Oh nooo.............................
The much dreaded straight A's song is back. And this time it's like a big pagan ritual in Hargreaves Hall.
I was imagining how Loque or Kalai or Kadaque would have reacted if we had to sing something like this back then. I could have killed their creative talents altogether, so we would not have Butterfingers.
It could have left me brain dead!
I picked this from MCKK's Official Page:
'GEMILANG AKADEMIK PMR DAN SPM' PROGRAMME
"All MCKK students are commited to attain the best results for PMR and SPM, which is to get 100% A's in PMR and 100% A's core subjects, 75% A's in elective subjects for SPM. The presidents of the form 3 and the form 5 had been vested to lead the vows at the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, everyone in the hall sang the "A" song."
Monday, July 24, 2006
Friday, July 14, 2006
NH Terbakar, Fire Drill and BD/(T)K
"Kekencangan" batch e-mail group tak reda lagi. There has been a flurry of exchanges, the most heated seen in so many years lately. Understandably so since the topic revolves around Islam, so it is only natural that it evokes passionate arguments.
But the jokes and lighter moments were never lost. Whether deliberately or not, there was a truce in effect today when the main issue was the fire at NH.
Rough:
aku balik kemamang malang ni. ada nok kiring ikang?
Ooh lupa nak cakap. Semalam NH terbakar. Api start from store sebelah Dorm 4, and nyaris merebak ke Dorm 4 and 10.
Official version short circuit. Aku rasa Wong has some hands in this.
Awie:
aku rasa yg train hantu dorm 10 tu tergelincir kut. jatuh kat dorm 4. dorm 4 tu yg bawah dorm 10 kan?
woh teruk btul spekong. kiring...hahaha, kigheng lagi seda' bunying.
ni nanti ada komplen pasal wat clique pulak nih. kena fd la malam ni.
Zadin:
Ada orang hisap rokok kot, buang puntung merata-rata.. ala-ala store kat bawah tangga dorm ayul gitu..
Bile mung tanye nok kighing ikang, aku teliur sata pulok... huhuh...
Sata Wei Sata!
Ikram:
Tolong belikan aku kopok lekor 2 kg. Nti ko balik aku amik dari KLCC. Ko bayo dulu, nti aku ganti. Tanak yg beso.. yg sedang-sedang sediameter ibu jari tu cukup le. Nak yg ori. Alaa, ko kat kg tu sure arif punyer.
Luper... sos jgn lupa beli. Kalu diorang jual dlm botol, beli 2 botol.... 3 pun takpe kalu rasa 2kg tu bnyak sgt.
Rough:
cheh korang (especially chibiok n ikram). aku ajak2 kucing je. tak ikhlas pun.
Wong:
AKu rasa Pejal punyer telephone cable short circuit...dia lupa tanggalkan masa curi line 12 years ago....
Pejal:
I hope this is not related to our doings shot circuited the sabre's phone line during spm week ...
Auzir:
Aku nak order ikang fresh leh tak Ruff. Tak larat nak makang ikang letak ubat mayat doh. Mu beli ikang parang, tambang ngan ikang buntal 2 kilo, leh?
Rough:
sampai sekarang sherry dok ungkit kesian kat sabre ngan nolita bayar beribu2 korang curi line. lepas tu alimah perli aku masa balik sudahkan koleq mag -> "kalau tahu laa mcm ni perangai, patut bagi pingat BATU kat semua, bukan pingat emas"
ikan buntal mcm perli aku je. ikan buntal kat klcc ni ada, 83 kg. kau nak?
Mpro:
Tak pe ruff.. aku pun nak kirim gak... kirim salam kat mak ko...
Kalau orang rumah aku buat fd, ok… aku no hal… nak pumping pun tak pe…. Tapi kalau nak berdiri half way up tu still tak larat…. Baik pumping lagi…. Nak2 kena masuk kepala dalam spender… yeeehaaaaaa….. Cuma brand tukar la from mr.london to triumph
Fadli:
hang on hang on ! mpro, kau telah meremindkan aku pasal HALF WAY UP !!!
tolonggggg !!!!
was that the cruelest thing that the fects did to us ?
benda lain boleh tahan lagi ( mr london atas kepala, basuh jamban penuh ngan tahi for cricket players, pumping atas jalan tar ) tapi Half way up....oh tidakkkkkkkkkkkkk sebab tu kut masa F1 orang punya perut semua berketul ketul
bila dah F5, berlemak lemak.
how ?
Pyan:
how about BDK? or somepeople call it BTK??
f3 NH aku rizal zakaria..bayangkanlah esoknya pagi2 aku ngan chamat akan ajuk dia cakap..sbb public speaking mak aaii....sedeyy... nak lecture sgtlah kelakor..ngantuk ada la...
by the way, kalau ada masa....sedekahlah al-fatihah kat f3 NH kesayangan dorm IT 1991...Kamal Erfan..... Tetiba teringat kat dia..bila mpro dok sebut rizal zakaria..
Rough:
ha ha ha most of f3 new hostel mcm tu kot... aku punya pun sama, sorang dok betulkan speck and baca notes atas kertas dengan torch light, sorang ckp mulut tak terbukak and mince his words.
tapi at least kau dpt jambu lecture kau, tak de laa terasa sngt. budak dorm 9 dpt razi ngan toya, ha ha ha.
Syam:
He he he...takde la merepek sgt...ok je dia org tu...razi mcm biasala...nak tunjuk bagus...and toya...nampak mcm tak interested...and kalau boleh nak tido and let razi sorang run the show...
I remember one time...kalau bukan mimpi aku la ni...tgh2 che mad dok jerit 'Boleh Bang' gila kuat...MI tiba2 bukak lampu and "pang" Razi kena sedas...he he he...kuat tuuu...pastu semua boleh sambung tido dgn aman...anybody from dorm 9 yg boleh verify tak sama ada cerita ni betul ke tidak...aku mcam ingat2 lupa incident ni...mcm pernah jadi...tapi mungkin juga mimpi...
Mpro:
Hahahahahaha... siut la ko ni ruff... tiba2 kepala aku dibayangi muka toya.... ngeri....
ps: So there you are. At the end of the day, even in the most stressful of time, jokes from the yesteryears do wonders to calm down the situation.
But the jokes and lighter moments were never lost. Whether deliberately or not, there was a truce in effect today when the main issue was the fire at NH.
Rough:
aku balik kemamang malang ni. ada nok kiring ikang?
Ooh lupa nak cakap. Semalam NH terbakar. Api start from store sebelah Dorm 4, and nyaris merebak ke Dorm 4 and 10.
Official version short circuit. Aku rasa Wong has some hands in this.
Awie:
aku rasa yg train hantu dorm 10 tu tergelincir kut. jatuh kat dorm 4. dorm 4 tu yg bawah dorm 10 kan?
woh teruk btul spekong. kiring...hahaha, kigheng lagi seda' bunying.
ni nanti ada komplen pasal wat clique pulak nih. kena fd la malam ni.
Zadin:
Ada orang hisap rokok kot, buang puntung merata-rata.. ala-ala store kat bawah tangga dorm ayul gitu..
Bile mung tanye nok kighing ikang, aku teliur sata pulok... huhuh...
Sata Wei Sata!
Ikram:
Tolong belikan aku kopok lekor 2 kg. Nti ko balik aku amik dari KLCC. Ko bayo dulu, nti aku ganti. Tanak yg beso.. yg sedang-sedang sediameter ibu jari tu cukup le. Nak yg ori. Alaa, ko kat kg tu sure arif punyer.
Luper... sos jgn lupa beli. Kalu diorang jual dlm botol, beli 2 botol.... 3 pun takpe kalu rasa 2kg tu bnyak sgt.
Rough:
cheh korang (especially chibiok n ikram). aku ajak2 kucing je. tak ikhlas pun.
Wong:
AKu rasa Pejal punyer telephone cable short circuit...dia lupa tanggalkan masa curi line 12 years ago....
Pejal:
I hope this is not related to our doings shot circuited the sabre's phone line during spm week ...
Auzir:
Aku nak order ikang fresh leh tak Ruff. Tak larat nak makang ikang letak ubat mayat doh. Mu beli ikang parang, tambang ngan ikang buntal 2 kilo, leh?
Rough:
sampai sekarang sherry dok ungkit kesian kat sabre ngan nolita bayar beribu2 korang curi line. lepas tu alimah perli aku masa balik sudahkan koleq mag -> "kalau tahu laa mcm ni perangai, patut bagi pingat BATU kat semua, bukan pingat emas"
ikan buntal mcm perli aku je. ikan buntal kat klcc ni ada, 83 kg. kau nak?
Mpro:
Tak pe ruff.. aku pun nak kirim gak... kirim salam kat mak ko...
Kalau orang rumah aku buat fd, ok… aku no hal… nak pumping pun tak pe…. Tapi kalau nak berdiri half way up tu still tak larat…. Baik pumping lagi…. Nak2 kena masuk kepala dalam spender… yeeehaaaaaa….. Cuma brand tukar la from mr.london to triumph
Fadli:
hang on hang on ! mpro, kau telah meremindkan aku pasal HALF WAY UP !!!
tolonggggg !!!!
was that the cruelest thing that the fects did to us ?
benda lain boleh tahan lagi ( mr london atas kepala, basuh jamban penuh ngan tahi for cricket players, pumping atas jalan tar ) tapi Half way up....oh tidakkkkkkkkkkkkk sebab tu kut masa F1 orang punya perut semua berketul ketul
bila dah F5, berlemak lemak.
how ?
Pyan:
how about BDK? or somepeople call it BTK??
f3 NH aku rizal zakaria..bayangkanlah esoknya pagi2 aku ngan chamat akan ajuk dia cakap..sbb public speaking mak aaii....sedeyy... nak lecture sgtlah kelakor..ngantuk ada la...
by the way, kalau ada masa....sedekahlah al-fatihah kat f3 NH kesayangan dorm IT 1991...Kamal Erfan..... Tetiba teringat kat dia..bila mpro dok sebut rizal zakaria..
Rough:
ha ha ha most of f3 new hostel mcm tu kot... aku punya pun sama, sorang dok betulkan speck and baca notes atas kertas dengan torch light, sorang ckp mulut tak terbukak and mince his words.
tapi at least kau dpt jambu lecture kau, tak de laa terasa sngt. budak dorm 9 dpt razi ngan toya, ha ha ha.
Syam:
He he he...takde la merepek sgt...ok je dia org tu...razi mcm biasala...nak tunjuk bagus...and toya...nampak mcm tak interested...and kalau boleh nak tido and let razi sorang run the show...
I remember one time...kalau bukan mimpi aku la ni...tgh2 che mad dok jerit 'Boleh Bang' gila kuat...MI tiba2 bukak lampu and "pang" Razi kena sedas...he he he...kuat tuuu...pastu semua boleh sambung tido dgn aman...anybody from dorm 9 yg boleh verify tak sama ada cerita ni betul ke tidak...aku mcam ingat2 lupa incident ni...mcm pernah jadi...tapi mungkin juga mimpi...
Mpro:
Hahahahahaha... siut la ko ni ruff... tiba2 kepala aku dibayangi muka toya.... ngeri....
ps: So there you are. At the end of the day, even in the most stressful of time, jokes from the yesteryears do wonders to calm down the situation.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Koleq Terbakar!
Ha ha got sms from Kuala that ada fire kat NH. At last Kadet Bomba can swing into action.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Last Minute Kick
About 18 minutes from one of the 2 TV series I try to follow on weekly basis, 38 hours past the deadline of a few materials I have to put together for work, 12 hours before the deadline I set for the course materials and modules of training I have to conduct, 2 weeks over due of the one thing that I should have done but haven't, 5 years late of getting married, 6 years before it will be completely hopeless, 2 days since plunged into the latest round of annual depression - maybe a day left to live on this Earth.
We live by a set of deadlines. My life, at least, is dictated by a long list of "Things To Do", prioritised; with the deadlines always in bold - engraved at the back of my mind all the time. No way out, no way in, can't seem to escape - is perhaps the best description of how suffocating it feels.
Fadli called this afternoon - I know trying to make sure that his schedule is fully occupied when he comes back - and we went through the same conversation that we have had since we were 14. Tanya khabar, many updates on families - he, after all, has perhaps the most intimate knowledge of my family compared to all other people in this world.
Conversation then drifted until it touched on a fellow batch member.
Apparently he is going through rough patches in life and most of the times is under severe depression. Unless Fadli ada nasi tambah, the dependency on anti-depression pills was quite a shock, even to me.
We deal with life very differently. Many of us put a facade, others turn to escapism, some soldier on.
I have this annual clock of depression - I tend to handle it better with age. But when the clock ticks, I could sense the feeling of restlessness, anxiety - of not being able to do anything. Days become unproductive, I could sit endlessly staring at the wall while the days pass by.
As you grow older, you learn to accept that you have to manage emotions and this depression. Many times before you went on the ritual of asking why it has to take place, but after a while whining and self pity is too annoying. I learnt to splash on things I don't need - my spending pattern usually shows a spike at one particular period in a year. Most of the time it indicates moments of depression. Maybe that's a reason some of us keep our credit card statements - it tells a lot about the state of your sanity.
I handle it better nowadays, I bug less people.
Unfortunately you get so unproductive during your depression mode. Work piles and as you desperately want to ignore deadlines, deadlines dictate your life even more so.
But luckily we acquired the last minute skill from MCKK days.
Last 2 weeks I wrote a report that took my staff almost 2 months to compile the necessary information and data; in one day. I had planned to write the report in 2 weeks. But the last minute kick gives you the brain, push and energy to finish in one day what you could not do in 2 weeks.
I am in danger of working 36 hours a day because the depression distracts the focus.
But I take comfort that we, after all, survived SPM with less than 2-month studying. Nearly flunk the degree but saved by the study did 24 hours before. Scraped through CA exam by taking pills to stay awake throughout the exam week.
Rejoice friends.
We have the "last minute" talent. Thank you so much to MCKK.
POST SCRIPT
As for the depression part, it's part and parcel. I know the one cure and answer I need, but haven't had the calling. It's something I will return to eventually.
We live by a set of deadlines. My life, at least, is dictated by a long list of "Things To Do", prioritised; with the deadlines always in bold - engraved at the back of my mind all the time. No way out, no way in, can't seem to escape - is perhaps the best description of how suffocating it feels.
Fadli called this afternoon - I know trying to make sure that his schedule is fully occupied when he comes back - and we went through the same conversation that we have had since we were 14. Tanya khabar, many updates on families - he, after all, has perhaps the most intimate knowledge of my family compared to all other people in this world.
Conversation then drifted until it touched on a fellow batch member.
Apparently he is going through rough patches in life and most of the times is under severe depression. Unless Fadli ada nasi tambah, the dependency on anti-depression pills was quite a shock, even to me.
We deal with life very differently. Many of us put a facade, others turn to escapism, some soldier on.
I have this annual clock of depression - I tend to handle it better with age. But when the clock ticks, I could sense the feeling of restlessness, anxiety - of not being able to do anything. Days become unproductive, I could sit endlessly staring at the wall while the days pass by.
As you grow older, you learn to accept that you have to manage emotions and this depression. Many times before you went on the ritual of asking why it has to take place, but after a while whining and self pity is too annoying. I learnt to splash on things I don't need - my spending pattern usually shows a spike at one particular period in a year. Most of the time it indicates moments of depression. Maybe that's a reason some of us keep our credit card statements - it tells a lot about the state of your sanity.
I handle it better nowadays, I bug less people.
Unfortunately you get so unproductive during your depression mode. Work piles and as you desperately want to ignore deadlines, deadlines dictate your life even more so.
But luckily we acquired the last minute skill from MCKK days.
Last 2 weeks I wrote a report that took my staff almost 2 months to compile the necessary information and data; in one day. I had planned to write the report in 2 weeks. But the last minute kick gives you the brain, push and energy to finish in one day what you could not do in 2 weeks.
I am in danger of working 36 hours a day because the depression distracts the focus.
But I take comfort that we, after all, survived SPM with less than 2-month studying. Nearly flunk the degree but saved by the study did 24 hours before. Scraped through CA exam by taking pills to stay awake throughout the exam week.
Rejoice friends.
We have the "last minute" talent. Thank you so much to MCKK.
POST SCRIPT
As for the depression part, it's part and parcel. I know the one cure and answer I need, but haven't had the calling. It's something I will return to eventually.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Gelak Giler
Ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha
Aku nyaris nak kena tahan kat security guard yang meronda tadi sebab gelak macam nak giler kat ofis sorang-sorang masa dia buat round malam-malam buta. Aku sure dia ingat floor aku berhantu sebab kosong je lepas tu bunyi orang gelak.
Giler kelakar baca all the postings kat Cerita Bell 9094 nyaris nak mati aku. Cerita-cerita masa F1 (e.g. Shahrin Jaminan kena tangkap ngan polis masuk kereta peronda hantar balik rumah) yang aku pun dah lupa ha ha ha.
So keep up the good work, I'll go and add a few more.
E.g.
i) Bobo's posting about Sharap and his cube -> how come kita buleh lupa peristiwa "rileks laaa...."
ii) Syed Moto and Dorm F
iii) Jita kentut dalam class
iv) Pecah suara and "ole" berjangkit from Sc1 all the way to Sc4
v) Ada orang kencing dalam gayung aku kalau aku tak teman dia pi kencing pagi-pagi buta
vi) Makan Pringles socks busuk
Reading it again makes me realise how much I have loved every single second of my life with you guys and although we have parted separate ways, nothing in the world can ever substitute those memories.
I make a promise to everyone that by the time we go for our 20-Year Reunion, I would put all those postings in a book and get the book printed as a souvenir, so that even if everything has abandoned us in 50 years time, there's always that little memory of the innocence of the yesteryears.
Kudos to Awie for coming up with the idea in the first place.
And to present koleq boys who are reading this - we might not score 20A1s, we may not be the model budak koleq that people can be proud of, but we bloody did have the time of our life and no 20A1s can ever be substituted with those memories.
Live your youth and adolescence kids - you only get it once*.
* Disclaimer: Of course people can enjoy their life AND become successful. One or two of the most mischievous characters in all those stories are now earning 5 figures salaries before they hit their 30s. So although it's not easy to find the balance, it's not impossible either.
Aku nyaris nak kena tahan kat security guard yang meronda tadi sebab gelak macam nak giler kat ofis sorang-sorang masa dia buat round malam-malam buta. Aku sure dia ingat floor aku berhantu sebab kosong je lepas tu bunyi orang gelak.
Giler kelakar baca all the postings kat Cerita Bell 9094 nyaris nak mati aku. Cerita-cerita masa F1 (e.g. Shahrin Jaminan kena tangkap ngan polis masuk kereta peronda hantar balik rumah) yang aku pun dah lupa ha ha ha.
So keep up the good work, I'll go and add a few more.
E.g.
i) Bobo's posting about Sharap and his cube -> how come kita buleh lupa peristiwa "rileks laaa...."
ii) Syed Moto and Dorm F
iii) Jita kentut dalam class
iv) Pecah suara and "ole" berjangkit from Sc1 all the way to Sc4
v) Ada orang kencing dalam gayung aku kalau aku tak teman dia pi kencing pagi-pagi buta
vi) Makan Pringles socks busuk
Reading it again makes me realise how much I have loved every single second of my life with you guys and although we have parted separate ways, nothing in the world can ever substitute those memories.
I make a promise to everyone that by the time we go for our 20-Year Reunion, I would put all those postings in a book and get the book printed as a souvenir, so that even if everything has abandoned us in 50 years time, there's always that little memory of the innocence of the yesteryears.
Kudos to Awie for coming up with the idea in the first place.
And to present koleq boys who are reading this - we might not score 20A1s, we may not be the model budak koleq that people can be proud of, but we bloody did have the time of our life and no 20A1s can ever be substituted with those memories.
Live your youth and adolescence kids - you only get it once*.
* Disclaimer: Of course people can enjoy their life AND become successful. One or two of the most mischievous characters in all those stories are now earning 5 figures salaries before they hit their 30s. So although it's not easy to find the balance, it's not impossible either.
Sunday, July 02, 2006
World Cup Fever
Ha ha I am not displaying symptoms of metamorphosis here. After all, I was proud of my kapal layar track record, proud that I earned points for my house in cross country manning the check points (don’t have to run, get points AND got to watch all the jambus sweat their guts out to qualify ha ha) or taking the cab home when I was far behind walking.
However I do think about the question of sports once in a while – or how pitiful our sporting achievements have been. While walking with Fazurin up and down Bukit Antarabangsa (ha ha expect me to get back to that topic repeatedly), the sad state of Malaysia’s sporting achievement featured prominently in our conversation (maybe to make me believe that I was beginning to lead a healthy and sporty life style after all ha ha). To quote Fazurin – “Trinidad and Tobaga is hardly a nation, made up of two tiny islands compared to the 26 million people of Malaysia”.
(before I send people packing to the mosque yet again for fear of tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat – first the exercising routine, now talking about sports – I better get straight to the points)
I wonder whether Azalina the Minister, or her officers and advisors, see the potential of sports to tackle the no. 1 problem of the country (and the Malays) – drug. One can argue that the problem can be solved at source i.e. cut the supply of drugs into the country through strict laws. Unfortunately we do have one of the strictest anti-drug laws in the world (if not the strictest), but each year enrolment into Pusat Serenti keeps increasing.
On the other hand, we invest billions in sporting facilities but until now cannot produce any sporting achievement that we can be proud of AND sustainable.
Why can’t we merge the strategies for both and kill two birds with one stone?
I was going through my correspondence with the kids we coach in MCKK and their correspondence to me – it strikes me of how easy for us to influence and change them over the years. I was astonished at the change in character of some of the debaters, when initially they resisted fiercely our attempts to establish our roles as coaches.
But that’s where the beauty of that age (adolescence) is – they are innocent and open minded. Give them a purpose, make them single-minded about that purpose and prove to them that you care; you can push them to the limits and sometimes even breach that limits.
This is where, in my opinion, sports has the huge potential to counter the influence of drugs among our youths. Why can’t we invest in comprehensive sporting programs at the grass root level, to provide a focus and direction for the kids through sports? Those who have good future to begin with (clever ones or those from middle class families) are unlikely to get involved in drugs; it is those working class Malays who are most exposed.
I don’t have research data to back my belief but it is very likely that a lack of direction – of sense of moving forward, of belief in having a future – plays significant role in luring these youths to get involved with drugs.
But if you keep their mind to something they can relate to, something that builds their confidence that there are areas which they can excel in life (even if they can’t go far academically) – and let a devoted professional carry this job whole-heartedly, maybe we can save a few thousands Malay youths each year.
Of course we need bigger budget to roll out district level sporting clubs for youths, to pay for full time qualified coaches to nurture these kids, determination on the policy makers etc. – but surely the lives of a few thousands kids that may have been involved in drugs are worth every penny?
But then again, too much idealism and romanticism is not a good combination.
It’s worth a thought though, don’t you think?
However I do think about the question of sports once in a while – or how pitiful our sporting achievements have been. While walking with Fazurin up and down Bukit Antarabangsa (ha ha expect me to get back to that topic repeatedly), the sad state of Malaysia’s sporting achievement featured prominently in our conversation (maybe to make me believe that I was beginning to lead a healthy and sporty life style after all ha ha). To quote Fazurin – “Trinidad and Tobaga is hardly a nation, made up of two tiny islands compared to the 26 million people of Malaysia”.
(before I send people packing to the mosque yet again for fear of tanda-tanda kecil Kiamat – first the exercising routine, now talking about sports – I better get straight to the points)
I wonder whether Azalina the Minister, or her officers and advisors, see the potential of sports to tackle the no. 1 problem of the country (and the Malays) – drug. One can argue that the problem can be solved at source i.e. cut the supply of drugs into the country through strict laws. Unfortunately we do have one of the strictest anti-drug laws in the world (if not the strictest), but each year enrolment into Pusat Serenti keeps increasing.
On the other hand, we invest billions in sporting facilities but until now cannot produce any sporting achievement that we can be proud of AND sustainable.
Why can’t we merge the strategies for both and kill two birds with one stone?
I was going through my correspondence with the kids we coach in MCKK and their correspondence to me – it strikes me of how easy for us to influence and change them over the years. I was astonished at the change in character of some of the debaters, when initially they resisted fiercely our attempts to establish our roles as coaches.
But that’s where the beauty of that age (adolescence) is – they are innocent and open minded. Give them a purpose, make them single-minded about that purpose and prove to them that you care; you can push them to the limits and sometimes even breach that limits.
This is where, in my opinion, sports has the huge potential to counter the influence of drugs among our youths. Why can’t we invest in comprehensive sporting programs at the grass root level, to provide a focus and direction for the kids through sports? Those who have good future to begin with (clever ones or those from middle class families) are unlikely to get involved in drugs; it is those working class Malays who are most exposed.
I don’t have research data to back my belief but it is very likely that a lack of direction – of sense of moving forward, of belief in having a future – plays significant role in luring these youths to get involved with drugs.
But if you keep their mind to something they can relate to, something that builds their confidence that there are areas which they can excel in life (even if they can’t go far academically) – and let a devoted professional carry this job whole-heartedly, maybe we can save a few thousands Malay youths each year.
Of course we need bigger budget to roll out district level sporting clubs for youths, to pay for full time qualified coaches to nurture these kids, determination on the policy makers etc. – but surely the lives of a few thousands kids that may have been involved in drugs are worth every penny?
But then again, too much idealism and romanticism is not a good combination.
It’s worth a thought though, don’t you think?
Gorilla Alert
Che Mad the gorilla (left one laaa.. not the right one, Ustaz Rock's Volvo in the background)Gorilla Alert!
After 12 years, finally we managed to track down Saudara Ahmad Nizam Jembari. Well technically that was incorrect, as he "volunteered" to turn himself in after all these years, rather than traced and get caught. Che Mad officially registered to the batch's database and Male-ing List last week.
The last time I was in contact with Che Mad was some time in 2000 - I was still in London and he had already settled down in Michigan by then (or Chicago, I can't remember). From what I recalled, he was working with Ford or GM Motors, married with kids - so I did not expect that he would come back to Malaysia soon.
The conversation revolved around the last political crises the country went through - and our characters back in koleq rarely betrayed what we would grow up to become, for just as he was like-minded with me (as far as political orientation was) in koleq, he was also like-minded in many national issues in 2000. So it was very comforting to know that your old buddy did not change much.
Afterwards I came back and we lost contact. I did attempt to track him down for the 10-Year Reunion in 2004, but to no avail. In our minds, Che Mad will be in the US for a very long time.
The Male-ing List will be full of reminiscence especially from the Cagers next week. Che Mad was their captain from day one after all. Those who remember the first few Cagers' training, must have wondered how a baby-gorilla-like (whose at first glance couldn't have jumped higher than 3 inches) was made a captain, when naturally it should have been Syed Moto (the rest, is history ha ha ha). Anyway, they were a good bunchof people and Che Mad did stamp his mark on our lives as a batch in many ways. If my memory serves me correctly, Che Mad was also one of the KPKM Excos in 1994 (most probably looking after Welfare portfolio).
To Che Mad - welcome back and please don't flash American accent with us ha ha ha...
I came across a few batch photos (from the junior batches) and it strikes me that we were one of the very few batches whose batch photo did not feature anyone in a blazer. Everyone was in white long sleeve shirts and ties.
I can't remember whether we deliberately banned blazers, or whether it was by co-incidence. But I don't discount it was a result of our ("my" is more accurate) obsession with making sure everyone was equal and no one would stand above the other, since I was the one who arranged the photo shoot for Koleq Mag. I remember it was after inspection one Saturday morning (duuhh! takkan Monday kot) and Zahadin couldn't make it because his family was around.
When we arranged for the photo shoot, I was aware that the batch photo would become a lasting image of us as a batch. It was important to remind everyone (then and now) that regardless of who we were in koleq, or what we grow up to become - at least once we were of equal stature, accorded the same rights and had the same opportunities - for that we should be treated as equals, with those in KPKM, Prefects Board etc. exercising their positions as "first among equals".
I wonder whether the same feeling still has a footing in MCKK, especially with too much emphasis on the roles and influence of AJK Batch, Prep School & New Hostel prefects (self-styled "custodians"), even the wardens. I wonder whether a Joe Blog in a batch in MCKK now would have equal claim to the MCKK memory as the "stars" from his batch?
* The rambling is a result of physical pain and exhaustion I suffered when Fazurin dragged me kicking and screaming for a one-hour walking session up and down Bukit Antarabangsa, to prove to me that even fat people can do something about their obesity.
He was telling the story (while we were walking) of an obese in the US who could not even walk, who started out her exercise regime just by clapping, before moving on to standing, then aerobic - one year later she managed to bring down her weight to a healthy level.
I smiled and pretended to be convinced, although in my heart I was considering taking MC on Monday!
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