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the official homepage for the mighty sea scouts of
penang free school
8th georgetown (south) sea scout group

Scout Car Grand Prix - A Past Time Sport?

First, they claimed it to be the FIRST pedal car racing in Malaysia. Then, they claimed they INTRODUCED the "new" sport to Malaysia. As if there was never any event like it organised in Penang before, now they claim that pedal car racing is making a DEBUT in Penang through their efforts while the scout car was being ridiculed as a "past-time sport".
Pedal car racing to debut in Penang

MALAYSIANS will soon be able to watch a new sports novelty – pedal car racing.

The 1st Malaysian Pedal Car Race, organised by the Penang Turf Club (PTC) in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2007, will be held at the Esplanade, Penang, on Aug 19.

According to motor sport racing enthusiast Kayes Choo, who is also organising chairman, the inaugural race is the first competitive event at national level.

"In the past, pedal car activities were mostly organised by scouts as a past-time sport. Old bicycles were to put together to make these cars then.

"It is different now. We’ve engaged a local engineer to manufacture a more professional vehicle based on British specifications. Penang Motor Sport Club officials will officiate this one-day competition," said Choo. [...]
Those who were heavily involved in building the scout cars would tell you that the Scout Car Grand Prix was no "past-time sport" and I dare say the quality of scout cars in the last few years were very, very good, if not great. The cars didn't need "a local engineer" to manufacture "a more professional vehicle". The scout cars, produced by scouts who had no knowledge of engineering except for those learned in school, books and the internet, were definitely top notch.

It may have started as a project to utilise scrap metal and old bicycle parts in making a scout car but as the years progressed, those "discarded" components were replaced by newly acquired parts. Looking at the photos of their pedal cars, they look more like the scout cars in the 1980's and early 1990's. A look at our Vital Statistix alone and we'll know which one the tourists will flock to. Not to be mistaken as mere eye-candy, Vital Statistix has ruled the last few Scout Car Grand Prix and had even repeatedly beaten 7th South's legendary Jody, rumoured to be manufactured by "a local engineer".

Since the organisers of the so-called "1st Malaysian Pedal Car" making it's so-called "debut" in Penang seems to downplay the scout cars as being "unprofessional vehicles" made from "old bicycle parts" only for a "part-time sport", would their cars stand up to the challenge of the scout cars, assembled only by schoolboys? Now, that will be really interesting to watch!

Memoirs of a Sea Scout: Entry 009

It's gathering season. All the gatherings are coming thick and fast. It was a great gathering just now although we didn't win the best overall trophy. Everyone thought we should have won but we didn't. It happens sometimes. Like Forrest Gump's momma likes to say, "Life's like a box of chocolates. You'll never know what you'll get." Even when you are clearly the best in every category, you still end up losing to some lame group all because one of their leader is very involved with the chairperson of the gathering. Dumb girl. She doesn't know she'll get dumped soon after the gathering!