Tokonang Den (9)

cont .....

As it turned out, Linggam was the sole candidate from Borneo to have joined us - Batch 73. Of course we had Ahmad Sharbi from Sarawak who joined us later, when we were in Form One, though he left very much earlier than expected, but Linggam was the one and only student from Sabah/Sarawak to have joined us in 1968. He could claimed that he was Sabah's best student from that Special Entrance Examination, and enabled him to study in STAR. It was a rather funny and peculiar arrangement though judging by the fact that there were more than one candidates coming from Sabah and Sarawak from previous batches and the one after, but not during our year (1967). My only guessed then was the passing marks for the Entrance Exam in 1967 was slightly higher than previous years, thus few qualified from Sabah.

Most of us also remembered Linggam as the guy who chided and made fun of Halim Daud. He caught most of us dumbfounded and guessing when he poised and asked us who was Milah?! Of course he was teasing Halim Daud, and Milah was the reverse of Halim's!.

But without the slightest doubt Linggam's prowess and strength was in sport - especially in the game of rugby. Linggam, however, was equally good in athletics especially in the throwing events - the discuss, shot putt and javelin. Familiar remarks on Linggam then - just name the target and Linggam will hit the mark!. Someone jokingly mentioned that he had a headstart in these throwing events for he had an early training back home in Sabah!! Even in the sprinting events, he sprinted and ran as if he was chasing a wild buffalo on the loose!

Reverting back to rugby, I was not sure whether Linggam captained the Perak U-16 combined school rugby team or not but together with Kutik, Che Chop Mohamad, Omar Suhaimi and Solahuddind (Batch 72) as well as Rusli Idrus and Nordin (Batch 74), they represented the school. Omar Suhaimi however had to withdraw from the squad after he broke his collarbone! A case of pure hard luck. Anyway, until today, I could not recalled the coaching and training sessions that both Mr. J A David and Mr. Robert Crayton have had with the team!. Probably due to very few schools taking part in the tournerment (the 'Linggam's factor!) there were not many sessions been organised! One think for sure though, STAR rugby was at its best, at its pinnacle and enjoyed tremendous and 'hugh' success when Mr. Hugh Whylam was in-charged. Mr. Whylam, a British Voluntary Service Officer (VSO), had such a great command and respect from the players, understanding of the game, and was very committed as a rugby teacher/coach. In fact he even even he coached the school football team.

However, despite the success shown by the likes of Kutik, Omar, Che Chop, they together with a few others from Batch 73 had to forgo their interests in the game and forget about rugby when they were in Form Five, when the organiser/authority decided to revert and switch back the game to the old system - Under 15 instead of under 16 and Under 18 instead of Under 20. It was the main reason why most of us in Batch 73 had to 'hang our boots' much earlier than expected!.

Top picture: Players representing Perak Rugger U-16 Combined School Team

Picture curtesy of Omar Suhaimi
______________

That photograph above reminded me of the fact that, during our lower forms, we actually wore shorts to class (from Remove Class until Form Three). Those with hairy legs had to endure the torment of having to wear short pants and to display their hairy legs!! Some who were smart enough would resorted to long socks (Kamarulzaman Othman was one of them). The rest would have to make do with whatever God has meant them to be! There was this guy from Green House (I forgot his name.. gosh!), 2 years our senior, having such hairy legs that wearing shorts was not the best alternative that we could asked him to do. We were not that particular and that 'islamic' then. We were not really concerned about 'aurat' then, were we? People like Mad Bakar or Saiful even Halim Daud or Azlan were lovely and nice to look at wearing shorts but definitely not others, not Linggam!. How impatiently we waited for the Lower Certificate Examination to be over, so that come Form Four, we could be wearing long pants!

Very unfortunate indeed, Linggam had to leave us after 1971. It was only three years ago when I took the opportunity and courage to contact Lingam - after all those long disappearing, silent, and 'hibernating' years. Now, whenever he made his business trip to Kuala Lumpur, we made it a point to meet - either in Kuala Lumpur or in Putrajaya. Linggam is happily married and is blessed with 5 children - three of them already married.

Picture: Linggam with his family members during his son wedding occassion

End of part 9.

One For The 'Dirty' Road!

From: Got These From The Internet

EANTAUTJK, Penang

Tokonang Den ( 8 )

Whenever I think of Linggam Sibi, I would always remember the incident that happened during our first week in school. We were totally 'alien' to each other then, still shy and very reserved - typical of kampong boys, perhaps. Anyway, on that 'fateful' day, I was seated obediently at the back of the class - Remove Class B - when the name Linggam Sibi was called out by En. Yang Razali. The very next moment, for reason best known to both of them, En. Yang Razali tried to pinch Linggam by the tummy (very typical Tan Teng Leong's style). Linggam reacted by opening up his 'silat' moves!. He totally misunderstood En. Yang's intention and had reacted as what was expected of a 'Bajau warrior' under seiged!. Nobody dared to laugh then nor ask Linggam what was all the huha about.

How can we forget his unique and stylist baju Melayu - green in color, 'wet-looked' somemore and with that 'blink-blink" features (could have easily won over AC Mizal's or Aznil Hj. Nawawi's admiration!). He really looked like a pahlawan Bajau wearing that shirt. And to tell the truth, I was a scared and worried 13-year old kid, looking at him the first time around. Linggam was big and he had that 'fierce' and 'ready-2-pow-U' looked at that time. Serious! Dead and very serious looking Linggam indeed!. Obviously, his 'serious-look' and his 'maturity' landed him the captaincy of the school rugby team.

That picture above was the school Under - 16 rugby team. Majority of the players were from Batch 73 though we still have Solahuddin (Batch 72), Rusli, Adli (Arwah), Anuar Musa (Tan Sri) and Nordin (all of them from Batch 74). Seated were of course Linggam and Kutik. Can you imagine Mr. J. A David coaching us rugby?!.

If I am not mistaken, ours was the first time ever when the inter-Remove class game of rugby was introduced. It was the brainchild of Mr. Kok Kee Chye, who wanted the school to constantly produce rugby players - good, 'star' quality players, I would say. My first reaction then when Shafri Man (Dato) and Alias Shaarani came over to the class and told us about the game and the match, was anything but excited. Rugby? Never heard of this game before! What the heck was these guys talking about!?

The team was selected and trained under Shafri and Alias. I can't remember who was in-charged of Remove Class A though. But one thing for sure, having Linggam in the same team as you are, was not only a blessing in disguise but it was as if you have struck a lottery! We escaped the endure of having to tackle him. Linggam at the time was bigger than the rest of us. And since 'size does matter'.., at least in rugby, it was really a plus point for us in Remove Class B. Of course, Remove Class A team was not to be belittled. They had Kutik but having Linggam was something extra!. Of course, there were other prominent and potential rugby players in the making as well then - Radhi Majid (HM Khalid called him 'the Black Panther!'), Hassan Said (Prof Dato'), Ismail Ibrahim, Omar Suhaimi, Mat Nor, Ismail Don , Yuri, Tomo, Rahim, Che Chop, Lan Chik, Khairuddin (Wak) and even Wan Manshol!. What can I say of Wak Khairuddin? He may not be a handsome guy then, but on the field, as a scrumhalf, Wak flew like a butterfly!

Ipoh rugby then (probably Perak as well) witnessed the arrival of Linggam in manner that has never been before!. Linggam took the world of rugby in Perak by storm. He was the Jonah Lomu of yesteryear. He would ran amok on the field. Running from one end of the field to another. He terrorised the opposing team so much so that as team mates you could not helped but felt lucky that you played along side him and not the opposite. I was sure that those guys who had been tackled by Linggam or tried to tackle Linggam would have rather 'di timpa balak' instead. Deo gratias! In almost every game that we played, the scores were all above the centuries! Thanks to Linggam!

Linggam was also a school cadet band member and played the bass drum. The softie and romantic side of Linggam!. And guess what, the teacher who was in-charge of the school cadet band then was none other - En. Yang Razali!!

... to be continued

Sorry Guys

Have been frequenting and spending more time at the clinics of late. Have to and must take extra precaution nowadays, especially with this H1N1 happening.

Heard that Rostam's son was also hit by H1N1 but already cleared free. Spoken to Rostam yesterday and a day before yesterday and was told that everything is under controlled.

Shall up-date the Blog a.s.a.p!. Take care guys!!

One For The 'Dirty' Road!

Why do women pay more attention to their appearance than improving their minds? Because most men are stupid, but few are blind.

Man says to God: "God, why did you make woman so beautiful?"
God says: "So you would love her."
"But God," the man says, "why did you make her so dumb?"
God says: "So she would love you."

An old Italian Mafia Don is dying and he called his grandson to his bed. ‘Grandson I wanta you to listen to me. I wanta you to take mya 45 automatic pistol, so you will always remember me’. ‘But grandpa I really don't like guns, how about you leaving me your Rolex watch instead?’.

‘You lisina to me, some day you goina be runna da bussiness, you goina have a beautiful wife, lotsa money, a biga home and maybe a couple od bambino, some day you goina come hom and maybe finda you wife in be with another man. Whata you gonna do then? Pointa to you watch and say, ‘TIMES UP’?

A female reporter was conducting an interview with a farmer about Mad Cow Disease. "Mr. Brown, do you have any idea what might be the cause of the disease?" "Sure. Do you know the bulls only screw the cows once a year?" "Umm, sir, that is a new piece of information, but what's the relationship between this and Mad Cow?" "And did you know we milk the cows twice a day?" "Mr. Brown, that's interesting, but, what's the point?" "Lady, the point is this: if I'm playing with your tits twice a day, but only screwing you once a year, wouldn't you go mad, too?"

Tokonang Den (7)

Anaknya Lima

Mahu ke mana adik yang manis
Jalan sendiri tiada berkawan
Dalam nya rintik hujan gerimis
Habis basah kuyup aku kasihan..

.... Titiek Sandhora & Muchsin

This picture was taken when we were on our way down south - for a sosial cum educational visit to Sekolah Menengah Perempuan, Jalan Kolam Ayer in Kuala Lumpur and Sekolah Datok Abdul Razak, Seremban. The year was 1972 and we were in Form Four then.

It was a normal excursion organised by a handful of enterprising students (Batch 73) from the Form 4 Science A, led by Syed Hamzah (Syed Bone). Kamarshah, Omar Suhaimi and I were in Form 4 Science B then. But we were invited by the organiser for the trip - as part of the contigency plan, I guessed, in case we were requested to do a bit of 'entertaining!. Entertainment indeed it was. But at the very first stop, in Sekolah Perempuan Kolam Ayer, it was a bombshell! At least to me. I made a terrible mistake that I regretted up until now. I was asked by the host to perform a duet with their 'singer' - singing a song 'Anaknya Lima'. What had gotten into me then was something that I could not explained but it was silly of me. I substituted the last two words of the final verse with two 'vulgar' words that shocked everybody, even me! Even though I apologised to Shamsinar (the singer) and to En. Ahmad Shafie, I knew I had spoiled their 'majlis', dissapointed and failed the group. We did not falter and fall into the same trap when performing in SDAR but due to lack of practice, we had not done justice to our presentation.

Nonetherless, the trip down south reminded me of the vending machine project that Batch 73 (Form 4 then) ventured into. Syed Hamzah - as the main guy behind the scheme - should be commended for that brilliant and enterprising idea. Remember how that project got us together - dutifully we followed the roster and collect those bottles (every single bottle returned will be refunded with 10 cents by the company). Azlan, Awang, Yeah, Wang Huseng, Wang Zeng, every body .. even our own Datok K were not spared!! Such a camaraderie!

There were other trips organised after the trip down south - of notable was the one to Butterworth, to Telok Batek (Telok Batak, then). But I personally was not aware of those trips or could it be that my memory has failed me!. Anyway, some of these trips were privately and 'quietly' organised and personally sponsored (together with other school - especially the girl's!). Could the reason be that these girls were actually eyeing for the trial examination papers? Aha!! Perhaps.

It was quite sometime since I last heard from Fadhil Hasan. He had SMSed me when I was in Ipoh for the Old Boy's Weekend last month and apologised for not be able to join the OBW - he had his hand full minding his children!. Nevertherless, I presume Fadhil is doing alright and keeping himself fit and busy. InsyaAllah, we shall be hearing from Fadhil soon -another wedding!? - just pulling your legs guys!!

One For The Road.

A little girl asked her father,
'How did the human race appear?'
The father answered, God made Adam and Eve, they had children,
and so was all mankind made!'

A few days later the girl asked her mother the same question.
The mother answered,
'Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved'

The confused girl returned to her father and said,
Dad, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God,
and mom said they developed from monkeys?'

The father answered,
Well dear, it is very simple, I told you about my side of the the family,
and your mother told you about hers!'