"We don't need no education ... "

Believe me, it has to be an MRSMer to think of something this out of the ordinary and out of sync.

As we entered the ballroom of Allson Kelana Resort, Seremban, playing in the background was Another Brick in the Wall (Part II) ....

We don't need no education.
We don't need no thought control.
No dark sarcasm in the classroom.
Teacher, leave those kids alone.
Hey, Teacher, leave those kids alone!
All in all it's just another brick in the wall.
All in all you're just another brick in the wall. ...

To an outsider, it would have been the most in appropriate homecoming song for returning former students.

Naturally, we felt personally honoured by the song.

It was surely not by design but it was as though the organiser honoured our presence. Quite few know of our activity as blogger. Some have been feeding us stories. 

That song was actually a popular song of our past. The organiser had painstakingly compiled all our favourite songs at MRSM through the 70s and into the late 80s to be played as background song at the foyer.

But there is more about that song.

It is pratically a tribute to the original MRSM's unconventional education. To tell that hiSTORY of MRSM, here is this video clipping:

If anyone noticed from the video, the creation of MRSM is not merely a Malay effort and a Malay aspiration wanting to better themselves, including the Bumiputera community of Sabah and Sarawak.

We were blessed with Chinese and Indian politicians, bureaucrats, and teachers who believed and dedicated themselves in helping to polish potential Bumiputera students into fine gems.

Ponder the fact that at the time these students begin entering MRSM from 1972 onward, May 13, 1969 was still fresh in everybody's mind. The boys from Kg Baru were witness to some gruesome scenes.

In 1974, Shum Shin June, Amutar Karuppan and Lim Hui Cheng (she came) enrolled. Praba came in 1975.

We knew and understood back then of our role but we were not alien to multiracial Malaysia. Some of the best teachers were Chinese.

Naturally, Tun Abdul Razak's name was mentioned. One of his nephew was present.

That was the serious part. It was conveyed in the presence of Chairman and Director General of MARA, Dato Idris Jusoh and Dato Ibrahim Ahmad.

Do they have the political will to review the education system of existing MRSM and revert to the old proven model?

If they do not have it, we will build one MRSM of our own.

And it will be only our children and grandchildren plus some selected urban and rural poor. History will come a full circle and MARA will send their officers and Directors to learn from the college we copied from them.

That is if there is still a MARA. If DAP had it their way, they will closed up such institutions. It is  happening in Selangor and institutions like Yayasan Selangor, PKPS, and PKNS is systematically destroyed.

Sadly, PKNS's CEO is one of our boys.

One Ketua Cabang PKR and in the Azmin Ali faction is our boy too. Though he has always had an indifferent attitude to serious issues, he was anxiously giving his political update to his friends and not realising that he just made a fool of himself.

Sure ... PKR can beat Najib in Pekan. Sabah and Sarawak will fall like falling bricks. He will have to make sure 16-17 existing PKR Parliamentary seats remained with them first. he thinks we do not know DAP wants their seats!

There was no politics. No, some politics.

Much to his embarassment, we were introducing Dato Amiruddin as the next Kedah MB. While ADUN Sg Tiang Kedah, Suraya was confident it will be Dato Mukriz.

But she was talking Wanita UMNO and we were complaining about some of their leader/(s). But syyyy ... that is secret.

On the whole, the dinner organiser did a very very ... good job.

There was more than 800 in attendance, the biggest ever dinner. The organiser made a serious effort to search for everyone. It was compounded by everyone's eagerness to come after there has not been such dinner for quite a while.

They had laid a good schedule and choreographed the night very well, knowing the eagerness of everyone to talk and catch up with their friends.

As soon as the dignitaries came, dua' was immediately read. It was rather moving as we remind and prayed for those who have left us earlier.

Without wasting anytime and before the chattering could resume, there was a pantomine interspersed with songs and poems. Not sure what it was but the singer had a good voice.

There was no speechy speeches. The organisers understood that.

President Zainal Hisham Yusof was merely giving a short thank you and got everyone's attention as he made a rollcall called on every batch to stand up and cheer themselves.

Dinner was great. There was fish, prawns, abalone and etc., overall a decent menu. Banyak dapat sponsor ke, ma? 

While we ate, Rahim Sulaiman, who came all the way from Kota Kinabalu, was singing an old sentimental number. Anyway, the dinner was entertainment was just nice. Not too loud and inhibiting to conversation. Just nice in the background.

Last night, there was acknowledgement for social work done by many of us.

Dr Halim was honoured for his pre-Ramadhan Derma Darah which has beome part of the national social work calender. One all-girls group have been doing work with homeless for quite a few years.

Several former students were given honour for their effort and achievement. We were not following.

Our table was discussing over why we kept honouring and giving VIP table seating to politicians and wealthy business and corporate men. There shouldn't be social classes and strata among us.

Some friends felt strongly that we should honour the servicemen amongst us. They put their life in harms way to provide the blanket of security for the nation to prosper and progress. 

One fine example was Kolonel Zulkifli Tahir. He lost a limb in an army operation in the jungle up north in the 80s. The army was a natural sanctuary for this former ITM graduate.

Since the unfortunate incident, he continued his education to complete his MBA and is now doing administrative work at MINDEF.

It is not so much as only honouring Zulkifli but also others like Tajuddin and Zaimi who lost their lives in their line of duty. The millitary requires also professional and there were former MRSM Engineers, Doctors, etc. joining as professionals. 

The first set of Malaysian submarine dolphins was a former MRSM Aeronautical Engineer, the late Mustafa Dapat. The current Commander Baharuddin is from MRSM Taiping.

Maybe next time.

The teachers, Dato Jamaluddin Abdul Hamid and Encik Wahab Alwi was honoured.

Why is he still an Encik? Why has the nation not honored this great man who has contributed much to society? Even Azeez Rempit has a Datokship, not to mention many gangsters who are Datoks and Tan Sris, why not him?

If the BN states can't honour the man, the Pakatan state should steal the limelight from BN. How about it Dato Amiruddin Hamzah?

As soon as the VIP leaves, it was show time and we had a great time till the late hours of 2:00 AM.

Remember were no Taliban Maahad school back then. There was music in the air. Throughout the night the music never stopped till the late hours of 1 am.

We could hold a Battle of Band and easily some 10 bands can be put together instantly.

There was Maybank's Dato Farid Alias singing Sweet Child of Mine. Can someone confirm whether he is a Datok yet?

DAWO wasn't playing. He was a bass player with his own band back in school.

Quite a few of us became professional musicians. If Acam (class of 83-88) had came, we would have licked the living daylight of every axman, except perhaps Ucop. (75-77).

Near the end, it was The Ins or the singing Makciks belted out their renditions of old favourites. One of them, Ushi flew in from Australia.

In the audience, Norzilah was here for vacation. She lives in Texas.

The Ins led by Zaiton Alwi began with "I'll be There." It was followed by a joget session. No wonder the wife kept asking 15 times "Where are you going in that baju Melayu, abang?" The video and pictures are safe with us at an annual ransom price. 

Fittingly, this one was the one for the road.

We left when some botak seniors were playing guitar tong, singing Bee Gees songs, and thinking they are cute. That is intolerable.Dah tua la..., abang-abang hoi!

Anyway, thanks abang-abang and kakak-kakak for organisiang this great night. Hingga bertemu sekali lagi di lain masa, take of yourselves brothers and sisters. We love all of you!

- Another Brick in the Wall