Saturday 11 April 2009

MADE IN SINGAPORE BORN IN MALAYA - PART I


I am going to take a rest from commenting about Malaysia’s state of governance. After all the country has got it’s 6th prime minister and a new cabinet line-up. With such distinguished leadership and a team of ministers of exemplary integrity, I failed to see why Malaysia cannot climb to heights of excellence and takes it’s place as one of the world’s most envied civil societies.
Yelah! tu!!!!!! Since there is nothing to gripe about, my takes on politics, stops now.

By the way,would you care to know a little bit more about me?

I was born in Malaya but made in Singapore. Let me clear that puzzled look on your face. My dad was a soldier in the British Army based in Singapore in 1949. Whilst on leave in his home town of Segamat, Johor, dad met mum, falls in love and soon married her. After the marriage, dad brought mum to Singapore as he was based there and the next time mum went back to Segamat after that was to deliver her first born child (that’s me) on Malaysian soil. It is obvious therefore that dad and mum made love all these times until I was conceived while they were in Singapore and that was how I came to be made in Singapore. After mum’s confinement period, she was back in Singapore (of course I tagged along) and I ended being brought up and educated in Singapore.

Primary School Years
I began my education at the Clementi Primary School, 7th milestone Pasir Panjang Road and was there from 1960 to 1961 (primary 1 to 6). On passing the primary 6 secondary school entrance examination with flying colors, I then continued my secondary education at the old, historical but prestigious and elite Raffles Institution in Bras Basah Road. Raffles Institution is not your run of the mill secondary school as no student can gain admittance to this school unless you have obtained all A in the primary school leaving examinations. Again unlike in Malaysia, where connections can open doors to anything, no amount of money, power and strings can ensure you of a place at Raffles Institution. To be studying there then, is a recognition of your academic potentials and capabilities.

I could not remember much of my early school years (1960-1965). I remember going to school and back by bus (it was The Singapore Traction Company, then) and receiving 40 cents as pocket money, out of which 20 cents is for bus fare.

A few events though, does stays in my mind. The first was went I found my first collection of pornographic photographs while walking along the Pasir Panjang Beach with a group of my friends one Saturday morning on the way to school for extra classes. We were in primary 6 at that time and was preparing for the secondary schools entrance examination. I remember vividly the group of us hiding behind the boys bathroom block scrutinizing the photos and how after that I begin to look at the women teachers with different eyes. That was the first time I knew what a naked woman looks like and what a man and a woman can do when both of them are naked together.

During those early years (primary 5-6) I was already a lover of nature and “rambling” then was my favourite way of spending the weekends when there is no extra classes. My rambling “kakis” that I still remember was Tee Kam Choy (a sweet chinese girl), Choo Cheng Chye and Goh Boon Eng. Our normal route was to traverse the hills starting from the Clementi Military Barracks where we (my parents, siblings and me) live, in Air Rajah Road, until about 4 hours later when we finally rests our feet at the peak of Faber Hill.

To you guys and girl where ever you are in Singapore, thank you for sharing those tiring but fun weekends with me on the hills of Singapore. For Tee Kam Choy, I wish I could hold your hands again (like we use to do as we rambled along) and talk about old times. Would your husband mind?

Just a P/S before I end up reminising about my primary school days. At the age of 12 (primary 6) I was champion of the Raden Mas District syair recitation competition and represented the district at the national level competitions. Translated into the Malaysian environment that was equivalent to representing one of the Malaysian states. And that was the first time in my life that I appear on national televison. The Singapore’s Minister for Social Welfare at that time, En. Othman Wok gave away the challenge trophy. I wonder what happened to En.Othman Wok and my trophy now. The syair that I was reading that night was the “Syair Siti Zubaidah”.

Hingga jumpa lagi, bye-bye dari Uncle B,yang rindu juga pada kawan-kawan di Singapura.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

salam.. 1 yg mnarik knpa saya suka blog uncle ini ialah opinion2 uncle yg sgt telus dan berani. tp yg pling saya suka sebenranya ialah the way u deliver it in English.. so cute and funny.saya perasan, i thougt mula2 tu mmg kesilapan biasa tpi bila ia berulang2 then i gues mesti uncle x perasan sebab dah terbiasa. d word its n it's... IT'S that u always used refers to the contraction IT IS... but u kip using d word to show posession its which carries differet meaning. check it out okey.. dah best2 baca tapi bila ada slight mistake rasa mcm sumting plak...huhu..jgn marah eh uncle.saya budak baru belajar tapi kdg2 yg lama x semstinya betul stiap masa kan? sebab tiada yg sempurna kecuali Dia...

Anonymous said...

salam.. 1 yg mnarik knpa saya suka blog uncle ini ialah opinion2 uncle yg sgt telus dan berani. tp yg pling saya suka sebenranya ialah the way u deliver it in English.. so cute and funny.saya perasan, i thougt mula2 tu mmg kesilapan biasa tpi bila ia berulang2 then i gues mesti uncle x perasan sebab dah terbiasa. d word its n it's... IT'S that u always used refers to the contraction IT IS... but u kip using d word to show posession its which carries differet meaning. check it out okey.. dah best2 baca tapi bila ada slight mistake rasa mcm sumting plak...huhu..jgn marah eh uncle.saya budak baru belajar tapi kdg2 yg lama x semstinya betul stiap masa kan? sebab tiada yg sempurna kecuali Dia...