GHAZALI YASIN: GREETINGS TO MR. M.C. CHACKO. YOU'RE GREAT!

90-year-old Mr. M.C. Chacko in fine shape and looks great.

This is a greeting from one of your former students of TBS Tampin. How are you doing Sir? I am delighted to have one of my favourite teachers connected with me again through Facebook - after losing touch with you for more than 46 years. I had the opportunity of knowing of your whereabouts through Cikgu Halimah (Senior Assistant HM of TBS, in charge of pre-U students). Cikgu Halimah, who used to b...e your neighbour in Kampung Dusun Tampin told me that she is still in touch with your daughter, Mrs. Susheela Stephen, who was her childhood friend, through Facebook. It was through Halimah that I am able to know a little bit about you and your family in India. We hope you are still strong and healthy.

TBS Group Excyrsion to Penang 1961. Anyone remembering anybody. Mr. M.C. Chacko is squatting in the front row (left).

Since you have a Facebook account my schoolmates and I would appreciate very much if you could recall your interesting experiences being a teacher of TBS at your Facebook account that can be shared with some two hundred members of our group (Grup TBSST) - comprising mainly ex-students of TBS who completed schooling during the years 1957 to the 1980s. Our alumni group was formed in May last year and is headed by Zahriman Alias from the 1966 batch, ie the same batch with me. The purpose of forming this informal body is to bring together old friends of our Alma mater for social gatherings as well as trying to do charitable work for the needy. 

TBS Historical Society 1961 (?): Historical Society teacher, Mr. M.C. Chacko (front row centre) with Ghani Manaf (2nd back row) and Anwar Othman (right back row). AFY is in front (left).

Some of the prominent members of the group are Normalis Nordin (1957 batch and later became staff member of TBS), Zakaria Osman (1957 batch, who is married to Normalis), Abu Aman Bachik (1961 School Captain who received his teacher training at Brinsford Lodge and who later taught at TBS until his retirement age), Ahmad Fadzil Yassin (1962 Vice School Captain - a writer and publisher), Monica Lim (1965 batch - ex-nurse trained in England), Getsy Rajendram (1965 - ex-Hospital Matron), Mohd. Karim Abu (1963 batch – the School Cross-Country Champion) and Mohd. Ashraf Manzoor (school cricketer from the 1965 batch). 

There are many other ex-TBS (some of them were your former students) who are very successful in their careers and doing well in life. It is impossible for me to mention them one by one here. Most of them have been very active participating in a number of activities organized by our group since its inception.

 Mr. M.C. Chacko (left) and daughter Susheela Stephen: We miss both of them.

Recently, on Sunday 10 February, some 30 odd members of our group had the opportunity visiting our former school. We were warmly received and welcomed by Cikgu Halimah, a few teachers as well as a number of pre-university students. All of us felt very excited as through our visit back to our school we were able to recollect sweet and bitter memories of our school days. Unfortunately, we could only imagine and visualize the classrooms and the favourite spots that we used to group together and walk around in the school compound those days as almost all the school buildings have been demolished and replaced with new ones in order to accommodate the ever increasing student population. The only old building that is still standing today is the science laboratory. It was in that lab I could remember vividly you were fond of referring me as “Mr. Ambrose Mutumuthirajah” and that made you my favourite teacher! Even the lab building has now been transformed into the School Gallery.

Mr. M.C. Chacko centre front row strolling with the Group at Penang's Botanical Garden 1961.

Sir, if you happen to be in Malaysia in the near future, please do not hesitate to let us know so that we can arrange for a re-union with some of your former students and ex-colleagues who are still around and remember you very fondly. My friends and I are very much looking forward to having the opportunity of meeting you one day in the near future. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for having taught me. It was through your guidance that I laid the foundations that allowed me to become a slightly better person. I am very much grateful to you, Sir. Hopefully, your good deeds would be rewarded accordingly by The Almighty. May God protect you always!

Ghazali Yasin <1948zali@gmail.com>

               

2:08 PM (5 hours ago)

                               

                                                                                                                                              

MESEJ TN. PRESIDEN: RINDU KEK KODAI KOPI SHAH ALAM

Bogambar ramai di dopan SMK Tunku Besar Tampin, 10 Feb 2013

 

Disobabkan kito dah rindu lamo poei Kodai Kopi tepi Tasik Shah Alam, kito TBSST akan poei minum pagi kek kodai tu pado Ahad ni 24 Feb jam 10.00 pagi. Tak ado program tertentu hanyo poi kumpul2 dan burak2. Kawan2 yang berhajat ikut serta, samoado dari jauh atau dokek silakan lah. Boleh bawak anak cucu datang kali dan lopehkan diorang supayo berlolah2 kek sekeliling tasik tu. Makani orda sendiri kiro sendiri.....Tapi kok ado yang rajin nak sponsor, takdo po salah eh doh......

Jumpo sanun nanti yo....Assalamualaikum.

Unlike · · Unfollow Post · Yesterday at 5:19am

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    You, Rozita Taharim and Azali Abdol like this.

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    Ahmad Fadzil Yassin:  MSJ, welcome to thr group

    Kito jumpo kek kodai kopi esok. In Shaa Allah.

    10 hours ago via mobile · Like

    Mohamed Salleh Johari:  Oklah Cikgu. Esk kito jumpa.

    10 hours ago via mobile · Like

    Abu Aman Bachik:  MI, iyo boto koh nam nyomput se. Kok iyo se siap lam kul 9.30 sok se tunggu yo. MI janji yo

    8 hours ago via mobile · Like

    Ghazali Yasin:  Alhamdulillah, Bang Abu dapek yo poi sok. Mokasih kek sodagho se - MI. Hanya Allah yang dapek mombaleh budi baik kau Ujang. Dengan adonyo AAB bosamo esok ibarat ese bosoto juo dalam pojumpaan itu. Alhamdulillah!

    8 hours ago · Like

    Car Lim Aboo:  bermulo dari kawan x lamo lamo dah jadi sahabat alhamdulillah

    6 hours ago · Like

    Mohammad Ibrahim”  Den kalou tengok semangat AAB ni toingat poghang badar di mano ado soghang sahabat rosulullah yg momogang bende gho Islam Islam tangan kanan eir ditotak dipogang dongan tangan kighi n tangan kighi ditotak di polok eir tiang bendegho namun bendegho tu xdilopehnyo sehing ga ado sahabat lain menyambut. Macamtu lah hebat eir sodagho kito AAB. Allahuakbar Allahuakbar Allahuakbar.

    6 hours ago via mobile · Like

 Tn Presiden Grup TBSST, Zahriman Alias menyerahkan bantuan ala kadar kepada wakil SMK TBS, Cikgu Halimah Abu Bakar di majlis santai dengan disaksikan kira-kira 40 orang anggota Grup.

    Ghazali Yasin:  Segupo jugak MI - kekentalan semangat AAB ini ese toingat coghito kecekalan semangat Bilal bin Rabah. Macamano serik diseksa oleh Abu Jahal dan Umaiyah imannya tetap teguh walau pun dio menderito sampai tingga nyao2 ikan. Agak eh, ese yang ado duo kak...See More

    4 hours ago · Like

    Abu Aman Bachik:  Dek se yang duo orang. Takjadi poi doh kaki lecet pulak . Tu lah puji eh melangai langit bebona. Wbp timokasehlah.

    about an hour ago via mobile · Like

Ex- pelajar dan guru TBS, Abu Aman Bachik menunaikan solat "Asar di surau TBS. Beliau bersyukur kerana kunjungan singkat itu dapat mengembalikan memori suka-sukanya ketika menjadi pelajar di sekolah "keramat" itu.

    Awaludin Abdul-Rahman:  Mohammad Ibrahim; kalau tak silap sei nama sahabt tu Jaafar At-Tayar, adik Saidina Ali, sepupu Rasulullah s.a.w. Lopeh porang tu Rasulullah cito kek sahabat dio nampak Malaikat turun dari langit dan jomput rohnya dan bawa ke syurga. Tu yang dapek golaran At-Tayar. Kalu tak silap sei lah. Please qualify cito ni

    38 minutes ago · Like

WITNESSED BY THE MOON, THE STARS, THE BREEZE AND THE GOLDEN FIELD.

 Kuala Pilah Town

Allah the most loving, the most kind and the most merciful. Thank you Allah for giving us this daily rice, for allowing us to sip your water and to breathe your air for free. It is the manifestation of Your profound love for us.

Ya Allah the following episodes were very well in your knowledge and I am just trying to relive and give them a flashback of what I can remember. It started sometime back during our late Brinsford days. During those late Brinsford days, we were left on our own. The college belonged entirely to us. Our seniors had long gone back to their own homes in Malaya then. They were then qualified teachers . They were teaching in various schools throughout the country. This meant those who had girlfriends and  sweethearts who were seniors were left without one. And likewise those who had boyfriends and sweethearts who were seniors were also left alone, counting the minutes, hours, days and the months that we would also be back in Malaya.

It was during this time that I tried to match make my very close friend with also my close friend whose boyfriend a handsome Chinese boy was already back home in Malaya then. I was telling myself that it would be very wasteful if  this lovely and sweet girl from the same state as mine, we were from Negeri Sembilan, would be possessed by this Chinese boy. This feeling of wastage on my part prompted me to pair Addusani the handsome Pekan Tua boy, with Azmahani the Negeri Sembilan girl. Somehow or rather, both of them tended to like each other. It was quite simple as Addusani was very handsome. He was the darling and heart throb of many girls in college. But somehow he did not concentrate on their interest in him. So he was himself all alone, except for me and a few others who were his close companions, very much the opposite  of me who tried very hard to harness girls' interest in me but I never had the fancy of any girls. Poor me!!! Sometimes I really  envy Addusani's lucky charms.

I sensed Addusani's interest in Azmahani, and witnessed the response from Azmahani as well while we were  still in college. It was quite understandable. Azmahani had been left alone for many moons now. During the flight home to Malaya I specially chose a cosy seat beside a partition at a corner in the plane and asked them to snuggle themselves in the seat. They must have revealed their affections to each other for the entire length of the flight until the plane landed in Kuala Lumpur International Airport, after which we bade each other good bye and left for our beloved homes which we had left for two solid years. That ended the episode of this part of the reminiscent flashback. However, if my effort to match this pair together did not work out I  do not know who Addusani would take as a life partner. Would he choose a fellow Brinsfordian or would he fancy other girls I would not dare to prophesies.

We were then busying ourselves for the preparation of our posting to various schools as full pledge trained teachers. So each was with his or her own problems to solve then. We did not communicate with each other until we were fully settled and started to deliver our responsibilities as new and young energetic teachers. Then the situation was different. There was no hand phones. There was no computer. Thus there was no Internet web communications. It took time to write out letters. It was quite a bother to go to public phone booths to  contact  each other by phones. Thus we were left entirely on our own, without any news from each other.

Abu Aman Bachik: Walking down the memory lane at TBS Tampin, 10 Feb 2013.

Suddenly out of the blue a black Morris Minor stopped in front of my house in Air Mawang. Out came a man shouting out my name,'Abuuuuuu'.  It gave me a shock of my life. For there I behold was Addusani and out of the drivers side out came Arman. They came all the way from Kuantan.  They did not inform me before hand that they were coming. It was fasting Ramadhan month. The two of them were posted to teach in the same school in Kuantan.

After a short greetings, we boarded the Morris Minor, and headed to Kuala Pilah. We booked a room in a lodging house in KP. We rested there for some time, refreshed ourselves. Towards evening  we travelled to Batu Kikir (BK). There at BK was waiting Azmahani at her brother's house. Oh, only then did I know that Addusani had made an appointment  with Azmahani. Oh yes they were wanting to relive and refresh their unfinished encounter snuggled in the cosy seat of the plane, on our way back from Brinsford Lodge. Now I was beginning to get a clearer picture. Was I so backward not to perceive this before this. That out of the blue Addusani and Arman appeared in front of my eyes in Arman father's Morris Minor was indeed a very pleasant surprise as well as there was a mission for Addusani to accomplish. Oh how naive was I.

We spent the whole evening in her brother's house. Her brother was a teacher too. So we had quite a lot in common to discuss and talk about. Although, we were not of the same generation we could talk many common things of the same interest. We had a hearty meal during breaking fast time although we were not fasting, for on the way to BK we stopped at a rambutan stall by the road side, bought some bunches and ate in the car. Such was our antics, little or no respect at all for the Ramadhan Month. Blatantly we were defying the sermon of the Prophet and Allah's command. Such infidels were we then. To top this disrespect for Ramadhan Al-Mubarrak, we conveniently forwent the daily five times prayers. Oh Allah we seek your pardon. Please forgive our sins oh The most Merciful, The most Loving  and The most Kind.

The time then was almost twelve mid-night. The breeze was getting cooler. The moon was shining very brightly, except occasionally veiled by the passing night cloud. The day was getting late. The eyes were getting sleepy. It was time to send Azmahani to her house. She was staying quite a distance away from her brother's place, which was just outside the village BK town. So after thanking her brother for such a hospitality and reception we bade him farewell. After saying the final good-bye, we sent Azmahani to her abode.

When Arman stopped the car just in front of the junction to her house, Addusani sent her half way  to her house which was on an island surrounded by vast padi fields in Serting Hilir. It was here midway in the padi fields, witnessed by the bright moon, the stars, the cool breeze and the golden rice fields Addusani pronounced his heart of love to Azmahani, in the cool lovely blissful night. I believe the heavenly words  "I love you" were  exchanged and might be kisses were smacked in the black darkness of the night. Thus witnessed by the natural surroundings of Serting Hilir, in the soft light of the beautiful moon two hearts were tightly bound in the heavenly word of love. Thus Addusani and Azmahani are lovers until now.

The way to Batu Kikir

So began another episode of the couple's lifelong journey together. For after a couple of months afterwards, Addusani sent his entourage to bind and seal their love of each other with an engagement. Rings of love were exchanged. This happened sometime in April. And before the year ended, their wedding ceremony were held. Thus Addusani and Azmahani were legally wedded. They  live happily together to this very day. They are blessed with only a couple of children one boy and a girl. They are bestowed with three grandchildren, a pair by the daughter and a boy  by the son, however. I am perplexed  at how and when did Addusani accumulated enough money to get married so soon. He, however, was already working before he went to Brinsford Lodge

I am very happy for them and they are  my very best of friends until today. What makes me the happiest is, I saved Azmahani's iman and akidah intact. Had she been possessed by the Chinese boy who is a Christian, there would be a great possibility that her iman and akidah would be shaken. Oh Allah thank you for helping me to protect my sister's believe in Islam, Your most beautiful religion. If she pursued her dream to be with the Chinese boy too, there would be a great possibility, she would be disowned by her family. Her late father, I learnt later, was a very learned religious personality in BK.

 aab0823.............16022013 a day after our second book project  gathering...putra heights.

                                   

CORAT-CORET TIBIES DALAM DWI-BAHASA (MELAYU-INGGERIS)

Barisan J/K Penerbitan yang dipilih untuk menyempurnakan penerbitan buku TBS ini.

KERTAS CADANGAN PENYUSUNAN DAN  PENERBITAN BUKU CORAT-CORET TIBIES

Pernah dikata orang menulis tentang sesuatu tajuk, tokoh atau pokok seperti riwayat hidup, sejarah organisasi,terutama yang ada kaitan dengan diri dan kepentingan sendiri, sudah barang tentu melibatkan kombinasi aneh antara sikap egoistik dan introspeksi diri dengan organisasi. Malah ia bagaikan mencakupi kedua-dua dimensi dalaman dan luaran  kehidupan individu atau organisasi. Walaupun grup Aumni TBSST yang ditubuhkan secara sukarela dan longgar ini baru setahun jagung usianya, namun semangat kekompakan dan solidaritinya amat memberangsangkan. Jumlah anggotanya tidak ramai sekitar 200 orang) namun jumlah itu sudh cukup untuk kita menapak selangkah lagi, iaitu untuk menerbitkan sebuah buku tentang ahli dan keahliannya dan tentang suka-duka kehidupan dalam suatu komuniti dalam kalangan komunitinya.

Buku ini akan memuatkan write-up dan catatan peristiwa. Buku yang bakal terbit ini akan membwa makna penting dalam kehidupan Alumni  TBS selain dicuit dan dihayun oleh buaian nostalgia. Ianya terarah sebagai satu sumbangan terhadap kehidupan bererti dan nilai kemanusiaan, baik terhadap sesama individu insan, mahu pun sesama kelompok masyarakat TBSST. Kabanyakan pegangan dan idea dalam bidang masing-masing yang berkait dengan perjalanan hidup setiap anggota akan dikait rapat melalui buku ini.

Di samping itu Grup Alumni TBSST  tidak hanya akan melihat perjalanan dan survival hidupnya  sejak ia ditubuhkan setahun yang lalu, malah melihat pengalaman grup sebelumnya. Suatu yang mencabar dalam mencari kesedaran baru, anjakan pradigma yang juga baru, bentuk dan struktur pemikiran  para anggota dan pemimpinnya yang serasi dengan kehendak-kehendak dan prasyarat masyarakat yang hidup di era global ini. Ini akan dipersembahkan secara sedar di bawah naugan nostalgia dan coretan pengalaman, khususnya semasa menjadi pelajar di TBS. Apa kesudahan dan arah tujuan pertubuhan nya tidaklah dapat diketahui. Bagi grup perjalanan dan liku kehidupannya  bukan setakat untuk menjadi organisasi berdaya maju  atau tutup usia tanpa kubur, tetapi akan menajat secara sedar untuk menjelma sebagai  satu unsur, walau sebesar zarah sekalipun, dalam ritma kehidupan dunia Alumni itu sendiri. Dan ini melibatkan pencarian  dimensi baru yang mampu menserasikan  kehidupan fizikal dengan pengisian struktural dalam diri Alumni TBSST secara keseluruhan.

Inilah gambaran awal yang saya bayangkan hasil beberapa kali pertemuan dengan para pemimpin dan pengurusan Grup sebelum ini. Juga setelah saya menyelami hasrat dan cita-cita Grup melalui cara berfikir Presidennya sekarang dan pengasas-pengasas yang ada. Walaupun pemikiran di belakang keinginan organisasi untuk meneruskan kehidupan seperti yang dijalaninya sekarang bernada nostalgik, namun kekentalan semangat inginkan solidarity dan silaturrahim pemimpinnya mencerminkan survival kehidupan pertubuhan Grup relatif menarik lagi memukau  untuk ditelusuri. Hal ini ditambah lagi dengan karisme dan keaktifan tenaga pemimpinnya melalui penyebaran buah fikir mereka untuk mencakupi hampir semua bidang kehidupan berorganisasi. Dalam pada itu Grup dan barisan pemimpinnya cepat belajar menyesuaikan fitrahnya dengan sekitaran. Dan Grup seperti dilahirkan dalam situasi demikian.

Keistemawaan, karisme dan ketokohan setiap anggota Grup, baik yang sekarang mahupun yang terdahulu patut sangat diterjemahkan ke dalam sebuah dokumentasi bentuk buku. Pentingnya penterjemahan ini boleh dinilai daripada  sudut pemikiran generasi penerus yang mungkin nanti akan menjadikan hasil terjemahan pemikiran dan interaksi para anggota Grup,  sebagai bahan rujukan. Pada saat masyarakat sedang berlomba-lomba mengejar kemewahan hidup dengan apa jua cara sekalipun terutama dalam bidang apa sekalipun, hasil terjemahan ini tentunya akan menjadi pemangkin bagi mereka yang mahu mengenal erti sebuah kehidupan yang dilalui Grup Alumni TBBSST dan para anggotanya, walau seruwet atau seulet mana sekalipun. 

Skop penulisan nostalgik Grup ini akan disandarkan kepada ruang lingkup perjalanan dan pengalaman serta bingkai rujukan (frame of reference) Grup dan para anggota serta pemimpinnya di samping keterlibatan Gup dalam kehidupan berorganisasi pada semua bidang, tanpa mengenepikan unsur-unsur  sejarah, ketokohan pemimpinnya serta human interestnya. 

Anggota J/K yang ke-9, Jamilah Ujang.

Barangkali akan ada orang yang akan mempersoalkan  apa perlunya buku dokumentasi ini untuk organisasi seperti Grup yang sedaang mengharungi zaman-zaman ketidakpedulian majoriti anggotanya yang dianggarkan hanya seramai 200 orang. Padahal ada beribu lagi yang belum menyertai Grup dan kini telah menjadi warga emas yang telah menjalani kerjaya yang amat Berjaya. Ketika masih di bangku sekolah di TBS dahulu pasti ada yang melakar sejarah kenangan yang amat sukar dilupakan. Hal ini dapat dilihat melalui coretan dalam FB dan blog TBSST yang ada hari ini. Inilah yang ingin diterjemahkan di samping mengisi tabung episod-episod kenangan yang bakal terakam sepanjang hayat.

Dicadangkan buku dokumentasi BUKU Corat-coret TIBIES ini mengandungi 256 halaman buku (printed pages) dengan format 8 1/2”x 5 1/2” (kertas teks) dan  7”x 4” (ruang teks) termasuk 32 halaman bergambar. Bab-bab terperinci akan ditentukan kemudian tetapi kandungan perlu mencakupi empat bahagian, iaitu Bahagian Sejarah Penubuhan Grup Alumni TBSST, Bahagian episod nostalgia dan coretan pengalaman Alumni, Bahagian Who’s Who dalam Grup dan Masa Depan Alumni Sebagai sebuah Grup sukarela. Setiap bahagian akan mengandung beberapa bab. Susunan kandungan diperkirakan seperti berikut:

a.         Dedikasi (Acknowledgments)

b.         Kandungan

c.         Plat Gambar dan Ilustrasi

d.         Pendahuluan

e.         Bahagian Sejarah Ringkas Grup Alumni TBSST

f.          Bahagian episod Nostalgia dan Coretan peristiwa nggota Grup yang menyumbang.

g.         Bahagian Ketokohan Pengasas Grup yang terpiih.

-   A tribute to the late MZMY dan beberpa nama lain yang difikirkan perlu yang telah menyumbang banyak kepada Grup.

h.         Bibliografi

i.          Indeks  

Sebarang komen dan cadangan lanjut oleh anggota Alumni TBSST amat dialu-alukan. Penyelaras menjangkakan buku ini mampu diterbitkan dalam tempoh Sembilan bulan seperti yang dinyatakan Presiden Grup, Zahriman Alias ketika membalas ucapan alu-aluan Cikgu Halimah Abu Bakar di peringkat akhir Kembara TIBIES 2 di SMK Tunku Besar Tampin semalam, 10 Februari 2013. Syaratnya setiap anggota Alumni, umumnya dan anggota J/K Penerbitan khususnya komited sepenuhnya memikul tanggungjawab menjayakan projek ini.

Sembilan orang telah dilantik menganggotai J/K Penerbitan ini terdiri daripada:

1.   Presiden Zahriman Alias

2.    Setiausaha Car Lim Aboo

3.    Penolong S/U Ghazali Yasin

4.    Salleh Johari, mantan Pegawai Bahasa DBP

5.    Mohd Ashraf Manzoor Hussain

6.    Abu Aman Bachik

Gery Fong

Ahmad Fadzil Yassin

Jamilah Ujang. 

Ghazali Yasin telah ditunjuk oleh Penyelaras untuk membantu dalam kerja-kerja harian penerbitan buku ini. Mesyuarat J/K Penerbitan yang berikutnya adalah pada Jumaat, 15 Februari 2013, pukul 4.00 petang. Venue pertemuan di 23 Taman Zaaba, TTDI, Kl, iaitu di rumah JU. Fon rumah 0377289897 atau 0377339494.

Sebagai permulaan, kita akan mengumpulkan semua write-up yang telah dposting dalam Blog Alumni TBSST dan Blog Tampang.Namun kita masih memerlukan lebih banyak sumbangan daripada semua kenkawan dalam Grup. Lebih cepat diserahkan lebih baik untuk menerbitkan buku ini mengikut jadwal.