Tokonang Den ( 11 )

Rostam and I arrived early for that function. We were at the school (STAR) attending the handing aid ceremony under Yayasan Tun Hamdan and were at the corridor in front of the staff room, when a group of VIPs passed by. I did not notice anything peculiar until I heard someone mentioning that Dato Mohd Khalid Abdul Halim was around. But I could not figure out which one was him. Even when the procession entered the school hall, I still could not figure out which one was Dato Khalid until the ceremony was over. Someone pointed that Dato Khalid was the one dressed in a blue Indonesian batik. I had a big gasp! I was not the only one though!. Even Dato Awang Adek and Rostam could not recognise him the first time around.

I remember he used to walk around the school compound in wellington boots, with his walking stick and smoking his pipes. Vestis virum facit. At times he looked stylist and elegant. Most of the time he looked 'arrogant'. Enough to make us (students) frightened and scared - by sheer looking at him, by sheer hearing his foot steps, and by his mere presence.

How could one forget - during one session of the school assembly, - when he openly made the remark and statement to those (students) who were 'behaving' like gangsters that he himself was a gangster from 'Aloq Setaq'! His husky, commanding and firm voice, enough to ensure that his words and commands would be obeyed.

Every terms, those with red marks in their report cards, would have had sleepless nights, worrying for the next day to come. HM Khalid would go round to every classes with his cane and would canned us according to the number of red marks that one has. Yes sir ..., Thank you sir!!.

HM Khalid was very stern and strict on discipline. I remembered one particular incident, during school hours - we were in the classroom then - when suddenly we heard a big and loud bang coming from the lower six classroom downstairs. Someone was caught playing a guitar in the classroom - during the normal school hours. And to HM Khalid, that was a big NO. He smashed the guitar into pieces.

What about the incident when 4 students were caught truant? The whole school then witnessed the infamous public canning by him - on the open space between the school and the industrial arts block. Nobody dared to say anything. No one dared to interfere! Not even Pak Lau or Ustaz Mohammad.

Remember the incident at the dining hall? How he came to the dining hall and karate chop a student - to ensure that discipline was being observed? I was seated among the front rows at the time and witnessed the whole 'event'. That guy was taken immediately to the hospital - suspected broken his nose!. And I went to prep with empty stomach that night for I totally lost my appetite after witnessing that incident.

But his love for sports especially rugby was second to none. He must have been very proud to have witnessed during his reign as the HM the school rugby team became the first winner and won the coveted Mori Trophy!. How he cherished and enjoyed the moment when we paraded the trophy to the dining hall on the bullock cart?!

But HM Khalid (Dato') that I met that day was different. Soft spoken and he looked like a guy who could not even lift a finger on anybody let alone hurting them. That day, we reminisced the 'good ol' days'. He even told us a story about a student while waiting outside his room, was so scared that by the time he came out, that boy already wet himself. Ipse dixit!

HM Khalid has long retired and is currently residing in Ipoh and he can be reached at No. 32 Jalan Lasam, 30350 IPOH. House phone no: 05-2546870.

(From Left to Right): Jabbar (Batch 73), Rostam (Batch 73), Midzor Hilal (Batch 69) and HM Khalid (68 till 70)

(From Left to Right): Rostam, Wan Husin (Batch 73), Midzor, HM Khalid and an unknown old boy.