Avid collector: Nordin (left) sharing some of his badges with other participants at the Johor 27th Scouts General Assembly.
MERSING: After a lifetime of swapping stories and badges with fellow scouts from around the world, Nordin Salleh now stands as the proud keeper of over 10,000 scout badges.
The 66-year-old Singaporean retiree said he started collecting the badges when he was still in secondary school over five decades ago.
“I began collecting the badges right at the start of my scouting journey, and I have not stopped since.
“Every time I join a jamboree, big or small, whether it is in Singapore or any other country, I will be sure to swap badges with other scouts.
“In fact, I will also bring a handful of badges whenever I attend the camps so that I can exchange them with fellow scouts,” he told The Star when met during the Johor 27th Scouts General Assembly here.
The former scout leader trainer said that he also often brought extra badges to the jamborees he attended to give away to the people he met.
“Sometimes I’ll have the students take part in quizzes during training sessions and give them a badge if they get a question right, but most of the time I’ll just give them away,” he said.
Nordin, a scout leader with the Singapore Scout Association, added that his collection includes Girl Guide badges and more than 70 Wood Badge sets from around the world.
“For me, the badges are more than keepsakes or just another hobby.
“Each badge represents a cherished memory I experienced through scouting and the friends I have made along the way,” he said.
Nordin said that he has attended dozens of jamborees across South-East Asia, including in Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.
“While the jamborees I’ve attended were within the region, those joining them come from all over the world, including Europe and other parts of Asia.
“This gives me a chance to get to know people from across the globe, which is what I love most about scouting.
“On top of learning each other’s culture, we get to exchange stories about our scouting experiences and gain new skills.
“I hope to be able to continue my scouting journey for as long as I can,” said the former civil servant.
Nordin is among the participants of the five-day event, which began on Saturday at Pantai Tanjung Leman here.
The jamboree is expected to attract over 4,000 scouts and scout leaders from across Malaysia and neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and Brunei.
