The Penang Chess Association had the honour to assist the Malaysian Chess Federation organise the First Asian Team Chess Championship from 9-21 Dec 1974. This event was organised concurrently with the Golden Jubilee celebration of the World Chess Federation which held its Bureau Meeting here.

Message from the Honorable Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Haji Abdul Razak bin Hussein

Malaysia sungguh berbangga dengan perhormatan yang diberi kepadanya menjadi tuanrumah untuk Kejohanan Catur Asia yang Pertama ini. Sepanjang yang saya ingat, permainan catur hanya mendapat sambutan dan perhatian di kalangan negara-negara Barat sahaja tetapi pada masa akhir-akhir ini nampak minat yang semakin meluas di negara-negara sebelah sini, terutama dikalangan jenerasi muda yang mengikuti pertandingan juara-juara catur Amerika-Soviet tidak lama dulu.

Saya mengucapkan tahniah kepada Persekutuan Catur Malaysia atas inisiatifnya mengelolakan Kejohanan Catur Asian yang Pertama ini, yang mana akan disertai juga oleh pemain-pemain dari Australia dan New Zealand. Sudah tentu sekali dengan adanya perlawanan seperti ini minat terhadap permainan catur akan meningkat dan begitu juga mutu serta kehandalan pemain-pemain kita sendiri untuk menyalangi juara-juara antarabangsa.

Disamping mengalu-alukan peserta-peserta dari luar negeri yang akan menghadiri pertandingan kejohanan ini, saya ingin merakamkan tahniah penghargaan kepada FIDE sempena ulangtahun ke 50 Pertubuhan Catur Sedunia itu.

Selamat bertanding.

Message from the Honorable Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Hussein Onn

Initiatif Persekutuan Catur Malaysia pada menganjurkan kejohanan Catur Asia yang pertama di Malaysia mulai 7hb hingga 21hb Disember, 1974 ini sudah pasti akan meletakkan negara kita pada tempat yang terkemuka dalam bidang permainan catur yang mempunyai nilai intelek itu. Saya mengucapkan tahniah kepada Persekutuan Catur Malaysia atas usahanya itu sambil mengucapkan terima kasih diatas kehormatan yang diberikan kepada saya menjadi Penaong Persekutuan ini.

2. Hasil dari kejohanan ini sudah pasti akan menggalakkan lagi rakyat Malaysia dari semua bangsa khasnya murid-murid sekolah meminati permainan ini. Dengan itu juga saya yakin mutu permainan kita akan bertambah tinggi setanding dengan taraf permainan dinegara-negara maju.

3. Saya mengucapkan selamat bersidang kepada Persekutuan Catur Sedunia (FIDE) yang mengadakan mesyuaratnya disini dan mengucapkan tahniah kerana merayakan jubli FIDE yang ke 50 disamping dan juga ahli terkemuka dalam bidang catur. Saya berharap persidangan ini akan berjaya pada mencapai tujuannya.

4. Sempena kejohanan ini, saya berharap peminat-peminat catur khususnya dari Malaysia akan mempelajari teknik-teknik permainan dari juara-juara Asia bagi menambah pengetahuan dan pengalaman mereka.

Selamat bertanding.

Message from the Honorable Chief Minister of Penang, Dr Lim Chong Eu

The holding of the first Asian Chess Championships in Penang is a very important step towards our promotion of Chess in Malaysia.

It assumes world-wide significance because the championships held coincide with the 50th Anniversary of F.I.D.E. This means that the participants from nine Asian countries representing the best chess players in Asia will be competing in the championships.

I congratulate the Malaysian Chess Federation for having been bold enough to undertake the organisation of these championships in the light of the significance of this occasion and I am sure that your enthusiasm and zeal as well as your capability in organising these championships will stimulate more Malaysians to take up chess as well as to put malaysia on the Chess World Map.

The holding of these championships has been made possible by the initiative of the Malaysian Chess Federation and the support given by the Federal and State Governments and I hope that more of our people in the State who have already shown some interest in chess will join the Malaysian Chess Federation and help to develop the game.

The first Asian Chess Championships held in Penang will give us an opportunity to meet the best chess players in the Asian countries and therefore provide us an opportunity to measure our own development in this game as well as to provide the participants with an occasion whereby through chess they will make new friends, renew friendships and therefore contribute towards the spirit of international sportsmanship.

I wish every one participating in these championships, either as competitors, organisers or supporters, every success and I hope that you will all have an enjoyable time in our State. I hope also that the organisers will give the participants some time off to relax and to visit some of the places of interest in Penang.

Message from Mr Tan Chin Nam, President of Malaysian Chess Federation

The Malaysian Chess Federation extends a very warm welcome to all participants to the various Chess events to be held in Penang between 9th and 21st December, 1974 to mark the end of the 50th Anniversary Celebrations of F.I.D.E.

We are greatly honoured to have been entrusted with the responsibility of hosting this first ever Asian Chess Team Championship. In the very limited time available to us, the Organising Committee has done its utmost to ensure that all participants will find their stay here hospitable, enjoyable and memorable. However, should there be any shortcomings, kindly accommodate us.

With the introduction of the Asian Chess Team Championship yet another avenue is open to further strengthen the bonds of friendship existing among Austral Asian nations. I am confident it will also help to further promote the game of Chess in this region, the popularity of which I regret to say is well behind that in the Western countries. It is our hope that Malaysians particularly will use this opportunity to derive the maximum benefit and improve their standard of play.

In conclusion, I thank all participating Federations for their support and wish all competitors every success.

Message from Prof Lim Kok Ann, President of FIDE Zone 10

Although the game of chess is far more advanced in the western world than in Asia where the game originated, it is rapidly gaining in popularity in Asian countries.

It is therefore most appropriate that the World Chess Federation should inaugurate an Asian Team Tournament to commemorate its Golden Jubilee.

For the honour of holding this event we are indebted to the imaginative and vigorous initiative of my predecessor, Mr HM Hasan who had practically settled all issues before I took office in June, 1974. He is now a member of the FIDE Bureau which benefit from his creative insight.

Concurrently with the Team Tournament, the FIDE Bureau will be meeting to conduct its regular business as well as to perform the closing ceremony of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations. There will also be a seminar on chess promotion for the benfit of officials of Asian chess federations.

On behalf of the participants, I thank the Malaysian Chess Federation for organising all these events as a chess festival, and the Malaysian Federal Government and Penang State Government for supporting it.

Our special thanks go to Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, who has donated a Challenge Cup for the Team Tournament as well as agreeing to be Patron of the festival.

I wish all participants success in their undertakings in the spirit of our motto, "Gens Una Sumus".

PERSEKUTUAN CATUR MALAYSIA
MALAYSIAN CHESS FEDERATION

HON PATRON

YAB Tun Haji Abdul Razak b Hussein, SMN

PATRONS

YAB Datuk Hussein Onn, SPDK, SPMJ
YAB Dr Lim Chong Eu

PRESIDENT

Encik Tan Chin Nam

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Encik Fang Ewe Churh
Encik Azmy Ariff

HON SECRETARY

Encik Victor Vijiarungam

HON TREASURER

Encik JJ Singam

COUNCIL MEMBERS

Encik Atan Ahmad
Encik Gong Wooi Mau
Encik Ang Eng Chuan

AFFILIATES

Penang Chess Association
Chess Association of Selangor
Johor Chess Club
Kelantan Chess Club

PERSATUAN CATUR PULAU PINANG
PENANG CHESS ASSOCIATION

PATRONS

The Honorable Dr Lim Chong Eu,
Chief Minister of Penang
Mr Low Hooi Siah, JP

PRESIDENT

Mr Fang Ewe Churh

VICE-PRESIDENT

Mr Hashim b Mydin, PJK

SECRETARY

Mr Joseph Michael Doss

TREASURER

Mr Anthony Thomas Samy

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Mr Koo Hock Song
Mr Tan Yam San
Mr Sarjeet Singh Pada
Mr Tan Beng Thiam
Mr Gong Wooi Mau

FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DES ECHECS
FIDE

GENS UNA SUMUS

PRESIDENT

Prof Dr Max Euwe

DEPUTY PRESIDENTS

Mr F Campomanes
Mr B Kazic
Mr JG Prentice

SECRETARY GENERAL

Miss Ineke Bakker

TREASURER

Mr P Smit

MEMBERS

Mr EB Edmondson
A Heintze
Mr HM Hasan
Mr B Rodionov

ORGANISING COMMITTEE YB Encik Mohamed b Yeop Abdul Raof - Chairman Encik Fang Ewe Churh - Vice-Chairman Encik Hashim b Mydin - Vice-Chairman Encik Victor Vijiarungam - Secretary Encik Joseph Michael Doss - Secretary Encik Leong Sit Chew Encik Othman bin Mohd Said encik Hussein Hassan Encik Koo Hock Song Encik Mohamed Ali bin Hj Mohamed	SECRETARIAT Encik Koo Hock Song - Chairman Puan Mary Jayadeva Encik Lee Kam Fook Encik Foo Yeow Tat Cik Jerry Khoo Che Rohani Ibrahim Encik Chee Kay Hin	FINANCE SUB-COMMITTEE YB Encik Mohamed bin Yeop Abdul Raof - Chairman Encik Wong Pak Sun Encik Fang Ewe Churh Encik S Nadarajah Mrs Mary Jayadeva
CEREMONIES, PRIZES AND SOUVENIRS Encik Hashim bin Mydin, PJK - Chairman Tuan Syed Azizuddin b S Hussain Encik Jismi bin Mohd Salleh, PJM Encik Zainal Abidin Manaf, PJM Encik Ong Leng Gin Encik Ang Guan Eng Puan CL Tan Encik Ahmad bin Abdul Ghani	FACILITATION SUB-COMMITTEE Encik Mohamed Ali bin Hj Mohamed - Chairman Encik Othman b Mohd Said Encik Koo Hock Song Encik Khoo Peng Siew Encik Lye Tong Hoong Encik Ghazali b Ismail Encik Ibrahim b Hassan Encik Bakshish Singh Dr Mehar Singh Gill	TECHNICAL SUB-COMMITTEE Encik Fang Ewe Churh - Chairman Encik Gong Wooi Mau Encik Cornelius Simoons Encik Joseph Michael Doss Encik Anthony Thomas Samy Encik Tan Beng Thiam Encik Khoo Peng Sun Encik Lim Heng Pin Encik Ng Moon Lean Encik Teoh Kim Leng
ACCOMMODATION, BOARD AND TRANSPORT SUB-COMMITTEE Encik Leong Sit Chew - Chairman Tuan Syed Mohamed Hyder Encik Lee Kum Fook Encik Robert Tan Jin Hock	PROGRAMME AND PUBLICITY SUB-COMMITTEE Encik Othman bin Mohd Said - Chairman Encik Chong Soon Lee Encik Tan Beng Theam Encik Ismail Jah Encik Loo Kok Choong Encik Khoo Boo Choo	SOCIAL FUNCTION AND RECEPTION SUB-COMMITTEE Encik Mohd Hussain bin Mohd Hassan - Chairman Encik Mokhtar bin Ibrahim Puan Mary Jayadeva Encik A Annamalai Encik Sarjit Singh Pada Tuan Syed Mohamed bin Syed Hyder