A Straight As Song

I happened to know that koleq had come out with a song, composed by our own staff, to inspire and motivate college boys to do well in exams. Apparently the song was showcased to all, by a pre-pubescent choir of Form 1 boys (what else is new ha ha, imagine a college choir made up of F5 boys!) during the last Annual Speech Day, graced by the YTM Raja Muda of Perak, Chairman of MCKK's Board of Governors.

I have not had the privilege to listen to the song, nor to draw inspirations from the lyrics. But the very idea that a premier school like MCKK has to come up with a song to so-called "inspire and motivate" its students, did inspire me to spare 15 minutes of my time to blog!

Personally, I feel that it's actually quite a mockery of what MCKK was and is all about. The moment we have to resort to songs and sloganeering, it is as if we too have embraced the spirit of "Boleh-land"! For each occassion, for each purpose, for each change of guards, there will be a silly song repeated over and over and over again - whoever who came up with the songs and actually believed that people do get motivated and patriotic when listening to these songs, are the true champions of "Boleh-land" who hopelessly delude themselves.

Because we all know that these songs are corny, crap, do not invoke patriotism or inspire anything, but most of the time provoke us to deride the mentality of those in power. If they think that Malaysia will achieve greatness and thrive in today's world through songs, that just shows their own simplicity of minds.

Similarly, if MCKK thinks that the current perceived (I say "perceived" because I never believe that an over emphasis, or over-kill on exam-oriented academic achievements reflects the actual objective and meanings of an education that we all sought when we were boys) drop in performance would be solved by this song, then I feel sad for MCKK. I can't help but feeling it's an act of desperado, of a spraying gun technique, to employ whatever comes across you without a careful study of how ridiculous this idea is.

The Kolej Song is more than enough to invoke pride, to inspire, to motivate collegians for the past few decades to strive for excellence. I don't see why the present boys cannot feel the same pride and the song not to have the same effect on them. Just because no where in the song did mention about "mengikut Amalina dapat 17A1" doesn't mean the song has lost its relevance and therefore the need to reinvent the wheel!

Sing this in your heart fellow budak koleq, if you can't feel even a tinge of pride out of this song, go and hurl yourself into Lubuk Mak Anjing:

LAGU KOLEJ MELAYU

Oh Kolej Melayu
Harapan bangsaku
Dengan sejarah yang cemerlang
Harumlah namamu

Kolej istimewa
Didikan untuk semua
Keluar membimbing negara
Maju terus mara

Bangga kurasakan
Khidmat kuberikan
Tak kulupakan jasa-jasamu
Oh Kolej Melayu

No song can better embodies what Malay College is all about - the pride, the tradition of excellence, the history, the meritocracy in action despite its aristocratic beginning (hence "didikan untuk semua"), the hope of every collegian that one day they will make a contribution to the country and its people, and the promise that we may leave MCKK, but MCKK will never leave us ("tak kulupakan jasa-jasamu"). I bet my entire life saving (which is not much) that the newly composed song can come no where near to this song (kudos to Datuk Salleh & Co. who penned the song - unlike its modern day usurper, this song actually came from college boys!).

I feel it's time we cut the crap and be firm about what it is being an institution. We pride ourselves of the heritage we defended for 100 years, but we run headless looking for a silver bullet lately, intense from an onslaught of confusing and mad education system that will one day grind this country to the ground. The MCKK family, if only for the benefits of all our future children, must have the courage to stand up and defy the order of the day and remain a firm believer in what we do best - churning out all rounders and leaders, not nerdies and straight As scorers who have never climbed a tree, or got caned for going out to towns at night for a late supper, or operate your own radio station etc. etc. (or ha ha stole a school bus for a ride at night ha ha). If we are really proud of the heritage, it is time to summon all the high mighty MCKK old boys and patrons together - otherwise we should stop citing our celebrated alumni if they can't do something about this.

As for other songs that are closer in sending the message of MCKK education to heart, I think Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance" is the best so far. This is what I learnt from MCKK, not to score 17As (and none of us did ha ha):

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making

Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
I hope you dance


I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance
I hope you dance

We might pick the wrong side or believe the wrong thing, but we always "dance", we are never a by-stander. That's why we have Dr. Azahari the Bomber all the way to Anwar Ibrahim, to Butterfingers and Tun Razak.