A prelude to the annual sports day was the cross country run. It was one of the event that I had waited anxiously during my lower forms but not over the later years. During those days, if my memory has not lapsed me, the cross-country event was being monopolised by these bunch of runners: Shahrir (senior from Blue House) or Solahuddin (also a senior - Black House) or Musa Omar (Red or was he from White House .... Yellow?) or Fauzi Alias (senior - Yellow House). We (Batch 73) had our own middle distance and X-country champion in Yunus Karim. But most often than not, the accolades for the X-country event belonged to those guys ... Shahril, Solahuddin ...
The country run took us away from the school compound via the side gate near the surau, out into the rubber estates, over a 'titi' across a tiny stream, alongside a pamelo plantation, the 'oink-oink farm, then came out on the 'country' road just alongside the town of Ampang Baru. Then we'll be struggling and pulling ourselves along Jalan Raja Musa Mahadi (formely Dairy Road) and back to the school. The most welcome sight then was seeing the school a distance away especially from that corner after Yellow House. But, that whole stretched, from that corner until the finishing line, was the most torturous and longest journey ever to the finishing line, I have ever experienced!.
Idris (Dato'), Daniel Tomo, Yuri, Zaini Rashid, Jalal Atan and Saleh Jabar were among the guys (Batch 73) on the photograph. When I met Daniel Tomo last month's during the OBW, he was twice the figure that appeared in the photo. (Do not despair Tomo.., guys, member-member lain pun gemok dan boyot juga, including yours truly!!). During those X-country run, quite often I came acrossed and stumbled upon Tomo but I wouldn't say the same thing though on Rostam. Was he running or was he among the 'selected markers'? or 'check-pointers?' Or could it be that he took part in another 'running event' than X-country? I did try once though, applying for the position of a 'marker' but was disqualified. I was made to understand that one must be really "OKUed" to qualify! The easier way then, they told me, was to get the recomendation from the matron! (Raja Mas Juita). No way man!
Ipoh, if not Perak, is famous for its nasi ganja (of course lah., Rostam would not have agreed more!), kacang menggelembu, pamelo as well as jambu apple!. Talking about pamelo, ever since that X-country runs and ever since I stumbled upon the pig farm (which was sited beside the pamelo plantation), I forbid myself totally from eating pameloes. When Mohamad asked me to pull over and stopped at the stalls on our way home to KL via Simpang Pulai, so that he could buy some pamelo, I just couldn't say no. These pamelo stalls were being manned by amoys, but I doubt whether they are locals. Could these amoys be the real reason why Mohamad wanted the pameloes so desperately? Pure tricks of the trades. I wonder!
One of the notable cross country runners from Batch 73 was arwah Koshang ( Zainal Majid ) of White House. Shamsudin Ishak( Wak ) and Fatah Mohamad ( both of Batch 74 )were the other good runners from White House.
ReplyDeleteMat wanted the pamelo probably for the feel of it...
ReplyDeleteDear Rostam and Jabar,
ReplyDeleteAku tak lah makan sangat buah pomelo tu tapi dah jadi a must buah tangan untuk bawa balik jb. Kalau aku tak beli nanti depa kata aku tak pi Ipoh pulak.Yang kedua pulak pasal aku dah buat janji dengan Ah Wen ammoy gerai no.37 tu.Jabar hang lupa satu lagi Ipoh is also famous for 'Talak sombong punya,kinciinng
talak munyi.....berdiri'. Kalau hang tak percaya hang tanya Omar Dollah.
Rostam is right.I get to feel ipoh mali punya pomelo once a year(OBW).That's why can't wait for the next OBW2010.Tam hang dapat tak jemputan kahwin anak Sailan on August 2nd? Anak yang dulu aku tak pi so this time aku kena pi lah.Insyaallah.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of x-country run, I can never forget the taste of those cold, bottled drinks after the run which was out of this world then.
ReplyDeleteJabbar & all,
ReplyDeleteFor info, Musa Omar (now Y Bhg Dato') was from Yellow house (also very good in hockey). I understand that he is currently a Laksamana Muda with TLDM, holding the position of Commander of Naval Education and Training.
As for the rest of the x-country story, I was not really a country runner though I never obtained any 'waiver' from Matron YM Raja Mas Juita but I remember of having skipped some of the runs (can't remember on what ground). On the occassions that I did participate, I used to be amongst those at the back end.
On pomelo stalls in front of Hill City Hotel, those girls are the salse promoters (just like the umbrella girls at a motoring event). But these Ah-moys would cut/peel of the fruit for you to have a taste before deciding to buy. It is a pretty standard marketing routine (or gimmick) - they are all in low v-necks and seated on low stools, with a fruit held on their laps. Of course, you will never miss to get a glance on what is just above the fruit being peeled-off. Buah tak manis pun jadi manis!!!!!That is why Mat ended up buying more fruits than he had initially intended to.....
By the way, when I was in Yangon last week, I managed to take a short walk near the hotel to a market place. Apart from durians (they call it "dorean") and rambutans, I found they also have jering (I forgot to ask what it is called there)....
Omar. pls let me know the next time u want to go to Yangon. I may want to follow u and try the 'pomeloes' there. I understand they taste better and cheaper too.
ReplyDeleteHai Tam & the rest,
ReplyDeleteOf course their "fruits" are quire similar to what we have in Malaysia in term of shapes but the size varies. I wouldn't know if they taste better and cost much cheaper than those available in Ipoh. Haven't gone to the price haggling part yet. Next trip we can go together nad try some samples ...he..he..he...
Wan Zain had gone to Yangon earlier (before the OBW) but he never responded to my requests for some of his "contacts".
By the way the correct spelling is POMELO (son of Dulla wrote it as "pamelo") and the plural is spelled POMELOS and not POMELOES. Source: Mirriam Webster English Dictionary.
Jabbar & All,
ReplyDeleteI was scrutinizing the cross-country photo. I am not quite sure but can we confirm the following:-
1) The guy behind Tomo and in front of YB Yeh could be Tumiran - the build and the Bodger specs.
2) A bit behind, the guy in spectacles to the front right side of Jabbar reminds me of Ma'arof (hmm, we do have someone by that name from our Batch '73, right?).
3) Further back, slightly behind Yyuri, the round-faced guy with bushy hair looks like a young Boestaman.
Have anyone tried to recollect all the names that we had when we left in '73?. My sources have been Azis Harun and Roslan Chik but they have not been participating at this post.
Rgds.
You were right Omar. We do have Maarof Abu Bakar of White House. I have also given Jabbar all the names of those who joined in 1968 and 1969. Unfortunately I could not remember many of those who joined us in 1972. Maybe Mat can help us with this..
ReplyDeleteOmasuha and guys,
ReplyDeleteCorrect,correct, correct. I spelt the word wrongly, mintak ampun, mintak maaf!.It should have been pomelo.
2. The guy behind Tomo was Saad (Black house). Couldn't tell from the picture whether the guy was Bustamam Mahmud.
3. The Maarof-look-a-like was Zainal (White House.
Jabbar,salah spelling tak pe. Yang penting u must know how to eat and enjoy the 'pomelos'.
ReplyDeleteBetul cakap Rostam tu. Pasal tu lah aku tak miss beli pomelos. Yang penting I got to feel and peel the fruits.So sorry Rostam I may be much of help pasal memory ni.Age is catching up I guess. Sikit2 tu bolehlah.Jabbar thanks for the info given that day.My friend save a lot of troubles searching for the direction.He went to parcel E and got it right.
ReplyDeleteGuys, memang ramai jugak yang I tak pernah jumpa langsung since we left school. My list includes the followimg:- Nari, Maarof, Mat Ngah, Mat Bakar, Bustamam, Ismail Jumli, Ahmad Shaibi, Ansor, Zainudin Omar, Tengku Zainudin, Zainol Shah, Shuaib Ismail, Ismail Don, Zulkifli Siraj, Shokeri Md Zin, Norman, Yyuri, etc. Yang pernah aku jumpa sekali (at most dua kali) includes Man Panjang (when he was a student in UM and I was at ITM), Nazillah M Nor (once with MNI insurance), Zabidi (latest around 2002-03 in Kangar), hmmm... ramai lagi. I hope we can compile a full list (those from the original 1968 squad, those who came in a little bit later (sons of "big shots") & and those who joined us at form four in '72, - perhaps with the help of Azis Harun and Roslan Chik.
ReplyDelete