The Bridge Newsletter Issue 2 - Methodist Boys` School Kuala

the official e-newsletter for the Methodist Boys’ School Kuala Lumpur Alumni Association
FROM CONNECTING
THE EDITOR THE MBS FAMILY
SHADOW
OVER MBSKL?
THE MENARA WARISAN
MERDEKA development in the
heart of Kuala Lumpur has
been a hot potato issue since it
was unveiled by the Prime
Minister during his Budget
2011 speech in October last
year. The issue seemed to tap
into a wellspring of resistance
with tremendous numbers of
people raising criticisms,
particularly via social media
networks.
Of primary concern has been
the economic viability of the
development, an especially
touchy aspect that has fired up
public sentiment during a
climate of rising food and
energy prices and subsidy
cuts. The price tag for the
construction of the 100-storey
building has itself been
'revised' by news reports from
the initial RM5 billion quoted by
the Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Najib Tun Razak during his
Budget 2011 speech to
RM2.5-RM3 billion in the
following weeks. However, this
has not tempered public
accusations of profligacy.
Touted to be the country’s
tallest when it is completed in
2015, the building will have
gross floor space of 3 million
square feet and 2.2 million
The impact is
going to be very adverse.
Yong Chee Seng, former MBSSKL principal
IN THIS ISSUE...
Click on title to
go to article’s page
Get Your Hands Dirty
A Classic Teacher
MBS Swimmer
Makes Headlines
MUCH THINKING has been put into how the MBSKL Alumni
Association’s newsletter should be. The editorial board has finally
arrived at the concept of a “family-oriented” newsletter. After all,
the MBSalumni is not only about the old boys and girls. We are all
in a big, big family. It is a family that comprises young and old
students, school teachers and the parents of MBSKL students.
square feet of net floor space.
The entire development of the
19-acre site, undertaken by
Permodalan Nasional Berhad
(PNB), will take ten years,
targeted to finish by 2020.
According to The Edge
Financial Daily's assessment of
data gathered from the National
Property Information Centre
(Napic), as of September 2010,
Kuala Lumpur has 72.7 million
square feet of existing office
space supply, of which 58.5
million or 80.5% is occupied.
Continue to page 2
Qigong Master
from MBSKL
The MBSloop-MBSalumni
Chinese New Year Dinner
Connecting people
The alumni association is an avenue for us to share our thoughts,
sentiments, opinions and even information. We need material to
highlight our alumni – their career or business, families and even
hobbies. We need you to share updates with us so that we can
share with your old schoolmates.
And let us not forget our teachers. If you are still in contact with
them, please encourage them to pen a few lines of their
experiences in school. The current teachers can also play a role
by submitting short articles about teaching in MBSKL and their
perspective.
Going back to school
I’d like to believe that “old” boys and girls are always interested in
what’s happening in the school today. Are there any changes to
the classrooms and buildings? What is the sports day like these
Continue to page 3
In Memory of Mrs. Voon
Are You in the Loop?
Human Rights Lawyer &
Social Activist from MBSKL
The origins of the
T. Mori Education Trust
The rate has dropped over the
previous nine-month period from
83.2% in December 2009.
Occupancy levels in the city have
remained at the 80% mark for the
past ten years.
But it's not just about the money.
Take a look at the map of the
development and you will see that
Menara Warisan Merdeka is
surrounded by Stadium Merdeka,
Stadium Negara, Victoria
Institution, SRJK(C) Jalan
Davidson, Confucian Private
Secondary School and Methodist
Boys’ School, not to mention the
nearby Chin Woo Stadium along
Jalan Hang Jebat.
The impact of such a massive
commercial development in an
area that has largely been devoted
to non-commercial activity for
decades will not be subtle. The
influx of machinery and vehicles,
and the ensuing construction work
is not exactly the kind of
environment conducive to
educating the school children of
the four schools within the vicinity.
And that's just over the ten years
when the proposed building work
will take place.
The mixed development will
include office blocks, retail outlets,
a hotel and high-end
condominiums. With an expected
capacity for 10,000 people, and
the possibility of the Mass Rapid
Transit (MRT) route having a station
at the site, the Warisan Merdeka
project will have an irreversible
effect on the environment and
transform the locality for the
decades to come.
The first thing that comes to mind
is the traffic jams this will cause,
during and after the construction of
the development. It is the opinion
of former MBSSKL principal Yong
Chee Seng that this will not be a
good thing. "The impact is going to
be very adverse, where the
schools are concerned," he says.
"Unless they improve the traffic
situation, you can just imagine
what the traffic will be like with a
working population for a 100-storey
building."
PNB group chief executive Tan Sri
Hamad Kama Piah Che Othman
has tried to allay such fears. "We
are aware of the public’s concerns
that the traffic jam in the area will
worsen with the tower project, and
will be working with the relevant
authorities to look at ways to
improve the infrastructure and
traffic flow in the area,” he says, in
an interview with The Star.
Even accounting for possible
measures (as yet unspecified) to
mitigate this particular effect, Yong
worries that such endeavours, like
the widening of roads will then
encroach into the space for the
schools.
This is precisely the main concern
for Wong Chee Kheon, the current
principal of MBSSKL. "If public
transportation is enhanced, and
the authorities impose some kind
of measures like a limit on vehicles
entering the area, or heavy parking
fees, you can solve a lot of
problems," says Wong. "And I
understand that there might an
MRT line going through the
development."
"However parents being parents,
they are worried about the safety of
their kids, and most prefer to ferry
the kids to and from the schools
themselves."
Ex-principal Yong also raises
questions about the air and noise
pollution the development will
bring to the area. "Environmentally,
the impact will be negative,
because you can just imagine
what the demands of such a
building will have – the
infrastructure for sewerage, the
supply of water, electricity,
transport, the quality of air. The
high-rise construction will dwarf all
the surrounding buildings and this
will disrupt the easy flow of air that
we enjoy up on the hill."
Meanwhile MBSalumni
vice-president Peter Yap wonders
about the corollary effects that
such a big development will bring
to its surroundings. "The property
prices around the building will rise
and corporations will be eyeing
available pieces of land in the
area," he says.
While Stadium Merdeka and
Stadium Negara are sitting on land
owned by PNB, they are gazetted
as heritage sites, and Hamad has
assured that not only the sta-diums
will not be touched, but also the
architecture for the development
will be consistent and
complementary to the iconic status
of the stadiums.
As for all the schools and other
buildings nearby, Yap hints that
they will be up for grabs. "For the
owners of these other buildings,
some offers will be hard to re-sist."
A good example of this is the
demolishing of Bukit Bintang Girl's
School to make way for The
Pavilion.
Yap is skeptical whether this
project will get off the ground in the
next couple of years (it is slated to
begin construction next year). But
if the government is determined to
go through with this development,
Yap doesn’t believe that efforts like
petitions will stop it from going
ahead. "While this is a concern, but
it’s not at the top of my
‘must-think-about’ list. I'm thinking
a lot about concerns that are
tangible and immediate rather than
something that I have no control
over."
Those acquainted with the history
of mega-projects being pushed
through despite public resistance
will be familiar with such
sentiments.
Continue from CONNECTING THE MBS FAMILY
days? How are the students’ academic performance? There must be a
constant flow of information from the school to the alumni so that the bridge
could be strengthened. Thus, we hope to be able to connect MBS alumni with
the school. After all, we are “related” to each other because of the school.
What the Association can do for you
The alumni association is about people. Ties and friendship should continue
even though we are no longer in school. Thus, the association is trying to
provide facilities or opportunities for the alumni to connect with each other.
We believe that there are many alumni out there who have very interesting
hobbies that can be shared with the rest of us. For example, Hanifah Yoong
(class of 1956) is the man behind Waterski & Wakeboard World Cup, which
promotes watersports in Malaysia, whereas Azlan Idrus (class of 1990) runs
SkyTrex Adventure, which is not only a recreational facility but also one that
educates Malaysians about the natural environment.
So, if there are any food, car, sports or another type of enthusiasts out there,
the MBSalumni is more than happy to highlight or even co-organise events
with you to get more MBSians connected. For example, if you’re organising a
futsal tournament, we’d be glad to highlight it. Or if you’re simpy a futsal
enthusiast, the Association would be glad to co-organise a tournament with
you.
MBSKL alumni we are proud of
There are many former MBS boys and girls out there who have brought honour
and glory to the school and the alumni. Some are in politics, some are
successful corporate leaders and some are unsung heroes who simply do
meaningful work that make the world a better place.
The achievements of such MBSKL alumni ought to be acknowledged.
Sometimes, we need you to highlight these wonderful people to us so that we
can share their inspiring stories with others.
In conclusion, we’d like all of you boys and girls of MBSKL to get in touch with
us so that we can help you get in touch with your old schoolmates. In any
case, whether you’d like to send us brick bats or pats on the back, you can
email us at [email protected] (please remember to include your name,
graduating class and year).
Cheers,
Dr Eric Wong
Chief Editor
P.S. The other members of the editorial board are Jayanath Appadurai (1968) and
Roshan Thiran (1991). Our Honorary Secretary, Jonson Chong (1988),
is the de facto managing editor.
GET YOUR
HANDS DIRTY
ROSHAN THIRAN
learned to get his hands dirty learning
leadership at MBSSKL. He can be
reached at [email protected]
He is currently CEO of Leaderonomics, the fastest growing
leadership development organisation in the country.
You can download his podcasts at
http://leaderonomics.com/soundbytes/
WHAT DO STEVE JOBS, Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Richard Branson and Simon Cowell have
in common? Other than being in-credibly rich and successful, they are also drop-outs.
Apple, Inc. founder, Jobs, did one semester in college before taking his chances with the
real world. So did Dell, who started Dell, Inc. (then PC’s Limited) with just US$1,000 and a
short-lived college career. Gates, the richest man in the world, is still ‘on leave’ from Harvard
to run his billion-dollar company, Microsoft Corporation. Branson didn’t finish high school
but did manage to make Virgin one of the most valuable and bankable brands in the world.
And before he was making American Idol wannabes miserable, Cowell was just a humble
mailroom boy.
Evidently, somebody forgot to tell these guys they need to score straight As first before
making a success of themselves! Don’t get me wrong. I believe in the value of good
education as much as the next person. I thoroughly enjoyed all my years at the University of
Bridgeport in the US, and later even went to work at GE’s corporate university, Crotonville,
for a number of years. So, I would be the last person to condemn a great education as both
my university experiences added immensely to my personal, social and professional
development.
… people learn better while they are doing.
But I am also a firm believer that getting your hands dirty on the job is perhaps far more
important than a good report card. Work experience always triumphs over the classroom
because people learn better while they are doing. The common myth is that our growth and
learning is mainly attribut-able to course work or formal training. Most people believe that
about 70% of what we learn comes from training and classroom sessions. Then networking,
role modelling and mentorship (about 20% of our learning) comes next and finally job
experience (10% of what we learn). And so, there is an over-emphasis on classroom
learning because of the belief that training is the way to enhance learning. Most
corporations structure their organisations and training teams based on this belief that more
classroom training means better, more learned employees.
However, based on research conducted by a number of multinationals, including GE, and
later validated by research firms, class-room style training, in fact, accounted for only a
mere 10% of real learning and growth. In a reversal, it is on-the-job experi-ence that
develops business acumen and long-term career growth. The harder the role, the tougher
the environment, the more challenging the assignments, the more you learn and grow.
For the proverbial proof in the pudding, consider GE’s Financial Management Pro-gramme
(FMP) which I was a part of when I was in the US. Later, when I returned to Malaysia and
took on the role as CFO of our aviation unit, I helped set up and manage
this programme here. We put out recruitment ads for young graduates
from diverse backgrounds, universities and required Grade Point Average
(GPA) scores. Granted, we had some very brilliant recruits but many were
also average students in whom we saw drive, potential, and a desire to
make a difference in the world. And this was evident in their
non-academic experi-ences even if their report cards were decid-edly
ordinary. We picked these over some super straight-A students, even
turning away a seemingly brilliant Ivy League student. Today, each FMP
graduate is holding a sen-ior level position in GE offices around the world
– regardless of their grades when they joined us.
How did we do it? I believe a major part of our success in churning out
global leaders –not just in Malaysia, but everywhere around the world –
lies at the intent of the FMP modules, which pushes each trainee into a
new job every 6 months for 2 years. And this is where real learning and
growth happens – at the job and on the job.
COMMON MYTH
job experience
networking,
role models, mentors
classroom & training
REALITY
10%
10%
20%
20%
50 - 70%
70%
There is an importance to classroom training especially in functional and
technical mat-ters, but the learning that comes from the field is equally
invaluable as it changes based on context and situation. Each new
instance is a new learning experience and a new growth opportunity.
As we look back on the Bransons, Gates, and Jobs of this world, it’s not
surprising why they succeeded. They learned their trade in the field
facing new situations, learning and growing through each new
experience. And the more experiences they accumulated, the greater
their learning and growth.
Classroom learning will always have their place and relevance. In fact,
part of what the team at Leaderonomics are now working on is to ensure
classroom training is based on action-learning. And action-learning
(which literally means training which is experiential based) is in all our
modules. This will be the future of training – experiential based.
I have had nine jobs and a number of differ-ent roles in the 13 years I was
with GE. In that time, I was exposed to different indus-tries from oil and
gas to media to financial services to aviation and healthcare. My job
functions ranged from finance to human resources to operations to
various leader-ship roles.
Each experience helped build my personal learning and each experience
contributed to my personal growth. So, although classroom training has
its benefits, my advice is, if you really want to be a leader, go out there
and get those experiences – even if it means working in a dingy start-up
or a company that is struggling. Those experiences will mould you and
teach you much more than you would ever gain from attending a lecture
from a professor.
in the lower classes. Not only was
she the Career Guidance Teacher,
she also taught Adult Education
classes.
A CLASSIC
TEACHER
MRS SOONG
DURING HER TEACHING YEARS,
Puan Sri Soong Chan Sui Thin was
simply known as Mrs Soong. After
six years of courtship, she married
Mr Soong Siew Hoong, an old boy
of MBSKL, who later went on to
serve our nation in various capacities and became a Tan Sri. Thus,
our dear Mrs Soong became a
Puan Sri.
She was born on 25th of July 1925,
the 11th child of Chan Kam Ming,
a translator and in-terpreter, and
Foong Kwai Nui, a housewife. Mrs
Soong was educated in Methodist
Girls’ School, our sister school
located in Kampung Attap, Kuala
Lumpur.
During the Japanese occupation,
her education was interrupted from
1941 to 1945, but she kept on
learning and improving on her
favorite school subjects. After the
war ended, she went back to
school in September 1945, and
later obtained a Grade One
Cambridge Certificate in 1946.
Indeed, she was the top student in
MGS.
As a result of her outstanding
academic per-formance, Mrs
Soong won a Malayan Union
Scholarship to study in Raffles
MBS stands out as it
had several remarkable
teachers. Mrs Soong
was a respected and
necessary classic.
College, Sin-gapore. She graduated with a pass degree in the first
batch of students from the Malayan
University in Singapore in 1950.
Subsequently, she obtained a
teaching diploma in 1951. In 1955,
she went back to university and
obtained an honours degree in
Geography.
Mrs Soong taught for 15 years at
Senior MGS, Young Road. Leong
Mee Seen, a student at that school
in the early sixties, said she and
her classmates owed their mapreading ability to Mrs. Soong.
“She was a demanding teacher
and even looked intimidating,
always dressed in Chinese
cheongsams. We were drilled in
topography, world crops, development of atolls and force-fed
mountain-high heaps of facts and
data in the wide ranging subject of
Geography, which seemed then
not to have any boundaries.
“Geography encompassed so
many disciplines and Mrs Soong
made it fascinating as she always
had an answer for everything.
“Somehow little bits of information
still lingers, so that from time to
time, thanks to Mrs. Soong, I can
dredge up some observations on
major river deltas around the
world,” she said.
Mr T. Mori, the then principal of
MBSKL, took Mrs Soong into the
fold of MBSKL when his daughter
Michiyo left for Australia in 1966.
She taught mainly Geography in
the upper secondary classes, and
taught Moral Studies and Literature
As for Mrs Soong teaching in
MBSKL, Mee Seen recalls,
“lightning struck twice for me as
Mrs. Soong [was] transferred to
MBS as I en-tered Sixth Form there
and I had to take more gruelling
classes with her just as she had to
put up with the same group of
mediocre stu-dents again.”
“I am sure that she must have
made an impact on many more
years of MBS students and
perhaps some will remember those
days in her class as ‘the wonder
years.’
“MBS for me stands out as it had
several re-markable teachers,
some quite eccentric, off the curve
but profoundly effective and, Mrs
Soong, somewhere in the inner
ring, near the core, was a
respected and necessary classic,”
she said.
Puan Sri Soong retired at the age
of 55 on 25th July 1980. When
asked about her experience at
MBSKL, she replied, “What
glorious and satisfying years I had
in MBS where my colleagues and I
worked together with the MBS
team spirit.”
This article is largely based on the
biodata provided by Puan Sri Soong.
The MBSKL Alumni Association
conferred Puan Sri Soong the award of
Honorary Member of the Year (HMY)
2010. This award is presented at the
MBSalumni annual dinner to a
dedicated and long serving MBS
teacher who is not an alumnus of the
school. For this year’s recipient of the
award, we welcome nominations from
members. Please email us your
nomination, with a brief comment as to
why you feel this particular teacher
should be the HMY 2011. The final
decision will be made by the
MBSalumni Management Committee
after considering all nominations.
MBS SWIMMER
MAKES HEADLINES
MBS boy, Ian Barr is a swimming marvel who has represented Malaysia in the Asian and
Commonwealth Games. He just made headlines again in the Malaysian Schools Sports
Council Swimming Meet in Malacca. The following is an extract of the New Straits Times
article published in the Sports Section on 17 March 2011.
Ian continues to sparkle as records fall
IAN JAMES BARR continued to live up
to his top billing by smashing two
records on the third day of competition
at the Malaysian Schools Swimming
Championships at the Hang Jebat
Aquatic Complex, Malacca yesterday.
Ian, who on Wednesday rewrote the
boys' Under-18 200m backstroke
record, yesterday broke the Under-18
50m backstroke record of 28.53s by
clocking 27.58s to take the gold. He
later clocked 2:11.42s in the 200m
individual medley, bettering the old
mark of 2:14.80s, to take his second
gold of the day. Despite his impressive
performances, Ian said he felt he had
yet to fire on all cylinders. "I am happy
to have broken two records today
(yesterday) but honestly don't feel that I
performed much better than yesterday
(Wednesday)," said Ian.
"I feel that I have yet to hit top form at
these championships but I am hoping to
improve as things progress."
Link to original article: Ian continues to
sparkle as records fall
LOW KWAI CHEE FIRST learned
Shaolin Qigong in 2002, and
mastered it within three months. He
began to teach qigong in 2003.
After teaching qigong for several
years, he attended a workshop on
Wellness Medical Qigong and
learned qigong treatment
techniques. He is certified by the
Malaysian Society for
Complementary Medicine as a qi
healer. Master Low, an MBS old
boy, has been conducting private
qigong classes for MBSalumni
members since November 2009.
The senior students have already
learned the three types of qigong
taught by him.
What makes his approach
different? Master Low says that the
three types of qigong that he
teaches can be considered high
level qigong as they are easy to
learn, quick to accumulate qi and
safe. Moreover, he prefers small
classes so that he can give
individual attention to his students,
whom he teaches according to
their own individual pace.
After having practised qigong for
more than a year, albeit not in a
very disciplined manner, Charlie
Ng says that he can feel the
difference. Indeed, he managed to
even loose some inches off his
waistline (which he unfortunately
regained during the Chinese New
Year festivities).
That is why Master Low says, “to
really benefit from qigong, it has to
be approached holistically. It must
be adopted as a lifestyle and
practised every day. If we only
practise on Sundays, and start
eating unhealthy foods as soon as
class is over, then we will not really
benefit from qigong.”
Ho Chee Wah, another student,
agrees. He shared an anecdote
about his friend who suffered from
glaucoma. Apparently, after
practising qigong diligently for a
period of time, his eyesight
QIGONG MASTER
FROM MBSKL
Master Low performing a
simple qi treatment on
the spot
To really benefit from qigong,
it has to be approached holistically.
It must be adopted as
a lifestyle and practised every day.
Master Low demonstrating a
New Medical Qigong movement
Master Low and some MBS alumni during a Sunday
morning class
actually improved. Apart from
learning the qigong exercises,
consistent and disciplined practice
is very important. Thus, it is very
helpful to have a few supportive
friends and/or family members to
practise qigong together with.
According to Master Low, there are
more than 7,000 types of qigong in
China. See the table below for the
description and benefits of each
type of qigong taught by him.
Further, he says that “finding a
good qigong master who can
teach well is difficult, even more so
a qigong teacher who can emit qi
to heal chronic ailments.” Indeed,
although he had an interest in
qigong since his younger days, he
only found a good one when he
was about to retire. “This is
because in order to be able to emit
qi, there must be strong internal
energy and also the ability to
connect with cosmic as well as
earth energy. Moreover, he or she
must also be well versed with the
human anatomy, the meridians and
acupuncture points, and also have
some medical knowledge.”
Ultimately, what drove Master Low
to teach qigong after he retired
was the health benefits that he
himself experienced. He simply
wanted to share what he
discovered. He says, “we must
realise that our health is one of the
most important things in life,
without which we may not even
have the energy to enjoy life.” That
is why, he is more than happy to
start new classes for the
MBSalumni and share his passion
for qigong.
SHAOLIN QIGONG
(NEI JING
YI ZHE CHAN)
• More than 1,300 years old.
• Nei Jing means internal force; Yi Zhe means one finger and Chan
means Zen.
• Generates very powerful qi in the body.
• Effective in strengthening internal organs and anti-aging.
• Relatively difficult to learn as it involves a “horse stance” position
for 30 minutes.
• Each exercise set has 14 movements, which takes about 45 minutes
to complete.
NEW
MEDICAL QIGONG
• A relatively new form of qigong - less than 10 years old.
• The movements are in small circles and has the effect of bringing in fresh qi
and discharging stale qi in a very short time.
• Rapidly opens up the meridians and important acupuncture points
in the hands.
• Extensive health benefits experienced by practitioners.
• Easy to learn.
• Each exercise set has 8 movements, which takes about 20 minutes
to complete.
HAN YANG RU
YI GONG
WUJI
• Opens meridiens, removes “old energy” and generates “new energy”.
• A form of qigong with very elegant and fluid movements, which brings in
fresh qi and removes old, negative qi.
• Has a calming and relaxing effect on practitioners; especially good for people
suffering from insomnia.
• Every movement is balanced with Yin and Yang in harmony.
• Similar to Tai Chi but only the hands move; thus, only standing
space required.
• Each exercise has 14 movements, which takes about 20 to 25 minutes
to complete.
A form of qigong meditation, said to be older than the ancient art of Tai Chi,
which regulates Yin and Yang forces to establish “energy equilibrium” by
accumulating energy from both the earth and the universe.
• Keeps the practitioner in tune with universal energy.
• Known to help normalise blood pressure and have a relaxing effect.
• One stance only. Can practise for brief periods, even 5 minutes. Some people
practise Wuji for one hour.
Low Kwai Chee, 63, left MBSKL
way back in 1968, after finishing
Upper Six form. He conducts
qigong classes for the MBSalumni
at the Bukit Jalil Park every Sunday
between 7:30 to 9:30 am. (He says
the energy there is very positive.) If
there is enough interest, a new
class can be started at the park in
Taman Tun Dr Ismail on Saturday
mornings (maximum of 15 students
per class). For more details, please
contact Master Low directly via
email (please click).
If you’re interested in alternative
medicine, you may like to read this
article for a scientific perspective
on qi and the related field of
bio-resonance therapy.
01
02
03
04
06
05
THE MBSLOOPMBSALUMNI
CHINESE NEW YEAR
DINNER
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
01
02
03
Executive Secretary Darryn Chiew
and MBSLoop Organiser-in-Chief
Low Min Chee with the sound guys.
VP Peter Yap
(and MBSalumni Organiser-in-Chief)
with the sound guys.
04
These kids can dance!
06
05
14
Darryn, Ron Leong (PTA Chairman),
Peter, Mr Wong and Tjek
(Management Committee member).
Hungry diners waiting for dinner
to be served.
(A view from the stage.)
07
Darryn on stage with his sax.
10
So you think you can dance?
13
08
William Lor introducing
the dancers from his academy.
11
Federal Court Judge Tan Sri James
Foong, Public Bank MD Tan Sri Tay
Ah Lek and friends waiting for food.
14
Ron Leong, PTA Chairman,
suspends chopsticks to
make a point.
09
President Datuk CQ Teo, MBSSKL
Principal Mr Wong Chee Kheon,
Tan Sri Yong Poh Kon and friends
"stirring the fish."
12
Peter Yap, Lim Sze Tin
(all the way from Australia)
and MC Lai Wing Fatt.
Read the full report
by Lai Wing Fatt and see
more photos on the MBSLoop blog.
The Whites performing.
(Sponsored by
Black Tie Events Asia.)
Kevin Leong,
our very own Sam Hui.
IN MEMORY OF
MRS VOON
HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER &
SOCIAL ACTIVIST FROM MBSKL
EDMUND BON IS ARGUABLY
the most well known MBS old
boy below 40. Indeed, some
would consider him a “poster
boy.” But he’s so much more
than just a handsome face.
From left: Mrs Chin, Mrs Voon, Mrs Sally Ti and Wan Heng Yuen (MBS old boy) at the MBSKL 110th Annivesary
Celebration Dinner in 2007.
THE PASSION FOR TEACHING
and the love for her students were
the hall-marks of our beloved
teacher, Teresa Voon. Fondly
known as Mrs Voon, her dedication
towards her teaching career was
indeed exemplary in her 21 years
with MBSSKL from 1965 to 1986.
She was indeed well-liked by the
students. The students still
remember her as a very kind and
patient teacher but she was very
particular in the way students used
English in speaking and writing.
She was also a teacher who really
understood boys in their
growing-up years. Teresa would
spend time engaging and
counselling students after school.
She also taught history in this
school where she spent a number
of memorable years.
Teresa was a qualified and trained
teacher. She was trained in the
Malayan Teachers’ College Kirkby
near Liverpool, a well-known
teachers‘ training college for
Malaysians who aspired to
become teachers. Hers was the
last batch of students to be trained
in Kirkby.
Teresa studied at Convent Bukit
Nanas, Kuala Lumpur, from Form
One to Five and then proceeded to
do her Form Six at St. John’s
Institution, Kuala Lumpur.
Teresa’s departure in December
last year was a great loss to our
MBS fraternity and friends. But the
memory of Teresa will always
remain among her students.
Edward Leong from New Zealand,
who studied in MBSKL from 1963
to 1976, had this to say: “… one of
the most glamor-ously dressed
ladies who carried herself with
dignity and poise. She spoke well,
was very kind and truly interested
in the welfare of her students.”
K.K. Lum, who studied in MBSKL
from 1960 to 1972, complimented
Teresa with some kind sentiments.
“I have very fond memories of Mrs
Voon… not only [was she]
strikingly beautiful but also a very
dedicated teacher who tried her
best to polish some very ‘rough
stones’ – hoping some of them will
turn out to be real gems.”
We offer our sympathy and
condolence to her spouse, Martin,
and her daughter, Michelle. We also
thank them for sharing information
and photos with us.
He is a well known human
rights lawyer. He has been
involved in a number of high
profile public interest cases,
more recently the trial on the
Perak constitutional crisis and
the Anwar Ibrahim sodomy trial.
Edmund was Chair of the Bar
Council Human Rights
Committee for two terms and is
currently Chair of the Bar
Council Constitutional Law
To watch the August Man video,
click here: Men Of The Year 2010
To watch him on Pop TV, click here:
The Fairly Current Show
episode #105
Committee. He is also a
founding member of the
widely-read bLawg,
LoyarBurok dot com.
As an active social activist, he
has been interviewed by many
online media and invited to
speak at various events. In
November last year, he gave an
inspiring speech as the guest
of honour at the MBSSKL
Graduation Day. In the
following month, he was
featured as one of the August
Men of the Year for 2010. The
article on the following page is
a reproduction of the
August Man interview.
To read The Nut Graph interview,
click here: “Thorough-bred
Malaysian”
To read the LoyarBurok interview,
click here: Face to Face Interview
with Edmund Bon
ACTIVIST: EDMUND BON
JUSTICE FOR ALL
Edmund Bon is someone who
is focused on making Malaysia
a just place for us to live.
Despite the challenges as well
as several arrests and
detentions, the Bar Council’s
Human Rights Committee
Chairman plods on with
unwavering determination. The
lawyer works with various
organizations, such as the
Constitutional Law Committee,
to ensure that justice is served.
The issue of human rights or
rather the lack of it is not a new
one but Bon reminds us that it
continues to be an issue for
modern society. Two years ago
when addressing the Bar
Council, Bon said, “The human
rights project is THE idea of our
time. It is the peoples’ project.
It is our project. We will never
be able to solve competing
controversies but we will have
to accept that without human
rights no civilisation will
flourish, and humanity will not
progress.”
Today, Bon is urging the
government to amend or better
yet to repeal the Internal
Security Act (ISA), saying that it
is obsolete. He instead
proposes that it should be
replaced with a
This article was written by KC Yap,
and it was originally published in August Man magazine, December 2010.
Thanks to Rubin Khoo, the Editor, for allowing us to reproduce the interview here.
counter-terrorism act, or one
which allows in-depth
investigation and close scrutiny
of the legal department,
ensuring that everyone is given
a fair trial.
Where did your passion for
human rights develop from
and what gives you the
courage to pursue?
As lawyers we’re meant to fight
for human rights. That’s
something Parliament has
asked us to do under the legal
profession act. And that’s
something we must do. It would
be a lie to say that I’m not
fearful of being arrested, but I
think as long as we know what
we’re doing and know that we
have the law, the constitution,
to back us up, and that what
we’re doing is right, we should
just continue doing it.
What are some of the most
important issues we are
faced with?
All human rights are important
– economic, socio-cultural, civil
and political rights. What
Malaysians need to know is
that it’s not hopeless. That’s the
most important message. For
the ISA it’s very simple, it’s
detention without trial.
Everybody knows that the
human rights standard requires
that anybody who is charged or
accused for an offence must
be given a fair public trial, but
the ISA denies you that trial. It’s
time also to strengthen the
human rights commission that
has insufficient power to deal
with human rights abusers.
What is your message to the
people on their freedom of
speech?
After 50 years of
Independence, I think we’re
mature enough to deal with
this. We were worried after
March 8 (General Election) but
Malaysians know that this is
part of our democratic process,
and freedom of expression is
here to stay, as long as you
don’t incite racial or religious
hatred. People now have a very
strong opportunity to speak out
and act. There’s immense
space on the Internet; there are
so many activities by civil
societies and NGOs. I urge all
Malaysians to be proactive,
and I think if we’re all proactive
in a reasonable and rational
way, we’ll become a better
Malaysia.
WAN HENG YUEN
ARE YOU IN
THE LOOP?
IN EARLY DECEMBER 2006, the
real MBSOBA convened an
Emergency General Meeting
(EGM) to, among many changes to
the constitution, proposed to do
away with the acronym MBSOBA
and rename the association
MBSKL Alumni Association or
something like that.
An unprecedented number of
members, more than 40, turned up
for the meeting apparently to
oppose the name change. Many
past AGMs and EGMs could
barely garner the requisite number
of 20 (or some number like that) for
a quorum.
is both a founder and moderator of the MBSLoop Google group. He left school after
finishing upper six form in 1968. To join the group, please email the moderators or
visit the MBSLoop Google group webpage. You can also visit the MBSLoop blog.
The meeting was aborted when a
lawyer member rejected the
secretary's explanation of a
"typographical error" in the notice
of meeting calling for an
"Emergency General Meeting."
Apparently the constitution
provides for an Extraordinary
General Meeting and has no
mention of an Emergency General
Meeting. The meeting is to be
called again.
Fearful that a properly constituted
meeting would change the name,
this cyber community of old people
is set up for those of us who resist
change to live in the past.
So, there you have it, a community
with sikit-sikit requirements to
comply with but otherwise, no
rules, no entrance
fees/subscription, no
proposer/seconder required.
The above announcement was
broadcast to about 750 email
addresses by four MBSKL alumni
on 31 December 2006, creating
what is now known as the
MBSLoop. Google groups, on
which the MBSLoop is hosted, is
essentially a mailing list service
where one email sent to the group
will reach all subscribers via email
almost instantly.
The four moderators were
apprehensive that the MBSLoop
could well turn out to be a flash in
the pan when initial reaction from
MBSKL alumni was enthusiastic.
The fad would probably fade into
oblivion within a few short months.
They were wrong, the MBSLoop
just celebrated four years of
existence.
The MBSLoop is not without
controversy, itself having been
born out of differences with the
then MBSOBA management
committee. When the MBSLoop
evolved on a different level, it has
become complementary to the
MBSKL Alumni Association.
The hundreds of email addresses
were collected over a few years by
many MBS alumni. Moderator 4
tasked with the technical aspects
of the e-group, applied software to
storage of many computers to
extract email addresses, whittle out
duplicates and consolidated the
sources.
One of the reasons that the
MBSLoop became successful was
because this initial large pool of
MBSians were dragged—some
reluctantly—into this group.
Continue from ARE YOU IN THE LOOP?
The first message to the MBSLoop came from Toronto, Canada, a sort of
“Hello, I’m here” kind of message. Within days, MBSLoopers—as they
now call themselves—were exchanging messages like “I know you,
where have you been for the past decades.”
It can’t be so simple as “I know you,” since many spent years together in
MBSKL and were either bosom buddies or came from the neighbourhood
around the school, where fond childhood and young adulthood memories
were recalled from the recesses of the brain, long unaccessed.
The discussions has been diverse and no subject is taboo, though some
simple guidelines exist for “off topic” subjects; off topic meaning discussions
with nothing to do with matters MBSKL.
Some MBSLoopers with the gift of memory could recall the competitors score
of sports events and even the colour of the jerseys worn in the contest.
Amusing discussions include recollections of Mr. T. Mori, a former
headmaster, caning the whole class.
The MBSLoop is a source of information and advice for the younger ones as
well. Some young MBSians still in school or who just left school sometimes
ask for guidance on their careers from the myriad of MBSLoopers’
occupations.
The MBSLoop Google group allows participation by subscribers only and has
some other limitations. To overcome these limitations, the moderators have
also created a companion blog.
Search engines have facilitated the discovery of the MBSKL online
presence. Thus, many alumni have reached and joined the MBSLoop and
rekindled friendship among themselves. Indeed, many have continued
their liaison “off loop” and happily reported their proceedings to the Loop.
Of the original 700-over subscriptions on creation, there are now just over
500 MBSLoopers. Many have been removed by the moderators when
made aware that they are not linked to MBSKL. Many have also left,
unable to cope with the deluge of messages—sometimes reaching more
than 50 per day.
It surprises the moderators that those who choose to remain have been
steadfast in staying. It is evident that email is being delivered to their
mailboxes. Whether such email is being read is just a wild guess.
Nevertheless, once in a while these “lurkers” will respond when incensed
by a discussion.
The main success of the MBSLoop has been the many gatherings of
MBSians, very often of diverse age groups, not only in Kuala Lumpur or
within Malaysia. These gatherings happen elsewhere in the world
wherever sizeable MBSLoopers are found. Aside from “flash” or
impromptu meetings for meals, the main event at the beginning of each
year is the MBSLoop dinner. The last one held on 12 February 2011 was
co-organised with the MBSKL Alumni Association.
THE ORIGINS OF THE T. MORI EDUCATION TRUST
BY JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ
It was all done in the name of love
when old boy Lee Tak Suan and
his group of three friends initiated
a scholarship pro-gramme for
students from the Methodist Boys
School on Jalan Wesley in Kuala
Lumpur.
The programme, which began in
2002, provided poor but bright
students from the school with an
annual scholarship for their tertiary
education.
Through recommendations from
the school principal, Lee and his
friends, who are also MBS old
boys, sponsored one student each
annually, with a funding of
RM3,500 to help them get through
univer-sity.
“The funding targeted Form 6
students who qualified for local
universities but did not have the
financial means to pursue this.
“So each one of us sponsored a
student for his three years at a
university, and every year we took
on a new student. It was our way of
showing our love to our alma
mater,” said Lee who left the
school in 1960.
In four years, the programme
ended in 2006, the friends have
helped about 15 students.
However, after much thinking and
four years later, they, with an
addi-tional member, have decided
that a better funding programme
was important to continuously help
more poor students.
This led to the birth of the T. Mori
Education Trust. It would enable
poor Form 5 and 6 students to take
an interest-free loan for their
tertiary education at local
universities.
The group of friends fondly named
the trust to remember their former
principal, the late T. Mori who
served as a principal from 1954 to
1969. He was also a former
student and teacher at the school.
Clearly, T. Mori, had a huge impact
on the old boys.
“Our principal was a great man. He
was a great disciplinarian yet all of
us loved him for what he had
bestowed upon us as a teacher
and principal.
“So we want to remember him and
show our love for the school
through this project.
“Just saying that we love our
school doesn’t mean anything as it
does not invoke any emotion to a
third party.
“The project allows us to
demonstrate that we actually care
about this school,” he said.
The programme works through
application by a student via the
school principal.
It also requires an applicant to
submit necessary forms to show
that he deserves a loan.
When an application is accepted
Mr. T. Mori
by the working committee, a loan
between RM5,000 to RM7,000
would be given.
“However it is subject to renewal
and they must continue to do well
each year to de-serve the loan, so
there will be a certain CGPA
requirement set for this.
“We realised that if we went on
sponsoring students like we did
initially, it will die with us. So we
thought about it and came up with
this plan where there is a
committee to look into it and raise
funds,” he said.
Those who want to contribute to
the cause can e-mail
[email protected] or call
012-323 9999.
This article was originally published in
The Star with the title, “MBS old boys
set up education trust,” on 19
November 2011. It is adapted and
used here with permission. The T. Mori
Education Trust (TMET) was launched
on 20th November 2010 at the Royal
Selangor Golf Club. A report of the
event can be found on the MBSLoop
blog. Click here to visit the TMET
Facebook page.