Mar 29, 2009

one.team.one.goal!

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penat, mengantuk, sakit-sakit badan dan sebagainya aku tolak ke tepi. berbekalkan hanya pengalaman bermain, aku teruskan karier dgn menjadi seorang coach basketball sekolah menengah sains kuala selangor (kusess)

sabtu, hari yg sungguh penat, letih dan bermacam-macam lagi. aku dgn hasif teruskan juga. jangan kata tidur, lelapkan mata hanya sebentar pun tidak mlm itu.

kami jalankan kerjaya kami dgn fitness, basic drills and so on...
gembira melihat keringat peluh anak-anak buah yg menitik. kepuasan menyeksa mereka. bukan utk bersahaja tetapi utk mencapai satu target iaitu layak ke hksbp kebangsaan yg akan diadakan di ssp.

tetapi akhirnya aku mengalah, sedang lepak di kereta...

zzzzzzzzZZZZZzzzzzZZZZZzZzz...

lena aku dibuai mimpi-mimpi indah. tinggal hasif seorang. dia sudah tidur mlm.

akhir latihan. heart to heart kami adakan.
psycho boys basketball. kemudian titisan air mata dari girls basketball players.

tujuan?
untuk mereka tahu dimana target mereka, tujuan mereka, impian mereka yg bukan hanya sekadar dalam perbualan tetapi akan menjadi kenyataan.

pesan aku kepada anak-anak buah. ONE TEAM,ONE GOAL!

BASKETBALL IS A BROTHERHOOD.









-shaggy-

Mar 26, 2009

keperitan.kesedihan.hari.hari.

apa yg aku rasa.tidak dapat aku luahkan.
apa yg aku fikir.tidak dapat aku simpulkan.
sudah lama ia berlalu.
tetapi masih aku kenangkan.
sudah pergi masa itu.
tetapi tetap aku renungkan.
kenapa?
adakah ini yg dikatakan...
ketentuan dari-Nya.
tangisan hari-hari.
di sini.aku hanya meluahkan apa yg disimpan.
sabar.sabar.dan terus bersabar.
biar sedih.biar perit.
teruskan memohon dari-Nya.
wahai insan.









-shaggy-

gambar.tak.bererti.insaf.

apa yg terjadi di luar sana?
kotak rokok yg bergambar?

apa yg korang semua fikir?
insaf atau tidak?
bila beli kemudian lihat, kasihan...
beli hisap kemudian, layan...
bila jd kat korang kemudian, tak terjawab...

hahaha...

apa yg kita tggu lagi...

kurangkan...

kurangkan...

kurangkan...

dan berhenti...
mari mencuba.









-shaggy-

Mar 15, 2009

aku.rasa.ketenangan.

alunan instrument dari lagu2 kitaro yg bertajuk caravansary.
ketenangan aku dapat rasai.
keperitan yg tertanggung dilepaskan begitu sahaja.
kesukaran menghadapi apa yg menjadi beban selama ini ditiup terbang.
angin.hembusan bayu.
tenangnya mereka berlari-lari.
mengahadapi dugaan yg sudah mereka tahu.
bawalah aku bersama wahai sang bayu.
lembutnya engkau bertiup wahahi sang angin.
bawa aku.

hanya.ketenangan.

hari yg sukar bagiku

menyepi untukkmu

kesepian yg tidak dapat aku jalani

hanya ketengan dihati

kentangan...kemanusiaan...kehidupan...

hari-hari yg sentiasa menduga

tolonglah...

hanya ketenangan

menemaniku.sepi.

bisikku pada bulan

kembalikan

temanku... kekasihku... syurgaku...

tanpa dia, malam menemaniku...

sepi memelukku...

bulan jangan biar siang

biar alam ini kelam.

biar ia sepi

seperti ku.

berlari tanpa henti

hanya untuk bernafas

agar tidak sesak

ditekan rasa bersalah

-shaggy-




p/s : dituju kepada insan yg saya tak pernah temu.

Mar 12, 2009

kasih.sayang.dari.hati.

dari hati seorang ibu berkata, "wahai anak, jangan engkau sia-siakan hidupmu dengan perkara-perkara yg jahat, jadikanlah dirimu seorang insan yg dipandang tinggi".

kasih sayang yg lahir dari hati seorang ibu telah menjadikan anaknya seorang insan yg berguna. anak yg kini meningkat dewasa. ibu yg sering risau akan anaknya.

ibu, anakmu tidak akan melukakan hatimu walau sekali.

apa yg hanya anak ini mahu hanyalah restu darimu. dari segala bidang yg anak ceburi.

kemudian pula dtg kasih dari seorang ayah. ayah yg sering mengajar erti sabar. katanya "wahai anak, jangan engkau mengikut perasan, fikirkan apa yg terbaik utk masa depanmu".

kasih ayah yg diberi telah menjadikan anak ini seorang yg merasakan dia mengikut jejak ayahnya. segala dugaan ditempuh dengan kesabaran. hinaan, cacian, apa yg datang hanya utk membuat dirinya melampaui batas, dia tiada tahu. biar Tuhan yg menentukan.

akan tetapi, jika kedua ibu dan ayah anak ini mendapat masalah yg lahir hanya utk mengganggu,. tiada siapa akan dapat tahu apa yg akan anak ini akan lakukan.

ibu dan ayah adalah satu-satunya kurnian tuhan yg tidak dapat seorang anak ganti. kasih sayang ibu dan ayah adalah nikmat yg tiada nilainya. jangan sesekali menderhaka kepada mereka. ramai yg tahu akan perkara ini. akan tetapi, seperti "masuk telinga kiri, keluar telinga kanan". apa yg anda dapat?

jadi, muhasabah diri kita. fikirkan adakah ibu bapa kita membentuk kita dengan akal dan bukan dengan fizikal. tiada salahnya jika kita menegur, setiap insan melakukan kesilpan. niat menegur hanyan utk mengingatkan. walaupun ada insan yg tidak pernah bertemu ibu dan ayah, anggaplah mereka itu yg terbaik. jangan sesekali menderhaka kerana syurga si bawah telapak kaki ibu. fahamilah mereka, kasihi mereka, cintai mereka sepenuh hati dan sepenuh jiwa.

anak ini menyayangi ibu dan ayahnya sepenuh kasih dan sayang. tiada siapa yg dapat mengecilkan hati mereka. ingat, kita hidup di dunia bukan untuk selamanya tetapi hanya utk sementara. perkara yg dikutuk janganlah pernah kta lakukan. biar apa kata org, anggaplah ia hanya utk kepuasan diri mereka. jadilah insan yg berguna.








-shafiq-

Mar 9, 2009

malaysian.economics.what's.happen?

garis masa ekonomi malaysia.

1967 - kejatuhan pertama setelah 1963 (Malaysia terbentuk)
1974-1975 - akibat krisis harga minyak dunia
1985-1986 - akibat kejatuhan harga komoditi
1997-1998 - akibat krisi kewangan di Asia
2009-2013 - akibat krisis politik dalam negeri
2020-2024 - akibat krisis sumber manusia

lihat sendiri.
berapa kali mahu jatuh dan kemudian bagkit semula?

mengapa?
jawablah. politik.

apa lagi selain itu?
politiklah.

selain daripada itu?
politik.

kesannya?
lihat yg sedia ada. ramai yg berhenti bekerja.

PPSMI.relevan.tak.relevan?

Kerajaan mestilah belajar dari pengalaman. Dalam tahun 60-an Kerajaan telah “mengusir” keluar tulisan jawi daripada bilik darjah. Akibatnya 40 tahun kemudian akhbar tulisan jawi menjadi tidak lagi berdaya maju, menjadi sisipan saja kepada akhbar tulisan rumi. Sekarang kerajaan sekali lagi “mengusir” keluar bahasa Melayu daripada bilik darjah “sains dan teknologi”. Kemungkinan besar 40 tahun lagi akhbar berbahasa Melayu tidak akan berdaya maju dan akan menjadi sisipan saja kepada akhbar Inggeris dan Mandarin. Pada waktu itu bahasa Melayu bukan lagi bahasa ilmu dan budaya tinggi. Sejarah akan mendera kita lagi.

kenapa terjadi?

beberapa pendapat termasuklah diri saya boleh mengatakan kita belum cukup bersedia untuk proses ini.

mengapa?

cuba kita lihat negara-negara maju yg lain seperti jepun, perancis dan etc.
mengapa mereka tidak mengagungkan Bahasa Inggeris. kalau mahu dibandingkan, teknologi mereka lebih maju.

apa yg saya lihat. pembelajaran dalam bahasa inggeris tidak memberi masalah kepada sesetengah pihak.
tindakan mengkaji proses pembelajaran, masalah yg dihadapi oleh pelajar luar bandar dan bandar perlu diambil.
apa yg saya maksudkan, sesetengah pelajar luar bandar kemungkinan besar mengalami kesukaran dari segi bahasa inggeris manakala sesetengah pelajar luar bandar mungkin tidak mengalami kesukaran tersebut malahan mereka berkemungkinan mengambil mudah tentang hal ini.

cuba anda bayangkan.

mengambil contoh pelajar tahun 6. tahun sebelumnya pembelajaran sains dan matematik diajar dalam bahasa melayu. jadi, apabila memasuki tahun peperiksaaan, kejutan yg besar buat mereka.

apa yg mereka akan lakukan?

mungkin mereka putus asa. mungkin tiada seorang pun calon-calon utk mendapat keputusan yg cemerlang meraih kejayaan.

fikirkan.

kebaikan terletak disitu. jika kita inginkan PPSMI ini berjaya. kita mula dari peringkat bawah. jangan terus ambil tindakan drastik. semua pihak terkejut. mungkin kita boleh mula dari peringkat pertama. contohnya, PPSMI dilaksanakan di peringkat pra-sekolah. kemudian, tahun berikutnya pelajar tahun satu. kemudian tahun berikutnya. jadi, perkara ini mungkin lebih membantu. itu pandangan saya.

kita jadikan contoh yg ada pada masa dahulu utk kebaikan generasi yg ada sekarang. jangan hanya mahu maju ke hadapan tanpa menghirau keadaan sekeliling. kehidupan maju tetapi masyarakat mundur bukanlah suatu yg membanggakan.

renungkan.

jangan biar walaupun seorang ketinggalan dalam suatu perlumbaan walaupun akhirnya kita kalah. apa yang kita perlukan, hanya kemenanagan bersama utk maju selamanya.









-shaggy-

where.is.the.spirit?

"rouse up rouse up young starians all, through out the land our voice resound, it's tuanku abdul rahman's call to win for him our youth our town, come march a long will conquer out the world, young starian side by side"

apa yg kamu laungkan?

kata-kata semangat yg hanya ada bila kamu berpijak kembali di bumi yg melahirkan kamu sebagai seorang yg berjaya?

apa yg kamu terapkan?

semangat yg hanya ada bila kamu sampai semula sejak kamu tinggalkan tanah yg melahikan anak-anak bangsa?

apa yg kamu semua janjikan?
apa yg kamu dapat buat?

jangan biar hanya semangat.
bangkit!
jadikanlah ia seperti rumah kamu.
imbaskanlah difikiran kamu wajah-wajah guru, tukang kebun, pak abu, pak cik sidek, staf2 yg ada.

saya titipkan coretan ini utk mengingatkan kepada semua ahli-ahli STAROBA. jangan kita dibuai angan-angan.
mereka yg masih berada di sana memerlukan pertolongan kita semua.
ayuh!
bangkit semua!
ayuh!

satu.malam.ke.satu.cerita.lama.

satu malam yang indah.tiada gangguan dari langit.bulan yg terang lagi bulat.

"shag, jom lepak kat kedai botak, bley shisha". saudara mujahid memperlawa saya.

apa lagi yg saya tunggu? "jom".
dengan kaki yg lebih kurang boleh dan tidak boleh berjalan. saya tetap berjalan dengan kaki yg sgt sakit akibat jatuh di gelanggang bola keranjang serta bilik air.

nasi goreng amerika saya pesan.hahaha.menu untuk mujahid, nasi goreng ayam.
melantak bagaikan sang singa tidak pernah berjumpa dengan rusa.

selesai makan, datanglah seorang gigolo yg kacak selepas berdating bersama teman beliau. kemudian, tukang urut umah setinggan pula yg datang utk makan setelah bermimpi dilamun sakit kepala.

shisha menjadi teman bicara di mlm hari.

gigolo-gigolo yg kacak tersebut berbicara tentang zaman-zaman muda. zaman-zaman dimana kami mengkaji apakah itu maksud asap yg disedut, ceritera cik hussein, benda-benda yg membuatkan manusia khayal dimamah asap.

sedang rancak seperti rancaknya lagu pop yeh yeh, seorang gigolo kecil menyerah diri. hahaha. "kacik la tu". perkataan utk mlm ini.
kepala mujahid fi sabilillah sudah penuh dirasuk rasa grape bercampur mint. apa yg saya maksudkan shisha. pembelajarannya terhadap pembentukan huruf "O" tergendala.

sambung cerita, 3 gigolo mahal ini terus berbicara tentang zaman-zaman persekolahan mereka. enak-enak dibuai rasa rindu pada zaman sekolah, kami bualkan tentang kepayahan hidup manusia yg ingin dirinya diterbangkan ke negeri org untuk menuntut ilmu. kami titipkan perbincangan kami dengan isu-isu semasa. meriah sungguh waktu itu.

jam 1238 tgh mlm.
masing-masing sudah berkhayal tentang dunia khayalan masa mereka.










berganjak dari situ.wang ringgit bewarna hijau dianggap warna biru.
mengapa?










akibat shisha yg memerah otak gigolo-gigolo kacak tersebut.










sebenarnya.









mereka kacik.padan muka~




-shaggy-

Mar 8, 2009

creativity.creative thinking.bright ideas.clever concepts.

What is creativity and why do you need it?

Creativity is the process of generating new ideas, or finding new solutions to challenges. With a high level of creativity there are no problems, all problems are challenges, and challenges lead to opportunities. Opportunities are the pathway to success.

Creativity Steps: 1 - The Brief

The first step to creativity requires you to clearly identify the brief, or challenge. Determine the objectives, the context, resources and constraints. Question and clarify these. Determine the reasons behind the brief.

Creativity Steps: 2 - Knowledge

Build knowledge - sift through lots of related (and slightly related) knowledge and compile.

Creativity Steps: 3 - Brainstorm

Brainstorm - rapidly generate and collate all ideas without evaluating them. And have fun - be outrageous.

Creativity Steps: 4 - Analogies

Consider analogies from related and non-related topics.

Creativity Steps: 5 - Evaluate

Evaluate ideas. Record what aspects of ideas are good and what aspects appear irrelevant or are not feasible because of constraints. Keep all ideas, but prioritise on grounds of relevance and feasibility.

Creativity Steps: 6 - Synthesise

Mix and match parts of ideas and synthesise new ideas from the ideas identified in the other steps.

Creativity Steps: 7 - Modify

Manipulate and modify ideas - change the parameters, attributes, assumptions...

Creativity Steps: 8 - Perspective

Look at ideas from other perspectives and in other contexts. Perhaps an idea would be good for a related activity or in a different context.

Creativity Steps: 9 - Take Time Off

Think about the challenge then forget about it for a while. A few days later when you are relaxed and free from interruptions have another go at the challenge. Repeat this process to build upon previous ideas.

Creativity Steps: 10 - Other Peoples Views

Ask other people for their views, including those outside the context of your working environment. Other perspectives can be quite revealing and helpful. Caution:Many people tend not to be visionary, and lack a positive entrepreneurial attitude. This means that you may feel demoralised by their comments. Try to consider their comments objectively. Remember that most great inventors had plenty of ridicule and struggled against the odds. Though remember also that such people may be the ones in the marketplace that do, or do not, purchase your new product or service!

Creativity Steps and Beyond

Oh and in point seven, it said: and break the rules!

Now ask yourself the following questions about the above steps:

1. Are they the only steps to creativity?
2. How could they be improved?
3. Are they in the right order?
4. What happens to ideas that fail the evaluation?

For answers to these questions and much more subscribe to the Creativity services.

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Trends and Visions

What will you be doing tomorrow? What does the future hold? New technologies, systems and services only succeed when they meet the requirements of that future context. If you are serious about innovation you need to be sure about what you will be up against.

Mar 7, 2009

The Early Years

The Beginning:

STAR did not feature as a school until 1958. Its history, however, started two years earlier, in 1956, with the identification of a few hundreds promising rural children who had completed their Malay primary level education, and their placement in a few selected schools in Ipoh, Pulau Pinang, Kuala Lipis, Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bharu. The children were chosen to be the pioneer students of the first three Malay residential secondary schools for rural children which were being planned in Ipoh, Tg. Malim, and Melaka. These schools were later known as Sekolah Tuanku Abd Rahman (STAR), Ipoh; Sekolah Dato’ Abd Razak (SDAR), Tg. Malim; and Sekolah Tun Fatimah (STF), Melaka.

In 1957, 360 of these 13-15 year old children were placed in five old wooden military barracks vacated by the Malay Regiments, at what was then known as Baeza Avenue, Ashby Road Ipoh (the site where Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Kinta, Jalan Hospital, Ipoh, now stands).

For these children, the military barracks, with twelve wooden classrooms, were to become their “home” and their school, known as the Malay Secondary School (MSS), Ipoh. Classrooms, sleeping quarters (dormitories), dining hall etc. were all cramped in the barracks within barbed wire fences surrounding the 4-acre site. There was no space for the school to have a hall, or a playing field.

The school started on January 13, 1957, with the admission of 200 of these children into Form One. And in the first week of March, another 160 joined the school to commence their study in Remove Class. A year in what was called “Remove Class” was deemed necessary for every intake of students at the start. The purpose was to equip the students with sufficient command of English language that would enable them to commence their secondary education with English as the medium of instruction. Hence nearly as much as 60-70% of the time in Remove Class was devoted to the teaching and learning of English Language. The Remove Class, however, ceased to exist when Bahasa Malaysia was made the sole medium of instruction in secondary schools in the country in the early 70’s. ((photos of the Ashby Road school).

Teaching was done by a group of 15 teachers led by En Hamdan b Sheikh Tahir (Allahyarham Tun Hamdan b Sheikh Tahir) as the first principal. Classes were conducted following the standard curriculum offered in the English medium secondary schools of the day. A firm believer in the provision of well-rounded education, En Hamdan ensured from the beginning that co-curriculum activities became an important part of school life. Hence associations such as the English and Malay Literary and Debating societies were initiated. as soon as the boys settled in. A Boy Scout group, a Red Cross Society and a St. John Ambulance Association group were also formed within the first few months. The lack of a school hall did not deter the boys from staging a school play for the town folks using another school hall at ACS Ipoh. The absence of a school field of their own did not prevent the boys from playing soccer, hockey and rugby two days a week on “borrowed” ground at the Anderson School new field. The tradition of having Annual School Sports Day was also started in the first year when on 12th July 1957, using the Anderson School field, the school held its first School Sports Day. In essence, despite the constraint of space, and other shortcomings, under the sterling stewardship of the Principal, En Hamdan, supported by a group of young energetic teachers, the school was kept busy in lying the foundation of a school tradition that was to become the pride of all STARIANs.(photos of the first school play “Nyawa di Hujung Pedang” –; first school sports day, photo of staff and HM of 1957)

The busy first year also saw a number of VIPs visiting the school. Since it was the first fully residential school to be established for rural children in the country, and indeed it was a new phenomenon in the country’s education system, the school was visited by many distinguished officials including YB Dato Abd Razak Hussain, the Deputy Prime Minister and the former Minister of Education; Mr JN Davies, the Chief Education Adviser, Federation of Malaya; and Sir Donald MacGillivray, the British High Commissioner to the Federation of Malaya.

The Motto:

A month after MSS was established, on 20th February 1957, the school launched its motto - “Ilmu Panduan Hidup” . It also decided to have red and white as the school colours. Following that the school flag and and the school badge were designed. And later in the year the school song “Ilmu Panduan Hidup” was composed. Indeed the motto and the song “Ilmu Panduan Hidup” could not be more apt in reflecting the mission and the tradition the school wanted to establish. (illustration: school badge; school flag; lyric and musical score of school song).

The Big Move:

In January 1958, MSS moved to a new site – a newly built school complex on a 46-acre piece of land situated along Tiger Lane (now Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Ipoh). Built and equipped at a cost of more than RM2 million then, the complex consisted of a three storey classroom block with an administrative annex; a “specialist block”, containing science laboratories, woodwork and metalwork workshops, an art room, a Geography room, and a library; a school hall; 6 blocks of hostels; a dining hall and a kitchen; 5 full-size playing fields for soccer, rugby and hockey; and courts for games such as basketballs, volleyball, badminton, sepak takraw and tennis. The school complex also contained a number of living quarters for the academic and auxiliary staff. The classroom and the administrative blocks, the specialist block, the hostel and the dining hall are connected to each other by concrete covered paths to allow students and staff to move freely even in bad weather.

With a new intake of two Remove Classes that year, a total of 440 boys became the pioneer students of the present STAR campus. The new site, with its facilities and luxurious space, gave so much pride to the students and staff. As soon as they had moved in, they took to cleaning and beautifying the premise with gusto in preparation for the school official opening in May 1958. (photos of school, hostel etc; also aerial view)

The Official Opening:

May 14, 1958, is one of the most significant dates in the school history. The day marked the beginning of STAR as it is now known. On that auspicious day the name Malay Secondary School (MSS) gave way to the new name “STAR” after the school was officially opened and renamed “Sekolah Tuanku Abd Rahman”
Ipoh, by the first Prime Minister of Malaysia, Allahyarham Tunku Abd Rahman Putra.

The hope and the aspiration the government placed on the school in helping the Malays were reflected by some of the words of the Yang Dipertuan Agong, the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Education in their messages commemorating the day:

“The main object of your school is to impart knowledge more particularly in English and to mould character, and it is imperative that there should be schools of this kind in Malaya, if the Malays, as a race, are to be able to climb the educational ladder and to enter technical colleges and universities”

Yang Dipertuan Agong, Istana Negara, KL.

26th April 1958.

“The official opening of this residential secondary school is an event of vital importance for all young Malay boys. Coming from kampongs all over the country they will find here every facility for training under the best conditions, providing a firm foundation for their work and study in the years to come……….As Tuanku Abd Rahman School is the first of its kind, it can be both a spur to the ambitions of the people and an inspiration to all Malays..”

Tunku Abd Rahman, Prime Minister, Fed. Of Malaya.

8th May 1958

“The ceremony today marks a new chapter in the history of Malay education, a milestone for the Malay secondary education, since the first primary Malay schoosl were started about ninety years ago……The school, as well as the other Malay Secondary Schools and classes, have been established with the purpose of meeting the wishes and resolution of the Government and the people of independent Federation of Malaya towards raising the standard of Malay education, and through it, to attain further development of the Malay language and the improvement of the living standards of the Malays.”

Mohd Khir Johari, Minister of Education, Federation of Malaya.

10th. May 1958.

The official opening and the renaming of the school was symbolized by the Prime Minister unveiling a brass plaque with the inscription of the school name mounted on a granite boulder placed in the roundabout in front of the main school block. The ceremony was witnessed by the whole school in the presence of many dignitaries including the Deputy Prime Minister, YAB Dato Abd Razak Hussain, Federal Ministers and the Menteri Besar of Perak YAB En Ghazali Jawi. The occasion was celebrated with an exhibition of handiwork put up by the boys, a mass drill and a display by a military band, a soccer match between the young school team and the junior team of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar, and a variety concert. (photos of official opening and related programmes).

The Royal Visit:

Five months after the official opening, the school had its first royal visit. On 23 September 1958, the country’s first Yang Dipertuan Agong, DYMM, Tuanku Abd Rahman ibni Tuanku Mohamad, after whom the school was named, and DYMM Raja Permaisuri Agong visited the school. The royal highnesses were accompanied by DYMM Sultan and Sultanah of Perak and the Menteri Besar of Perak. To commemorate the royal visit the Yang Dipertuan Agong planted a fir tree in the same roundabout in front of the school building. (photo of tree planting, and the tree).

Life As It Was:

For this pioneer group of students, and indeed for many more batches of students in the early years, hostel life and life in STAR as a whole, was far removed from the life they were used to with their families in the kampungs, most of which had no electricity or running water. To all the students, it was a totally new environment that provided a new invigorating experience. After years of sharing everything with their siblings at home, many of the boys found that sleeping on their own beds in dormitories and, for the first time, having their own locker to keep whatever little things they had, was something they had to get used to. For many it was the first time they had studied with electric lights and fan above their heads. Indeed for most it was the first time they encountered flush toilets!! And since English Language was the medium of instruction in the school, it was of course the first time the “kampong boys” were exposed to, and being confused by, so much English in their life.

Hostel and Houses:

The boys were accommodated in six blocks of hostel. Each hostel was supervised by a teacher-warden who lived in the warden’s flat in the same building. To look after the discipline and the well being of the boys in the hostels, the warden was helped by a few prefects appointed among the more senior boys.

Each hostel was identified as a “House” simply named after a colour: Green, Blue, Black, Red, White and Yellow. This “house system” promoted cooperation and a deep sense of esprit de corp among the boys in the same house. And it also provided a basis for competitions in many areas such as games, athletics, and debates. These inter-house competitions, no doubt, had instilled in the boys a strong sense of competitiveness and pride In the early years, the competitions were taken very seriously, sometimes too seriously by the boys, that the spirit of healthy competitiveness they tried to promote, on a few occasions the writer could recalled, led to some unhealthy disciplinary issues. It was no surprise that the hostel-based House System was changed and modified a few times during the course of the school history to suit the situation of the day.

Discipline:

Discipline was indeed the essence of life in the hostel and the school. Rules and regulations were drawn up to guide students in their daily activities.. A 23-page typewritten single-spaced document entitled “School Rules and Regulations, Constitution and Bye-Laws of Club and Societies of Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Ipoh” printed by the school in 1958, outlines the do’s and the don’ts, in every aspect of the students’ life in the hostel and the school. The document contains the rules and regulations under topics ranging from: “Discipline in Life”; “School General Rules” and “Hostel Rules” to “Constitution and By-Laws of Societies” and even “Rules to observe When Answering Examination Questions”!!

A few excerpts from the documents illustrate the type of discipline meant to be instilled in the students:

“One of the most important needs of young people going out into the world from a secondary school is discipline…. Self-discipline means that we do not act according to our likes and dislikes, but according to principles of right and wrong……Good discipline in school requires that we establish and maintain wholesome conditions for learning…..” pg.2.

On dress: “A well-dressed person automatically commands respect and admiration. We should dress well and cleanly on all occasions. When going to town boys must always try to put on school uniform and wear the school badge in the right way……” pg.3

On manners: “Good manners show good breeding in a person. We can all show good manners by greeting visitors respectfully. Boys should also not put their hands in pockets when talking to visitors or to superiors. Boys should use freely the appropriate words “Please” and “Thank You” on all occasions”…..pg. 3.

On dining/food: “While food is to be enjoyed, the enjoyment will not be lessened, though, if the monotonous clanging of forks against spoons is reduced considerably”…pg. 4… “Food will be eaten only in the dining hall. Food must not be wasted. No food is allowed to be taken in the dormitory”….pg.6.

And, on Rules to Observe in Examination: “…Be confident, calm and cool, that is do not be nervous. If you are confident, half the battle is won. (Confidence comes easily to a pupil who has revised his work constantly and who has had a good night’s rest”…..pg.22.

Although the document had no mention on the forms of reprimands, it was fully understood that to break any of the regulation would mean getting a punishment of some kind. No doubt the kind of punishment meted out would depend on the seriousness of the offence committed. For misbehaving or being uncooperative, for example, a boy would be slapped with a DC – an acronym for “Detention Class” – whereby he is detained in a room for specified length of time, or specified number of weekends during town leave. A serious offence such as stealing would earn the offender a very shameful punishment in the form of public caning ie. being caned by the headmaster on the school stage in front of all the students and teachers during the weekly school assembly.

Daily Activities:

Classes, self-study, activities for clubs and societies, games and physical exercises were mandatory for every student according to the allotted days and times. The boys daily life was “ruled by the bell”. It would start with a wake-up bell at 6.30 in the morning, followed by other bells for breakfast, classes, meals, games, prayers, etc., with the final bell for lights-out and sleep at night. A time table extracted from pg. 5 of the document “School Rules and Regulations, Constitution and Bye-Laws of Club and Societies of Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman, Ipoh” mentioned earlier, illustrates part of the boys daily routine:

“(a) School Days:

7.15 am…. Breakfast

11.00 am…. Snack*

1.30 pm…. Lunch

2.30 pm…. Afternoon Preparation*

4.15 pm…. Tea

4.30 to 6.30 pm … Games and Physical Activity

7.00 pm…. Prayer Maghrib (jumaah)

7.15 pm…. Dinner

8.00 to 9.30pm…. Evening Preparation.

9.45 pm…. Milo (sic)

10.00 pm…. Bed and lights out.

10.05 pm…. Roll Check.

(b) Fridays:

Changes in the above:

11.30 am…. Lunch

12.00 noon… Mosque.

(c) Sundays:

Changes from time table (a):

8.00 to 10.00 am… Formal Inspection of Hostels

12.00 noon…. Lunch

4.00 pm…. Tea”

The time table shows that during school days the boys spent most of their waking hours in the school building attending classes in the morning, and studying on their own during the afternoon and evening preparation hours (preps).

Some forms of organized activities usually replaced the Thursday evening prep. Inter-house or inter-class Bahasa Malaysia or English debates, for example, were often held in the school hall in place of Thursday prep. Although understandably, not every student was able to, or expected to actively participate in such activities, attendance was compulsory for every one. Skipping it would earn the truant a confinement in a DC.

While not all boys looked forward to Thursday evening activities, Friday evening were highly anticipated by many because it was the time when the boys were treated to their weekly cinema show in the school hall. The title of the film to be shown and its promo posters that were usually posted on the school notice board for a few days prior to the show would heighten the anticipation and fire up the imagination of the boys. To say the least, Friday evening cinema shows were, no doubt, one of the highs in the life of STARIANs then.

On Saturday mornings the boys were kept busy with activities of uniform groups such as the Cadet corps, Boy Scout, Red Cross, and the St John Ambulance. Boys who did not belong to any of these groups were expected to participate in other form of organized co-curricular activities, or do their washing and ironing.

Classes, preps, games and co-curricular activities were not the only ways through which the boys were to be molded into a rounded personalities. Instilling the care for, and the maintenance of clean surroundings, was an important aspect of the boys education. Thus maintaining cleanliness, sweeping the floors in the hostel and classrooms, and cleaning the hostel bathrooms and toilets etc. was also an important part of the boys daily life.

This regimented life of attending classes together; having meals together; playing together; and even bathing together, instilled a great sense of discipline and a profound feeling of camaraderie among the boys – parts of the elements that made them proud to be STARIANS.

Town Leave:

Town leaves were given on week ends. Students were allowed to go to Ipoh town after lunch on Saturdays, and after the formal hostel inspection on Sundays. They must however be back in the school compound by 6.30 in the evening. To most of the boys, town leave meant an opportunity to have ice kacang at the Ipoh-Tg Rambutan bus station (whatever had happened to the station now?), to watch a movie in one of the many cinema halls in Ipoh at the time, or just to pace up and down the kakilima along Ipoh famous Hugh Low Street (now Jalan Sultan Yussof). The amount of pocket money most of the boys had then (if they had) would not allow them to venture more than that. …Of course the stories they would tell their friends who stayed back in school would sound like they had just been on a trip to the moon.

Sunday Inspection:

One of the many steps taken to instill discipline and to train the boys to keep themselves and their surrounding neat and clean at all times was the enforcement of Sunday Inspection. Starting from 8.30 every Sunday morning, the hostel warden on duty, sometimes accompanied by the headmaster, would walk through and inspect every nook and corner of the the hostels - the dormitories, bathrooms and toilets, the prayer rooms, the store rooms, etc. The boys had to stand in line by their beds with their lockers opened. Every room in the hostel, every corridor and walkway, every bed and locker, and of course every boy had to be in spanking state - clean and tidy. Dusty window panes, any stain on any part of the bathrooms and toilets, cobweb in the store rooms, less than smooth bed linen, dirty shoes etc were not tolerated. Apart from daily sweeping of the floor and clearing the rubbish, scrubbing the bathrooms and toilets, cleaning the drains, and dusting the walls and window panes etc, was a serious business for the boys every Saturday evening and Sunday morning before the Sunday inspection.

House.Spirit.

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Currently students from form 1 to form 5 attend STAR. Previously there were classes up to form 6, but later the ministry of education only allowed up to form 5 for the boarding school. Originally, students were accommodated in hostels based on their "houses". These houses are designated with colours. There are 6 house colours, which are Rumah Hijau (Green House), Rumah Biru (Blue House), Rumah Hitam (Black House), Rumah Merah (Red House), Rumah Putih (White House), Rumah Kuning (Yellow House) to identify their affiliations for competitive purposes (sports, competitions).

Currently students are grouped together in dormitories according to houses but not in the original blocks. The old Green House block was converted into a library and the old Yellow House Block into a store.

Recently,the houses are called by nicknames : Green Goblin,Blue Barbarians, Black Horsemen, Red Rouser, White Vigour and Yellow Dragon though these nicknames are quite fluid and evolve from time to time.

My true story.

The House Spirit remembered me to 6 years ago when I was in form 1. I steped in STAR on 2002. It was very memorable to me when I got a slaped from the fiver named Fido. "Zaman Jahilliah". That was what everybody called.

A night. Freshman. I don't know yet what they were called "House Spirit". I just only know we must love our house, respect the members of the house, respect the seniors. Iwas in the yellow house shirt. When my first step just arrived there, a senior pull me up.

"weyh budak! ko house ape huh?"

So, I told him back.

"saye house green bang"

PANNGGGGGGG!!!

Wah. It's so shock.
What i've done?
What the fish... Hahaha. After that incident. I just only wore green hose shirt. Till these day and the day after that, I just only love green. Because of what? Because if we met the super seniors, although in official ceremony, interview, or getting for a job. They will ask "kau budak house ape dulu?". They will not forget about it because they were there and there we begin.













faiz nur shafiq muhammad shafiai
green house
sekolah tuanku abdul rahman (02 - 06)

mati.hidup.kembali.

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jalan raya terlampau sunyi, untukku terus bermimpi.

mataku belum mengantuk lagi, bawa kemana saja ku pergi.

tunjukkan ku bulan gerhana, tiada siapa nak ku jumpa.

benda yang tiada ku sangka ada, tak mengapa oh tak mengapa

malam semalam gundah gulana, hari ini hari mulia

tak pernah daku rasa begini, seperti mati hidup kembali

bawa ku hilang dari ingatan, hari ini sehingga esok

tak pernah daku rasa begini, seperti mati hidup kembali

angkasa penuh dengan belian, ku capai sebelah tangan

sebalik awan ada cahaya, bercahayalah selamanya

daku tertawa seorang diri, darah yang mengalir terhenti

fikiran ku melayang-layang, tiada siapa yang perasan

tak pernah daku rasa begini, seperti mati hidup kembali

kembali...

Mar 5, 2009

STAR - " As I Once There With You"

I always believe that you are what you are today because of your yesterdays.

STAR was just a long chapter in my life yet formed a solid foundation for the future ME.

I learnt to live together with new friends, be fascinated with different dialects, handle problems by myself, study independently even though my parents were not hovering around me and be reasonably active in many school and extra-curriculum activities.

So like the other 120 boys in school then, I was happily forced to sing and dance at school functions, cheer the rugby team at home and away games, including that to MCKK. Together with my basketball teammate training in the harcore situation. Again with lados's member (which mean the smokers), we got to climb the wall and having fun with the cigarets on the ceiling in the middle of night.(like a house burning in the dark)

Yes, going to STAR exposed me to a world of difference then. In one STARIAN function some years back, enjoy with the friend. Holding a cup of syrup, listening one members of my batch feeling with with the piano's sound. ("erti persahabatan"). I'm touched with that song.

STAR – I look back fondly at you. Thank you for the many memories. Thank you for the lovely friends who continue to be dear to me all these years.

STAR - like what was the other oldboys miss you. I'd been the one that miss you too and what was we have in a single second from our heart is "Once a STARian, Always a STARian"

Faiz Nur Shafiq Muhammad Shafiai
Ba.Hons Mechanical Engineering
Universiti Industri Selangor

Mar 4, 2009

cuti.gembira.ke.cuti.duka.

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cerita si pandai.

suatu hari apabila si pandai balik ke rumah untuk menikmati cuti pertengahan semesternya, dia rindu sgt pada rakan2 basketball yg berada di court speedy.

sampai waktu bermain, tak berapa minit kemudian, si besar melompat dan menolak si pandai tu, si pandai tu terus jatuh dan lututnya yg bertemu dengan bumi dahulu.
alangkah enak sehingga menjilat jari.jeritan si pandai mengalahkan tarzan memanggil binatang2 dalam hutan.

so, si pandai terpaksa berehat selama 3 bulan.

apa terjadi seterusnya?

si pandai...









jatuh lagi.









tambah lagi rehat 3 bulan.siot!!!



-shaggy-

h.i.d.u.p.hidup.dan.HIDUP.

hidup ni memanglah *#$%.

tapi bila kita sendiri yg mengaturkannya, mungkin ada faedahnya yg tersendiri.bukan untuk melupakan.tapi untuk terus mengingati.layan gig.main basket.pergi lecture belajar.benda tu tak salahkan?

rasanya tambah sihat diri aku.tapi, bila kita duduk dan hanya termenung.

ape yg kita dapat?

duit bukan datang bergolek.ilmu bukan datang dengan sekelip mata.

bila kita dengar, kita lihat, kita tulis, kita belajar, terus kita luahkan.
apa yg aku harapkan?

kegembiraan hidup, kesenangan dihati, ketengangan jiwa.
tak runsing hidup.dibelenggu masalah2 kronik.pecah kepala otak!

hidup mengikut arus.macam mana pulak?

ikut arus pembangunan.bukan pembangunan dlm malaysia.maksud aku perubahan zaman.
bukan dengan kehidupan yg terus terkongkong dan dikongkong.

apa yg korang dapat bila korang mcm tu?

sakit hati?sakit jiwa?

berapa macam penyakit korang nak dapat?

lihatlah pada org2 yg lebih bijak.contohilah pada org2 yg lebih pandai.ikutilah pada orang2 yg lebih menggunakan akal dan fikiran untuk hidup.

banyak org cakap, ikutlah org2 yg lebih tua.

dah kolot dah benda tu.bukan itu maksud aku.tapi kalau ayat tu diperkemaskan, barulah betul.

"contohilah org2 yg lebih tua yg sempurna hidupnya".

korang tahu apa maksud aku kan?

kalau org yg terdahulu buat perkara yg dilarang Tuhan, korang ikut?
dah tu, kata ikutilah org2 yg lebih tua?

so, korang ada mata korang lihat, ada telinga dengar, ada mulut jaga, ada hidup bau, ada otak korang gunakan untuk berfikir yg mana sempurna jalan yg korang pilih untuk hidup.

berfikir tak mendatangkan keburukan utk korang, malah mendatangkan kebaikan.jangan berfikiran kolot.macam org tu.siapa?

siapa2 saja lah.hahaha~

Mar 3, 2009

serangkap.yang.sedap.didengar.

saya tonton sebuah cerita.
ada serangkap sajak untuk rakan2 yang sedang hangat bercinta.hahaha.
bukan saya.saya hanya seorang yg hina.

ianya berbunyi begini.

"kalaupun syurga itu indah, aku tetap pilih kamu.
kalaupun hembusan angin itu menyenangkan, aku tetap pilih kamu.
kalaupun waktu itu adalah nyawa, aku akan tetap pilih kamu.
dan sekarang, kamu nampakkan?betapa besarnya kamu dalam aku."

lebih kurang mcm itu yang saya dengar.
serangkap yang sedap didengar.

bukan untuk saya.tapi buat kalian di luar sana.

Mar 2, 2009

ketahui.personaliti.dari.luaran.

dasyatnya ilmu tuhan.
betul?

saya tonton tv.motivasi dr.fadzilah kamsah.
perawakan fizikal & personaliti jadi tajuk.
beberapa kajian yang telah dibuat.

ramai orang mengatakan untuk mengenal seseorang perlu dari dalaman.bukan sekadar luaran.memang tepat sekali.
tapi, ilmu tuhan itu cukup luas.
tiada yg tidak sempurna.ada zat2 yg tersirat.jangan menilai tahi lalat yg sekecil itu membawa suwei, bulu kening yg bercantum itu tidak cantik, hidung yg kembang itu tidak macho..

mengikut kajian.
perempuan yg cantik.
petah bercakap.sebab?banyak berlatih.menjawab segala pertanyaan dan sewaktu dengannya.
kerana?
lelaki mengurat, berkenalan dan sewaktu dengannya..
jangan marah.ini mengikut kajian.
bukan semua.mungkin sesetengah.

mengikut kajian.
orang yg bebadan montel atau gemuk.
pemurah.tidak kedekut.
kerana?
beliau belanja orang mkn dia makan.dia sedekah pada org. org sedekah pada dia kembali.hahaha.mengikut kajian.
maknanya org yang kurus adalah sebaliknya.tapi bukan semua org.mungkin sesetengah.

jadi, kita boleh menilai seseorang bukan saja dari segi dalaman tetapi boleh dari luaran mengikut kesesuaian.tuhan mengetahui apa yang berlaku pada diri kita.InsyaAllah kalau kita lakukan apa yang disuruh,kita memperoleh keberkatan.banyakkanlah mengkaji.InsyaAllah~

masa.masa.terluang.

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apa yang saya buat dengan masa terluang saya?
bekerja part-time ataupun part-time job.
student?buat part-time job?

tidak menyalahi undang-undang bukan?

ditemani gigolo-gigolo yang kacak tambah macho dan dayang-dayang istana yang menarik perhatian customer.

dengan masa-masa yang berjalan dengan tanpa ada aktiviti.
elok rasanya mencari pengalaman.
tambah duit poket.gila duit.

saya gila duit.
untuk kepentingan saya.
peduli apa kata orang.buang air liur.
mereka cemburu saya ada duit.hahaha.

bersedia.tidak bersedia.

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apa yang saya fikirkan?
sedia ataupun tidak?

sedia atau tidak bukan masalah diri saya.saya sentiasa bersedia.
apa yang saya bersedia?
ooo...test bakal menjelma.

kenapa perlu bersedia?
persediaan diri untuk mengahadapi test perlu.
ditemapani lampu study yang cerah.
mathematics for matriculation II.menelaah sehingga subuh.

sembahyang.mohon kepadanya.rehatkan mata...ZZZZzzzzZZZZ

hidup.anda.tentukan.

hidup sepertimana yg anda tentukan.hahaha.korang pernah dengar tak ayat ni?.program ALLY kat tv3 tu la.bile aku dengar je ayat tersebut.berfikir sejenak dalam kotak fikiran aku ni.ape yang die kate memang ade betolnye.takkan hidup korang parents yang tentukan.bukannye tak boleh.pendapat aku mengatekan bukan tak boleh.ade sesetengah perkare yang boleh mereka tentukan.contohnye, mereka tentukan pendidikan kite.tapi sampai akhir hayat.sebab?bukan ape.sesetengah parents nak anak2 mereke ni jadi peguam la, engineer la,ape la.tapi ape jadi nanti kalau anak2 mereke ni tak berminat dalam bidang yang diorang tentukan?diorang terus bergelumang dalam hidup diorang la.memang la mase kite kecik2 dulu diorang tentukan pendidikan kite.abes tu takkan la kite yang tentukan.kalau kite yang tentukan.pagi pegi maen guli dgn ali.tgh hari balik makan nasi.then, keluar semule maen gasing pulak.dah jd tak belajar la mcm tu.lagi satu,ini hal besar la aku rase.kite tentukan pasangan hidup.aku rase tak salah kalau kite mencari pasangan waktu di Universiti.maksud aku rakan+perempian+pertalian rapat+berkongsi pendapat.tapi ade juge yang parents dmereke tentukan.mahu tak mahu kene ikot la.aku dengar dari cikgu aku time sekolah dulu.cikgu pakar pulak tu.hehehe.ape salahnye kan?bukan mengganggu pelajaran kot.bile sedang asyik belajar, kite mendapat support dari "rakan" tersebut.ade saingan.contohnye, si lelaki bersaing dengan si perempuan untuk dapat pointer yg tinggi.ini tidak.dunia mereke mungkin berbeza.memang la betul mereke berpengalaman.takot anank2 mereke ni hanyut dalam arus pecintaan mcm remaja2 yang terlibat dalam zina,sumbang mahram dang sebagainye.tapi, takkan anak2 mereke yang belajar di Universiti2 dalam mahupun luar negare ni tak berfikir.sejauh mane pelajaran yang mereke ambil tu sejauh tu la mereke perlu berfikir.pelajar2 sekarang yang makin meningkat dewasa ni pun satu.berfikir la sejenak.muhasabah diri.yang lima jangan ditinggal.bile setan dah bersatu dengan korang.abes la jawabnye.jadi, berfikir la wahai manusia.jika korang mempunyai akal fikiran yang positif.hidup kaorang adelah sepertimane yang korang plan.jadilah menusia yang minda terbuka.bukan tersepit.gabungkan pengalaman orang2 terdahulu dan kini.renungkan situasi zaman dahulu dan sekarang.satukan idea2 dahulu dan kini.mungkin satu hari nanti kite akan dapat yang terbaik.InsyaAllah~