Singers From Hell

I promised to upload snippets from the last karaoke session that we had in July, so here they are. The first clip featured Fazurin trying to sound like Enigma in the hit song of 1994 - Return to Innocence. The second one featured Fazurin (again) in a duo with Allen for the hit Hindi song Kuch Kuch Hu Ta He (Allen took the female part).

There were a lot other songs that we went through on that day, but I thought these two were the most ridiculous and off-tune of all the numbers.

Return to Innocence
Kuch Kuch Hu Ta He

I bet this will haunt you for weeks.

MCKK-inspired art exhibition at Galeri Petronas

Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican, the Chairman and President of Petronas is hosting an MCKK-inspired art exhibition at Galeri Petronas, by Tuan Syed Bakar, a distinguished artist and a former MCKK teacher.

Petronas boasts quite an impressive line up of MCKK old boys in the top management including President, several Vice Presidents, CEOs and General Managers. Some of the Who's Who are as follows:

Tan Sri M Hassan B Marican - Chairman and President (Class of 69)
Datuk Anuar B Ahmad - Vice President, Oil Business (Class of 71)
Nasarudin B M Idris - Vice President, Corporate Planning Division (Class of 71)
Dr Rosti B Saruwono - Vice President, Education Division (Class of 67)
M Othman B Zainal Azim - CEO, Putrajaya Holdings (Class of 71)
Wan Zulkiflee B Wan Ariffin - CEO, Petronas Gas Berhard (Class of 77)
M Azhar B Osman Khairuddin - Senior GM, Legal & Corporate Affairs Division (Class of 71)
Anuar B Ismail - CEO, Petronas Ammonia, VCM Malaysia (Class of 70)
Aziz B Ishak - CEO, Petronas Maritime (Class of 69)
Wan Yusoff Wan Hamat - CEO, Malaysian Shipyard (Class of 70)
Akbar Tajudin B A Wahab - GM Carigali (Class of 70)
Dr M Farid B M Amin - GM Corporate Planning (Class of 70)
Dr Zainal Abidin B Hj Kasim - GM Technical Services Division (Class of 70)
M Apandi B Osman - GM OGP Technical Services (Class of 70)
Adnan B Zainol Abidin - GM Petronas Ammonia
Wan Badrul Hisham B Wan Abdullah - GM MLNG2

The list is not exhaustive and I know a few more - including the new CEO of Petronas Penapisan Terengganu, a few GMs, a lot more SMs and tonnes of managers. It makes me feel proud working in Petronas, knowing that the movers and shakers are from your alma maters. In spite of this, I have not had the calling to don the MCKK tie on Wednesday ha ha.

It sometimes leads to talks of favouritism and of a cabal, although most people in Petronas whom I have met are very professional. They recognise you for how you perform, so when it comes to promotion people hardly look beyond your work performance - where you come from is irrelevant.

Anyway, please visit Petronas Galeri at KLCC. The invitation card is as follows, although I get the feeling this card is only circulated to the select few.

We Smael Golok @ Aiwa

Aiwa came to visit Bobo last 2 weeks (old flame hard to die) on his way to JB. Apparently he was very impressed with the plant etc. Bobo SMS me to buat joke bangsat that it was very ironic that Wan Ismail Golok visited his plant a week before to promote an HSE video.

Anyway - this is from Bobo, Aiwa's latest picture with his friends from JB. He is the right-most I think.
(Joke bell - but coming from Bobo whose joke-bell-meter keep going down to a new level every day, I have to share this with the world).

Bantut

Enough of continuous bashing of some hate figures - although it did provide an interesting topic to talk on for more than a week. Anyway, we have enough in our hands to be bothered about baseless and wild accusations coming from Peter Pan-like personalities who do not seem to be able to wake up and smell the coffee that there's more to life than the company of some teenage pupils in Kuala Kangsar!

Went out for a dinner with Pejal about 2 weeks ago. I had to treat him separately since he couldn't join the previous Thai dinner we had among ourselves (me, Bobo, Jita, Allen, Amon 96 and Hasanuddin 98) some time in late August. Basically August is bonus month for Petronas employees - so you are expected to give a treat to your friends (although the fact that all of them, by virtue of being Petronas employees too, received the same bonus did not deter them from badgering poor soul like moi to belanja them).

Anyway, Pejal brought Aini and their daughter together. How they managed to get the poor girl to sleep despite all the noise and shouting was beyond me - knowing Pejal and Aini I wouldn't be surprised that they had drugged her. Aini was a common friend even before they got married - Aini used to work with me on a project, likewise Pejal was also involved. I never know whether they got hooked because of that involvement, or Pejal was already too gatal to get married then (because he was one of the early ones to get married)

Pejal would be distinctively remembered as being one of the 3 gigantic guys when he was in F1, only to become a near midget by the time we left koleq. That's being the curse of bantut - because your growth basically stopped at 13 while others continued until they were 21, Pejal was easily left behind by the rest of the batch.

Of MCOBA, OBW 04 and Reunion

There was a stream of e-mails today, in fact endless e-mails re koleq. Interesting. It all started with one e-mail and the responses kept coming. Anyway, read on, it may explain something.

Allen:

Aku jumpa khairul azli (95) masa lunch tadi. He's one of the committee members for the centenary celebration. He asked why our batch tak balik OBW. Aku explain la. Then dia kata, MCOBA ada their own version of the story. Apparently, we asked MCOBA for some donation to organise a very grand 10 year reunion during the OBW. They denied us the money so then kita merajuk and organised our own reunion.

Rough:

Aku pun tak paham apa laaa yang diorang tak puas hati sangat pasal batch kita ni (ok laaa... tak ramai budak join mcoba kot)

Sekali tu, Fazurin ambik train ke Bangkok nak travel, terjumpa laaa contingent koleq nak ke Vaji. So Fazurin borak2 lah dengan Cikgu Yatie, then tiba2 datang lah si TUT TUT aka B**t**.... tak pasal2 lepas dia tanya Fazurin batch mana, and Fazurin ckp dia batch 94, dia start kutuk:

- batch kita tak 100% SPM
- batch kita tak de masuk Oxbridge
- batch kita tak de Big Five (terhina orang2 mcm Abon, Belly etc. yg kerja kat big five)

dan macam2 lagi.(at least kita tak de lah spend our whole time main-main ngan budak2 koleq although umur dah tua lanjut - aku rasa itu agak laa sad)

Ni yang buat2 cerita macam ni, aku agak2 geng2 yang sama laa kot.

Maybe masa kita Form 5 dia bengang sebab kita tak bagi diorang free ride to roam free kat koleq balik TUT TUT.... or sebab batch kita tak de jambu (don't get offended Bobo) yang layan diorang kot....

So, untuk menyahut seruan Bobo - lepas ni aku nak gi join OPA or STAROBA.

Bobo:

or sebab batch kita tak de jambu (don't get offended Bobo) yang layan diorang kot.... <-- weii.. aku layan la diorang..

Wong:

Kita memang tak der masuk Oxbridge... tapi tak ler Oxymoron macam diaorang...!!!

Heh..he..he... aku boley apply STAROBA kot...pasal aku Matrik kat STAR...setahung kat situ.... dual citizenship allowed kan..???? anyway when I was at STAR... one day..ada team hockey koleq main hockey lawan STAR...one of koleq's player was adik badut..budut.... so dengan muka selamba aku joint cheering koleq...... and at one point.... diaorang F5 STAR...bengang ...sabo aku punyer katil kat STAR.... pasal nak face to face takut plak...( pasal kekonon masa tuh aku kat STAR... jadik instructor Tae Kwan Do...muha..ha..ha...) so...control macho ler....so aku sabo balik paint spray STAR punyer logo kat main entrance gate......hua..hua..hua....

But now.....nak kena reconcile balik..nak apply join STAROBA.....

Joe:

oxbridge? when oxens cross the river?

Mpro:

hahahahahaha... kelakar la ko ni joe sejak dah get married....

Wong:

Sat..sat...aku tak kira kerja kat big fives ker...??? Weatherford now no.4 in Oil & Gas.....in the world...behind..Shclumberger, Halliburton, Baker.... so kira big five ler gak...kua..kuah...kuah...

Anyway..next week Tuesday..aku ada interview Scomi.... sajer nak test market...and nak jadik crony Pak Lah.....so ada sesaper ada kaki kat sana ker....????

Mpro:

Sial betul MCOBA ni.... aku tak pueh hati betul..... ada ka dia kata batch kita menagih wang from MCOBA..... blah la... bila kita nak buat reunion dulu, tak go through MCOBA, diaorang marah, suruh go through MCOBA..... sekarang dia orang charge kita nak mintak duit kat MCOBA... tolong skettttt..... hari punya reunion untung tauuuu.... apasal pulak nak mintak duit lagi kat MCOBA...... sial betul la....

One more thing, kita buat asing bukan pasal merajuk, kita dah check dgn MCOBA, diaorang cakap tak nak buat OBW.... so kita buat la sendiri.... lepas tu, baru dia orang pun terhegeh2 nak buat OBW weekend.... kita dah plan baik2 punya, nak suruh join pulak..... geram betul la aku pagi ni... dah la tadi tgk gambar Haza Rizal Borhan, aku dah geram dah.... tambah pulak dgn cerita ni, lagi la menaikkan kegeraman aku pepagi ni.......

Aku rasa ni mesti kerja batch 84 ni..... sebab dia orang yang terhegeh2 nak buat jugak OBW tahun ni....... blah la.... malas nak layan la..... buat kepala batch sendiri lagi bagus.... oleh itu, next year aku plan nak buat 100 years celebration untuk batch kita aje.... sapa nak join.....

Badut:

Org macam tue kita tak yah layan ruff....buang masa jer.........

Bobo:

hahhahhaa...

joke aku nih standard laa.. bukan mcm badut tuh.. ntah mana dapat spelling "tu" = "tue" (i thought tu is a short form for itu.. kalau dah type tue, baik laa type itu teruss..sama banyak)

reunion arituh ada untung ka mpro? patut sukom 98 ko jadi chairman.. nie rugi ratus juta..

untuk mengembalikan mood ko mpro..

1) bukak gambar haza kat PC ko
2) select full screen
3) undur 20 langkah kebelakang
4) kecikkan skit mata sepet ko
5) haaa.. kan ada rupe robert pires tuh.. jambu apa..

Auzir:

Wei... Betul ke batch kita tak de masuk Oxbridge..

Hek eleh... ok lah tu... jangan yang tak de masuk syurga dah le..

Ha.. macam tu kan bagus kan Wongek...

Kita tak leh le mendabik dada cam kiter jer bagus.... Walaupun kita bagus kita mestilah merendah diri...zuhud skit ler...

Eh,,, jer cube tanyer brutus tu dia SPM gred berape...? Mamat tu masuk Oxbridge ker. Eleh..kalau setakat sendiri pun tak masuk jangan belagak la...kan.

Kalau kau masuk nanti kau boleh jumpa mak aku. mak aku pun STAROBA gak...

ok chow.. ada training ni.

Badut:

Sabar emperor...biasalah kalau manusia tu macam tulah perangainya ...dengki jer.....anyway we have a very successful reunion...hahahaha jgn risau...........

Ayien:

to rough and the rest of the team..

to be frank, i never heard anyone talks/ condemn about on our last reunion. the fact that i'm 'active' in mcoba doesn't mean i devote all my time to hang around melepak ngan diaorg coz you know i have more things to do rather than being a full-timer in mcoba..we are not being paid to be there in the fist place. my commitment is merely on volunterily basis in the scope of the centenery day project (by the way, check this url for the event info: http://www.malaycollege.com/CCDay/- more info will be inserted soon). and kalau boleh i would prefer to have more of our batch to participate in mcoba activities...especially in this ccd project. other than that, they have other committee running simultaneously; ie president committee, project miles, (mcm training centre utk budak koleq), mcoba youth, annual dinner, charity and such.

macam project centenary nie sendiri, mcoba won't sponsor even a single cent which mean that we have to fork out the $$ estimated to be around rm 1.9 mil by ourself. it's not an easy task as what we think it is...the old boys maybe millionaire but from what i can see, mcoba itself pun dah kayap..let me take ccd's fundraising plan for example: the fundraising together with merchandise committee have to come out with all sort of marketing agendas for the event. Things that we are going to use during the day, daripada gajah, baju, souvenir items sampailah ke sudu garpu akan kena lelong (gajah taklah..) sebab nak dapat duit for the event. nasib baik kitaorng dah dpt partial support from the vvip: consent agong for the date (26th march 05) and national commitment, sultan perak for 100% support from mdkk's facilities, y.d.besar n.sembilan utk parade's gear, sultan pahang for air-cond hargreave's hall, sultan selangor for the luncheon and sultan brunei for his presence. i must admit that the task is huge but if every single ex-mc can lend their hand and be-together to drive this effort, insyallah the big day will be a grand success.. not even to us, but also to the whole nation (mckk to be proclaimed as national heritage).

like i said earlier, aku tak pernah dengar diaorg komen -ve pasal individu/ batch during my presence in the ccd's meeting. maybe becos aku takdelah selalu sangat ada kat situ. still, i do beleive that we should...selagi terdaya and niat baik, tolong mana yang boleh. we should have a positive thinking and as long as we know what we are doing, insyallah everything should turn up fine. so kalau ada sesiapa nak tahu pasal ccd or better still, to be volunteer in any of the mcoba's event, do let me know. next ccd meeting is 2 weeks from now: 22 sept 04. siapa nak datang, dialu-alukan..dinner will be serve thorughout the nite.

Interesting heh?

Malay College Kuala Kangsar - A Brief Intro

Malay College Kuala Kangsar (fondly known as the Malay College, MCKK, MC or Koleq and sometimes Eton of the East) is the premier residential school in Malaysia. It is an all-boy and all-Malay school located in the royal town of Kuala Kangsar, Perak. In the Malay language, it is called Kolej Melayu Kuala Kangsar or formerly Maktab Melayu Kuala Kangsar.

It was established in 1905 by the British after a suggestion by colonial education officer R.J. Wilkinson. The idea was enthusiastically supported by the then Sultan of Perak, Sultan Idris Murshidul Azam Shah I (reigned 1886—1916).

As it was founded to educate the Malay elite, comprising of royal children and the sons of Malay nobility, few of its early students were from amongst commoner families. This changed dramatically after 1947, as a result of rising Malay nationalism. Currently, selected Malay boys aged from 12 to 17 from all around Malaysia are being educated there.

The first headmaster of the Malay College was William Hargreaves, an Irishman and a graduate of Oxford University. Since 1963, the Malay College has been led by Malay headmasters.

The most recognizable feature of the school is the Overfloor (built in 1916), a building with pseudo Greco-Roman architecture in front of a rugby field. The Prep School, built around the same time, is smaller but with equally prominent features. In 1947, the West and East Wing, as well as the Administration Block and Clocktower were added. The West and the East Wing, together with the Overfloor make up what is now called the Big School. Two more hostel blocks, the Pavillion and New Hostel were built in 1963 and 1972 respectively. Another prominent feature of the school is the Big Tree, a raintree in front of the East Wing that is said to be as old as the school itself.

The school itself has three fields. One is located in front of the Big School, traditionally reserved for rugby, soccer and cricket. The second field is located south eastern of the Big School and it usually hosts field hockey game. The third open space is in the Administration Block and it is used for various purposes.

The College ground is also the only place in Malaysia where one could find an Eton Fives court. The students neither use the court nor do they play the game, however.

The school also excels in sports and debate. With respect to rugby, it has consistently held a traditional match series against the Vajiravudh College of Thailand since 1960. In odd-numbered years, the match is held in Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia. In even-numbered years, it is held in Bangkok, Thailand.

The alumni association of MCKK is known as the Malay College Old Boys' Association (MCOBA) and it was established in 1929.

A few school traditions, of relatively recent invention, survives. One is the wearing of one of two forms of the school tie every Wednesday by the old boys. Second is the an annual gathering lasting around three days at the school itself - referred to as Old Boys Weekend. Another one is the school cheering where almost every student is required to sing in unison various fight songs during official sport matches while wearing a specially designed polo-shirt.

Amongst the more notable alumni of the Malay College are: Dato' Onn Jaafar, the father of Malay nationalism and former Prime Minister Tun Abdul Razak Hussein, the former Deputy Prime Minister Dato' Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the Sultans of Pahang and Perak, and the Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

* am quite flattered that Wikiverse mentioned the part on debating and cheering polo-shirt - something to cherish from our years in koleq.

"Talam Dua Muka" Morons - A Reflection

Fadli sent an SMS to me in the wee hours last night about Anwar’s flight to Germany today, on Saudi Arabian plane. It bemused me, because surely of all people he should know that I would have known that. After all I am in Malaysia and he is not.

Anyway, Anwar is flying to Germany tonight at 10 pm for his much delayed endoscopic surgery. We wish him all the best and may he return a healthy man.

Anwar’s release sent the country buzzing with rumours, political alignment etc. It was a relief that justice was delivered finally, but I cannot say the same thing about the antics of the mainstream newspapers and people around me and in Malaysia in general.

The Star unashamedly made a special edition to report his release. Everywhere in its report, it tried to project an image as if they had been with Anwar all along, that they too know all along that it was a conspiracy. One of the more senior reporters, Joceline Tan, even had the audacity to write how Malaysians from all walks of life have always sympathised with Anwar and his family. Oooo well if only The Star reads its own reports from 1998 to 2004 first before publishing the special edition!

Likewise, even in my neighbourhood, those people who had been so vociferous to vilify Anwar with all sorts of name before (well it’s a highly charged political neighbourhood, with my house known to be a hardcore anti-mainstream surrounded by diehards 'deep blue') are the same people who are too quick to show how happy they are now that Anwar gets his justice.

All this appalling show of “talam dua muka” spoils my relief that Anwar is finally out. Sometimes I kind of understand the feeling of Albert Crouch Jr., a villainous character in Harry Porter and The Goblet of Fire. I really hate people who do not dare to stand up for what they believe for fear of consequences, only to be the first to sing in the tune and join the bandwagon when the order of the day changes. Unfortunately, they are a lot of these morons around.

Which reminds me of budak koleq – I wonder how all the budak koleq in the high and powerful places will react now when rumours fill KL of some sort of a deal or big bang comeback by Anwar? How most of these people who shunted Anwar and joined the chorus to vilify him back then carry themselves now? I bet my life time income that unashamedly they will be the first to shake his hand.

When Anwar was sacked, it was a bad time for budak koleq. It was even worse if you quite obviously did not believe the allegation, and contemptuously told people off when they spoke of the slander. There was a time when Fadli was sending some stuff home – there was this freight forwarder, one active Kelab Umno member in UK – who jeered and made a mockery of Fadli’s proud display of Malay College Kuala Kangsar on his window. “Ko budak M-C-Gay-Gay ke? Sama macam Anwar laa..” giggled the ugly looking d***head.

Anyway, very glad that all is over. Of all the commentaries and reports made in the past few days, I find this one by Hishamuddin Rais strikes a strong resonance with what I feel.

Enjoy!

I sayang dia dari jauh
Hishamuddin Rais

Selama lima minggu, setiap hari Rabu jam 6.00 petang, saya dan beberapa orang murid tua dan murid-murid yang tidak mahu dituakan dari Kolej Melayu Kuala Kangsar telah membuat ritual di perkarangan Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

Kami memilih hari Rabu kerana hari Rabu ialah hari kabinet kerajaan bermesyuarat. Tradisi hari Rabu ini adalah tradisi Kolej Melayu.

Ritual ini cukup senang - kami hadir dengan berjacket, memakai tali leher Kolej Melayu, berbaris sambil menyanyikan lagu Kolej Melayu dan kemudian melaungkan sorakan resmi MCKK. Ritual ini kami lakukan tidak melebihi dari sepuluh minit.

Ritual ini dilakukan untuk menunjukkan setiakawan kami kepada Anwar Ibrahim yang juga seorang murid dari MCKK yang sedang dituakan politiknya. Ritual yang kami lakukan ini hanya untuk lima Rabu sahaja, tidaklah bertahun-tahun seperti yang telah dilakukan oleh Mothers of Plaza Mayo di Argentina.

Ibu-ibu di Argentina datang ke Plaza Mayo kerana mereka ingin mencari anak dan menantu mereka yang telah hilang dicolek oleh soldadu ditahun 70'an dahulu ketika Argentina dibawah regim militer. Berbanding dengan perjuangan Mothers of Plaza Mayo, apa yang dilakukan oleh murid-murid tua MCKK samalah seperti memakan kueh apam.

Rabu lalu adalah kali akhir kami beritual di hadapan Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Kelmarin, hari Khamis, Anwar Ibrahim yang sedang dirawat di Hospital Kuala Lumpur telah dibebaskan. Dia pulang ke rumahnya di Bukit Damansara. Anwar Ibrahim bebas bukan kerana adanya beberapa orang murid tua dari MCKK yang bertali leher merah-putih-hitam-kuning berani tampil ke pekarangan hospital.

Atau kerana Abdullah Badawi gerun mendengar laungan gempita sorakan resmi MCKK. Juga bukan kerana bil perubatan hospital Anwar terlalu tinggi. Anwar dibebaskan kerana dia tidak bersalah.

Agenda rakyat

Kami yang datang ke Hospital Kuala Lumpur sebenarnya tidak ada tali persaudaraan dengan Anwar. Kami juga bukan bekas ahli Umno, atau ahli Parti Keadilan Rakyat atau bekas calon pilihanraya yang lalu. Kami juga bukan penginding kontrek, bukan bekas atau bakal contract junkies atau penginding tempat dalam Parti Keadilan Rakyat. Kami hanya datang dari sebuah sekolah yang sama. Tetapi apa yang lebih penting disini ialah kami adalah para reformis yang menyokong agenda perjuangan rakyat yang telah di war war oleh Anwar Ibrahim.

Untuk kami agenda rakyat inilah yang maha penting - lebih kuat ikatannya dari ikatan tali leher pengenalan identiti kami.

Kami tidak pernah datang ke mahkamah semasa Anwar dibicarakan. Telinga kami tidak memiliki ruang untuk mendengar persewelan hakim dan para pendakwa.

Tetapi kebanyakan kami akan hadir disetiap perhimpunan haram - ( baca: perhimpunan yang tidak disembelih) - semenjak demo reformasi bermula di Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman pada tahun 1998 dahulu. Semua ini adalah tanda setiakawan kami kepada perjuangan rakyat.

Bila Anwar dibebaskan pada pagi Khamis ini, saya sebenarnya sedang nyenyak tidur. Saya tidak pergi ke mahkamah. Saya tahu bahawa kali ini adalah keputusan rayuan akhir untuk Anwar Ibrahim. Dalam masa yang sama saya juga sedar bahawa kali ini dengan desas desus yang kuat tentang kemungkinan Anwar dibebaskan pastilah akan lebih ramai orang-orang yang ingin menunjukkan diri/muka ke muka Anwar Ibrahim.

Di pagi Khamis kelmarin talipon di rumah saya tidak putus-putus berbunyi. Tetapi saya mempunyai displin diri, bahawa saya hanya akan mengangkat talipon selepas jam sebelas dan sesudah saya meminum kopi. Sebenarnya saya ini insan dari jenis dracula yang bagitu 'alergic' kepada matahari pagi.

Malah, sekiranya revolusi berlaku diwaktu pagi pasti saya akan ketinggalan. Lalu saya membiarkan deringan talipon berlalu. Kerana terlalu banyak deringan kedengaran saya menganggap pastilah ada berita baik tentang Anwar Ibrahim. Jangkaan saya ini betul. Saya mendapati ada lima pesanan dalam talipon bimbit saya. Semuanya datang dari murid tua MCKK memberitahu berita baik ini.

Kemudian saya mendapat laporan berita melalui talipon dari beberapa anak muda yang hadir di mahkamah.

Apabila saya membuka BBC di Astro saya melihat laporan dengan lebih jelas. Dari klip berita jam 1.00 tengah hari saya ternampak beberapa muka-muka para reformis yang amat saya kenali. Dan dikeliling mereka saya ternampak muka-muka baru yang amat jarang saya lihat.

Membuka ruang demokrasi

Ah! Apakah ini satu pertanda baik. Lalu saya bertanya apakah gerakan reformasi bahagian kedua akan bermula.

Persoalan ini sering berligar dalam kepala saya. Ini kerana saya menyedari bahawa agenda rakyat - perjuangan yang saya sokong - masih jauh dari tercapai. Untuk saya dan kawan- kawan dalam gerakan reformasi pembebasan Anwar Ibrahim hanyalah sebahagian dari agenda perjuangan.

Untuk kami perjuangan awal ialah untuk menolak buka dinding ruang demokrasi dalam negara ini. Memecah tembok autokrasi dan membuka luas ruang demokrasi adalah induk kepada perjuangan reformasi.

Sesudah menonton kesahehan berita dari BBC, saya tidak putus-putus menerima panggilan talipon dari kawan-kawan. Semua ini mengingatkan saya kembali kepada tahun 1998 dan permulaan gerakan reformasi. Kini Anwar Ibrahim telah dibebaskan setelah enam tahun dalam penjara. Mahathir Mohamad aka Mahafiraun kini telah tidak lagi menjadi Perdana Menteri.

Tetapi saya merasakan semua ini seolah-olah hanya berlaku semalam dan bukan enam tahun yang lalu. Dan saya telah bersedia sekali lagi untuk turun ke jalan raya untuk memperluaskan ruang demokrasi.

Bila panggilan talipon mula mereda saya teringat kembali kepada satu tulisan saya yang pernah meramalkan apa yang akan berlaku jika Anwar Ibrahim dibebaskan. Mengikut tulisan saya itu, saya wajib duduk di warong Bangsar Utama untuk memerhatikan berapa banyak kereta yang akan menghala ke Bukit Damansara. Untuk membuktikan kesahehan tulisan itu saya telah menapak ke Bangsar Utama.

1998 berulang lagi

Memang betul ramalan saya itu. Di Restauran Maidin di Bangsar Utama tangan saya telah dijabat dengan ucapan terima kasih oleh para pelayan restauran seolah-olah sayalah Tok Hakim yang telah membebaskan Anwar. Tiba-tiba tanpa diminta seorang pelayan telah membawa minum kegemaran saya. Dari sini dapat saya rasakan bahawa gerakan reformasi adalah gerakan popular dan garis perjuangan rakyat masih tepat.

Saya memerhatikan kereta-kereta yang melintasi Bangsar Utama. Sebenarnya amat senang untuk mengenali kereta penyokong reformasi. Mereka tidak pernah berselindung - ada pelekat gambar Anwar, ada pelekat anti ISA, ada logo Parti Keadilan Rakyat, ada logo boikot Utusan Melayu, ada pelekat Press Freedom, ada pelekat malaysiakini, ada tanda bulan - semua ini adalah tanda-tanda kaum kerabat saudara mara dan anak pinak reformasi. Kecuali pelekat wajah Nurul Izzah telah menurun sahamnya dikalangan Mat Rempit. Ini mungkin kerana Puteri Reformasi telah berumah tangga.

Memang banyak kereta para reformis bergerak menuju ke arah Bukit Damansara. Untuk memastikan kesahehan ramalan tulisan saya itu, pada jam lapan malam saya telah pergi berkereta ke Bukit Damansara. Memang betul apa yang saya ramalkan, kereta telah mula bertimbun tambah berbaris-baris mengelilingi perkarangan rumah Anwar.

Di sekitar masjid dan pekan Damansara kereta-kereta telah bersusun. Polis trafik pula telah mula mengarahkan lalu lintas yang semakin sesak.

Seperti yang telah pernah saya ramalkan, Pak Cik penjual burger telah membawa kereta dan membuka perniagaannya betul-butul dipersimpangan Jalan Setia Murni - jalan rumah Anwar. Beberapa buah warong berkereta telah mula dikerumuni pelanggan. Saya juga ternampak tiga orang anak muda Tionghua sedang menjual akhbar Cina keluaran petang.

Orang berjalan kaki bertali arus ke perkarangan rumah Anwar. Ha! Ha! Ha! 1998 sedang berulang sekali lagi.

Saya tidak singgah di Bukit Damansara kerana kami para 'ritualis hari Rabu' dari MCKK telah membuat janji untuk bertemu di pusat kota. Walau pun kami jauh tetapi kami terus diberitahu tentang apa yang sedang berlaku di Bukit Damansara. Terima kasih kepada teknoloji talipon bimbit.

Media membodek?

Di pusat kota saya secara tidak sengaja terjumpa akhbar Star cetakan khas yang melaporkan berita pembebasan Anwar yang diedarkan secara percuma.

Saya juga telah diberitahu bahawa Nanyang Siang Pau juga telah membuat lebih awal cetakan yang sama. Wow! Jeritan ini bukan kerana saya terperanjat. Saya tidak pernah terperanjat apabila membaca tajuk akhbar. Saya menjerit wow kerana saya 'gembira' melihat telatah dan perangai para contracts junkies, para bakal kroni dan para pombodek telah mula hidup semula.

Sebelum ini saya telah diberitahu bahawa beberapa orang tokan, para cukong, para peniaga atas angin dan para commission agents telah mula berligar-ligar mencari tempat yang stratejik untuk meletakkan diri sambil meletakkan kereta atau meletakkan kereta untuk sambil meletakkan diri di Bukit Damansara.

Terlonjaknya bursa saham Kuala Lumpur pada hari Anwar dibebaskan ini pasti mendebarkan hati para cukong yang kerja mereka hanyalah mencari untung dan menimba kekayaan.

Cuba fikirkan selama enam tahun tidak ada pun satu surat khabar, baik akhbar Melayu mahu pun akhbar Cina yang telah melapor secara jujur terhadap apa yang berlaku keatas Anwar Ibrahim. Dan apa pula kata-kata hikmat mereka terhadap gerakan reformasi - semua akhbar menuduh gerakan reformasi sebagai pencetus hura hara.

Tup tup bila Anwar Ibrahim keluar dari penjara ada pula yang membuat akhbar edisi khas konon. Ada gambar Kak Wan dan Abang War sedang tersenyum ranggi terpampang lebih besar dari gambar Mahafiraun. Akhbar ini pula bukan untuk dijual tetapi untuk diberi percuma. Kalau ini bukan langkah membodek namanya mungkin inilah yang wajib kita nobatkan sebagai khidmat para cukong untuk nusa dan bangsa.

Pastilah kita dapat melihat ada kondom MCA disebelah bantal orang Melayu.

Untuk mendapat lebih kepastian, walau pun telah tengah malam, saya telah sekali lagi berkereta menuju ke Bukit Damansara. Saya nampak pelbagai jenis kereta masih banyak tersusun. Orang ramai masih bertali arus - ada yang pulang dan ada yang datang. Kerana saya telah sampai lewat tengah malam maka para penceloteh retorik politik telah berundur mencari air assam jawa kerana suara mereka telah serak.

Saya tidak ternampak susuk Anwar mungkin dia telah berundur rehat. Saya datang kerana ingin melihat dan membaca ambiance politik. Saya amat senang hati bila bersalaman dengan kawan-kawan para reformis yang menganggap pembebasan Anwar ini sebagai satu kejayaan reformasi.

Para reformis kelihatan berkeliaran bebas di sekitar perkarangan rumah Anwar. Pada hemat saya ini satu pertanda yang baik. Atau saya salah baca, mungkin ini hanya berlaku pada hari permulaan sebelum para bakal calon, pengimpit dan penginding tempat politik mengembangkan sayap dan mengenepikan para reformis yang dianggap tidak berkualiti untuk menjadi YB. Mungkin.

Jumpa boss

Saya juga diberitahu tentang kemunculan beberapa ekor politikus bilik mesyuarat. Politikus jenis ini pada satu ketika dahulu amat suka 'menembak' rancangan para reformis yang ingin turun ke jalan raya. Politikus jenis ini telah mula berkeliaran menunjukkan ekor mereka di Bukit Damansara.

Ada beberapa ekor politikus bilik mesyuarat ini yang telah mula berani mengeluarkan celoteh retorik secara terbuka sambil melaung-laungkan slogan reformasi agar didengar oleh Abang War dan Kak Wan.

Alahai, saya ini agak sinikal, seharusnya saya wajib merasa gembira kerana politikus jenis ini telah mula tidak takut kepada ribuan susuk rakyat yang akan merempuh tembuk autokrasi. (Betul ke harapan saya ini.)

Sebelum saya meninggalkan Bukit Damansara saya juga diberitahu tentang kehadiran beberapa watak bekas Umno-bekas Keadilan-kini ahli Umno yang ingin jumpa 'Boss Kita'. Mungkin kerana pesanan talipon bimbit mereka tidak dilayan maka tukang lawak ini telah menebalkan muka untuk hadir ke Bukit Damansara. Atau apa yang dilakukan oleh tukang lawak ini adalah strateji memasang lukah disetiap kangkang.

Tetapi penampilan yang sure heboh sekali dari Bukit Damansara pada malam Khamis ini masih datangnya dari seorang murid tua MCKK. Si Mamat ini adalah seorang bekas menteri kabinet. Tetapi si Mamat ini tidak berani meletakkan jawatan untuk menyokong Anwar. Dia terlalu cintakan kabinetnya sehingga sampai satu ketika dia mula dipinggirkan dalam Umno.

Lalu si Mamat ini mengancam untuk keluar dari Umno. Mengacah-acah untuk menyebarkan berita rasuah. Tetapi ini hanyalah hangat-hangat kencing kuda.

Si Mamat murid tua dari MCKK ini pasti tidak berani menyertai ritual mesyuarat kabinet hari Rabu kami di Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Bila ditanya kenapa sekarang baru berani muncul di Bukit Damansara. Kenapa setelah tidak mendapat kerusi YB baru hendak menunjukkan muka.

Si Mamat ini menjawab, “ sentiasa sokong Anwar, I sayang dia dari jauh.”

Pooorah.

Anwar Ibrahim Released

Today, a fellow MCKK old boy, Sdr Anwar Ibrahim (Class of 64/66), is a free man, cleared of all sodomy charges levelled against him by Mahathir Mohamad in a bid to thwart a possible challenge to premiership. Exactly six years since he was detained, then beaten by his captors to near death, Anwar Ibrahim is finally vindicated.

Many did not forget 2 September 1998, many will also remember 2 September 2004. Justice finally to a man whose sole mistake was to stand up for what he believed was right.

Perhaps an equally strong message of admiration should be dedicated to the tireless old boys and ex-teachers who worked tirelessly to give Anwar his justice. At the forefront of this is YM Raja Petra Kamaruddin, an acquaintance whom I have seen give away his life for this cause.

It's good to be a Malay Collegian today.

One of the first messages coming from old boys in MCKK-Comnet:

From : Adlan Benan Omar
Reply-To : mckk-comnet@yahoogroups.com
Sent : 02 September 2004 07:35:16
Subject : Re: [mckk-comnet] Justice In The Palace Of Justice

A few days after his removal from office, Anwar was visited by an old teacher who told him, "Justice may be delayed, but never denied."

Syabas to Raja Petra, Datuk Salleh, Datuk Kamarul Bahrin, Dr. Hatta Ramli, Yusri Muhammad and the other MCOBs (webmasters, writers, placard holders, campaigners and supporters) who have supported DSAI all this while. I just wish Cikgu Tate was here to see Anwar released. Al-Fatihah to Cikgu Tate and all those fighters who had gone before.

From : Zaim Al-Amin
Reply-To : mckk-comnet@yahoogroups.com
Sent : 02 September 2004 03:26:17
Subject : [mckk-comnet] Justice In The Palace Of Justice

2 September, 2004

Dear MCOBs,

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, a fellow Malay College Old Boy, has been freed. Justice at last...

Today happens to be exactly six years after his undue sacking from the second top post in Government on 2 September, 1998.

My personal congratulations to YM Raja Petra Raja Kamaruddin, also a fellow Malay College Old Boy, Chairman of Free Anwar Campaign, for his tireless quest for justice.

And of course to others who have supported, expressly or otherwise.

Let's do a Bungwak!!!