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Wednesday 8 July 2009

1966 - rome was not built in a day!


















































( Click on picture for enlarged view).

My 14 year old son does not enjoy school. Dammit, that is a crying shame!! In my VI days, I spent more time in school than at home.

My daughter on the other hand, has managed to find a circle of friends and get herself into the school volleyball and cheerleading teams. Girls do mature faster and seem to adjust to school better than most boys.

But the current school system does not seem to actively encourage students to partake in extra-curricular activities. Paper chase is the end all and be all of it. They get there completely through personal initiative or prodding from parents. And that is THE damning indictment of the current schooling system in that it fails to produce enough thinking and all round students.

I was reminded recently by my old VI classmate and buddy Dr.Chew Yoong Foong about a ‘hilarious’ incident involving 1972 Lewis Scholar, Lim Theam Siew. In the ’60’s The Headmaster, Mr.V.Murugasu, would appear in class and personally hand out the Report Cards (RC) to each student at the end of each term. When it came to Theam Siew’s turn, Muru asked, “First in class, first in Form, first in Maths. What games or societies are you involved in, young genius?”

Theam Siew, by now reduced to a quivering mass of jelly croaked, “Nnnone, sssssir!”

To which Muru predictably responded with, “Well, bend down, that’ll be three strokes then!”

I am glad to record that Theam Siew, a lovely fellow, ended his tenure in VI as Co-Editor of the school magazine ‘The Victorian’ and as Secretary of Sultan Abdul Samad House and the Automotive Society. If I am not mistaken, he participated in inter-house debates and science & maths quiz and exhibitions as well.

So, the VI system was very clear. Exam results were of course the main priority. But, you had to be a member of at least one ‘uniform’ group and one society, and if you were not good enough to make it into the School 1st 11 and reserves games’ teams, you had to turn out for the inter-house games. Weekly swimming and twice-a-week PE (Physical Excise) classes and the Annual Cross Country Run (3 1/2 miles) were compulsory for all. If one really had a medical condition, one could get exempted from games, but not from participating in societies, debates, school plays/dramas and exhibitions. Hence, there was no discrimination against those who were physically not suited for sports. At the very least, you had to turn up regularly to cheer and support, the school teams when playing at home or away or your house team or even your Form team in games and debates.

The proof of the pudding was that you had to get your participation acknowledged and signed off by the respective teacher in-charge, in the Report Card BEFORE the RC went to the HM. God forbid the RC should go to Muru with a blank page!

What did all this mean?

Students were compelled to mix. Rarely did anyone remain isolated without a friend or two in school with whom they shared common interests and built up lasting camaraderie and friendship that would surpass school days to the grave. And that is important. When interviewing young applicants for management positions, I have frequently come across many with stellar 3.80 GPA and nothing else. They tend to get defensive when asked whether they participated in any extra-curricular activities while in school or Uni. “What’s so great about sports or scouting?” they would counter, mistaking my line of inquiry. Organizations look for team players, leadership qualities and out-of-the box lateral thinkers and problem solvers. A 3.80 GPA alone will not reveal an interviewee’s ability to fit into corporate culture.

And so it was that we were introduced in 1966 to Debating, by Mrs. Chong. The first topic for the inter-Form 1 debate was ‘Money Is the Root of All Evil’. And she deliberately curtailed the title, leaving some width for the proposers and opposers to take the debate to another level, for Alexander Pope had actually said, 'For the Love of Money is the Root of All Evil' which is a completely different proposition!

Each team comprised 6 students. Speaker 1 (who also did the rebuttal) was allowed 3 minutes since his speech would include the preamble, while Speakers 2 and 3 spoke for 2 minutes each with an 3 additional minutes allowed for the rebuttal. Speakers 4-6, who were there to learn about public speaking, spoke for 1 minute each but their oratory earned no marks for their team. While the 3 teacher-judges totted up the marks, anyone from the audience could step forward and present his views on the topic for the day. There was one over-riding rule and that was no one was allowed to read their speech. They could jot down the main points on a scrap of paper to refer to, but wholesale recital was not permitted. The debate would be presided over by a student Chairman and a time-keeper with wrist-watch and bell. Speakers lost points for exceeding the time limits.

While English was my forte, standing in front of an audience of 90 students and arguing about the pros and cons of money and evil was decidedly not; more so, since students and teachers from other Forms and seniors too would attend for the fun of it. As we were novices, we were fully capable of making ourselves look like the southern view of a northern bound ass, because we had to utter pompous phrases like ‘My honourable speakers from across the floor shed heat, but not light!’ or ‘The Honourable 1st Speaker has a point. That’s all. A point! For 3 whole minutes of verbal diarrhoea?’ You could not dismiss the opposition by saying “You are lying!” or “You are talking through your hat!” or “You are stupid!” with which you often won arguments at home with your younger brother. Here, you had to be logical and/or witty.

The main speakers were Raymond Hui Hoong Fai (perennial teacher’s pet), Mac Kean Boon and Ranjan Nitchingham. The Nitchingham brothers and sister shot to instant fame as the ‘Missing Links’ when they won 1st prize in the ‘Vocal Group’ section the 1970 Talentime competition with their melodious rendition of the Mamas and Papas hit ‘Leaving On A Jet Plane’. I was chosen as Speaker 5, with the 4th and 6th being Jaspal Singh (now Engineer and CEO Metroline London) and R.Mahendran (now doctor). That pleased me since even if I screwed up, the marks would not be affected. We had one practice session to polish up our speeches as Mrs. Chong vetted them, especially those of Speakers 1-3 and advised on the possible angles of attack in rebuttal.

The teams gathered for the 1st Olympian debate - 1 North vs 1 South- at the refectory room directly across the road and opposite the permanent tuck shop, at 2.00 p.m. There was much banging of tables and hooting and laughing as most speakers made mistakes in delivery and slip ups in pronunciations.

Then came my turn.

As I pulled out my referral scrap of paper, the audience went absolutely quiet. I was pleased with this respect which is not normally accorded to Speaker 5. Perhaps they knew something about my abilities that I was ignorant of. Anyway, I launched into a vociferous defence of the motion for the day as a proposer and was waffling on about how the evil Rothchilds brokered Word War 1 & 2 for profit (as tutored by my father) when suddenly I got a knuckle knock at the back of my head that stopped me dead in mid-sentence. I was about to shout ‘what the f...!’ as I turned around and immediately froze and gagged up. There was Muru standing right behind me!

Don’t look at the paper, don’t slouch and speak up when debating,” warned Muru as he made his way to the exit. He had been standing behind me from the very second I had stood facing the silent audience!! How from that nadir, dpp emerged the 1st Speaker for the School Debating Team in 1972, must remain a mystery deeper than that of virgin birth! Oh, we would debate about ‘Country Living is Better than City Living’ or ‘Man Proposes, Woman Follows’ and ‘The United Nations is a failure’.

The School Exhibition was held in conjunction with Speech, Concert and Prize Giving Day. Every class had to audition for Speech Day with a presentation; it could be anything – a play, comic routine, solo magic show, song & dance, whatever. Mrs. Chong picked me to mouth the immortal line "Will you marry me?” on bended knee and holding a bouquet of plastic roses to a dolly made-up Chong Ket Chong, in 1 North’s bid for the Oscars. Suffice to say we did not make it to the finals and a promising Hollywood career was dashed at the starting block; for ‘the good is oft interred with the bones’!!


The teachers themselves, as related to me by Mr. Chung Chee Min (CCM ex-Victorian and teacher 1965-67), put up a surprise delightful comedy performance hit for Speech Day Concert 1966 (photo above). The ‘classroom’ sketch was conjured up by CCM with Vinayak Pradahan (1968 School Captain) presiding over as the Form teacher of non-existent class L6A3 whose students’ roles were played by members of VI’s teaching corps such as Edward Dorall, Bernard Koay (who always walked around the school on the balls of his feet as though looking for a fight with anyone, male or female!), Miss Siew Moo Lan and the ever-popular (and ooh, so sexy) Mrs.Lee (sigh!).

The teachers had to rehearse secretly in the staff room after school. There was nowhere else otherwise they would have been seen. Even Che Gu Othman was in the act!

The skit began when the curtain opened with the class seated with their backs towards the audience so they would not recognized. It was a typical scene before the "teacher" arrived: Boys fooling around - CCM was tossing a basketball about, being the school basketball master after all! Then Vinayak entered and they all stood up. And scowling, he gave the "pupils" a dressing down. A few recalcitrant students - Edward Dorall and Bernard Koay - got up to challenge the teacher. And here's every VI boy's (wet) dream: Vinayak gave Bernard a tongue lashing and stared him down. He had turned the tables on Bernard for once and only once ever! In the end, the "teacher" ordered everyone to stand up, line up and march away. This was when the audience got to see the faces and recognize the pupils as the teachers!!

That same concert had Vinayak's class 5B1 winning the senior trophy. They had abandoned their form teacher for advice and turned to CCM to coach them. The item was entitled : "An analysis of humour" a zany look at how we make people laugh using banana skins and cream pies. They had a mad scientist (Vinayak, who else?) supervising experiments on how people slipped on banana skins in the funniest way. The principal guinea pig was plump Radhakrishnan who actually had to fall on a real banana skin. Vinayak's helpers (which included the late human rights advocate Azmi Khalid) scribbled notes furiously with each thud on the floor. The cream pie experiments were hilarious. (The pies were actually shaving cream on paper plates). There was a serial pie throwing sequence and a surprise pie attack on Vinayak himself in the climax, etc. (See photo).

Radha was the younger brother of VI Biology teacher, 'Young Andy' (Anandhakrishnan).

The surprise act at the end of the 1967 concert was the Lion Tamer staff/pupil act (photo above). You will recognize Radha and Donald Lee as "lions" with CCM as the Lion Tamer. CCM was turning the tables on the famous act by using boys to behave as lions. CCM wore a fake beard, making him resemble a lion. It was pronounced the best item actually but they couldn't collect as it was not officially entered as an item.

These were really grand, superb and spectacular affairs, ranging from Cadet Corps Guard of Honour, Band Tattoos, intriguing exhibits from the Arts and Science & Maths societies like paper-mache world maps and manufacturing banana and pineapple scents in the lab, a massive tree house constructed by the Scouts, Red Cross rescue demos and many more which had the crowds thronging the school. In 1972, the Automotive Society came up with ‘Motor Victoria’, an amazing motor scooter. (Whatever happened to Lian Liong Teck, the inventor?). The 1968 75th VI Anniversary celebrations were topped at Speech day with the arrival of the special guest of honour, the beloved ‘Tunku’, Malaysia’s first Prime Minister. The Tunku’s wife, Puan Sharifah Rodziah gave away the prizes which unlike the books and trophies of other years, consisted of a specially minted silver medal with the school logo on it. dpp was one of the lucky ones that year!

In 1966, one of the classrooms was converted by the Science & Maths Society into a lab for conducting IQ and Psychology tests, such as the curious Rorschach Inkblot Test. Just as I, who was in Form 1 and dwarfed by seniors, was plucking up enough courage to give the speed reading test a bash, one of the teachers stepped forward to go for it as well. The test consisted of two paragraphs of text typed backwards and your IQ would be graded according to the speed with which you completed the reading. This teacher completed the test and we all stared in awe at him as his score was read out – 150+. Genius level! The teacher was none other than Chung Chee Min. I quietly slunk away in case I turned out the score of Equus Asinus (donkey)!

They came from as far as Penang Fee School and Johor English College; the VI Exhibition Day was something to behold. The piece de resistance was the Fireworks Display put together by the Science & Maths Society. I never found out who started that tradition but the whole effort was awesome since it was all done in-house, from mixing the chemicals and propellants to sourcing bamboo to make strips for the rockets.

There were many other avenues for students to excel in - Basketball, Netball, Tennis (not so popular then), Philately, Photography, Persatuan Bahasa Kebangsaan, Chess, Cultural Society, Scientific Victorian and more. The school regularly produced plays directed by Mr.Edward Dorrall such as ‘Arise O Youth’, ‘Look Back in Anger’ and ‘A Tiger is Loose in Our Community’ with a cast comprising students and teachers with no prior professional experience whatsoever! These plays were also staged at the Town Hall for the general public.

You can take a horse to water but you cannot make it drink. So, they say. But, many in VI discovered and realised latent talents and dormant potential which they developed and honed because the system pushed you beyond the water’s edge, and sometimes just plain threw you in the deep end without a life-jacket. There were the shy ones, the laid back, the unadventurous and the ‘muggers’ types who needed to be told that as far back as the times of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle before 300 BC, scholars were encouraged to engage in oratory, wrestling, gymnastics, the odd drinking binge and a wanton orgy or two!! And that the Olympic Games (776 BC) predated the three philosophers supreme.

(If you have an interest in mythology, you would have read about the slayer of the Gorgon Medusa and the Kraken, Perseus, (son of Zeus and Danae), who the Oracle at Delphi predicted would be responsible for the death of his grandfather Acrisius at the precursor to the Olympic Games at Larissa).

For it is foolish, brave youth which needs to be prodded, dared and challenged to claim Excalibur, slay fire-breathing dragons, win gold fortunes and seduce sexy, golden haired '10' Bo Derek-like maidens fair sporting crazy tantalising rasta plaited hair !


Oh, and where were we? Ah, yes! Older and old men are too careful, hesitant and calculative!

More and more frequently, this education system produced those occasions and those students and those performances that justified all that pushing, pushing and pushing. There was a flurry of max 5A’s HSC, 8A’s Cambridge and 7A’s LCE students and winners of prized Full Colombo Plan Overseas Scholarships, some of whom had to qualify by attending a testing stint at the Outward Bound School Leadership Course.

After all these years, one incident stands out in my mind. That is the Annual VI vs Federal Military College (FMC, now Royal Military College or RMC) Athletics Meet held at the FMC grounds in Sungei Besi, KL, on 25th June 1966. After five long years, VI wrested the Dr.Lewis (VI HM 1956-62) Challenge Trophy back from the clutches of FMC at th end of a full day of rigorous, fair competition. The School Athletics Captain claimed the Trophy and then did not just rush back to do the conga with his team of heroes who had individually and collectively contributed points to the eventual victory. He spun around and walked over to HM, Murugasu, and presented him with the Trophy. Now that was a gesture of pure class and could not have been rehearsed. It was a simple act of spontaneity that had every Victorian there breaking out in applause and cheer.

That athletics captain was none other than the redoubtable and irrepressible Nah Seang Hoo. The older inspired the younger. The baton was passed successfully. We etched it into the ROM/RAM hard discs of our still untouched muggy brains!

Sadly, the VI-FMC Meet was discontinued after 1966. But the tradition to excel had its roots in as far back as 1955 when Mani Jegathesan (later Dr.M.Jegathesan, who, at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, became the 1st M’sian ever to qualify for the 200m semi-finals) joined VI for a year, and the legendary 1936 ‘Hitler Olympics’ Quadruple Gold Medallist and black sprinter Jesse Owens visited VI for a coaching clinic as did Olympian Parry O’Brien (shot putt and discus) in 1957.

Rome was not built in a day!!

donplaypuks®

19 comments:

  1. 8th July 00:53

    Hi dpp

    Of course; who the devil could possibly forget VI.

    I was literally blown off my seat yesterday by the rush of nostalgia when I opened my email here in the morning. To make contact 37 years after the Diaspora on the last lap prior to retirement, the feeling was magic. For a while I felt I was reliving the VI years all over again.

    What I still cannot get over is how you can remember all that stuff you put in your blog. You have the memory of an elephant. Bemused that you thought I should have been a prefect; thanks for the gracious compliment, but you give me far too much credit.

    A bit on my post VI years: in Feb 78, I started work with the Government of Singapore in the Administrative Service (the equivalent of the Administrative and Diplomatic Service in Malaysia). Remained there till Sep 04, when I retired ( oh yes, I am a pensioner !) and joined ComfortDelGro, a listed Singapore–based transport conglomerate, in a gamekeeper-turned-poacher sort of manoeuvre that saw me relocate to London to look after ComfortDelGro’s business interests here in the UK and Ireland. Been here almost 5 years, and think I’ll be here at least 3 more before I get my parole and head back.

    Family-wise, far from perfect. Married in 1977, to an Aussie, immediately after graduation (must have been the hormones), divorced in 1996, 3 great (still-dependent) kids, all in Sydney. Nowadays, when asked on my status, I just quote Frank Sinatra, ‘’Married I’ve been, now I simply rent’’.

    What satisfying news to hear that Raja Nong Chik is now Minister for Federal Territory. You know, I lost touch with him the day he left for RMC. Saw him briefly once, in our 6th form days but could not connect. It was a sad encounter that has stayed with me to this day, for I genuinely liked the chap, and was my closest friend in Forms One, Two and Three…. If you see him again, do pass him my best wishes.

    I make an annual visit to KL, and my trip this year is planned for 6th-9th August. It will be great to see you and others for a meal. If it’s to be dinner, 6th or 7th would be ideal, as I am already committed to family do’s on 8th and 9th I plan to leave for London. Can you round up some of the guys?

    Ciao for now.

    Best regards,

    Jaspal Singh

    8th July 14:29

    Sure, publish as you wish. Life’s an open book, and it’s a measure of the strength of one’s character to be able to be open and honest and to be able to bare one’s soul, don’t you agree? Thanks for asking, though.

    Actually, I am in touch with quite a few VI boys (and one or 2 girls) now domiciled in Singapore, as for many years I was President of VIOBA (Southern Branch), the now virtually defunct Singapore chapter of our OBA. Unfortunately they are all mostly our seniors. Like Professor K Satku (Satkunanantham), HSC-1968, orthopaedic surgeon par excellence now doing National Service in Singapore as Director of Medical Services. The only chaps from our years whom I know are Mac Yin Tee (small Mac), who is now living in Perth and works as Finance Director of DrillTech, a Singapore-origin company in the oil industry logistics business headquartered in Aberdeen and with operations all over the world, and Lim Theam Siew, who like me qualified in Newcastle Australia on a Singapore Colombo Plan Scholarship and is today a senior Director with the National Library Board in Singapore. I will try and get you their email addresses. I was briefly in touch with Chin Seong in Sydney in the late eighties. He married a wealthy VI girl, and ran her father’s hotel in Sydney. If I think of any more names I will let you know.

    BTW, the first Ashes test is this time being held in Wales, first time in 107 years. Can’t understand why…

    Will give you a shout before I descend on KL.

    Take care,

    Jaspal

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well Jaspal

    I read and re-read your comments. There is a refreshing honesty there that leaps off the page. That explains your successful career and life so far.

    And I have no second thoughts about my opinion that the VIPB was the poorer for your absence.

    Do come by often and drop us a line or two about your days in VI. I'm sure you had some encounters with Rajaratnam.

    best wishes & look fwd to meeting up with you again.

    dpp

    ReplyDelete
  3. Chong Siew Meng8 July 2009 at 18:10

    Hi again,

    It wasn't all work.

    During the '68 exhibition period, a boy found his way into the ceiling of the upper floor of the Science block and decided to take a walk on the beam. Unfortunately he lost his balance, fell through the ceiling and fractured a forearm bone. For his pains, he was caned (presumably for damaging school property)

    Not to mention the crash helmet that was left lying around and ingeniously used by 2 boys to compare their bladder volumes.

    I think fireworks are due to Peter Tang (U6, 1966), now in medical practice in Singapore.
    Again in 1968,during the exhibition, someone actually lit the fireworks in the 6th form chemistry lab and these had to be doused by fire extinguisher. We didn't successfully burn down the lab. For what happens to those who do, see http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2006/oct/15/schools.education

    ReplyDelete
  4. dpp

    After reading your article it looks like I am going through the time tunnel back from 1970,1960's.

    Very interesting. I was in Pasar Road Primary School in 1952 and Chan Wah Seng, Murugesu were my teachers with Thambiah our headmaster, followed by Leong Fook Yen later.

    You should know me. I was in Laman Coales, Jalan Cochrane Govt Qtrs. I really enjoyed reading your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi friend,

    I really enjoy reading your blog and recapping the many memories. In answer to your question: who started the fireworks display on Speech Day?

    Dr Peter Tang.

    Peter initially had the idea of starting the Malaysian chapter of NASA. So off he went with yours truly in tow to some disused mining area to fire off his water pipe stuffed with all sorts of chemical goodies. Of course the thing never took off but it did make a huge bang!!

    After many failed attempts I finally quit on him.

    That was when he thought of the fireworks thing. Wong Chee Kong was one of his first recruits. He was the Grand Grinder of Chemical Powder. I am not sure who the others were. They were a dedicated lot and worked day and night producing enough fine grinds to fire all those mortars skywards.

    Peter is now a specialist in occupational medicine with his own practice in Singapore.

    ReplyDelete
  6. From: tan seng tee
    To: dpp
    Sent: Wednesday, 8 July, 2009 19:11:38
    Subject: Re: Blog

    Hi dpp

    Not a problem to reproduce the email.

    Seng Tee


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    From: dpp
    To: tan seng tee
    Sent: Wednesday, 8 July, 2009 8:14:47 PM
    Subject: Re: Blog


    Seng Tee

    Great recollection. Yup. I remember 'fiddlesticks"!! and that caning incident but can't confirm if it was Kam Cheong. That's why I need all you guys to chip in.

    Can I re-produce this at the blog please? I'm sure Jasps and Nong will find it very amusing!

    So, catch up next month.

    Regards

    dpp


    From: tan seng tee
    To: dpp
    Sent: Wednesday, 8 July, 2009 18:08:43
    Subject: Blog

    Hi dpp

    Just read Jaspal's email. I cannot help but echo his amazement at your elephantine memory based on your recollection of the various events and incidents of 40 plus years ago. And I do remember Jaspal and Raja Nong Chik were 'thick as thieves' in class but it was often Raja Nong Chik who got caught and not Jaspal. As Kwok Fee related in an earlier email, he was a 'favourite' of Rajaratnam. If my memory serves me right, one of Rajaratnam's favourite saying in class for an incorrect answer to his question was "fiddlesticks!".

    And talking about Muru handing out report cards, do you recall a student who was expecting a caning and had placed an exercise book in the posterior of his pants to mitigate the effects of the blow but was, as expected, discovered by Muru and got double the punishment? I think it was Mun Kam Cheong and was in either form 2 or 3.

    I will be in KL the same time as Jaspal. So, would be great to catch up with him and others as well. I am catching up with Kwok Fee in Singapore on August 4 and then flying to KL on August 5 and be there till August 13.

    Kind Regards
    Seng Tee

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Kai See & Siew Meng

    Thanks for clearing the fireworks issue. Am still curious who this quiet Peter Tang was who set in motion a fine tradition. Perhaps you can get Wong Chee Kong to throw some light on it.

    For many of you who don't know Pong Kai See (last VI year 1966), we all wished we had half his brains and good looks! Check out VI Honours Board at http://www.viweb.freehosting.net/vihome.htm

    Dorai

    Is the PRES Murugesu of 1952 also the same guy as in VI?


    dpp

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wong Chee Kong13 July 2009 at 12:09

    Dear "old" Victorians,

    I am amazed just how you guys can recall the fireworks incident. I really have no clue exactly what happened. All I can remember is that I was coaxed into the tedious task of grinding those powdery stuff. Some one had to do the dirty work and I guess I had been tricked into it.

    Sorry guys, memory limitation has forced me to over-write a lot of past incidents with recent events on FIFO basis.

    Best regards,
    Wong Chee Kong

    ReplyDelete
  9. (Slightly edited with kind permission of Theam Siew. dpp)


    Dear dpp

    It was indeed a most pleasant surprise to hear from you again after all these years.

    Took me a little while to place you in that part of my memory, but once I started reading the rest of this email thread, and looking at the names mentioned, it brought back memories that I thought had long disappeared from my mind.

    And when I went into your blog earlier to see what it's all about, imagine my surprise when I saw the picture of the Automotive Society office bearers in 1972, and to read about my "alleged" encounter with Muru. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry! I was a little miffed initially, not because of the relating of that incident in your blog, but more because I have absolutely no recollection of it at all.

    Anyway, I'm glad someone like yourself is keeping some of these priceless memories alive, and that you are trying to reach out to more of our long-lost classmates.

    I know Jaspal well, as we both went on to the University of Newcastle in Australia to study, and subsequently we went to work for the Singapore public service. Unfortunately, I lost touch with him after a while for various reasons. It would be great to catch up with him, as well as the others, again.

    The other VI old boy that I was in contact with in Singapore is Alex Eow Yoke Kee. I bump into him occasionally, usually at the golf course. As for the other old boys/girls from our batch, I'm pretty much out of touch totally.

    For the record, besides being involved in the Automotive Society and in the school magazine, I was also in the Cadet Corps (the infantry, not the band) for a period of time. I still have vivid memories of some of the practice drills when the teacher-in-charge (can't remember his name) would be sleeping in the classroom while we were sweating it out in the hot sun, and being bullied by his overzealous drill sergeants!

    I also participated in some inter-house games (I was in the Sultan Abdul Samad house), and survived a few rugby and hockey games (what can I say; they were desperate for players to make up the numbers!).

    In any case, what's indisputable is Muru's reign caused even the stoutest of Victorian hearts to quake in their boots/shoes. : )

    With best wishes,

    Theam Siew

    ReplyDelete
  10. H Theam Siew

    Great that you responded.

    I think the teacher in charge of cadet corps was Cikgu Hassanudin.

    An important point in relating that incident was to emphasize that the top students and scholars from that era had and/or developed other skills and interests as well. They were not mere muggers!

    That is important for a more complete education to prepare and give schoolchildren the confidence to face and deal with the real world, after leaving school. And your successful career and that you now play golf are clear testimonies of the education system of yore which was not perfect, but which was still a darn sight better than what we see now.

    I am in despair of the current education system and its over emphasis on paper chase!

    dpp

    ReplyDelete
  11. Dear dpp,

    Thank You very much for the link to the good old days! The effort is very much appreciated.and certainly I have it bookmarked!

    However, need to correct something...

    I wasn't a "Sr. Trainer" - there isn't a position with that title..! I rose from the ranks of Croupier to Supervisor, Casino Executive, Casino Shift Manager, Slot Shift Manager and Admin & Training Manager. When I retired from Genting last year, I was the Assistant Vice-President Surveillance for the previous 6 years.

    I was recalled from retirement by my friend and ex-superior officer to help him out in RWSentosa. So here am I in Singapore..!!

    Liow Soo Choong
    Assistant Director


    hi Soo Choong

    May I have your permission to post your reply at my blog? Many of your old classmates might read it and want to get in touch with you.

    Also, I will make the corrections about your job designation.

    One thing I remember is meeting you by chance on a Sri Jaya bus after the MCE F5 exams, either Dec 1970 or Jan 1971, when you told me you were going to join Genting the next day because of some family finances. I was shocked! I thought you would continue your studies. Can you clarify? Just kay poh lah!

    Best regards
    dpp


    Dear dpp,

    Yes true…..I thought at that time I was not the “educated kind”….therefore, I decided to join the “rat race”…and what a race..! Being a sprinter helps eh.;)-..?

    Looking back I strongly believe fate has been kind to me all my life. The 11 years of education in PRES and VI(thank God! I was in these schools and not some other “lesser” known ones!)had given me a strong moral foundation to face life’s travails.

    With my “qualifications” I climbed up the corporate ladder fair and square and well rewarded along the way…;)-

    Hey! Your Marvel comics ( with all its super heroes) gave me inspiration ....remember your chestful of comics…?

    Yes, you can make the correction…not too much la!....make me “humble”…ok….?! Not a superhero! The world don’t need superheroes…just plain honest hardworking men and women…..look at the credit crunch..

    Keep on blogging, buddy!

    Cheers!
    Liow Soo Choong


    Hi buddy

    It’s incredible you remember my chestful of Marvel Comics. I had a lot of 1st Editions - of Spiderman, XMen, Daredevil et., all lost. Could be a millionaire if I still had them!

    Can you recall Sports Day 1969 when you almost created an upset leading Yap Kian Fui round the bend in the 200m finals? Aah, the good old days!

    Hope to see you in KL on 7th August

    dpp

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  12. Some familiar phrases that I can recall:
    "Damn swine!"
    "What is so good about the morning?"
    "Fiddlesticks!"
    "Do you think I am your pocket friend?"
    "Only friends call me Charlie"
    "Ponampalum Valapalam is considered speaking Tamil during school hours" You guess who the originators are.See you guys on the 7th.

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  13. I know Rome wasn't built in one day, I feel so happy reading about Rome because it reminded me when I went to Rome and I knew a lot of beautiful places.

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  18. Hi Liow Soo Choong, you would probably have no idea who I am. My name in Michael Chong.I remember you as a fantastic school runner.You were thin as a scarecrow. I remember you as an unassuming, soft spoken and quiet person. BTW how many grandchildren do you have now? I have already reached an agreement with my wife that our ashes are to be interrred in Malaysia. My kids are all overseas and have their own families to take care of. Bye now and best wishes and good tidings may always be at your side.

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