hbhashim's blog

Country Heights, Kajang, Dec 1, 2007 - The Thouroughbreds 7276, MCKK Class of 76 were gathered at the home of their batchmate in Country Heights, Kajang to honour one of MCKK’s greatest teacher, Mr Tan Gim Hoe whose 34 years of service in MCKK should have a place in the history of MCKK. His retirement from MCKK in 2005 is a great loss to MCKK for his dedicated service should be an example of what it takes to be a great teacher not just for MCKK but the country. He retired with only a certificate and a free lunch given by the school.

For generations, students in Malaysia including MCKK have had to mug for the dreaded year-end examinations, in addition to other crucial ones like the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM). As a result of the exam-oriented system, their grades are seen to determine their career prospects and define their capabilities, to the extent of limiting them.

The history of reforming and rechurning examinations in this country augurs well for a record of "the country that keeps changing its examination in schools. The history is as follows:

Primary School Examinations

1957 Malaysian Secondary School Entrance Examination (MSSEE) introduced (abolished in 1963)

It was with diverse approach that we celebrated the new year 2006. As with any other new year, hopefulness and anticipation rules the day. Yet it wasn’t easy to look for comfort and asylum under the insecurity of a brand new year. And true enough, it’s a new year with very little promise except, perhaps, the prospect of Nicole Davids retaining her World No 1 Squash champion,yet another season of Akademi Fantasia , the Torino Winter Olympics , Melbourne Commonwealth Games and of course, the World Cup. But only if you are ardent fanatics of any of them, that is. For the rest, it’s a matter of wait and see. Thus far, it’s a season of rising oil/fuel prices and of the corresponding rise in everything(including 'roti canais' and 'teh tariks'). Of rise in flood water in TDDI,Shah Alam. OF rise in age and waistlines. Of rise in temper and commotion. The only things going down seem to be the stock market and the torrential rain that falls mainly in the plains of Shah Alam

If it has yet to be done, someone should do a study on how mamak restaurants have re-invented themselves. It could be a lesson in business management in this fast-changing and fickle business environment.

From what were once uninspiring outlets dishing out mediocre fare, mamak restaurants have evolved into a cultural phenomenon.

There seem to be one operating at every corner, much like the pubs in England. In the city and the suburban areas, their fluorescent lights burn bright till the wee hours for a seemingly endless flow of patrons.

In the Klang Valley, at least, their ubiquitous yellow and green signages with its stars and moon logo with distinct Indian Muslim names such as Sayed,Taubat and Barraqah have become an entrenched part of Malaysians, just like the teh tarik they serve. Some have become neighbourhood hangouts and social meeting places.

Changes in education policy was the highlight in the seventies. Fresh from the racial riots of 1969, a new policy was intoduced by an Old Boy, now largely known as the New Economic Policy (NEP) was introduced and thus, the policies pertaining to education were revamped and MCKK was in the full brunt of the winds of change. Post hippies days, The Brady Bunch, Partridge Family, Hawaii Five-O and Mission Impossible, really summed up MCKK in the seventies. That 70's show, yes ... famous TV shows of the seventies; A huge family with talents, one big happy family with all its family tribulations, high drama adventures of love-hate relationships, surviving with the barest necessities, turning the impossible to possible in the face of new challenges, and its own Watergate Scandal.

The first Prefects Board was appointed in 1906 by the HM William Hargreaves. There were just 7 of them back then. Nowadays the Prefects board has 3 times the amount (mainly because there are about 700 students in MCKK, giving a 1: 25 ratio of students to prefects. Back in the early years, the ratio was about 1:9 but the total number of students was about 50)

But, did you know? THAT

The earliest Prefects Board wore full Malay dress complete with ‘tanjak’

The Prefects Board was nicknamed ‘anjing’,

The badge that the Prefects wore were known as ‘lesen anjing’

In the early sixties, the Prefects Board was known as ‘PDRM’ (Polis Di Ryan Melayu)

Kuala Kangsar, or KK (local folks “Kuale) the Royal Town has always being potrayed with its artistic mosque and the long Iskandar Bridge (now with far-reaching the Sayong bridge)! There are other beautiful aspects of the quiet and traditional township!

Here we find the school girls and boys in 'all-white' (except their shoes) passing by the antique clock tower in town center
Nothing to boast about. But look at the setting and the quality of life. Gives you the feeling of staying in museum. A place rich with tradition, calm and caring society! A town condusive to bitching, I say

The old township on the contrary was left unattended. Time stood still, only for nostalgic reasons it is nice looking. Beside this, there was nothing special to be proud of. However at the corner of one of these street was this left over balcony or a architectures of those days! It would have made the town very proud if this particular protion was refurbished. one more added attraction and reason for visitors to wander into town.

It's easy to suddenly have a heart attack or a bout of high blood pressure in Malaysia. Especially if you, like millions of others, rely on public transport for your daily commute. No, this isn't a blog full of complaints about Malaysia's lovely public transportation services. I'll leave that to battle another day. This is about Malaysians. The commuter. Your fellow bus passenger. Your train-mate. Your monorail buddy.

I'd like to give every living breathing Malaysian a chance to defend him/herself here. Perhaps you can explain. Humour me. I need it. Where is the logic of not letting passengers alight from the train before you board? Like idiots - blind, stupid and uncivil, they stand in your way, minding the platform gap (hmm..they do have some intelligence after all), don't see you, while you struggle pass.

“These Penang people ah, teruk lah! Either they are on their way to dinner, actually having dinner, or on the way back from dinner!”

So said a friend after coming back from the fair island on a work trip. Well, I guess it’s not just the Penangites. It’s a Malaysian thing, isn’t it? Food is our culture, without a doubt.

I’m sure the average Malaysian waistline has expanded over the decades, for all age groups. Recuperating from strokes and other coronary ailments is fast becoming a national pastime. We even have school children becoming so bloated to the point of looking like Mongoloids.

Today is another hot day. This heatwave will last till mid March, so says the weather report. Summer in Malaysia (which is like everyday) is too damn bloody hot. To dampen this scorching heat, I really need my dose of the 4-inch stick to soothe this burning desire and I can never get enough of this. The mouth-watering, creamy 'ice-cream potong' which never fails to put a smile on my face, even on bad days. Only 3 of us , (good number for any orgy) in the office can be called "The Ultimate Threesome Potong Lovers". Our almost daily dose of the red bean ingested rectangular cut ice-cream on a stick can most aptly be termed, an addiction.