Was at the Malay College Old Boys dinner at the Istana Hotel last night - very enjoyable. Thought I'd slip in a couple of pictures, not least because these guys kept saying "Just put the photo on your blog and let us pick it up from there."
Once a Malay College boy, always ... Abu (second from left) with his good friends Rahim, Khalil and Mustapha.
I taught these guys 22 years ago and hadn't seen them since. Funny how all that time just melted away ...
We used to publish a magazine of their creative work, Eureka!, which ran into several issues. It has always hurt that the school never officially recognised us as a society (with a picture in the yearbook and so on - these things are so unnecessarily formal!) and help with funds, as we worked very hard and achieved something very worthwhile.
It was, of course the dynosauric pre-computer days I remember typing up the stories on those duplicating sheets (so long ago can't remember what they were called!) and correcting errors with pink fluid. We photocopied the pages of graphic fiction, before labouriously stapling the whole lot together. And then we sold our efforts class to class, just about breaking even so that we could get cracking on the next edition.
Many of these guys say they read this blog so I hope this post encourages them to lurk no more!
Earlier in the day spent an hour and a half stuck in a traffic jam on Jalan Damansara due to a police roadblock so that anyone who looked like a possible demonstrator could be turned back, I suppose. (Bloody annoying, as well as a total waste of police time.)
The centre of the city was completely closed off, and the rain was torrential. It didn't dampen the spirits of those who were walking to the Istana to demand electoral reform. The official version (buried on page 8 of the Star!) is that around 4,000 turned up. Nonsense!
I would consider myself very non-political. I'm broadly-speaking a lazy socialist who can't be bothered with the details of Malaysian politics. Or British ones for that matter.
But I do know that folks have to take a stand for what they believe to be right, and it takes a lot of guts to do that in the face of water canons and thousands of police. I felt very proud when I read the postings on the internet when I got home from MCOBA jollying in the wee hours.
10 comments:
well, i got past two road blocks and got gassed at masjid jamek for my effort. you can read what happended to me in my blog and i threw a few wasabi coated peanuts at you literary lot at the end of my blog...
by the ways these damned umno assholes and newspapers that kow tow to them...i guess you should stop your stupidity and write objectively, everybody have video cam and use internet now , why lie?...4000? proves my points these idiots can't count. if they can lie here they are lying elsewhere and i don't want pack of lairs to rule my country.
Really glad to meet you again, teacher! :)
The picture taken by the official photographer is available on Munzir's Fotopage. I'm the one standing on your right.
We're also getting the old boys to blog on offside.mcoba.org. Perhaps we could start a section just for Eureka!
thanks a lot camus. glad you found the photo here. i like your Eureka idea!
They were called cyclostyle sheets. THhe fluid wasn't just pink, it was a bright garish flourescent pink :)
My parents were teachers and they still used them not so long ago (okie, maybe a decade or more) - they called them stencils and always referred to the duplicating process as 'gelek'. And the 'bright garish fluorescent pink' fluid was thrown out after my parents discovered the computer + dot matrix printer combo, and us kids were recruited to do the typing (chicken peck style)instead of having the typing done by a professional.
And now you've set me off down nostalgia lane ...
-Jen
Always concerns me when these protestors talk about how they're fighting for democracy and justice...would that include equal and just rights for everyone? Gays, lesbians, transgenders, transsexuals?
Anon, would you like to reveal who you are?
Greenbottle, I knew it! You the one with the small pink plastic bag tied over your head. Good on you.
ai what pink plastic bag?...i hate pink except for the pink floyd
cyclostyle, stencil ... ah yes.
i got nostalgic too esp. for the smell of the correcting fluid *sniff sniff*
and also nostalgic for the way i used to have to flirt with the guy in the office (and all in perak malay) so he would do my printing for me ... even though we were not officially sanctioned and therefore not entitled to such help
anon - would that include equal and just rights for everyone? Gays, lesbians, transgenders, transsexuals? yay! bring it on!
Assalam Miss Sharon,
How are you? I was at that dinner, I wonder how I could miss you.
I would just like to say thank you and to mention that I appreciate the few days you taught me at the staff room, way back in 1986.
Again my heartiest gratitude.
Yours sincerely,
Nik Akmar Yusfee.
HP:0169500334
p.s. Wish to hear your voice
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