KRF Kak Mie: Taman Shahbandar - the big trees park

KRF Kak Mie: Taman Shahbandar - the big trees park

KRF Kak Mie: Taman Dataran Maziah

KRF Kak Mie: Taman Dataran Maziah

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Ciku/Sapodilla

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Ciku/Sapodilla: "Ciku/Sapodilla Sapodilla , or ciku as called in Malaysia is the edible fruit of Manilkara zapota (formerly Achras zapota ), of the ..."

Cars of My Life: My First Car

Cars of My Life: My First Car: "TOYOTA LE My first car was Toyota LE 1.6GL bearing registration No. TH 8155. I bought the car by way of a hire-purchase (HP) transaction w..."

keropok kg kolam kuala ibai: KEROPOK SRI KOLAM IBAI - Part 3

keropok kg kolam kuala ibai: KEROPOK SRI KOLAM IBAI - Part 3: "Hm...what a taste of keropok lekor then? keropok lekor Get it when it is still hot. Take 2 or 3 units of that keropok lekor. Cut..."

kampungku, kuala ibai: Keropok/Fish Cracker Kuala Ibai

kampungku, kuala ibai: Keropok/Fish Cracker Kuala Ibai: "KEROPOK- How it is made? Having eaten kropok? How does it taste? Do you know how it is made? Why not have your own made keropok? Fir..."

KRF Kak Mie: PERFECT TIME TO VISIT MARINE PARKS IN TERENGGANU

KRF Kak Mie: PERFECT TIME TO VISIT MARINE PARKS IN TERENGGANU

Jiktana: RIGHTS OF HIRER UNDER HIRE PURCHASE IN MALAYSIA - Part 2

Jiktana: RIGHTS OF HIRER UNDER HIRE PURCHASE IN MALAYSIA - Part 2

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Malay Apple

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Malay Apple

Part 9 - Schools and Social Life

Sekolah Alam Shah, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (SASKL)

I was offered to join Form Lower Six Literature in SASKL in early 1976. The school is one of the oldest school in Malaysia. The buildings were looked older too. The school hosted male students only, ranging from Form 1 up to Form Upper Six and a Matriculation Course for science students.

After registration was completed, all brand new students whom they called as freshies have to attend the orientation week's programs which in my opinion were similar to bullying or raging. We were forced to wake up at 4.00am. Then we have to wear short  and t-shirt for an assembly on the field between the hostel and the classrooms. It was very cold therefore we were asked to jog and perform some light exercises. Then we have to sit and wait until the Bilal performed the Azan for Solat Subuh or morning prayer.  

They gave us just 15 minutes to get ready for  the Solat which is to be performed in the school's assembly hall. So, we did not take the shower, but the Wuduk (sort of cleaning certain parts of our body before performing Solat) only. The Imam was the school's ustaz (religious teacher) who had leaded the Solat. Next, they have a tazkirah, sort of religious class up to 7.00am. We have to rush back to the hostel to take the shower or to toilet. Next, we have had our breakfast in the dining hall and then straight away to our class.

The orientation week was organized by the hostels' warden and senior students of the school. They even have a committee to organize the program. There was a case where one of our friend refused to follow the instructions given by one of the committee member. They have had a serious fight ending with some injuries to both of them. Next day, my said friend was asked to leave the school. He did left the school but came again few days later with his parents. I was told that the father was an officer in the Education Ministry Office in Kuala Lumpur. The incident was asked to be closed and nobody will claim any damages against each other. Ironically, the two enemies have had became very close to each other after that.

Since I was a bit talented in Qur'an reading I was then appointed as Bilal of the school soon after the  end  of the orientation week. My duty was to perform Azan five times a day, calling students to attend the prayers or the particular Solat. But attendance were not so many because students were allowed to perform their Solat in their hostel dormitory. It was a hard job too because I have to rush to the hall, the moment our class finished at 1.00pm. At the same time, the students were having lunch. So, after performing Zohor prayer with some ustaz and teachers, I rushed to dining hall to get my lunch, which was normally kept by the kitchen assistant under specific instructions from the ustaz. So, my meals were a bit special from other students and I always have my lunch with ustaz.

Being the school's Bilal, I was responsible to be the Bilal for Solat Jumaat on every Friday afternoon which were held at our school's assembly hall. The Solat Jumaat is a Friday Afternoon prayer which must be attended by Muslimin ( male Muslim) every week. There was no mosque available within the vicinity of my school area. As a result, the Solat Jumaat has to be performed in our assembly hall. The place attracted students from neighboring Technical School, Selangor Science School and the trainees from Special Teacher Training College and Technical Teachers College.

By 12.00 noon, after finishing morning class session, I have to rush to the hall to fix the mats on the floor for the Solat Jumaat. Normally, I was helped by the committee members of the school's Islamic Religious Board, of which I was the vice president too. The Solat Jumaat ended at about 2.00pm. Only then we have our lunch.

I was good also in football and represented the school for various competition and tournament held by the Ministry of Education. But, as far as I am concerned, we never claimed any championship during our times.

I have competed the Qur'an reciting contest for the school in Cheras area too, but just have the consolation prize only.

I have finished my study at SASKL in 1977 and have passed the STP/Higher School Certificate with flying colors.

KRF Kak Mie: Saturday Market at Kampung Buloh/Permaisuri

KRF Kak Mie: Saturday Market at Kampung Buloh/Permaisuri

Jiktana: First CHERNOBYL then FUKUSHIMA next?

Jiktana: First CHERNOBYL then FUKUSHIMA next?

Jiktana: Rights of Hirer Under Hire Purchase in Malaysia - ...

Jiktana: Rights of Hirer Under Hire Purchase in Malaysia - ...: "Entering a Hire Purchase Agreement In Malaysia, if you want to buy a car, especially a brand new one, you must have some money as the depo..."

Jiktana: US Withdrawal From Libya

Jiktana: US Withdrawal From Libya

Part 8 - School and Social Life

Sekolah Menengah Sains Pahang, Jalan Gambang

Early 1974 I have joined in Sekolah Menengah Sains Pahang (SMSP), Jalan Gambang-Kuantan, Pahang. It was a damn solo appearance for me in that school. I was the only representative from Sekolah Menengah Batu Buruk to join the SMSP. In fact, the envelope containing the offer letter from SMSP to me was posted to SSSS bearing may name on it. The letter took about 2 weeks to reach me. And, when I registered my name to the administration office of SMSP, I was called to the Headmaster's Office to explain the reason of my late appearance. The Headmaster, Abdul Rahim then allowed me to join the school.

I was sent to SMSP by my Allahyarham Grandfather. From Kuala Terengganu we took express bus to Kuantan, then we took normal bus from Kuantan to SMSP at 8 milestone of Jalan Gambang-Kuantan. After sending me at the front gate of the school, my Grandfather leaved me alone to register. I remember the Headmaster asked me in Malay Language but with Terengganu slang "mana ayoh mung? ke mung mari sorang diri je..." means "where's your father? or are you coming alone.." I just told him that I was accompanied by my grandfather, but he has to rush back to Terengganu by bus before the sunset.

But, soon after registration, I was admitted to the hostel dormitory and placed together with other Form 4 students. There I made friends immediately with students from Terengganu. There were plenty of them. Some in Malay Medium class like me and some in English Medium class like my friend Nik Malik. I could not recall who was the first friend welcomed me there, but everything was great with Terengganu dialect being spelled almost everywhere inside my dorm. Many of them were jokers and made and told funny things making new listeners like me to laugh at large. They were very friendly however. 

There was no actual orientation week for us because we were actually in the second batch of the school. The first batch were the Form 1 students whom at the time of our arrival became Form 2 students. Hence they were not brave enough to arrange for an orientation week against us. No word like freshie or newbie being spelled by them against us.   

As the school football field was closer to our hostel block, I used to play football almost every evening. I was selected in the school football team...but most of the times sat as the team's side line. I think I have never played for the school's first eleven team. My role will be required when right winger Azli was injured or the other first choice substitute player, like Zakri was not fit to play. So, I have had very limited role in the team.  

Our school also not good in every aspects of sports or games because we were just two years old. We were no match with Sultan Abu Bakar School (SABS) of Kuantan in terms of sports and games. Sports facilities and equipments were insufficient on our side. Besides, we were the governments' boarding school which were tasked to concentrate more in academical aspects rather than in sports and/or games.

I was not good in academic, but in certain activities organized by the school I managed to contribute something to them. I was the school's champion for the Qur'an reading contest and have represented the school to compete in the district of Kuantan level. Though only have the consolation prize, I felt proud for doing something for the school in the first year of joining them. But then by the end of Form 4 I became a bit rugged and have had my head shaven. That style has had attracted the Headmaster to remove my cap I wore during the Monday morning assembly in the school's hall. Fortunately, he was satisfied with my appearance,  though looked a bit surprised with the presence of a lookalike Yul Brynner in that school.

When I was in Form 5, I have more friends not from Terengganu. This was because they were my classmates, and furthermore my old dorm mates were all on heavy study and concentration for the final exam, SPM/MCE. I mixed with friends from Perak like Amri, Azizzan and Tajuddin; from Malacca like Naim, Ghafar and Soh Ah Chin; from Selangor like Karim Mansur and a lot from Pahang itself. I started to talk rubbish and spelled dirty words during conversations with friends. It was a cultural disarray and a perverse audacity on my behaviour which was not in accordance with my actual personality.  This was the main reason of my failure to shine in my academic scope especially in science subjects and additional math.

When SPM result was announced, I have no chance to extend my study to Universities for a Diploma course, because I failed to qualify the minimum requirements set by the University concerned. I was then very lucky when SASKL offered me a place in Lower Six Form to study Malay Literature.

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Rambai

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Rambai

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Nangka/Jackfruit

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Nangka/Jackfruit

KRF Kak Mie: Locxal Fruits - Duku, Dokong and Langsat

KRF Kak Mie: Locxal Fruits - Duku, Dokong and Langsat: "Duku, Dokong and Langsat Langsat fruits hanging at the branches of tree Lansium domesticum or Duku, Dokong and Langsat are the specie..."

Education - Part 7 - Schools and Social Life

Life During Secondary Schools

Sekolah Menengah Batu Buruk (SMBB)

Sekolah Menengah Batu Buruk/Batu Buruk Secondary School, Kuala Terengganu...now/presently known as Sekolah Menengah Seri Budiman. This school is located in a village called Kampung Bunut, about 1 km from my house ( Kampung Kolam Kuala Ibai ). I was in second batch when I joined the school in Form 1 in the year of 1971. I used to walk to the school every day.

During wet season I walked bare foot to school. From my house, I must have passed a village adjacent to my village called as Kampung Banggol before reaching the school compound. There was a small Muslim Cemetery, a well and a Wakaf or a hut for people to stop and rest or as a shelter when it rains. I will ware socks and shoes after cleaning my feet. Then I walked to school compound which was just about 70 meters from the wakaf.

I have made lot of friends in this school. The one I most remembered is Long bin Mamat. He was from Kampung Nibong, located not far from school. He was the one became the champion in the school badge/logo drawing contest. His drawing was accepted by the school and had officially became the school's badge until today a (subject to some adjustments as to the school's name).

the badge or logo of SM Seri Budiman

The school has a very large sports ground. One football ground, one rugby field, one grass track field, 2 sepaktakraw courts and one netball ground. Despite of excellent achievement by Punch Gunalan in badminton All England, our school did not has a badminton court. In fact, we did not have even an Assembly Hall at school. We used to gather for assembly every Sunday on the school's parking lot. Inspite having a large sports compound, our sports achievements were less if compared with SSSS (Sultan Sulaiman Secondary School).

SSSS had dominated the sports so well not only in the District of  Kuala Terengganu but also in the whole state. In football they have contributed international level players for the state and the country. Footballer like Harun Jusoh had been playing for Malaysian Football Squad against Germany football team captained by Franz Beckenbauer in Munich Olympic Games 1972 of which we lost 3-0 in the opener. Then came the players like Abdah Alif, Yunos Alif, Marzuki Ismaun and later on like Nasaruddin Yassin all of whom were the products of SSSS. They were not playing for Trengganu only but for the country in the international level.

SSSS also excellent in track and field. Their products among others was Allahyarham Kamaruddin Maidin who represented  Malaysia in Rome Olympic in 1960 together with Dr. Mani Jegathesan and Dr. Shaharudin Ali in athletics competition. Kamaruddin was the first ever Malaysian athlete who have won five consecutive Gold Medal in five SEA Games commencing from 1959. Those athletes were excellent by their own spirit and strength. At that time there was no special training or coaching or special equipments or nourishments like what have been enjoyed by national athletes today. Yet, they managed to step into the Olympic level and provided their challenges at the world class.

Me? I was not so good in athletics. I have no strength and speed for athletics or sports contest. But, I have skill for football and I played for school in competition. When I stepped into Form 3 in 1973, I have left behind all games and sports activities and concentrated in study. I wanted to go to the government's boarding schools to continue my study in Form 4. 

And, I managed to do so...

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Manggis/Mangosteen

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Manggis/Mangosteen: "Manggis or Mangosteen The mangosteen or purple mangosteen ( Garcinia mangostana ), colloquially known simply as mangosteen , is a t..."

Education - Part 6 - Schools and Social Life

Games and Sports In Primary School

I was a bit talented in football and played for the school. However, SPKI was only keen on field hockey at that time. They concentrated so much on hockey, for both boys and girls team. As a result, both hockey teams emerged as champions for under 12 years old hockey competition for Southern Kuala Terengganu. Our football team have not done anything better than a loser in all matches then.

I used to play football in my village. Sometimes we organized some friendly football matches between our village team and the teams from adjacent villages. However, we did not have a real football field for such matches. We were prohibited from using the school's football field. Therefore, any ground which was flat and away from houses will be cleaned together to create a football field. Sometimes the field was within the coconut orchard. So, while playing football, we have to be careful and cautious about the coconut fruits above our heads. When dribbling the ball we have to ensure ourselves not collide or hit the coconut trunks. One thing for sure, we play football with bare foot. Soccer shoes were very expensive at that time and it was difficult to find too. But we used to collect some money among ourselves for the purpose of buying new ball if the old one got rotten. 

We played football every evening, starting from 5.30pm, regardless whether it was raining or not. We played the game with seriousness and full commitment. It was our practice to play adamantly and never surrender easily to our opponents. Sometimes we got hurt and injured for foul play, but never have brawls or fights in our games for such injuries. Why? It was because we do not have referees in our games. The field was not up to the size or similar with the standard football ground. It did not have sidelines. The ball is considered out of play if it hit bushes or jumped over the bushes beside the playing ground. The woodwork or the goal posts were made from hard bamboo stems which were taken from bamboo orchard behind my house. When fixed as the goal posts, the bamboo was not really looked horizontal anymore. The middle section will bend down a bit. But, we just did not care about it and we continued to play football in accordance with the facilities that we have had in our surroundings. 

Sometimes we attended the Stadium Sultan Ismail Shah in Kuala Terengganu to watch football matches involving the team of the state against teams from other states. Normally the matches were played in every Friday or Saturday evening commencing at 4.45pm. At that time, the stadium was not yet equipped with floodlights or spotlights for night matches. So, the Malaysia Cup football campaign have all their matches to be played during weekends in the evening.

I have attended plenty of the matches held in the Stadium. Ticket fee was RM2 for adult and 50 cents for kids above 12  but under18 years old. Since I was below 12, I have enjoyed a privilege of the free minor tickets to watch the matches. I knew some state's player at that time such as Yahya Jusoh, Abdul Rahman, Sulaiman Rejab and the younger stars like Abdah Alif, Marzuki Ismaun and Abdullah Ali. I also knew some players from other states such as Shukor Salleh  from Penang,  Namat Abdullah and Shaharuddin Abdullah from Perak, Ahmad Shah Norbit and Mokhtar Dahari from Selangor. Those players had played in front of me when they visited the host Terengganu in Malaysia Cup matches within the years of 1968 up to early seventies.

I remember the football matches between Terengganu and Kelantan always ended with brawls among the supporters of the two teams. I just cannot understand why the meeting of the two neighbors in football matches always became an ominous situation between their supporters. Even though the games between the two teams ended with stalemates but then, such results were unraveling the altercation among the supporters which sometimes had provoked the players on the field to commit fouls or assaults during and after the games. 

But intensified situations between the neighboring teams also happened in our modern football. In English football, the club like Liverpool has Everton as the merseyside challenger for numerous years already. Manchester United has Manchester City as its neighboring opponent. Likewise, AC Milan and Inter Milan in Italian football, Real Madrid and Athletico Madrid in Spanish football.

If there was a match between Terengganu team and Kelantan team, my father will not miss the game. He will ask me to accompany him to watch the game at the Stadium. He used his old Raleigh bicycle to go to the Stadium with me as the pillion rider at the back. He had a little questions and resistance form my mother. But most of the times he kept quiet and ignored the insinuation with naughty smiles to my mother. My father was the supporter of the Trengganu team and many years later on has became a Liverpool football supporter during the era of Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish to the era of Ian Rush and Craig Johnston.

At that time (within 70s) we used to watch television at our neighbor's house. Story about Liverpool stars always appeared in the tv news, telling about their successful English Premier League Cup campaigns year after year ( Liverpool won EPL Cup 5 times for the seasons of 72/73, 75/76, 76/77, 78/79 and 79/80 for the 70s). The club also holding the record as the most winning English Premier League champions with 18 times which was leveled by Manchester United 2 years ago. But, Liverpool is still holding the record of the most victorious English team in European Champions League Cup, winning 5 times.

 
Oh I missed you so much my father...the true supporter of Terengganu FC and Liverpool FC!!!

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Mangoes

KRF Kak Mie: Local Fruits - Mangoes

Education - Part 5 - Schools and Social Life

Life During Schools


Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Pusat Kuala Ibai(SPKI)

Life during primary school at SPKI was not  fascinating. Studying at primary school those days were boring and not exciting. We do not have cellular phones and computer games like what the pupils having today. We have only one blackboard in front of our class that we have to focus every day. Thus our mind were purely focused on what we heard from our teachers and what we saw on the blackboard. Since our mind were not even exposed to modern media technologies like today, we were getting used to the modes and systems implemented those days. We can understand and learn easily, day after day.

Those days, we used to walk to school. If it rains, we will take off the shoes and carry it along and walked bare foot to school. We will wear the stocking/socks and shoes when we arrived in our classrooms. We did not want the socks and the shoes to became dirty and wet because wet shoes were difficult to get dry. Besides, shoes were expensive too. I have only one pair of shoes for each year.  I never kick hard objects when wearing school shoes because it might easily got torn off and caused a hole on the toe or frontal part. It was a bad habit for those kicking the stones or woods each time they spotted them on their walking path. Thus, their shoes did not last longer.

I remember how my shirt and short looked like on every Sunday morning ( state of Terengganu has Friday and Saturday as weekend. So, school will start on every Sunday as well as government and private sectors too). My shirt and short will be soaked into a light starch liquid. After getting dry, my mother will iron them. It may allow the short to stand by itself. The ironing device made in copper or seterika as we called it  in our mother tongue was powered by the coconut shell charcoals. The seterika itself was heavy, weighing more than a kg. So, it took some energy in ironing process and time consuming too for the charcoals to heat the seterika. All pupils must iron their clothes for every Sunday assemblies to sing our National Anthem and to hear our headmaster speeches. I presume all parents of the pupils have seterika at home at that time.

image of the seterika powered by charcoal

Those days, primary school boys wore white short sleeve shirts and dark blue shorts whilst girls wore dark blue skirt and white short sleeve shirt. Funny wasn't it? Yet we have not heard any case of outraging modesty among the pupils, what more a rape case at that time. We have not been poisoned by yellow culture yet because no multimedia waves applicable in our society that day. We knew what was sex but no one dare to speak or talk about it in public. We have a love feeling against our opposite sex but  that was just to the extend of self feeling only. Looking to the eyes of the loved one was not easy, what more to speak to her/him. 

We do not have electricity supply at schools and homes. So, no lights and ceiling fans available in our classrooms, what more air conditioning systems.We have no night classes, tuition or any sort of night revisions at school. We will have to study by ourselves at home under the lantern lights or pelita what we call it in our language. It was not good to our eyes, but then it was the only choice that we have. Our eyes actually got used to the environment and we always have had our dinner under the light of just one pelita. Amazingly, only one pelita was used as night light for our house when we were sleeping.

pelita

I remember, my parent's house did not have toilet either inside or attached to the house. But, the house is a wooden house where the floor was made from pieces of hardwood nailed together on the supporting woods set to the wooden pillars of the house. They had a kitchen standing on the pillars too but a bit lower compared to the main house. There was one corner where we can piss at night. This section had a rarely nailed floor woods so that the water can go through or drop faster. There was a big earth ware jar called tempayan in our language which was always full with water for our use. It was my job in the late evening to ensure that the tempayan will be filled with water every day. Sometimes my mother replaced tempayan with another earth ware product called pasu or vase or oval jar. We did not bring or place a pelita at this section because we did not want naughty boys peeping at our sisters or young girls when they pissed. Yet, our eyes can adapt the situation even though the pelita was placed in the middle of the house.

Pictures below showing the look of tempayan on the left and pasu on the right.

It was our typical life style that we were used to defecate or discharge our unwanted waste material just inside the bushes. The only thing was to ensure you were not stepping on other peoples' products while lurking in the bushes to find a strategic location. Sometimes we have to reverse and find other location because there was somebody already there given warning about his/her presence.

I remember that in the year of 1968, when I was in standard six the government subsidized the toilet bowls to villagers and my parents have one. Still, the small defecating toilet was constructed far from our house, but still on our land. They just dug a hole approximately 7 to 8 feet deep and 4 feet square wide. Then they made a wooden floor and fix the bowl on it. Some family used cement mixture to fix the bowl like the one done by may father.  So, there will be a permanent tanker for the shits below the toilet. We have to bring a pail of water each time we want to discharge.

No problem at all. We have our own happy living even though without electricity and its devices. We did have a small transistor radio made in Phillips powered by batteries. The radio lasted many years thereafter. The radio was the only contact that we ever had with the outside world at that time. We heard news, Hindustani songs sang by Mohammed Rafi and Lata Manggeshkar...or local singers like P. Ramlee and Saloma, A Rahman Hassan, A Halim, S Jibeng, L Ramli, Hasnah Haron, Ismail Haron and many more. We also listened to the Egyptian singers like Oumi Kalsoum and Abdul Wahab. Sometimes we gathered around to listen to the dramas or series of radio dramas performed by our local casters.

 Next post is about my out of school activities or sports.

Education - Part 4

I have made a lot of friends during my study at Science Pahang Secondary School and at SASKL. I remember few friends at Science Pahang, like Nik Malik, Mat Zaraai Alias, Naim Bakar, Zaihan Daud, Baharin, Hisyam, Mokhtar Awang, A Rahman Mokhtar, Zainuddin, Azizan, Amri, Ghafar, Dollah, Ah Fatt, Ah Chin and Selvam. There were still many more friends like Mat Leh Mata Merah ( Mat the Red Eyes), Sidek Besar, Sabri, Zubir, Malek and Leman (Sabahan), Zaidin and Zakri. Some have gone forever... like Kamaruddin (the state assembly man), Azahar and Ariffin. May Allah bless them.

I made friends too when I was in SASKL. Some were the already friends from Science Pahang such as Mat Zaraai, Naim, Leman, Malek, Ghaffar and Dollah. The rest were the students from SASKL whom had to stay for literature class in lower six. Two years in SASKL had made me a town boy. At that time (1976 and 1977) the Pertama Complex was the most popular destination for us. Shopping Complexes like Sogo, the Mall, Bukit Bintang Plaza and Berjaya Times Square and hypermarkets like Giant, Tesco, Carefourr, Ikea and Low Yat were not in existence yet.

So, every Saturday and Sunday we will go to KL and have our own sweet time at Pertama Complex, or have a cinema at the Odeon or at the Federal in Chow Kit area. Sometimes we walk few km from Pertama Complex to Coliseum Cinema in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman and proceeded straight to Puduraya and going up to the Pavilion Cinema before ended our walk at Sungei Wang Plaza in Bukit Bintang area.

One thing I always remember was the relationship between Malay, Chinese and Indian were very close at that time. We were respecting each other and very helpful. We did not have racialism issue like today even though Malays were having better provisions from the Government. Malay did not not afraid or suspicious to other races, in fact Malay respected other races as much as they respected Malay.

At that time we were Malaysians, where the names like Soh Chin Aun, Mokhtar Dahari, Santokh Singh, Lim Teong Kim, Shebby Singh, Shukor Salleh, V. Arumugam and many others were synonyms in our football line up. Then came the name like Poon Fook Loke in Malaysian Hockey where we emerged as World No. 4... the best ever position that we managed to sit in the World hockey ranking. We were doing good in badminton too. We have Punch Gunalan in single and Razif and Jalani Sidek in mens double champions in the All England badminton championship.

I remember our national football squad were no match to the south east Asian countries. I can recall how our football team trashed out Myanmar team 9-1 in a soccer game for a SEA Game held in KL. We defeated Thailand team 2-0 in the final held at Merdeka Stadium and grabbed the gold medals. Our football team were at the same level with the South Korean team or the Japanese team. In fact, we were better than them in few occasions. Nowadays we are rotten eggs if compared with them.

Now, let me continue my educational story in University. I was placed at the Fifth Residential College of University of Malaya to undergo my first year in Law Faculty. It was really a challenging year for me to adopt the law subjects which were taught in English. I remember that I have four subjects in the first year...Malaysian Legal System (MLS), Law of Contract, Law of Tort and one optional subject of which I have chosen Islamic Law.

The lecturers were, the Dean the late Allahyarham Prof Ahmad Ibrahim for MLS, Associate Prof Visu Sinnadurai (as he then was) for law of contract, and Prof Ahmad, Prof Azmi and Prof Mimi as combined lecturers for Tort.

I have very much difficulties in understanding the subjects. There was not so much help can be obtained from the lecturers. The only probable help might come from the tutors during tutorials. But then, it was difficult to get close to the tutors because they will leave the classroom almost immediately after tutorials. The best was to try to study and understand by yourselves.

But you cannot go anywhere with that knowledge because it was insufficient to answer the legal question in your exam......

Education - Part 3

...continue from Part 2 - Primary and Secondary School

Similar with Standard 1in primary school, I was not good also in Form 1in secondary school. I was placed in Form 1A2 at Batu Buruk Secondary School. This class is a moderate class where students were not really good. This was in the year of 1971. We were in Malay Medium.

But, in the next year of 1972, I was placed in Form 2A1, an elite class. This year was the starting moment for me in concentrating for the Sijil Rendah Pelajaran (SRP) exam. Students in Malay Medium will have to sit for SRP exam whilst those in English Medium will sit for the Lower Certificate of Education (LCE). Both SRP and LCE were equivalent in terms of standard and necessities. Nowadays, they are called as Penilaian Menengah Rendah exam or PMR in its abbreviation.

I have my own time table for my study and revision at home. I admit that I have been studied very hard for the SRP exam. This was due to my target that I want to continue my study in the Government's boarding schools. I have a good result for my SRP which was held in 1973 and was then offered to join Form 4 in Science Pahang Secondary School, Gambang, Pahang. This school was a full pure science school where I have to study Biology, Chemistry and Physic subjects apart from the Additional Mathematics, Modern Mathematics, Islamic Knowledge, Bahasa Malaysia and English. 

I notice that I was very bad in Additional Math subject as well as all the science subjects for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) exam or Malaysian Certificate of Education (MCE) exam. May be I was not meant for science stream. But then I was brilliant in Bahasa Malaysia, English and Islamic Knowledge. I have credit for Modern Math, but failed the Add Math and Chemistry. I have credit for Biology but just pass for Physic subjects. That was in 1975. Based on the result I was more interested to go for literature class in Form Six.

I was then selected to join Lower Six Form for literature class in Alam Shah School in 1976, another boarding school located at Cheras Kuala Lumpur, more popular with the abbreviation of SASKL. Here I must sit for Sjil Tinggi Persekolahan (STP) exam or Higher Certificate of Education (HCE) exam which shall be taken in the Upper Six Form.

In 1977 I sat for STP exam at SASKL and obtained a remarkable result. I also have been selected as second best student for that exam.

 Since I have good result for Bahasa Malaysia, English and History subject in STP my teacher  recommended me to apply for a law degree course at University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. I did applied the same and was offered to join the course in 1978...

...to be continued.

KRF Kak Mie: Kelapa / Coconut - Part 3

KRF Kak Mie: Kelapa / Coconut - Part 3

Education - Part 2

Primary and Secondary School

I remember that I was not really good in education from standard 1 up to standard 3. But in standard 4, I started to catch up and my pick up was tremendous. By end of the year I was group in standard 5A, an elite class. In this year we have Peperiksaan Penilaian Darjah 5 (Valuation Exam for Standard 5). The result from this exam will be graded. Five core subjects are included in the exam.

I think the basic rules and principles are similar with the today's UPSR. The only different is that we have the exam in Standard 5 whilst UPSR is in Standard 6. The result from this exam will decide what secondary school we are in Form 1. If the result is good, 5A for example, one stands very good chance to be admitted into the Government's boarding elite schools, such as MRSM, Science Schools, Royal Military College and many more.

My result for Standard 5 exam is just moderate and I failed to qualify for the minimum requirements for boarding school. But, I still maintain my presence in the elite class for the Standard 6, the final class in Primary School. By this year I was good in English, Malay Literature and History subjects but just moderate in Science and Geography. I finished 6th in my final exam for Standard 6. I was not selected for a Form 1 Removed Class in Sultan Sulaiman Secondary School (SSSS) because I was not active in sport. At that time, SSSS was one of the best English based Secondary School in Terengganu. They have provided some removed classes for Malay language students selected throughout the state. The classes were just to convert the basic language from Malay to English. It meant that a student like me would have to spend 1 year just to learn English in SSSS.

My father did not agree with this Removed class and much more preferred me to go to normal Malay basic Secondary School because I can save 1 year for my education. So, I went to Batu Buruk Secondary School ( today Seri Budiman Secondary School ) to continue my study in secondary school. The school was newly constructed and I was in the second badge of the school, which was first called as Sekolah Menengah Gong Pak Maseh.

the background building is still standing...my Form 3 class was in the 2nd floor in 1973

At that time, the school has only 2 double storey primary buildings connected with 2 ways steps and a crossover bridge in the middle. No assembly hall, surau or library for us. Apart from the 2 buildings was the temporary canteen just next to them. But we have a very spacious sports complex with 2 football fields, a rugby field, one netball field and an athletes track too.Today, all those fields are filled with new buildings, hall , library and canteen, leaving only a football field. Even the Government managed to construct a new Secondary School call Padang Negara Secondary School in the original area of Seri Budiman school. The 2 schools are sharing the same football field today.

the hall of Seri Budiman school today

KRF Kak Mie: Kelapa / Coconut - Part 2

KRF Kak Mie: Kelapa / Coconut - Part 2

KRF Kak Mie: Kelapa / Coconut - Part 1

KRF Kak Mie: Kelapa / Coconut - Part 1

Education - Part 1

Primary School

My first school was Sekolah Kebangsaan Pusat Kuala Ibai, Kuala Terengganu. I was in standard 1 in the year of 1965.

Sekolah Pusat Kuala Ibai today.

I remember in the year of 1965, the school has only 3 single storey split buildings for classes and administration office and one isolated public toilet constructed outside those classrooms. They also have another isolated building for canteen and a large area for soccer field, hockey and netball arena. Somehow, the road leading to the main entrance are made of red brown soil which during the wet season has caused so much problems to the teachers' cars. They have to climb the road leading to the school parking area and pupils' may have to push the cars many occasions then.

In the middle of the 3 buildings are the school's garden with big pokok Kelat or wood Chelate trees, a kind of local heavy hardwood red beech species. The trees were big with the stem  bigger than a hug by a person. It was very difficult to climb up those trees. However there were few stooges whom have proven their skills and managed to climb the same...and I was one of them. As a reward for our creativity and braveness, we were forced to be presence in front of the Headmaster's office to receive our punishment by 3 canning on the right hand palm. It was painful so that we hated the trees so much then.

Our pocket money per day at that time were between 20 to 30 cents per school day. I have 20 cents per day for my expenses. With that 20 cents, I bought nasi lemak for 10 cents and 5 cents  for a syrup drink during class recession at 10 am. I still have balance 5 cents which I kept and collected every day as my saving. By end of the month, normally I had 1.00 dollar in my saving which I gave back to my mother. At that time Malaysian currencies are called in dollars and cents. I reckoned 1 dollar at that time was equivalent with more than 10 MYR today if compared with the purchasing power of the money.

banana leaf in place of umbrella for shelter

I went to school by foot. It was about less than 1km from my house. I woke up at 6.00am everyday. By 7.20 am I was already in school playing around with friends. If I have a duty roster I could have been in my class as early as 7.00am. I have been late few times to school during wet or monsoon season, but was pardoned due to the unavoidable situation. I used to cut banana leaves for my shelter from rain in place of umbrella. Those days umbrella was expensive and meant for ladies and girls only.

Every Sunday morning (in states like Terengganu, Kelantan, Perlis, Kedah and even Johor were having weekly holiday on Friday and Saturday at that time) after singing National Song Negaraku, the disciplinary teacher will check every fingers of pupils. If the nails are long and dirty you will have a punishment by canning. So, most of us have assured ourselves that our nails are clean and cut before going to school on every Sundays.

We also have to ensure our dress were clean and neat. Shoes, stockings, shorts and shirts must be in clean and acceptable condition by the discipline teacher. Hair must be short and neat. If your hair was considered long by the teacher, he will then cut your hair in a very unacceptable style of which your hair might be looked like a peeled coconut fruit. If you have undergone this type of humiliation, you will not dare to keep long hair again in school forever.

The best part was...none of us will tell or try to get some sympathy from our parents for punishments that we have in school so as to avoid further or extra blames from them. Those days our parents were on the school's side!!!

KRF Kak Mie: The Cronicle of Iwe

KRF Kak Mie: The Cronicle of Iwe

KRF Kak Mie: Vacations - Redang Mutiara Beach Resort

KRF Kak Mie: Vacations - Redang Mutiara Beach Resort

KRF Kak Mie: Pulau Lang Tengah

KRF Kak Mie: Pulau Lang Tengah

KRF Kak Mie: HAVING GOUT PROBLEM?

KRF Kak Mie: HAVING GOUT PROBLEM?

KRF Kak Mie: FISH AND PAPAYA SOUP TO BOOST MILK SUPPLY

KRF Kak Mie: FISH AND PAPAYA SOUP TO BOOST MILK SUPPLY

KRF Kak Mie: KUALA TERENGGANU - SRI MANJUNG - KUALA TERENGGANU - 1 Day Trip

KRF Kak Mie: KUALA TERENGGANU - SRI MANJUNG - KUALA TERENGGANU - 1 Day Trip

KRF Kak Mie: K . TERENGGANU - JOHOR BAHRU - K . TERENGGANU - KOTA BHARU - K . TERENGGANU

KRF Kak Mie: K . TERENGGANU - JOHOR BAHRU - K . TERENGGANU - KOTA BHARU - K . TERENGGANU