NEVER TOO OLD TO THANK THE TEACHERS By : Dr. Chew Nee Kong (nkchew33@hotmail.

com)

Despite being a rather small and simple school, Sultan Abdul Hamid College (SAHC) is certainly a big sentimental hit among its former students, especially for me. I studied at this wonderful school from 1979 to 1985. Subsequently, I joined the Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, and graduated as a doctor in 1991. Right now, I am practising as a neurologist (brain specialist) in Kuala Lumpur. Somehow, after I completed my Form Six at SAHC, I did not return to meet my teachers till last year. I guess I have been too busy with my own life and career all these years. After teaching medical students for about ten years, writing some books for medical students and Parkinsons (an incurable brain disease) patients, and getting involved in Parkinsons support group movement, I finally decided to slow down. That was when I suddenly realized that I should visit my alma mater (I guess growing old makes you think about the past). When I sent some of my books to the Stuarts Library, I realized how long I had left school, and that my visit must have been long overdue. On the visitors record book, I wrote Bekas pelajar kolej 25 tahun lepas (former collegian 25 years ago). On the same page of the record book, someone else had written earlier Bekas pelajar kolej 40 tahun lepas (former collegian 40 years ago) I wonder whether this ex-collegian had taken a longer time than me to return to his alma mater. Whatever it is, both of us are old collegians now. On the same day, I had a chat with principal En. Morazuki bin Hashim in his office and told him how happy I was to be back at SAHC. After going round the school, I managed to find only a few of my former teachers who were still teaching in SAHC. This was not surprising at all it has been 25 years since I left school. My former teachers were really surprised to meet me again after such a long time. In contrast, some of my ex-classmates had visited the teachers much earlier, even right before they furthered their studies at the universities. Yes, it has been a very long time. I am already 44. Time passed by so quickly. As I get older, I find myself spending more and more time recalling the nice memories of my school days. Since last year, I have gone back to SAHC at least five times. I walked round the school, visiting my old classrooms, laboratory and library. I was very happy to find that the structure of the school was largely preserved which made me feel as though I was walking into the past. As I re-explored each part of the school, I could somehow visualized a young me being there many years ago. Each part of the school that I visited reminded me about how my former teachers had guided me through each part of my life. All of us were lucky to have teachers who were so passionate about giving their best to their students. I am thankful to my teachers at SAHC for giving me direction and meaning in life. They (especially my Biology teachers, Cikgu Jamil and Mr. Jeyamohan) inspired me to become a doctor, and who I am today. My former teachers gave me a good reason to be a teacher, as they taught me about what teachers are for. For every former collegian, the pavilion is a strong reminder of the days when SAHC were the top achiever in almost all types of sports activities. However, for me, the pavilion also provoked the fond memories of my first public punishment. It was my first year in SAHC. On that fateful day, I was leaving the school with a few friends. Somehow, I decided to walk along the main field while my friends walked along the road leading to the front gate. Unfortunately, I did not know that it was an offence to

do so. Mr. Shanmugam, the disciplinary teacher, caught me red-handed. He asked me to do the ketuk ketampi (I was supposed to hold my ears while I stood and squat repeatedly). Initially, I did not know how to do the ketuk ketampi. Mr. Shanmugam asked my friends whether they knew it. One of my friends demonstrated the ketuk ketampi and subsequently I did it (about ten times). Well, it was certainly embarrassing to do this while being watched by a group of friends and many other students who could see me from a distance. The college hall is best remembered for the weekly school assembly and annual speech day, when the Royal Highness Sultan or Sultanah Kedah would present awards to high achievers in school. But I remember the college hall better for the day when Mr. Lim Eng Hooi, our disciplinary teacher, pulled my excessively long hair as I was asked to walk up to the stage to be paraded for my offence. Mr. Lim was particularly annoyed when he saw me wearing the Stuart Library badge, and realizing that despite being a library prefect, I could not discipline myself. I have to admit that initially I was angry with the way he treated me in front of the whole school. However, subsequently I knew that he was merely doing his job as a disciplinary teacher. I certainly deserved to be punished. The present Stuarts Library (located beside the pavilion) was where I did my Form Six. I remember Mr. Jeyamohan explaining to us Darwins Theory of Evolution, in the most enthusiastic manner, as he walked to the front and back of the class. That was how I eventually studied Medicine, as I realized that I was very interested in Biology. One evening, when I was in Form Six, I asked myself how I could become successful in my life. I remembered Mr. Jeyamohans passion in teaching Biology, and thought, In order to be successful in my career, I need to be passionate about my career. Therefore, if I love Biology very much, it may help me to become a good doctor. Till today, I feel glad that I have chosen the medical profession despite all the hardship that I have gone through. In this short article, I have not been able to pay tribute to so many other excellent teachers. I have not mentioned so many other wonderful memories of my schooldays. SAHC is an essential and meaningful part of the lives of so many of its former students. The impact of this school has been very powerful it remains in the memories of its long list of former students. One day, when I am 74 (if I live this long), I will still be visiting this wonderful college and write Bekas pelajar kolej 55 tahun lepas on the visitors book at Stuarts Library. The main point of this article is that, despite not being able to return, or returning late (like me) to SAHC, all the ex-collegians are thankful to their alma mater. Many of us dont seem to have the habit of directly thanking our wonderful teachers who gave all their best to the students. So, if you meet an old man walking along the corridors of the school and standing near the Stuarts library during the weekends, there is a good chance that you are meeting me. If you do, I suggest that you bring me to the school canteen for a cup of coffee and I will tell you more about why I cherish this school so much. Dated: 8th July 2010. Dr. Chew Nee Kong (nkchew33@hotmail.com Catatan Web Admin: This article was emailed by the writer (Dr. Chew Nee Kong) to Pengetua KSAH
(upload : 20/08/10)