Praise be to God, the Exams Are Over!

Shout for joy!!!

1. Alhamdulillah. Syukur ke hadirat Allah. At 2.oo noon today, Thursday of 28th of May, the mid-year examinations are behind us all. The last paper done was Physics.

2. Tears and cries of joy surrounded the class. There were also some laughter in the background.

3. Peers were seen hugging each other, releasing the joy in their hearts. A mid-year exam well done, I suppose.

4. Thanks be to all teachers, and classmates, for making this exam one hell of a wake-up call for the majority of us.

5. Why do I say this? Well, the tests were quite hard, very very time-consuming, and boring. This is a very realistic simulation of what the actual SPM come November will be like, I guess.

6. Some subjects, turned out ok, great even, while others (I don't want to say here, errrm*add maths*), well, lets just say there's HUGE room for improvement for most of us.

7. And finally, with a guy in my class singing Sudirman's Merdeka song, we are all free from the horror and insanity of two weeks of mid-year exams.

8. I just hate formal exams. I mean you go to school, for 8 hours, doing exams. For two straight weeks. Two straight weeks of brain-melting exams. Two straight weeks of not learning anything new.

9. The reality just makes me sick. Just some of the flaws in the modern education system.


10. Just forget about what you just read. I was only reflecting upon my life. Be on the bright side of things.

11. The Axiom wishes all a good two weeks of rest. Stay healthy. Assalamualaikum.

The Student

1. Right. Ok. Now let's explore the inner workings of my friend, Amzar's mind, through his piece of sketch, done today in class, during Bahasa Melayu period.

2. I asked Amzar to lend me his BM exercise book, to scan his artwork. He agreed. So here it is.



3. It's a drawing of a guy. A student, I think. Who was on his mind when he drew this, god knows. I wonder... I leave that to your judging. It looks like he's wearing standard school uniform, has terrifyingly long hair, and his face creeps me out.

4. What's cool about Amzar's drawing of the student is that it was drawn directly after copying the teacher's notes (syair) on the white board. As said, this piece of art was scanned directly from his exercise book. I tell you, this guy can get really inspired, at the most unexpected times.

5. I love random art. This is an example of random art done by my classmate. Totally random and inspired. Oh, Hanif also added some details on the guy's pants. Thanks...

6. You can tell what someone is thinking about at a point in time through random art. That's the cool thing about random art.

7. Thanks, Amzar. Thanks for sharing. Really appreciate it. Good night people. Assalamualaikum.

2 Swords and a Spear

1. It was Biology class. Biology class after recess.

2. The teacher was talking in front. Talking. Talking about biology. Giving out the answer to the worksheets. The worksheets she had given. Everything we need to know about the workings of the nervous system.

3. Along the lesson, she kept telling us, repeating about how difficult biology is, all the things that need remembering, the commitment needed in constant reading...

4. You can tell it was a boring lesson. It was obviously a boring lesson. But I enjoyed it anyway. I get fascinated easily by the most boring things.

5. But my friend Jalil, started showing signs of boredom. He started drawing swords in my notebook. They looked cool. I like looking at sketches of cool, long swords. As I said, I get impressed easily.

6. He also drew this kinda african-tribal-looking spear, which had some sort of fin-like extensions on both sides.

7. There was also this two-bladed dagger thing, which also looked cool.

8. I am collecting artwork, and his sketches were rather inspiring. These artworks from Jalil reveals his inner-subconscious mind, and shows the inner-workings of his brain at the time of the biology lesson.

9. So, I asked his permission to put the drawings on this blog. He agreed. So here they are. Thanks, Jalil. Totally appreciate it.

Lukisan Petang

1. Hmmm. Right. OK. First thing, apologies. I've been off my blogging duty for 1 whole month. I am sorry for the long leave. It's just that, owwhh, you know, school, homework, exam, stuff...I'm sure you understand. Again, my sincerest of 'sorry's.

2. I've got a masterpiece to share with all of you. It's a one-and-only original artwork by my well-known-friend, Hafizan Halim. He showed it to me during extra-class period today (physics). The realism of this piece of drawing is astounding. I know that, to art people, who posess the god-given skills of sketching and rendering, or have learned it somehow in some point of their lives, that this is just 'ordinary, anyone can do it' stuff,... but to me, this, this is beautiful. I mean, the detail, the realism... man, this is great stuff. This is one good sketch.

3. According to Hafizan, he drew it yesterday evening, spent about 30 minutes doing this, using his Mitsubishi technical pen, while at Hafidz, a close friend's house. So, this piece is called 'Lukisan Petang Ahad di Rumah Hafidz', by Hafizan.

4. It's a view of Kolej, the row of classes near the green, stagnant 'kolam', you know... let me relate this. In 2008, the furthest class you see in the drawing used to be 4 Omega.

5. So, thank you, Hafizan, for the sketch, and thank you for letting me share your art with all of us in my blog. And with this, I hope I can post more artwork on this blog in the future. Anybody wanna share? I'm at 5 Omega. Just go see me sometime if you have anything good to be shared and recognized.

6. Good night people. Stay healthy. Assalamualaikum.

Reason to Rejoice; the Coming Back of Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo 159, putting the 3-series to shame by its looks alone...

I read The Star on Sunday, and I saw an article in StarMotoring, entitled 'Alfa to Return'. It is one of the best pieces of news that i've read in quite some time, considering the stuff that we Malaysians consider as news and read on a regular basis is 'rasuah, murder, and kemalangan jalan raya...' Well, good for Alfa Romeo then, and let us hope that this coming back of the iconic Italian brand to Malaysian shores is for the long term. Let us hope that Sime Darby Auto ConneXion Sdn Bhd, the soon-to-be official distributor come next month or May, is wise enough to keep Alfa Romeo alive in Malaysia, by selling as much cars as they can.

Currently, Sime Darby Auto ConneXion Sdn Bhd is also the official Dealer of Land Rovers and Fords in Malaysia.

The Managing Director of Auto ConneXion said, that the company would initially introduce the Alfa Romeo 159, GT, Spider, and the Brera (ever played NeedForSpeed Carbon before?) to the market. He also said that Malaysia has a high potential for the success of A.R, considering that there is a loyal Alfa Romeo following in Malaysia.

My neighbour drives an Alfa Romeo.

Personally, I really hope that S.D Auto ConneXion's gamble in Alfa Romeo works. Honestly, isn't anybody tired and bored of seeing Mercs and BMWs everywhere on the road? jeez... Alfa Romeos would make Malaysia a much more happier place.


Luckily, fate is on A.R's side, as 'the two other' Italian icons, Ferrari and Maserati, have been successfully introduced in Malaysia by Naza Italia Sdn.Bhd. recently. Anyone considering a BMW soon, please wait until the Italian arrives...

'A CENTURY OLD SCHOOL', by Tun Dr. Mahathir

Yes, yes, this is only a 'copy paste' job, and all credit must go to 'chedet.co.cc' for this story. This story was posted by dear Tun, on 5th August 2008, a few days after attending Kolej's 100 Years Carnival, which was on 26th July 2008. I just had to post it here, because I thought some of you might miss the story, as August was quite a busy month last year, what with exams looming and all. I must say it is quite an honour and privilege for me to read Tun's side of the story of his day and experience at the 100 Years Carnival. Tun's experiences while studying at Kolej is told by the man himself, so this story is a treasure, and should be cherished by us Collegians.

I was one of the guys in charge of managing the 'F1 in Schools' Technology Showcase on the Carnival Day. The showcase was in 4 Alfa. I remembered, when the teacher gave the signal that the Sultan of Kedah and Tun Mahathir was minutes from touring our F1 exhibit, the room was suddenly packed full of spectators, waiting to greet the Sultan and Tun. It became very hard to breathe in there. The noise of all the people chit-chatting in the room cancelled all outside noise, the flashing of cameras was just downright confusing and disorientating, and the activity of a few bodyguards trying to control the crowd and make way for the Sultan and Tun looked chaotic. My friend standing beside me couldn't clearly hear me shout. That was how noisy the room was at that time.

Yet, somehow, as if by magic, the Sultan and Tun's tour of our exhibit turned out pretty smoothly.

When Tun was ready to leave the room, the crowd also followed, leaving the room, to line outside at the corridors of the classes, just to get a glimpse of Tun Dr. Mahathir. Just before Tun was about to tour another showcase, I managed to greet Tun face to face, and ask for his autograph in the exhibit's official guestbook, to mark his visit on that historical day.

I feel so lucky to be a Collegian.

Enough about that . I give you, 'A Century Old School', by Tun Dr. Mahathir. Enjoy...

A CENTURY OLD SCHOOL
By Dr. Mahathir Mohamad

1. I came back from a holiday in Croatia to attend the centenary celebration of my alma mater, Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid or Sultan Abdul Hamid College recently.

2. It was a sentimental occasion. Seeing the old school, quite unchanged since I was admitted into Primary I way back in 1932 brought back many sweet/sad memories.

3. The centenary was more meaningful to me because the school was founded by my father who was also its first headmaster. He used to tell me of his experiences when he was headmaster there.

4. It was not in the present building of course. It was housed in a wooden Malay house in the middle of the town of Alor Star. Called the GES or Government English School, he had Malaysia's first Prime Minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman as one of his students.

5. My father died in 1962. I thought he would like me to attend the centenary. I felt very nostalgic of the good old days when he used to teach me and my brother mathematics.

6. Before I was born he was sent to Pahang to teach at a school in Raub. Then he was sent to Johore to teach at an English school there.

7. Those were very distant places and he had to travel by boat with my mother and my eldest sister. My mother's second child, also a girl was born in Pahang. Mahadi my mother's eldest son was born in Johor Bahru.

8. Father got tired of shifting house and traveling to strange places. He came back to Alor Star and applied for an auditor's job with the Kedah Government.

9. Although his name is Mohamad bin Iskandar, people generally call him "Master" or Mohamad Iskandar. To honour him the primary school attached to Sultan Abdul Hamid College was named "Sekolah Iskandar" inadvertently honouring my grandfather instead. I have never complained.

10. At the main ceremony on the morning of Saturday 26th July the College named three ex-collegiate as the Collegiate of the Centenary. HRH the Sultan was the first, second came Tunku Abdul Rahman and I felt greatly honoured to be named as the third Collegiate of the Centenary. It would be another century before anyone will get this award.

11. To be able to study at the GES was a great privilege in those days. This was the first and only Government English School in Kedah. There were only 30 boys from the whole of Kedah admitted each year. I was one of the lucky ones.

12. Going to school was thrilling to me and I couldn't wait for school holidays to end.

13. I did fairly well and my Senior Cambridge Examinations result was good enough for me to be admitted into the medical faculty of the King Edward VII College of Medicine. I was given financial aid which was not a scholarship. The British Colonial Government apparently practised affirmative action because all my Chinese and Indian classmates had far better results than me. The examination results of the other six Malay students were even worse than mine. There were 70 plus students in all.

14. I owed my teachers in school a great deal. Only one of them, Mr. Zain, is alive today. He was a great teacher and spoke grammatically correct English all the time.

15. Schooling was such a great experience and I recall with fondness many rewarding events that I went through.

16. I hope and pray that all Malaysians remember their school days and the part that school plays in their lives. Getting an education right up to University level is easy now. But we must nevertheless feel grateful for there are more than one billion illiterate people in the world. For them the future promises very little.


To see this story in its original context, click the link: http://chedet.co.cc/chedetblog/2008/08/a-century-old-school.html

Something To Think About...

1. When you shake hands or 'salam' with somebody, there's really not much to think about, right?

2. Well, when you think about it, when you shake somebody by the hand, you are touching a hand that has shook countless other hands before. Some sort of 'bond' or 'chain' forms, linking you to the person you are shaking hands with, and also to countless other people who had shook hands with that person in the past.

3. Take, for example, leaders of nations. When you have the chance to shake hands with, say, Tun Dr. Mahathir, 'theoretically', you are discreetly 'partially' shaking hands with our past PMs (Tunku Abdul Rahman, Tun Abdul Razak, Tun Hussein Onn), countless other world leaders, the likes of George W. Bush, the Queen of England, and the King of Saudi Arabia, just to name a few, numerous CEOs, business people from around the world, and even sports stars (we're talking Michael Schumacher here). Oh, and don't forget Sudirman !

4. How cool is that?

5. Such is the privilege of shaking hands with a national hero.We should be thankful and have the utmost respect, at all times, for Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad, 4th Prime Minister of Malaysia, for giving Malaysia the economical and industrial boost that she so very much needed. In fact, we should have the utmost respect for all our leaders in various fields of work.

6. Tun's leadership style, the decisions he made, and the actions he took, all were relevant, during his premiership.

7. So, feel a little love and respect the next time you shake hands or 'salam' with somebody. And also, respect thy leader, respect thy teacher, respect thy family, respect thy friends, and respect thyself.