  He was among 11 young candidates nominated by national Scout organisations across the Asia-Pacific region.

This election is significant because RYRs bring the voices of young people into decision-making processes at the regional level. 

This achievement continues Malaysia’s tradition of young people participating in regional Scout leadership.  Previously, Zairin Adam Abdul Aziz was selected as an RYR for the 2022 – 2025 term and was also recognised as a recipient of the Asia-Pacific Regional Award for Outstanding Scouts in 2018.

The Younger Generation on the International Stage

The achievements of Malaysia’s young Scouts have also been evident through their active participation in international leadership programmes.

In July 2025, Terengganu hosted the International Scout Youth Leadership Forum, bringing together more than 200 young leaders and experts from seven countries, namely, Brunei, Indonesia, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Nepal, India and Timor-Leste. The forum focused on leadership development, volunteerism, global networking, youth entrepreneurship, mental health issues and STEM.

Participation in programmes such as these, demonstrates that Malaysian Scouting serves not only as a platform for basic skills training and outdoor activities, but also as a platform for developing young leaders capable of communicating, collaborating and making decisions in an international environment.

Proud Achievements

The history of PPM is also marked by numerous outstanding achievements in Scouting skills.

Among them are three Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) achievements by the Shiang Yang Open Scout Group in Perak:

• Tallest Pioneering Tower (2008) – a 40.26-metre-high structure built without nails, using bamboo, mangrove wood and natural fibre rope.
• Largest “Bird’s Nest” Structure (2012) – a unique structure measuring 40 metres in width, with a circumference of 125 metres.
• Longest Pioneering Structure (2016) – an 80-metre-long project constructed by 30 members using 200 bamboo poles and 1,600 mangrove poles.

Other achievements include the record for the largest women’s Scout camp in 2019, with 2,299 participants, as well as the record for the highest-altitude Jamboree on the Air – Jamboree on the Internet (JOTA-JOTI) station in 2022.

In 2025, Pahang Scouts achieved another milestone when the Pahang International Scout Scarf Festival (PISSF) 2025 was recognised by the MBOR as the largest Scout gathering in Malaysia, involving 22,825 participants.

This year, in conjunction with the 15th Malaysian Scout Jamboree held from August 29th till September 4th and the 69th National Day celebrations, Merdeka Hike 2026 made history when the Penang branch of the PPM was recognised by the MBOR as the “Longest Running Scout Merdeka Run.”

This year’s edition recorded 2,093 participants, further enhancing the Merdeka Hike’s role in the National Day celebrations since its introduction in 2007.

Growing International Recognition

In addition to the success of its programmes and youth participation, the leadership of Malaysian Scouting has also received international recognition.

The PPM continued to achieve distinction when four of its senior leaders received the Asia-Pacific Regional Awards 2025 from the APRSC during the 28th Asia-Pacific Scout Conference held in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Deputy President of the National Scout Council, Dato’ Hj. Ahmad Shazilly Ismail Bakti, and Deputy Chief Commissioner of Scouts Malaysia, Ahmad Sabri Saad, received the APR Medal for Meritorious Contributions to Scouting.

National Training Commissioner, Dr. Ekbert Yong Yen Loong received the APR Chairman’s Award, while National Commissioner, Muhammad Naufal Othman received the APR Medal for Good Service.

In November 2025, Dr. Mohd Zin Bidin and Acting Chief Commissioner of Scouts Malaysia, Dr. Mohammed Mukhyuddin Sarwani, received the Silver Elephant Award, the highest honour bestowed by the Bharat Scouts and Guides of India. The recognition was another indication that the contributions of Malaysian Scout leaders are gaining attention beyond the country.

In addition to the above, four PPM’s representatives, namely, Abdul Mutallib bin Noordin, Zul Atfi bin Md Radyuwan, Nursyahirah binti Ajinan and Siti Aisyah binti Jamaluddin, have successfully completed the Certificate in Scout Management (CSM) course jointly organised by the Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka, and the WOSM Asia-Pacific Support Centre. The course was held in Sri Lanka from November 2025 to April 2026.

They were the first cohort to receive the CSM certificates and were also awarded CSM Medallions by the WOSM Asia-Pacific Region.

The latest achievement came with the election of Zairin Adam Abdul Aziz, National Commissioner (Strategic Planning) of the PPM, as a member of the Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) Committee in Switzerland last June. His election represents recognition of the PPM’s youth leadership and the role played by the Asia-Pacific region in the global Scout Movement.

Sustainability as a New Agenda

The role of Malaysian Scouting is also expanding beyond camping and outdoor skills towards sustainability.

The launch of the Biodiversity Proficiency Badge in 2025 strengthened efforts to make environmental awareness part of Scout education. This approach is important because young people need not only to understand the environment, but also to develop the skills to act as stewards of nature and responsible members of society.

At the regional level, Malaysia’s participation in programmes such as the Asia-Pacific Regional Social Impact and Advocacy Workshop and meetings of the South-East Asia Scout Associations Cooperation (SEASARC) demonstrates PPM’s efforts to broaden Scouting’s role from individual development to social and community impact.

A New Brand, A New Identity

The transformation of Malaysian Scouting can also be seen through the refreshing of its identity.

The iconic fleur-de-lis symbol, or lily flower, has been retained in the new logo but given a distinctly national touch. The more modern design reflects PPM’s aspiration to present itself as an inclusive, progressive and relevant youth organisation that responds to contemporary demands.

The new Scout uniform introduces emerald sea for the shirt and aspen green for the pants. These new colours replace the grey that had been used for more than seven decades.

The changes convey the message that the Scout Movement must continually evolve with the times without abandoning its core values of discipline, brotherhood, leadership, service and responsibility.

Community Scouting: Bringing Scouting Closer to the People

Another achievement of PPM is the expansion of the community-based Scout model. The first community Scout troop was launched in Bintulu, Sarawak, by Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, represented by Minister for Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development, Dato Sri Dr. Stephen Rundi Utom, last January.

This approach provides children and young people who do not have access to uniformed units in schools with opportunities to participate in Scouting activities, including those in FELDA settlements, public housing areas and rural communities.

Moving Forward

The momentum of Malaysian Scouting continues to be strengthened through the organisation of national and international programmes.  These include the week-long 15th Malaysian Scout Jamboree in Penang, officiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on August 29th, as well as plans for the 100th Anniversary of Perak Scouts Festival on 25th till 27th of this month and the Terengganu International Jamboree (TIJ) 100 in conjunction with Terengganu Scouts 100th anniversary in December 2026.

PPM also plans to continue JOTA-JOTI and programmes that integrate technology, STEM and human capital development.

All these developments demonstrate the changing face of Malaysian Scouting.  What began as a small troop in Penang in 1908, has now grown into an integral part of the global Scouting network.

After 118 years, Malaysian Scouting continues to evolve with the times.

Once a Scout, Always a Scout.

(Photos: Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia)