Happenings 9 - Kolej Yayasan UEM

KOLEJ TUANKU JAAFAR NASYEED
FESTIVAL 2012
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CHINESE NEW YEAR
DINNER
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4
KUALA KUBU BAHRU
QUALIFYING EXPEDITION
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MUSLIM LEADERSHIP
CAMP
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"NFNCFSPG6&.(SPVQ
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4 February
KMB Rugby
Tournament
By : Muhd. Farhan b. Khairul Anuwar
On 4th February, we travelled to participate in
the Kolej Mara Banting (KMB) 10’s Open. After
preparing ourselves intensively for a week before,
we started our journey full of courage and hope
that we would return champions. We were given a
friendly welcome by our old acquaintances from
previous schools. Things did not go quite to plan.
We won 2 matches, but unfortunately lost 3.
the evening was against MIAT Aviation Academy.
Despite our best efforts, we lost by one try.
We fought hard in our first game against the
KMB Grizzly team which consisted of the current
KMB students. We were confident of winning
but, sadly, we lost by a single try difference.
The tournament was a great experience. Next
time, we will be better equipped to compete and, I
am sure, be a better team.
Next on the list, we played against Tuah B, and
this was another tough match. Even though they
had the advantage of size, we displayed greater
heart and won by a penalty try. Our final game in
On the next day, we played KMB Legend and this
was the best moment of all. They were the
previous champions but that just made us all the
more determined. We learnt a lot from the game,
even though we lost.
We are always looking for new players. Even if
you don’t really know about rugby, you won’t
until you try it, so do come to see our training
sessions and, if you like what you see, join us and
give it a go.
11 February
Bio Dept Elephant Sanctuary Trip
By: Esther Ng Xue Hui
On 11 February 2012, the Biology Department organized a
trip for all the seniors in Batches 13 and 13.5 who are
taking Biology to Kuala Gandah Elephant Orphanage
Sanctuary. The Kuala Gandah Elephant Sanctuary, located
near the Krau Wildlife Reserve, was established in 1985
by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and is
manned by personnel of the Department's Elephant
Capture and Translocation Unit. The centre is geared
towards improving the plight of all the endangered and
fully protected Malaysian elephants. It acts as a permanent
base for the elephant capture unit, having introduced its
most effective, and costly, control programme for elephant
capture and translocation in 1974. The centre also takes in
orphaned and abandoned elephants and for this reason is
popularly referred to as the Elephant Orphanage
Sanctuary.
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We departed from college at 6.30a.m. and arrived at 9.30am. We
had our breakfast (prepared by dining hall) on the bus. When we
arrived, we were welcomed by the staff at the sanctuary. We were
directed into a room and met Mr Razali to listen to a short talk.
He provided us with some briefing about the sanctuary, facts and
interesting stories of elephants, and some do’s and don’ts. He
also set out our whole day’s activities. He was both really helpful
and knowledgeable.
After the talk, we were
brought to the activity
area and given a chance
to buy some peanuts so
that we could feed the
elephants. The money
collected from selling
peanuts is used to buy
food for adult elephants
and milk powder for
baby elephants.
Everyone enjoyed hand
feeding the baby
elephants. We were so
excited to see the
elephants show their
thankfulness to us by
doing some cute poses. We were also introduced to three old
elephants and allowed to feed them sugarcanes. We took a lot of
pictures with them too. The activity continued with riding on
elephants. We actually had to ride on the elephants bareback,
without any chairs or barrier between us
and their skin! Two or three people are
allowed to ride on an elephant at a time,
depending on the size of the people and,
of course, the size of the elephant. We
were advised to hold the person in front
really tight so that we would not fall down
from the elephant. Everyone enjoyed the
elephant riding, but time meant that there
was only one ride each. We all hope to
ride again at some stage!
After the ride, we went for a short jungle
trek with Mr Razali and some of his
friends. He explained to us about the
impact of elephants on their habitat. He
introduced us to different types of plants
in the forest such as the “Perfume Tree” which is used to produce
perfume. He also told us about how the elephants live together as
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group. The
interesting
thing is that
female
power rules
the elephant
group.
Moreover,
elephants do not inbreed in order to
prevent recessive and
less favourable alleles being
passed to offspring. This
knowledge was very helpful for our A2 biology and made the
subject even more fascinating.
After lunch, we proceeded to our voluntary work. All the boys
went into the river and helped to reinforce the riverbank with
sandbags. The girls were divided into two groups: one group
painted a house with white paint while another group painted a
mural of elephants and the KYUEM logo on a wall. After that,
the girls cleaned up the sanctuary area by picking up litter and
putting it into plastic bags to be disposed of properly.
At 3.30 p.m., it was time for the most interesting and eagerly
anticipated activity - bathing with baby elephants! A few of us,
including Mr Vroege, jumped into the river while waiting for the
elephants to come! The river is quite clean and clear although it’s
brown in colour. It was icy cold in comparison to the hot weather.
Along with other tourists, we bathed with the baby elephants. We
also started splashing water on other
elephants when the staff asked us to do
so. It was really fun! After cleaning
ourselves, we took group photos at
several places including of the mural
painted by some of us! At 4.30p.m., we
departed from the sanctuary and
returned to college.
We enjoyed ourselves to the max on the
day and learnt a lot from Mr Razali. On
behalf of all the students, I would like to
record our appreciation and say thank
you to the KYUEM Biology
Department, the other teachers who
accompanied us, and the elephant
sanctuary staff, particularly the splendid
Mr Razali. Thanks for giving us the opportunity for such a great
experience!
12 February
Kolej Tuanku Jaafar
Nasyeed Festival 2012
By: Muhammad Kamil bin Dzulkifli
On 12 February 2012M, corresponding to 20 Rabiulawal 1433H,
a Nasyeed Festival was organized by the Kolej Tuanku Jaafar
(KTJ) Islamic Society, in conjunction with the Maulid ur-Rasul
Celebrations. The theme of the festival was “Reminiscing the
Life of Muhammad (p.b.u.h), the Greatest of Mankind”. As
invited by the organizers, Kolej Yayasan UEM sent a contingent
to participate in the festival. The college was represented by the
newly-formed outfit, Al-Qiyasu. Team members included Hatim
Aziz, Imran Rasid, Irsyad Izmi, Izzanee Ibrahim, Nik Syahiran,
Zuheir, Muhammad Haniff and Ikhmal Hakim.
The festival was also participated in by teams from other schools
and preparatory colleges, including Sekolah Menengah Agama
Persekutuan Labu (Soutul Jihad), Sekolah Seri Puteri (Soutul
Adnin), Sekolah Dato’ Abdul Razak, Kolej Tunku Kurshiah,
Sekolah Menegah Sains Alam Shah (Revolution of Nasheed),
Sekolah Menengah Agama Persekutuan (SMAP) Kajang (All for
Ummah), and Kolej Tunku Jaafar (Soutul Iman). The teacher
adviser of the KTJ Islamic Society was Tuan Hishamuddin bin
Mansur.
The college bus departed with Al-Qiyasu and their close to 40
supporters at 7.10 a.m. They arrived at Kolej Tuanku Jaafar,
Mantin Negeri Sembilan two hours later. The event officially
started at 9.30a.m. with the arrival of
the guest of honour, Tuan Haji Nik
Roskiman bin Abdul Samad, Director
of IKIM.fm. The event, hosted by KTJ
students Danial Fitri and Sabrina
Jamaluddin, kicked off with
salutations to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.),
the du’a recitation, and an al-Qur’an
recitation by Ahmad Ibrahim Zakaria.
It was then formally opened by the
guest of honour, with the president of
the KTJ Islamic Society, Muhammad
Siraj Abdul Aziz, also giving a speech.
The nasheed session started around
10a.m. and was judged by a panel of
three judges, namely Isman Nadim bin
Isam from the Hijjaz nasheed group,
Muhammad Suffian bin Amrin from
the Saujana nasheed group and
Muhammad Faizi bin Othman. The
second nasheed session continued at
11.00 a.m. after a brief interval to make way for a lucky draw
competition, which was also carried out at the end of the nasheed
event.
At around 12.10 a.m., the event came to its closing stages with a
short video presentation after which the results were announced.
In first place came All for Ummah representing SMAP Kajang,
while Soutul Jihad of SMAP Labu came in second. In third place
was Sekolah Menengah Sains Alam Shah’s Revolution of
Nasheed. After the award presentation ceremony, the event was
officially concluded and the contestants and the audience were
served lunch. The college bus departed for KYUEM at 2.00 p.m.
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13 February
Chinese New Year Dinner
By : Tan Wen Ying
Gong Xi Fa Cai! Welcome to the Year of
the Dragon. Besides the Chinese New Year
Celebration, what else could possibly be
the most anticipated Chinese event in
KYUEM? The Chinese Cultural Club held
their annual Chinese New Year Celebration
on 13th February 2012 in the Great Hall.
Most of our students showed their great
support by attending the event.
The event started at 8.30 pm with the lion
dancers from Ti-Ratana Welfare Society,
Kuala Lumpur leading our Headmaster, the
Senior Management team and the CCC’s
teacher advisers into the Great Hall. After
speeches, the event was formally opened
by completing the calligraphy character of
the word ‘Dragon’. This idea originated
from a Chinese proverb, ‘Hua Long Dian
Jing’ which means ‘the stroke of the brush
will invoke the dragon and usher in a
prosperous new year’.
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Then, the lion dancers awed the audience
by their eye-catching performances.
Besides the jumping to the high spot to get
the Chinese cabbage, the audiences were
exceptionally fond of the cute children-lion
and dragon dancers. The event continued
with the spreading of candle light which
signifies the inheritance of wisdom from
one generation to another. Finally, the
long-awaited dinner was served. During
the dinner, Mr Wilkinson, Mrs Foord and
our president, Eric, gave a toast to
everyone, wishing for a healthy and
prosperous new year. For a moment, the
hall echoed with a great, stretched cheer of
“Yam Seng”.
The night was then filled by a series of
student performances. Firstly, it was a
Kungfu dance, “The Dragon’s
Descendants”, by the young, tough boys.
Following Jayson’s skilful Chinese Yoyo
performance, there was an elegant
umbrella dance and melodious piano-guitar
performances. The Dos and Don’ts during
Chinese New Year were portrayed in a
funny sketch led by Keng Meng, the
disobedient son. The audience broke into
rapturous applause during the duet song,
“You Are Most Precious” by Li Fang and
Chung Sheng. The string of events wound
up with a hilarious dance, “Xi Shua Shua”
and group singing of Chinese New Year
songs.
The Chinese Cultural Club would like to
take this opportunity to thank everybody
who gave us guidance and helped out in
the event until the very last. We hope that
everybody enjoyed the night and don’t
forget, we’ll be back next year !.
14 February
Student Council Election
Session 2012/2013
By: Imran Rasid
After two semesters (2011/2012) serving the students as the
Student Council, it was time for us to step down and let the new
batch take the lead via elections. The outgoing Student Council
was responsible for handling this last event to ensure that the
transition of power to the newly elected Student Council
members ran smoothly,
alongside some other candidates. Thus it appeared to the
community that there were two alliances being created. To avoid
segregation and disunity among the batch the election
committees emphasised the need to run the campaign in
harmoniously across both groups. In general, this new approach
did not stir any serious issues within the community because
most students perceived the campaign positively.
Manifesto Nights
On 8th and 9th February 2012, the
manifesto nights were conducted.
During the manifesto nights each
candidate is required to deliver a
speech and present their ideas on how
he or she intends to contribute to the
community. Planning for the flow of
the event had been done by the
election committee at least 3 weeks
prior to the event. However, a lot of
changes had to be made to ensure that
the manifesto nights would have
sufficient appeal to the student body
so that a good turnout could be gained.
Candidates presented their ideas very
well and students proved highly
participative in asking questions and
challenging the ideas that were
presented.
Election Day
(14th February 2012)
The election started at 4.30pm and
ended at 6.15pm. It was held at the
Great Hall. This was different from the
previous year’s process as last time
classrooms were used for the students
The election was divided into three phases:
1) the Campaign Period;
2) two Manifesto Nights;
3) the Vote Casting.
Campaign Period
After completing the nomination form and meeting the entry
requirements the nominees were briefed and given clear
guidelines on methods of campaigning. They were reminded of
the need to avoid inappropriate language or sentiments in their
posters or other election literature. So that everyone was treated
fairly, candidates had to start their campaign on the same date
and the length of the campaign period, 2 weeks, was the same for
all.
The candidates for this year took a different direction in
campaigning as they constructed their campaigns in groups,
to cast their votes.
Turnout to vote was very high. Everyone seemed eager to cast
his or her votes for their favourite candidates. According to our
records, only 20% of students did not vote. The process was
similar to the one used for last year’s election where students first
had to verify their names and ID numbers at the registration
counters in front of the GH. Registration counters for male and
female students were on opposite sides of the hall, and the
counters were further separated according to houses.
The whole process went very smoothly and it ended earlier than
expected. The votes were counted on the night of the same day.
The results were announced two days later.
The whole process ran very smoothly. It was good to see
democracy in action. We wish the newly elected Student Council
all the best in their attempts to serve the community
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16 February
MUSCOM Elections
By : Muhammad Kamil Bin Dzulkifli
The MUSCOM Elections were held on 16 February 2012, in one
of the many stages culminating in a handover ceremony to the
new committee on 23 February 2012. As the old committee
members were about to conclude their one-year term as
MUSCOM members, the electoral process was kicked off with
the distribution of nomination forms to all students. Each student
was allowed to nominate 10 male and 10 female students who
would be eligible to run for the top eight posts in MUSCOM,
which are the high committee posts. The nomination papers were
counted to come up with the final 20 nominees, from whom
statements were taken. These were put up on the MUSCOM
board to allow all students to gauge the strengths of the
candidates.
After a one-week interval, the elections were held at the New
Block (NB). All students, Muslims and non-Muslims, were
allowed to vote for the future President, Deputy President, Vice
Presidents, Secretaries, and Treasurers. The voting period was
from 4.15 p.m. to 6.15 p.m. with election observers manning the
voting centres in shifts. A re-evaluation of outgoing MUSCOM
members’ performances was also held concurrently. The votes
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were counted and the candidate with the highest vote for each
post was determined. The final list consisted of the five top male
candidates and the five top female candidates.
This final list allowed the MUSCOM to carry out the next stage
in the election process, which is the closed discussion or syura
with the club adviser, Ustaz Malikie Shafie. This meeting
between the adviser, the outgoing high committee members, the
Student Council (SC) president and his religious excos, and the
10 eligible candidates, was held on the night of 19 February
2012, with the purpose of judging the suitability of the publicly
chosen candidates. This session included a ta’aruf or ice-breaking
session, a written examination session and an interview session.
At the end of these activities, the new eight member high
committee was chosen. The chosen candidates were informed of
the decision on 20 February 2012, allowing them a period of four
days to prepare as the new committee for MUSCOM.
The old MUSCOM committee members handed over their
portfolios and responsibilities to the new committee members on
23 February 2012, in the MUSCOM Handover ceremony.
24-26 February
Student Council Camp
By: Imran Rasid
Student Council Camp is basically a preliminary camp for the
newly elected Student Council members and leaders from other
bodies (such as the House captains, and MUSCOM officials).
The main objectives of the camp are to introduce to the new
student leaders of KYUEM the scope of their work and
responsibilities and to strengthen the bond between them.
participants came out with a number of suggestions and debated
which one was thought to be the most serious issue.
The next day, all the Muslim participants were required to
perform their Subuh prayer in the mosque. As early as 6.30 a.m.
they were required to assemble at the field to have their morning
exercise session.
After breakfast, they assembled at the lecture hall for the first
Workshop: “United We Stand, Divided We Fall”, conducted by
Hizami and other alumni. In separate groups the participants
were given situations on various issues regarding college events.
They had to discuss them and prepare ideas and solutions about
how to deal with them.
After almost two hours of critical thinking, they were given a
break at 11.00 a.m. The facilitators decided during the break that
the participants needed to prepare a short musical drama to be
presented to all the facilitators and teachers before lunch. The
musical theatre activity was definitely a test of creativity as the
time allocated to the task was very short thus making it more
challenging. However, the performance went very well and was
really entertaining.
After lunch the participants together with the facilitators,
Headmaster, and the Student Services Manager had a three way
dialogue. In the dialogue they shared ideas about their
expectations on the handling the college events and issues, and
discussed potential problems and how to solve them.
The camp is an annual event and is conducted for all the Student
Council’s members from all batches. It began with Hizami’s
batch (Hizami is now the President of the KYUEM Alumni
organisation) and it has become part of the KYUEM tradition.
The camp was held from 24th - 26th February at the Felda
Terolak Resort.
We departed from KYUEM after the Jumaah Prayer (around 2.30
p.m.) by bus. It took us about an hour to reach the Felda Terolak
Resort. Once we had arrived and I had introduced them to the
lecture hall, the Dining Hall and the Surau and briefed them
about the details of the programmes, each of the participants was
given a booklet that included the programme and maps of
the Resort (in case they got lost).
Not many activities were conducted on
the first evening as everyone seemed
tired, even though the journey had
only been one hour long. Only
after Isyak prayer were the
participants asked to
brainstorm what they felt
was the greatest problem
in KYUEM that needed
their attention in a
programme called “The
Biggest Deal”. This
session was conducted
by Hizami, the Alumni
President. The
At night until bedtime, the participants continued the workshop
that they had begun in the morning session.
Sunday 26th February was the last day of the camp. No morning
exercise was conducted. The participants were required to
prepare to check out and bring their entire luggage to the lecture
hall after having breakfast.
Before they departed for college there were two more
programmes to go through. The first started at 9.00 am and was
solely a session where the facilitators shared their experiences. At
2.15 pm, right after lunch, there was a “Calendar Planning”
session where the participants, especially the Student
Council members, had to start planning the events
that they wanted to organise during their term
of office.
Around 4.30 pm we departed from
the resort to go back to the college.
The weekend was a very
meaningful experience. We all
developed a better
understanding of each other
and the participants felt that
they were much better
equipped to take on their
new responsibilities as
leaders of the KYUEM
community.
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Overall result for all events in
Minggu Citra Budaya 2012
27 February - 3 March
Malam Citra Budaya
By : Maziatul Akmal
Minggu Citra Budaya (MCB) is an annual programme organised by the Malay
Cultural Club to promote and introduce the unique elements of Malay culture. The
theme for the week was “Warisan Melayu Prasasti Budaya” which means the
pillar of the Malay culture depends on the legacy that was passed on from the one
generation to the next. This year, it was held from the 27th February to 3rd March
2012 and led by Izzat Iskandar and Husam Alauddin.
Ceper
Wau Making
1. Diamond
1. Garnet
2. Sapphire
2. Sapphire
3. Topaz
3. Diamond
4. Sapphire
4. Topaz
Pantun
Galah Panjang
1. Topaz
1. Topaz
2. Garnet
2. Sapphire
3. Sapphire
3. –
4. Diamond
4. Diamond & Garnet
Sajak
Baling Selipar
1. Sapphire
1. Diamond
2. Diamond
2. Topaz
3. Garnet
3. Garnet
4. Topaz
4. Sapphire
Syair
Video Competition
The MCB week opened with a festival of poetry which consisted of the battle of
wits and rhymes that make up the “Pantun” competition. It was followed by the
much anticipated Sajak and Syair competition. The fun continued throughout the
week with a Traditional Games Competiton. They were “Teng-Teng”, “Batu
Seremban”, ‘Galah Panjang”, “Ceper Botol” and “Baling Selipar”. We should not
forget that we also arranged a few games like the “Lari Dalam Guni” and “Tarik
Guni” (as a substitute for Tarik Upih) races for the teachers and staff.
1. Garnet
1. Garnet
2. Topaz
2. Sapphire
3. Sapphire
3. Diamond
4. Diamond
4. Topaz
The Explorace came right after that. Purposely named as the Jejak Warisan, the
participants were brought on a journey to trace back the cultural origin through
quizzes on the facts and features of our Malay cultures. Besides that, Wau and
Video Making Competitions were also organized for our artists to show off their
skills and creativity in fun ways.
Batu Seremban
Boria
1. Topaz
1. Garnet
2. Diamond
2. Topaz
3. Sapphire
3. Diamond
Lastly, the climax of the week was the Malam Kemuncak MCB. It was the time
for the contestants from each house to put on their own Boria performances.
Needless to say, they were all spectacular! Finally, the results for all competitions
were revealed and the titleof Rumah Citra Budaya 2012 went to the House of
Enthusiasm, Garnet!
4. Garnet
4. Sapphire
Teng-Teng
Rumah Citra Budaya
1. Garnet
(Keseluruhan)
2. Sapphire
1. Garnet
3. Diamond
2. Topaz
4. Topaz
3. –
Although only one House could win, it was a memorable event for the Malay
Cultural Club and we hope that everyone found the event greatly entertaining and
educational.
4. Sapphire & Diamond
Jejak Warisan
1. Diamond
2. Sapphire
3. Topaz
4. Garnet
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2 March
The 4th Malaysia Debate Open
- KYUEM’s Adventure
By : xxx
There we were, Noel, Raehan, and
Carolyn, the first team from Kolej Yayasan
UEM to be at the Malaysia Debate Open
(MDO), with teams from all over Asia, to
spend five days pitted against such
illustrious names as the National
University of Singapore, Tokyo University,
and Hong Kong University. People all over
the world have heard these names spoken
with respect and awe. Few people outside
our own families have heard of KYUEM.
And here we were.
Just another day at the office.
We left KYUEM at around 9.30 on Friday,
2nd March. A long and generally
uneventful journey transpired, culminating
in our checking in at the Emperor Hotel,
and seeing our opponents. That’s when it
really hit home: we really were at MDO!
We spent the first day trawling around
Malacca town until the exhibition debate
that night, after which we had a lively
discussion of our own before turning in.
We were up the next day at 6.45 (worse
than our schedule at KY!) to head for
Multimedia University, where the tourney
proper was to take place.
The first round saw us proposing the
motion ‘THW stream students according to
academic ability’ against Team Swinbee,
consisting of alumni from Swinburne
University, Sarawak. We fought well, but
tactical blunders and lack of cohesion cost
us, and we lost narrowly. In the second
round, we opposed ‘THW abolish all laws
against public nudity’, winning against
University College Lahore. In the third
round we opposed “THW abolish veto
power in the United Nations Security
Council”, and beat a composite team from
Afghanistan. They were very delightful
people to talk to, and we got to learn a lot
about their country and saw, first hand,
their optimism for the future.
The fourth round was terrible. We were
proposing the motion “THW abolish
Vernacular Schools”, and, against a
composite team from India, we had the
initial upper hand. However, we made
immense strategic blunders, didn’t respond
effectively enough and were just, in the
end, bad. We lost, by a clear six points,
putting our hopes for qualifying for the
knock outs in jeopardy; now we had to win
all our rounds the next day.
Fortune smiled on us the next day.
Proposing the motion “THW stop
supporting HIV medication and focus on
prevention in Africa”, we convincingly
beat Christ University India. In round 6,
we proposed the motion “THBT
governments should ensure a significant
portion of food sold in the country is
locally produced”. We were up against a
team from NMIMS India, complete with
pretty girls, but we kept our cool and
triumphed. The final round saw us against
NUS. Yes, THAT NUS, the National
University of Singapore, opposing the
motion “THW give terrorist organizations
full amnesty if they give up arms and form
political parties”. This was a tense round,
especially since both of us needed a win to
qualify, and also because the result would
not be announced until the qualification
announcement later.
The Break Night was a social event held at
A Famosa Resort, Malacca. We were
treated to a Red Indian performance as
well as a carnival display, but all we could
think about was the break announcement.
When it came, with NUS being announced
as qualifying in 12th place, we knew we’d
lost.
Distraught, we spent the next day watching
the final rounds, which culminated in a
thrilling 5-4 victory for Nanyang
Technological University, Singapore who
proposed ‘THS the Welfare State’ against a
Malaysian composite team. Later, as
results were released, we found some
pleasant news. KYUEM was placed 32nd
out of 120 teams, and Noel managed to be
placed 45th among over 300 speakers.
We are eternally grateful to everyone at
KYUEM who supported us and made our
going to the MDO possible at all. We
didn’t qualify, true, but we learned so
much, and in our hearts, we believe we
should have. It was the best weekend of
our lives.
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4 March
2012 Open Days
By: Chong Ming Yao
Two Open Day Sessions have been held over the past couple of
months – the first on 3 March and the other on 14 April.
On both Saturday morning occasions, we at KYUEM
received many eager visitors who took their places at
Lecture Theatre 2 after light refreshments at the
Common Room.
At 10.45am, an informative presentation
was provided by Headmaster, Mr. Donald
Wilkinson, and Guidance Counsellor,
Pn. Kasthuri to a near capacity crowd.
During the Question & Answer session
which followed, parents and students
were equally keen to find out more
about the college.
Soon afterwards, they were taken in
groups, led by representatives of our
students, for a tour to get a feel of the
college.
Their overall interest was an absolutely positive
indication of the popularity of KYUEM as we
prepare to welcome another batch of students in July.
4 March
Natural History Club’s Kuala
Selangor Trip
By: Chong Ming Yao
The Natural History Club of KYUEM recently organized a trip to
Kuala Selangor on 4th March 2012. Seven students and two
teachers went on it.
We were first taken to Bukit Melawati, Kuala Selangor. We were
accompanied by the teacher adviser of the Natural History Club,
Mr. Ian Boler who is an avid naturalist. We took a “road train” up
to Bukit Melawati lighthouse. On Bukit Melawati, there is a
thriving community of Silver Langur Monkeys (Presbytis
cristatus). We got a chance to feed the monkeys with food such as
beans and peanuts. We all had the chance to take photos of the
monkeys and of ourselves with them. From this part of the trip,
we learnt how damaging feeding monkeys with human food can
be. According to Mr. Boler, it will upset their digestive systems
sometimes with fatal results. We came down from Bukit
Melawati after 40 minutes and headed to the next destination.
Kuala Selangor Nature Park (also known as Taman Alam in BM)
was our next stop. It is run by the Malaysian Nature Society
(MNS). Our college is one of its institutional members. When we
arrived, the park manager welcomed us. He was also to be our
guide for the tour. He told us that the park was started in 1987.
Before being taken over by the MNS, the park was actually a plot
of reclaimed land that was destined to be turned into a golf
course. Thanks to the MNS’s efforts, the 800 acres’ area now
consists of secondary forest, a brackish water lake system and a
mangrove forest.
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10
Before starting the tour of the park, we were briefed by
the guide. He told us a great deal about the importance of
preserving nature. We began our trekking by walking
through a secondary forest. It was full of mosquitoes.
Various trees and plants and their uses were introduced to
the students. After walking through the secondary forest,
all of us had a chance to go up the
watchtower to spot birds. We
managed to see successfully a
few birds, particularly the great
heron (Ardea alba), the
Brahminy Kite (Halia sturindus)
and the White-bellied Sea Eagle
(Haliaeetus leucogaster).
We then set off for the mangrove
forest. On the way, we
managed to sight more
interesting things: a gliding
lizard (Draco sumatranus) and
the famous mangrove tiger
butterfly (Danaus affinis
malayanus), which can only be
found at two locations in
Malaysia, the other place being
Telok Kurau, Perak. As we
walked to the mangrove forest,
we had the chance to actually
taste and see nature. With
guidance from the guide, we
were told to touch gently the leaf
of the mangrove tree and taste it.
It was salty! The leaves secrete excess salt - one of the
adaptations of mangrove trees to enable them to live in
harsh coastal conditions, besides having prop roots.
When we reached the mangrove forest walkway, we had
a chance to see giant mud skippers and mangrove crabs
that made a hole in the mud to live in. The guide also told
us how the monkeys catch the crabs by putting its tail
into the hole so that the crab will bite the monkey’s tail
using its claws and that will be the end for the crab! Our
tour then moved onto to the Mangrove boardwalk, with
our guide describing many of the mangrove plants (such
as Avicennia, Hibiscus, Sonneratia) and their uses on the
way. Further on, on the mud itself, we were able to view
tiny red or blue fiddler crabs (Uca rose,), like jewels on
the mud (the males have a single giant claw), and more,
smaller mudskipper fish (Boleophalmus boddaerti) and
large cone snails.
After that, it was time to head back to the visitors’ centre
as it was getting late. After dinner, the driver drove us to
Kampung Kuantan, which is said to have one of the
largest firefly colonies in the world. We had the chance to
go on a “sampan” to have a closer look at the fireflies. It
was a very beautiful sight to see hundreds of fireflies
group together in different mangrove trees along the
river, all flashing simultaneously. Fireflies are beetles of
the family Lampyridae and there are many species in
Malaysia, perhaps over 100. Present at the KSNP were
non-synchronous species only, Pteroptyx valida, but
along the rivers is the synchronous species Pteroptyx
tener, which flashes 3 times a second in unison. They
have a lifespan of 9 months, mostly as larvae feeding on
tiny snails, but the adult beetles only live for 10 to 20
days. Sadly, the boat trip lasted even less time, just for
about 20 minutes!
We reluctantly headed back to the college after the firefly
tour. It was all in all a very successful trip and we all
enjoyed it very much.
11
5 - 8 March
KYUEM Islamic Week 2012
By: xxx
Some might say that History has been carved in this semester’s
calendar through one majestic event which took place in
KYUEM, organised by the Musolla Community. This
memorable event is KYUEM Islamic Week, popularly known as
‘KIWEE’.
The stated objectives of the week were:
•
To illustrate the essence of humanity in society.
•
To show our concerns towards to what some regard as a
crisis in humanity nowadays.
•
To increase students’ sense of self-motivation towards
becoming a better individual.
•
To strengthen the brotherhood and bonds of the Muslim and
non-Muslim communities at KYUEM.
The programme ran for the best part of a week from 5 March to 8
March 2012. There were a lot of exciting activities, including
some inter-house competitions such as a quiz, storytelling, a
video competition, a nasyeed, explorace and swimming. The
students’ participation was, to say the least, very enthusiastic. It
certainly showed the popularity of the event.
12
There were also a number of insightful talks by recognised and
nationally-known speakers. ‘The Glory of Islam’ by Ustaz Syaari
focused on how to become a “holistic” muslim in the world
nowadays by taking the great Sultan Muhammad Al-Fateh as an
example. There was also a forum regarding the ‘Arts and
entertainment in Islam’, led by Akhil Hayy and Ustaz Hasrizal
Abdul Jamil. They stressed that there is no wrong in joining in
any arts or entertainment activities, but that Muslims should do so
appropriately. The talk about ‘Misunderstanding About Islam’ by
Brother Lim Jooi Soon was one of the highlights of KIWEE. In
this session, people could ask any questions about Islam
regardless of whatever religion they were. That is one of the
special things about KIWEE. It allows people to talk and discuss
issues without hesitation or offence being taken. Brother Lim Jooi
answered every question clearly to allow the audience to
understand Islam’s view on a whole range of topics.
It was felt that this year’s programme really made an impression
on KYUEM’s students as a whole, regardless of what background
they might come from. The theme, ‘Discover The Essence Of
Humanity’, provided common ground for all students in KYUEM
to connect with each other. We look forward to events of a similar
nature in the future.
5 - 8 March
Duke Of Edinburgh International Award
Kuala Kubu Bahru Qualifying
Expedition
By : Cheng Chung Shen
On 9th March 2012, the Silver D of E
International Award groups set off to the
campsite near the Orang Asli settlements of
Kampung Pertek. 2 groups of 9 students in
total started their journey to Kuala Kubu
Bahru by the college van at 1:30pm.
Everyone was looking forward to the
exciting yet challenging 3-day expedition.
Sungai Chiling Reserve Office and they
realised that they had really chosen the
wrong path. They then trekked quickly,
trying to catch up with Group 2. Group 2,
which was faster, managed to get to the
waterfalls and enjoyed the beautiful
scenery there. Group 1 could not manage
it. The guide and Mr. Boler found Group 1
and decided to stop them there as it was
already late in the evening. Mr. Boler
praised Group 1 for being so determined
and having faith in themselves. Even
though they could not make it to the
waterfall, it was still considered that they
had completed Day 1 of theeExpedition
since they had been trekking for the
required time. After reaching the
campsite, both groups set up their tents,
prepared and ate their meals, called it a day,
and prepared for the next day’s jungle
trekking up Bukit Kutu.
DAY 2
DAY 1
Upon reaching the destination, we were
introduced to our guides, led by Eddie Yap.
They were very experienced and they were
responsible for our safety. We had to trek
fast as we had to walk to the waterfalls up
the Sungai Chiling and then arrive at the
campsite before night fall. The first day
involved mainly navigation based on
compass bearings and the instructions
given. The weather was nice and perfect for
trekking, even though there was slight
drizzle occasionally. Group 1 got lost! It
had set off first but, unfortunately, it chose
the wrong path at the first junction! After
about 20 minutes of trekking, they realised
something was wrong and they decided to
trek back. They talked to the people in the
The second day did not involve a lot of
navigation but it required great stamina and
physical fitness to trek up to the peak of
Bukit Kutu. The weather was great and it
was sunny. The two D of E International
Award Bronze groups joined
the Silver groups. It
was a 4 hour climb
up to the peak.
The first part
was
relatively
easy for
both
groups
but
there
was a
steep
section
before
the big
rock,
which was
the place
they took a
rest. After that,
the trek was
relatively easy all the
way to the peak. According
to most of the members, the trek was
challenging as it was long and steep all the
way (not as steep and rocky as Gunung
Brinchang in the Cameron Highlands
though) and it was really a test of their
stamina. All their lethargy disappeared after
they cleaned themselves with well water
and had their lunch break at the peak. They
enjoyed the beautiful scenery there. They
took a few photos and then set off down
Bukit Kutu at 2.00pm.
Most of us struggled on the way down
Bukit Kutu. It was a difficult
path and rain made matters
worse. The guide
prepared walking
sticks to aid some
of those who
found it most
challenging.
The Silver
groups were
faster than the
Bronze ones
and it was a
really long
way down the
slope.
Unfortunately,
one of the
members of the
Bronze groups had
an asthma attack and
needed medical
attention. This produced a
little excitement! Mr. Boler had
to call the guides and emergency
services to come and help her out of the
jungle. The Silver groups had to trek slowly
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13
9 - 11 March
down the lower slopes of Bukit Kutu, occasionally choosing
the wrong path and they got a little lost from time to time. It
was already 6.00pm and they still couldn’t find the way out!
The worst thing was the trails were in places blocked by
fallen trees and branches with thorns, and there appeared to be
no clear paths! The trails had been marked by the guides
earlier, however, and some of the teachers helped us to check
and clear the path. Fortunately, the Silver groups and one of
the Bronze groups managed to get out of the jungle by
7.30pm. One of the groups was still stuck in the jungle until
later!
Everyone felt exhausted. They waited for further instructions
and the guide, Eddie, met them at around 8.00pm and the last
Bronze group arrived soon afterwards, none the worse for
their delay. The guide brought them to their campsite at the
PieRose rafting headquarters on the Sungai Selangor. Mr.
Boler and his guides arrived at the campsite early in the
morning after seeing the asthma sufferer to hospital safely,
where she had been taken as a precaution. She returned to
college immediately and was soon absolutely fine. It was truly
a memorable day for everyone. All group members showed
teamwork and care for each other.
DAY 3
The third day was the most exciting one, the climax of the D
of E International Award Expedition - the white water rafting.
We went to the water rafting site at Upper Sungai Selangor by
bus where we were given instructions about the ways to white
water rafting. We were fitted out with life-jackets and
protective helmets and were also given the opportunity to
‘body-raft’ at one part of the rapids to begin with. We were
split up into seven inflatable rafts, 4 to 6 per boat in our D of
E groups with two guides each, and travelled down the river
for about 4 hours.
We traversed a series of intermediate grade rapids raft by raft,
with some rapids being so rough that several people,
including teachers, fell out. They were all rescued safely by
the experienced Orang Asli guides. After all, falling out was
expected and part of the fun! The last two ‘rapids’ featured a
‘scary’ double drop, where most of the teachers, including Mr
Boler fell out, and then a really high fall where several boats
capsized! Those who fell out here were okay though since this
was the end of the rapids and the river was deep and calm
afterwards. All in all, it was fun and we all enjoyed it very
much, especially the meal after the white water rafting. It was
so delicious and there was a wide range of food. Everyone
was satisfied and the small fee paid was really well worth it!
It was an exciting experience one would never forget!
14
Muslim
Leadership Camp
By: Siddiq Husainy b. Hasbullah
From 9th to 11th March 2012, 28 students, who consisted of 24
Musolla Community (MUSCOM) members, 4 Student Council
members and 1 house captain, joined the Muslim Leadership Camp
2012 at Brindley Training Camp, Port Dickson. This camp is an
annual programme organised by MUSCOM with collaboration from
the alumni of KYUEM. The main objectives of the programme
include preparing the participants in working as a team, and as part
of a larger organization
and to strengthen the
bonds between members
in order to create synergy
between them.
Activities during the
camp included a talk by
Ustaz Nizamuddin Alias
regarding the
responsibilities of
leaders. He gave an
interesting insight into
the epistemology of
leadership and gave all
participants a deeper understanding of the meaning of the term,
“leaders”. There was also a talk by Ustaz Husni Mohammad, a
graduate from Al-Azhar University, who spoke about leadership
through history. The talk focused mainly on the leadership shown
amongst the companions of Muhammad S.A.W. Furthermore, there
was also a forum conducted by alumni of KYUEM which touched
on the usual dilemma of student leaders, about whether to prioritise
academic study or work on behalf of the organization. The panellists
offered interesting points of view and shared effective ways of
dealing with time-constraints. Last but not least was the talk by
Ustaz Afuan regarding the
topic “Council and
Synergy”. He exposed us
to the importance of
making decisions through
meetings and discussion.
He said that it is
compulsory for an
organisation to make
decisions through
“democratic” procedures,
as long as they did not go
against the ruling of the din.
Talks were not the only
activities that were held
throughout the camp. There
were also group activities to teach us how to systematise an
organization and organise our own time properly. Participants were
also given a task called “Survival in an aeroplane crash” which
aimed to teach us how to think and prioritise. At the end of the camp,
we discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the current
organisation through a S.W.O.T analysis and, finally, we
unanimously agreed upon 3 resolutions.
All in all, the programme was a huge success thanks to the alumni of
KYUEM who never cease to support the College, and who offer
particular encouragement to MUSCOM. Allah willing, we should
do our best to apply all the advice and teachings that we gained
during the camp.
12 March
Japanese Cultural Night
By: Melissa Shareena binti Danial Iswan
After the speeches were given, a video
about Japanese culture was shown which
was followed by performances which
featured singing and dancing. After the
The Japanese Cultural Night is the grand
annual event organised by the Japanese
Cultural Club. It is held to enhance and
further deepen KYUEM’s population’s
knowledge and understanding of Japanese
culture. This year it took place on
Monday,12 March 2012 in the Great Hall
of KYUEM.
The guests, both teachers and students,
arrived at 8.15 pm. The MCs for the night
were Tan Wen Ying and Ming Yao. The
event was formally opened with speeches
by Mr. Donald Wilkinson and by the
Director of Japanese Cultural Night, Tan
Wen Ying.
performances,
students visited the
stalls which had been
set up at the back of
the hall offering
mostly Japanese food
and drinks, such as
Sushi, green tea and
Takoyaki. There were
also carnival-style
games that are
traditionally played
in Japanese festivals.
They included Sumo,
Kendo, catching goldfish and others. Sumo
was the game in which most people, males
at any rate, participated. Students who
joined in the games were allocated points
depending on the type of the game and
their performance and the winner was
awarded a prize.
The event went very well and the club
members were pleased with the response
their efforts received.
10 April
Natural History Club’s
Bukit Tarik Forest Reserve Trip
By: Ming Yao
At 7.45 pm on 10th April 2012, all the
members of the Natural History Club
gathered in one of the Biology Labs before
their trip to the Bukit Tarik Forest Reserve.
There we had a chance to look at
butterflies up close. After all the
students who were going for the
trip had registered their names
and listened to Mr
Boler’s short briefing,
we set off for the
Forest Reserve at
around 8.00 pm.
This being a night trip,
students were armed with their
torchlights and were very eager
to see insects, especially fireflies.
Using butterfly nets, we managed to
capture a few fireflies. The fireflies were
kept in a container to be passed around so
that students could have a chance to look
closely at the fireflies. According to Mr
Boler, the fireflies emit light by the
breaking down of the protein Luciferin. We
walked for approximately half an hour
before reaching the Forest Reserve. At the
entrance to the virgin jungle, Mr Boler set
up a light trap to attract nocturnal insects
so that we would have the chance to look
at them after we returned from the forest
later.
In the forest, we had the chance to see
more fireflies. It was quite
disappointing though that we didn’t
see any very large moths. The trip
into the jungle took us around 45
minutes. On the way back, we
stopped at the light trap in the hope
of seeing some very spectacular
insects. True enough, we did. The prize
for the day was a rhinoceros beetle.
Everyone was amazed; the beetle was quite
aggressive though. Then, there were moths
with pearl white coloured wings and other
different kinds of moths displaying a
variety of colours and patterns. Greens and
blacks predominated in beautiful
symmetrical patterns. The insects were
placed in a container and passed around so
that students could admire their beauty.
When it was time to head back to the
college, Mr Boler and Wei Guan took
photos of the insects before releasing them
back into their natural habitat. Needless to
say, the light trap was the best part of the
whole trip. At around 11 o’clock we
reached the college and bid each other
good night. It was tiring, but undoubtedly
fun, stimulating and educational.
15
20 April
Sapphire House Trip 2012
– A Weekend Getaway In Paradise
By: Hong Ken Teoh
After a long and sometimes impatient wait, the highly anticipated
Sapphire House Trip was finally here. On 20th April, right after
the Friday prayers, everyone was already gathered outside the
guard house, filled with much anticipation and excitement. We
took off at three thirty, and by six thirty, we finally arrived at our
destination – Avillion Village Resort, Port Dickson.
From the lobby area
all the way to our
chalet units, the
resort was simply
stunning. It was a
paradise on its own.
Some of us even took
the opportunity to
check out the
amazing sea view, as
the resort was
strategically placed
facing one of Port
Dickson’s most
spectacular beaches.
The view was
breathtaking. At
sundown, we hiked
to Pantai Saujana,
located just adjacent
to the resort, where
we had our very own
Sapphirean-made
barbeque dinner,
followed by a game
of charades. No one
could ask for a more
enjoyable evening.
With a crowd playing charades, the laughter, the smell of
barbeque chicken with a tinge of salty sea water, and the strong
land breeze, the atmosphere that night was perfect. That ended
our first day. It was time to crash in after a warm bath.
delicacy, the nasi lemak and milo, we were joined by
representatives from RC Ampang, RC Port Dickson, and RC
Bernam Valley. Even though the weather wasn’t on our side,
things turned for the better after an hour, and the beach clean-up
began. There was much work to be done, but with a large work
force of 71
KYUEM
students, we
managed to clean
the beach by the
hour. With some
extra time, we
also grabbed the
chance to visit the
Tanjung Tuan
Lighthouse
located on a
nearby hill. It was
quite a long and
hard climb, but it was well worth it as the scenery was again
spectacular.
After a splendid lunch provided by RC Port Dickson, we headed
back to our resort where we had the
rest of the day to ourselves. Everyone
utilized the resort facilities to the max.
While some jumped into the sea for a
game of water polo, others played
beach football: some just snoozed on
the deck chairs, taking in the sun.
At night, we visited the nearby
bustling night market for dinner. It
was really unbelievable what food
was available for a small amount of
money.
Time really flies when you are enjoying it, and it was already the
third and last day of the house trip. After savouring the five-star
resort breakfast buffet prepared for us, we packed up and left at
around 11 am.
“Dear guest, this is your morning call, please wake up.”
A repeating computerized message was heard when the phone
rang for morning call. That was the start of our second day. As
early as half past seven, we headed to Pantai Tanjung Biru for our
beach cleaning activity. After a light breakfast of a simple local
16
On the journey back, we stopped by Sunway Pyramid for lunch.
Here there was the chance to shop or watch a movie. Finally, at
half past five, we departed for our beloved college. Although the
trip was short, everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Indeed,
this house trip is something that we will remember for the rest of
our lives.
20 April
Diamond House Trip 2012
By: Muhammad Zuheir bin Zulkifely
On 20th to 22nd April 2012, Diamond, the
House of Courage, went on a house trip to
A’ Famosa Resort, Malacca. This trip was
organised by Diamond’s Batch 14.0
students for the rest of the house, to
strengthen the bond between house
members and also between them and the
house-parents and tutors. The committee
for the house trip was elected in the first
semester of the academic year and
throughout the 3 months before the trip,
fundraising events were organised to
finance the mega project.
journey to Malacca. At the same time,
each of the other three houses set off, each
to a different destination. However, we
soon met up with our friends from
To ensure the trip was a success, the house
trip committee worked hard on preparing
proposals and conducting meetings to
update each other on progress every two
weeks. On 13th April 2012, Azmi, Hazim,
Zuheir and Ikhmal went to A’ Famosa to
check on the accommodation, dinner hall,
Water World and food with the managers
of the resort to make sure everything
would go smoothly during the trip.
Sapphire and Garnet when we stopped at
RnR Dengkil. KYUEM students, in high
spirits, greeted their colleagues and flocked
to the refreshment stations as if they had
been separated for months and eaten little
in the day so far.
We arrived in Malacca at about 9.00 pm
and, again, we were all hungry. We asked
the bus drivers to take us to the Muara
Sungai Duyung Ikan Bakar Restaurant.
There we had a sumptuous dinner, with
“Ikan Siakap 3 Rasa”, “Sotong Tepung”,
“Kailan Ikan Masin”, and “Nasi Lemak” as
the main dishes on our set menu. Then,
having enjoyed the food, we went for a
little bit of a stroll and to shop on Jonker
Street, for the girls especially, it was said –
although there were plenty of boys there
too. The street was a perfect microcosm of
the variety of Malaccan cultures. We ate
(again!) “Gula Ketuk” there, viewed the
Baba and Nyonya arts and paintings and
enjoyed ourselves buying mementoes and
souvenirs. We were exhilarated by the
performances of the experienced Chinese
singers of old Malacca. It was nearly one
o’clock in the morning by the time we
checked into our hotel.
So on Friday 20th April, we assembled at
the guard house at 2.00 pm, feeling excited
and ready to enjoy the trip with the house
family. We needed to unwind after an
exhausting week of trial examinations and,
of course, to begin our mental preparations
for the forthcoming AS and A-Level
examinations. An hour later, our bus
departed from Kolej Yayasan UEM for the
17
20 April
Garnet House Trip 2012
Felda Resort Tanjung Leman, Mersing, Johore
By : Qaleeda Talib Merican
On 20, 21 and 22 April
2012, Garnet House
Trip committee, led by
Muhammad Farhan
bin Khairul Anuar,
successfully organised
a house trip to Felda
Resort Tanjong Leman
(FRTL), Mersing,
Johor. This event
succeeded in attracting 64 Garnetrons and 2 teachers, including
Pn. Halijah binti Ahmad, Garnet’s House Mistress, and Mr Azman
bin Zainal Abidin. Throughout the weekend, the committee was
able to fulfil its main objective - to strengthen the bond between
Garnetron members. Armed with bags, foods and drinks (some
even brought their own favourite pillow), all Garnetrons were fully
prepared for the house trip.
On the first day, we all took off from
college at 3.15 pm. We had a smooth
journey (even though it rained half way
to FRTL) with two stops, one at
Dengkil R&R for Asar prayer and one at
the Kulai rest area for those who
required it to refuel. We reached FRTL
at about 10.00 pm. The journey was
longer than we anticipated because it
was raining from the Kulai exit right to
Tanjong Leman. After dinner and some
briefing on the activities of the house
trip, we all retired for the night. Our
planned camp fire had to be postponed as it was still raining. Most
of us slept early, in preparation for the activities of the next
morning.
The next day, Saturday, promised to be adventurous and exciting.
We started the day with a breakfast at 7.30 am before heading to
Tanjong Leman beach. There we enjoyed some beach activities,
especially a water balloon game. House members were divided
into groups that had to compete with each other at collecting the
most water balloons. The first
person was required to throw
the balloon, filled with water,
to the next person behind him
or her and so on. When the
games ended, everyone joined
in a huge water balloon fight
which was hilarious and wet,
very wet, in fact! Thereafter,
there was a time for us to do
our own thing. We collected
seashells, strolled down the beach, took photos and dumped one or
two members into the sea. Then everyone got ready for the
snorkelling activity. We were taken by boat to Sibu Kukus Island.
After instructions had been given, we spent 2 hours snorkelling
and swimming at the site, indulging ourselves amongst the many
different, beautiful, multicoloured fish. There are so many things
that you can do when you are on a beautiful smooth sandy beach
with crystal clear water: the high jump (believe it or not!), beach
limbo, swimming, sun bathing, sand-castle building, to mention
but a few. We came, we saw and we had fun, as Julius Caesar
might have put it, during the activities. Then we headed back to
FRTL to have our lunch.
18
After lunch, we were given our own free time to enjoy many other
different activities provided at Tanjong Leman beach. They
included riding jet skis and
kayaking, but, of course, at
our own expense, so
moderation had to prevail.
We had a wonderful time,
even though many of us
just messed around in the
water. So, the notion of
getting truly wet again kept
us together. A few
Garnetrons, it has to be
confessed, preferred to take a small nap before the BBQ dinner as
there were more activities to come.
The dinner was a semi-formal affair. It began with speeches from
Muhammad Farhan Khairul Anuar, Director of the House Trip
2012, Ramaraj Sundraraj and Najwalhuda binti Nuawi, the former
House Captains of Garnet 2011, and last, but not least, Pn. Halijah
bt Ahmad herself, Garnet Housemistress. We had all sorts of
barbecued food which included roasted chicken wings, roasted
lamb and beef, roasted fish, prawn, squid and sausages.
Throughout the dinner, we played the
‘Susah’ game. The first player would be
given a word revolving around the theme
of occupation/employment. The player
then had to act out the word and the
second player had to guess what the word
was. This continued until the last player.
It was that person’s job to tell everyone
what the occupations were supposed to be.
The funny parts of the game were not only
how the players acted out the word, but
also how the acts totally diverged from the
actual word. Finally, we proceeded to the prize-giving ceremony
and lucky draws. Prizes were awarded to the winners of the games
we had earlier. Later, we gathered at the field near the beach and
had our campfire (which had been postponed from the earlier
night). Certainly, it was a wonderful night. Midnight chatting and
packets of small chubby marshmallows brought us together on this
occasion.
The next day, there were still a lot of activities to enjoy. We went
on the flying fox, tried abseiling or kayaking, played beach
volleyball and took a leisurely stroll on the beach. There was an
absolutely free choice about what to do, truly free and easy leisure.
At 12.00 noon, we checked out before having our lunch and
prayers (Zuhur and Asar). Even though we had checked out early,
it was still 2.00 pm when we at last managed to leave the FRTL
and headed back to KYUEM.
The journey back was the most tedious part of this trip. We were
sad to be finishing our house trip and leaving FRTL. Still, we had
great memories of smooth sandy beaches, crystal clear water,
colourful fishes and lots of fun activities. With only two stops, at
Ayer Itam rest area and Sungai Buluh overhead bridge to get our
dinner and perform Maghrib and Isyak prayers, we finally arrived
at KYUEM at 9.30 p.m.
As a whole, this trip was a huge success. We managed to achieve
our primary objective which was strengthening the bond between
house members.
20 April
Topaz House Trip 2012
By : Aminuddin bin Basir
So there was a change of plan.
We moved to the rear of the
hotel where we could play the
game in the shade. The game
was great fun indeed. We added
a couple of our own twists to
make it even more interesting. A
number enjoyed it so much that they wanted to play it again but,
as it was getting hotter and hotter, we had to abandon the plan.
Overall, we had a fantastic time, even if it was very hot. Later on
that afternoon, everyone had their own leisure time. Some of us,
seeking coolness, even took the opportunity to watch a movie in
the city of Kuantan.
Hyatt Regency Kuantan, Pahang was the destination for the
Topaz 2012 House Trip event. As it turned out, the hotel was very
pleasant and elegant. Staying there certainly made us want to go
back again. The trip took place between 20th and 22nd April.
Departing from the college around 3 o’clock in the afternoon and
accompanied by our Topaz House Mistress, Puan Jas, and one of
our tutors, Miss Anne, we arrived quite early. We were surprised
to find that the location of the hotel was very lively. There were a
lot of shops and stalls around. So grabbing a quick bite right after
a long journey was not a problem at all. Quite a number of
restaurants, such as Burger King, KFC and McDonald’s, all
within walking distance of the hotel, were available. As we
arrived that night, all of us were very excited and eager to
explore the nightlife of Telok Chempedak. Unfortunately, as the
place itself was a bit crowded and hectic, the buses were unable
to drop us right in front of the lobby. So we had to walk from the
main gate to the hotel with all our bags and luggage. Well, as
they said, all these experiences are just part of a more interesting
journey ahead.
In the evening, everyone
took the chance to play
and enjoy the beach
again. It might have just
been our luck, but
suddenly it started to rain
and we had to rush in
back to the hotel.
However, it did not
dampen our spirits and we
all enjoyed the time there.
For dinner we had a barbeque buffet which initially was
supposed to be held at the poolside. Due to the rainy and
unpredictable weather, the hotel management had to abandon that
plan and moved us to one of the hotel’s ballrooms. It was one of
the best buffet dinners we have ever had.
The next day was actually the day no-one was looking forward to
as it was the last day of our trip. Nevertheless, it was time to go
home and everyone spent their last moments there happily. We
had to check out before 12 o’clock in the afternoon, so we all
were required to gather in the lobby at 11 o’clock sharp.
Fortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, getting everyone to
vacate their rooms at the right time was not a problem at all. We
had one final chance to wander around Telok Chempedak again
before heading back to KYUEM. We had a great time and we
agreed we wouldn’t mind going back there for holidays. Finally,
we should thank all those who made the trip possible.
We were impressed and delighted at the sight of a very warm and
welcoming lobby. Waiting for the check-in processes turned out
not to be a problem at all. Many of us seemed to enjoy the wait.
Fortunately, there was a group of musicians performing in the
lobby near the main entrance. They were very entertaining as
they played their traditional music.
As we waited for our keys, a few of us took the opportunity to
snap a couple of shots. As we expected, all went smoothly.
Everyone got their keys and went to their rooms. Some of us
were so tired that we were asleep as soon as we moved in.
The next day, right after breakfast, we played this game known as
the Werewolf. We had intended to play the game on the beach
but, unfortunately, we hadn’t expected the beach to be so hot at
10 o’clock in the morning.
19
26 April
KYUEM 14th College Birthday &
Teachers’ Day Celebration
By : Nur Aqilah binti Mat Shafie
On the evening of 26th April 2012,
the KYUEM Great Hall was filled
with students, teachers and support
staff to celebrate two events - the
College Birthday and Teachers’ Day.
The College Anniversary is an annual
event held at KYUEM to
commemorate the first day it started
operation in 1998 to cater for the
academic needs of the best of
Malaysian students. The event is jointly
celebrated with Teachers’ Day which is also an
annual celebration in KYUEM, as a sign of
appreciation to the teachers. The Student Council
of KYUEM is always charged with organizing
both these events because of their importance to
the college. Each and every individual is
present.
The theme for the event this year was ‘Wild Wild
West’. Students, teachers and staff turned up in
their best checked shirts, cowboy hats and boots.
The hall was nicely decorated with banners, hats,
streamers and balloons. The event began at about 7.45 pm with
the arrival of students. At about 8.00 pm, the students grandly
welcomed teachers and staff into the Great Hall with cheers and
claps. We were delighted that the event were attended by the
CEO of KYUEM, Puan Nor Rubaiha Mohamed Nor, the
20
headmaster, Mr
Donald Wilkinson,
other members of
the senior
management team,
teachers and support
staff.
The event began with prayers and a speech by the event director,
Ayiesha Ahmad. The headmaster also made a speech, as he had
been invited to. The event was then officially opened by Puan
Nor Rubaiha and Mr Wilkinson when they
took to the stage and shot guns (toy ones, I
hasten to add) at the ceiling and banners
came rolling down. Later, the event
continued with karaoke sessions in which
staff and teachers gladly took part. Awards,
such as for the Most Proactive Teacher and
the Friendliest Member of the Support
Staff, were given out. The cake cutting
ceremony also took place on stage and
about 10 cakes were served to the
attendees. Everyone was entertained by a
variety of performances by students and a comedic sketch by
teachers, led by Mrs Foord. At the same time, students, teachers
and staff were served with delicious food such as baked potatoes,
mushroom soup and barbecued chicken. The event was a
memorable night for everyone to recall - forever.