APEX is a service organisation with its own rules, regulations, ideals and ethics. APEX is also non-sectarian and non-party political."
Membership is open to all persons of good character and good business reputation, engaged in any worthy recognised profession, business or occupation. Membership in APEX was only open to young men between the ages of 18 and 38. However in 2001, our National Association amended this provision to do away with the age restriction and hence APEX Malaysia is no longer a youth organisation. Membership is also now open to women.
APEX's purpose is to channel the enthusiasm and idealism of like-minded people towards a more intelligent, aggressive and useful citizenship and building better communities both locally and internationally.
The ideals of APEX are:
To make the ideal of service the basis of all enterprise.
To develop by example a more intelligent and aggressive citizenship.
To provide a means of forming enduring friendship, rendering altruistic service and building better communities. To promote international understanding and friendship
The ethics of APEX simply state that APEX shall not be used by any member when advertising his or her business or for personal, financial or commercial gain. Members' public and personal morality and conduct must be consistent with the accepted standard required by the organisation.
The APEX logo is an equilateral triangle with the word 'APEX' written in the middle. The official colours are Red, Blue and Gold. The rays of the rising sun from the base of the triangle symbolise the rising generation of youth. The base represents 'Citizenship'. The sides represent 'Service' and 'Fellowship'. The Logo was designed in 1931 by founder member Ewen Laird.
Origins
In 1930, during the great depression, Australia faced widespread unemployment and its resultant social problems. Against this scenario, three young unemployed architects, Langham Proud, Ewen Laird and John Buchan, from Geelong, Victoria, Australia called a meeting of young men on the 19th of March 1930 at which it was decided to form the 'Young Business Men's Club'. Their aim was to harness the resources and energies of local young men for the betterment of the community. Initial service efforts were mostly physical in nature. It was only later, when the economy picked up and when there were more clubs, that Apexians embarked on bolder fund raising ventures.
One year after the formation of the pioneer 'Young Business Men's Club, the members decided to change the name of the club to APEX Club of Geelong. The name APEX was chosen as it represents the height (Apex) of one's ambition and the symbol or logo was an equilateral triangle encompassing the basic philosophy of the APEX organisation - 'SERVICE', 'FELLOWSHIP' and 'CITIZENSHIP'. The date was 10th March 1931.
Expansion
From 1931 to 1956, APEX saw tremendous growth within Australia: In 1955, APEX Australia decided to introduce the ideals of APEX to young men in neighboring countries within the Asia Pacific Region. In 1956 initial contacts were established both in Fiji and Singapore. One year later with the assistance of the newly formed Apex Club of Singapore, contacts were made in Kuala Lumpur. There are now autonomous APEX Associations in Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Malaysia. Apex Association in Papua New Guinea is now dormant.
National Association of Apex Clubs of Malaysia
- Beginning
In Malaysia (then known as Malaya) the first APEX club was inaugurated in Kuala Lumpur on 3rd April 1957 and chartered on 28th November 1959. The club's official sponsor was the then Apex Club of Singapore which was set up one year earlier.
- Expansion
Soon members from Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and subsequently others from newly chartered clubs attempted and succeeded in expanding to a number of major towns in Peninsula Malaysia. In the north clubs sprouted in Ipoh, Taiping. Butterworth, Penang. Gurun, Parit Buntar and Sungai Petani; in the south, clubs were set up in Seremban, Kuala Pilah, Malacca, Muar, Kluang and Johor Baru; in the Klang Valley region, a total of five clubs were inaugurated, namely Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Klang, Damansara, Shah Alam and Bandar Syed Putra; and in the east coast of Malaysia, clubs were introduced to Kuantan, Temerloh, Kuala Trengganu and Kota Bahru. As at time of writing, as of July 2022, there are only twelve Apex Clubs in Malaysia which are operational and this includes the Apex Club of Kajang which was chartered in December 2012.
- Association
In the formative years, the first club in Kuala Lumpur along with the then existing two clubs in Singapore were grouped under district 5, a separate district of Zone 4 of the Association of APEX Clubs of Australia, with an elected District Governor as the administrative head. This arrangement was carried out satisfactorily until the early seventies when it was found that with the increase in the number of clubs spread over from the north of Peninsula Malaysia to southern tip, the workload of the sole District Governor increased tremendously. The then existing eleven clubs decided on a regional grouping of two districts. This move, it was then felt would ease the workload of a single District Governor and bring about effective co-ordination and leadership. In 1973, APEX clubs in Selangor/Federal Territory and Northern states came under District 5 North and clubs in the Eastern and Southern states, including Singapore clubs, were grouped under District 5 South. The two District Governors then became part of new set-up, called the Regional Board which in turn was headed by an elected Regional President.
However by then the issue of autonomy was a very much debated issue and on 31st August 1975, at the 2nd Regional Convention hosted in Kuala Lumpur, it became a reality. The National Association of APEX Clubs of Malaysia came into being with ten local clubs under its wings. The association was headed by an elected National President who was assisted by a National Board comprising of a number of elected and appointed members. The role, functions, responsibilities and powers of the National President and his Board were defined and governed by a set of rules registered with the Registrar of Societies. Singapore clubs went on to become an autonomous body the following year in 1976.
Apex Education Trust Fund
Student bursaries, where cash stipends are given out to poor and deserving pupils. first started in 1963, when the few Apex Clubs, under District 5 decided on this scheme which proved to be a very successful and worthy activity. Besides funds raised locally. Australian Clubs, especially from Zones 4, 6 and 14 were also very generous in their contributions.
The idea of forming an Apex Education Trust Fund was mooted sometime in 1973, when our association was under a Regional Body. Several ideas were put forth and some were carried out to raise a targeted sum of RM 500,000.00.
It was only in 1983, when the first Life Governor of our Association A. Gnanarajah was elected to head a National Lottery Draw, where 250,000 tickets at RM 1.00 each were distributed among all clubs and individuals for sale. The total sum raised, after deductions for expenses, was RM 185,300.00. The first prize, a Nissan sedan was won by one Madam Chung.
Around the same time, rules for the operation of an Education Trust Fund were prepared and submitted to the Registrar of Societies. Application for tax exemption for all direct donations was approved on 5 July 1980. For better management of funds, the Hongkong & Shanghai Bank (M) Trustees Bhd. was appointed as Trustees. This went on until 1990, when their services were terminated and all funds entrusted with them were transferred back to the National Association.
A trustee committee comprising of an elected chairman and both the serving National President and the National Vice-President was put in place. The chairman, LG A. Gnanarajah, who is empowered to appoint a number of individual members to assist in the running of the Trust Fund soon appointed L/M V. Thillainathan as Secretary and LG Clement Fernandez as Treasurer. Clement resigned from his post in 1991 when he migrated to Australia. He was replaced by L/M Suresh Sivaram. Through prudent, and with some monies raised occasionally or donated by clubs or individual, the Trust Fund, as at 2018 is RM 600,000.00.
The same year, the old committee which was serving the AETF since its inception stood down, making way for a new committee to take over the administration. Within 4 years, the committee chaired by PNP Apexian Edward Mai, supported by L/M T.T. Singam as Secretary and PNP AS Naidu as Treasurer managed to increase the fund to RM1.086 million.
- Affiliation
World Council of Service Organisations (WOCO)
All autonomous APEX Associations in the Asia-Pacific region were affiliated to the World Council of Service Organisations (WOCO). WOCO is a loose federation of young men's service organisations that share similar ideals and objects. Besides APEX, the other member organisations were Round Tables of Europe, Mediterranean, Africa and Asia Pacific Region: Active 20-30 International of United States of America and South America; the Ladies Circle of Sweden. In 2001, when our association officially decided to do away with the age limit and also open membership to ladies, we ceased to be affiliated with WOCO.
Apex International
The formation of Apex International was an attempt to develop and raise the stature of Apex into an internationally accepted service organisation. After the charter of Apex International was established and approved on 19 June 1992, all autonomous Apex Organisations became members of a unified international body.
The main objective of Apex International was to have a united and world recognised service organisation, capable of addressing common problems plaguing the international community such as drug abuse and the lack of basic education or primary healthcare in some countries. It was also envisaged that as a unified body Apex was better equipped to quickly mobilize resources to handle natural disasters and emergencies wherever such situations arise.
As at early 1995, there were 12 autonomous Apex Associations consisting of Australia, Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Malaysia, Singapore, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Japan and the Women's Apex Clubs of Australia. However Apex International did not really emerge as a force to be reckoned with at the international stage. Several reasons were floated for the demise of Apex International in 1997.
Apex Global
Apex Global came into being in March 15, 2008 with the purpose of grouping Apex Associations as one International Group. Apex Global currently consists of eight autonomous Apex Associations as full members. These include the associations of Australia, Bangladesh, India, Philippines, Singapore, Fiji, Sri Lanka and Malaysia.
There are however no affiliation or other fees imposed on membership. Chairmanship is strictly on a rotational basis and currently (2021/22) Apex Malaysia has that distinct honour with Apexian Venkata Giri Naidu of Kajang as the Global Chairman.
