WHO'S WHO : OUR COLLEAGUES IN SUATU KETIKA DI TBS - THE POST-SCHOOL PERIOD

 The Book Suatu Ketika Di TBS to be published January 2014

TUNKU BESAR SECONDARY SCHOOL, TAMPIN,   

NEGERI SEMBILAN

OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE POST – SCHOOL PERIOD 

Compiled by Ashraf Manzoor & Ghazali Yasin 

   

                    The first Grup TBSST Reuni in Kedai Kopi Shah Alam 1 May 2012.

Many of our colleagues have by God’s Grace done pretty well career-wise. Many have by their dedication successfully reached the highest   possible rungs in their chosen vocation. Many have been decorated with lofty titles by individual states or directly by His Royal Highness The Yang DiPertuan Agong. We must acknowledge that they have done their school proud.

From our batchmates of the mid-sixties only four of us became graduate teachers namely, Alias Tijad, Mohd Ashraf, Siaw Fook and Teo Lay Hoe who is reported to have secured a Colombo Plan Scholarship to further his studies in Australia, while the three of us studied at the University of Malaya. Teo Lay Hoe was posted as teacher to Sekolah Dato’ Abdul Razak, a premier residential school in Seremban. It seems he resigned later to join the private sector.

 Zahriman Alias.

I

f we include our seniors and juniors by one or two years, the total figure  of graduate teachers doubles. Thus Mohan Singh Randhawa and the Sharifah sisters - Sharifah Maimunah and Sharifah Azizah join the list. Bong Chin Chan, a normal trained teacher later went to the university to pursue a degree course to upgrade his position.

Sharifah Maimunah bte. Syed Mohd Zin, our senior, was lucky to have been posted to TBS, her former school upon graduation, but not for long as she was called to work in the State Education Department in Seremban instead. From there she was taken in by the Ministry of Education and based in Kuala Lumpur.

In the meantime she obtained her Doctorate and in due course Dr. Sharifah Maimunah was appointed as Director of the Curriculum Development Centre. Upon retirement she was sent as the Ministry’s permanent representative to Unesco, Paris for a number of years on contract basis. She has returned from overseas and now stays in KL.

Alias Tijad, Mohd Ashraf, Mohan Singh, Sharifah Azizah and Bong Chin Chan retired as Headmasters. Many of our former teachers, namely Mr. P. Nadarajah (deceased), Mr. Harbhajan Singh, Miss Rajeswari Nagalingam, Mr. Sivagurunathan, Mr. A. Krishnan and Mr. Edward Felix Joseph also became Headmasters long before us.

There were a number of MTC teachers too from our batch namely, Sharifah Yang Chik, Low Yik Kiong,Tan Fatt Noy, Azizah Abu Kassim and Abd. Razak Rahman who alone retired as Headmaster while Ong Ee Lai was the only DTC trained teacher from our batch. They had all taken the lead by gaining professional qualification from the various teacher-training colleges soon after their OSC/FMC results.   

Special mention should be made of our senior, Abu Aman bin Bachik, the Head Boy in 196. He was already a qualified teacher having received professional training at The Brinsford Lodge Malayan Teachers College in England. Apparently he was not quite satisfied and wanted to upgrade himself in terms of scale. So he worked hard to obtain a degree through “Distant Learning” (off-campus course) while continuing his job. He remained a dedicated teacher in his alma mater until he retired. His wife Jariah bte Yahaya, a Language Institute graduate also continued teaching in TBS until she opted for early retirement.

Sarah Maarof who was a temporary teacher while we were in the primary school went on to Aberdeen, Scotland in 1959 on Mara scholarship to undertake a course in Home Economics. Upon her return she joined RIDA (later renamed MARA), under the Ministry of Rural Development. Later she switched jobs to take up the post of a lecturer at the Specialist Teachers Training College (MPIK) in Cheras, where she retired. She is married to a police officer, Mohd Ali Baharom ACP (retired).

Normalis Nordin had also undergone training at The Brinsford Lodge Teachers College. Upon her return she taught in TBS for a number of years before being appointed as a lecturer in MPIK, Cheras.

After a few years later she was promoted to the post of Senior Assistant in St. Johns Institution. The last we heard was that she had been transferred on a lateral basis to Sekolah Menengah Dato’ Lokman in Kampung Pandan where she replaced Mohd Ashraf as its Senior Assistant. She eventually retired there.

 Awaluddin Abd. Rahman

Ashraf was  moved laterally to Maxwell Road School where in 1991 he was mandated to undertake the role of head  for a year. Three years later he was given the responsibility of starting a new secondary school in Wangsa Melawati with formal appointment as its first Headmaster. Thereafter he was posted on promotion to Sekolah Menengah Ambrose in Air Tawar, Perak, while his wife was appointed as Headmistress of a  large school in  Merlimau, Melaka.

These moves by the Ministry put pressure on the couple and their children who remained in Petaling Jaya. This awkward situation was partly remedied when Ashraf was reposted to Melaka. However after two years, both were back and  retired  in 2003 and  2004 respectively .

Ahmad Fadzil Yassin our senior, joined Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka in 1972 as an Assistant Editor. Four years later he was offered the opportunity to study Mass Communications at Universiti Bandung Padjadjaran from 1976-80. He was back in DBP as a research officer cum-editor. The flagship of the DBP journals then, “Dewan Masyarakat” was placed directly under him.

He left DBP in 1983 to join Fajar Bakti as its Editorial Manager in charge of Malay publications. In1988 he was promoted as Editorial Director in the same organization. Being a prolific writer, he set up his own publishing company in 2000 called “AFY Publications.” Between 2005- 2007 he was appointed as honorary “Felo Undangan” (Guest Fellow) in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Publication Department.

(Puan Sri Dr.) Jahara Yahaya entered the University of Malaya in 1968   after obtaining a Full Certificate in the HSC examination, together with a number of her fellow 6^th formers originally from TBS. She gained admission in the Economics and Administration Faculty. Upon graduation she became a tutor and then lecturer at the same Faculty.

Jahara Yahaya retired as Professor of Economics, at the Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya. She is married to Tan Sri Sabri Ahmad, the former CEO of Felda Global Ventures Holding.

A number of our colleagues entered other colleges and institutions for professional training. One of them was (Datin) Teh Zawahir Abd.  Malek. An outstanding athlete, hockey and netball player, in 1963 the family had to relocate to Tapah, Perak after her father died. She continued schooling there and went on to represent Perak Combined Schools in hockey.

Keen to gain admission in the Technical College, Teh Zawahir had to attend an interview like all other applicants, to ensure admission. Upon graduation she worked in the Federal Town and Country Planning Department for some years before being offered the opportunity to study at the University of Melbourne from 1970 -72  in the related disciplines .

 After a number of years she was appointed as State Director for Town and Country Planning Department, in Selangor until she opted to retire in 1993. She is married to Dato’ Wan Mohamad Mukhtar, former Director of Town and Country Planning, Malaysia.

Balakrishnan, our classmate who had been offered a place in  6^th Form in KGV, Seremban, preferred to gain professional training at the Technical College instead. Upon graduating he joined the National Electricity Board (TNB) and travelled extensively in the course of his job - Klang, Port Dickson, Johore Bahru, Cameron Highlands and finally back to Klang. His last position was manager shift charge engineer.

Faridah Abdullah after her graduation from the University of Malaya, joined the Customs and Excise Department. She was posted to a number of towns, the longest being Johor Bahru where she worked for 12 years before being posted to Port Klang. She retired as State Deputy Director of Internal Tax Division.

While almost all our colleagues were looking around for suitable jobs, it is interesting to note that our batchmate Jamilah Ujang had her thoughts focused on the subject of marriage. Having found the right life -partner, (Dato’) Mohd Nordin bin Ahmad, they married on 12^th April 1966. The groom, a former student of Tuanku Muhammad Secondary School in Kuala Pilah, was a Police Inspector then.

 Hattar Othman

In 1987 when Dato’ was posted on attachment to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London the entire family moved there. In 1996 he was appointed Deputy Director-General of Badan Pencegah Rasuah Malaysia (Malaysian Anti Corruption Agency) until he retired in 1998.

While in school both did not quite shine in sports. Nevertheless at the age of 26 Dato’ was already a keen golfer with an appreciable handicap. Apart from that he emerged as an accomplished Sharpshooter and won several championships in internal and inter-departmental Shooting Competitions. As for Datin Jamilah Ujang, she has been a qualified “Tai Chi” instructress for the last two decades with a following of 50 non-paying members. She has also travelled extensively accompanying her husband on international seminars, conferences and symposiums.

Jaafar Sidek bin Mohd Piah from the 1965 batch also attended the Brittania Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, England after completing Form 5 at the Royal Military College. He joined The Royal Malaysian Navy as a Naval Officer after completing his overseas training. However he did not stay for long in the naval service for he styled himself more as a corporate man and has quite rightly made his mark in the corporate world.

There is a unique record held by the Sidik brothers. Four of them have had the distinction of being admitted to RMC, though at different periods.The first was Mohd Ridzwan, next was Jaafar Sidek, followed by Mohd Farukh who went on to Sandhurst,England .The fourth brother, Khairuddin Sidik is a chemical engineer.

When Lau Kin Kah was in Lower 6, in RMC he was selected by Mindef to apply to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis for a degree course and formal naval officer training. He was most fortunate to be among the few selected from the Asia-Pacific region. He came back after four or five years and was based in Woodlands, Singapore which traditionally had been the naval base of the Royal Malaysian Navy.

 ( In the Separation Agreement of 1965 following Singapore’s separation from Malaysia, RMN was privileged to use the Woodlands base until 1980 when the new Malaysian naval base at Lumut became operational ) 

In the meantime Lau Kin Kah attended a number of advanced training courses in New Zealand and Europe. Later he was posted to Mindef and then to the new Naval Base at Lumut. In the course of his service with RMN he rose to the rank of Commander (equivalent to a Lt. Colonel in the army).  He opted for early retirement from government service to join Shell Malaysia in Miri until the age of regular retirement.

Mohd Fakhri A. Hamid left RMC after Form 5 to continue his studies at Agricultural College in Serdang (later upgraded to Universiti Pertanian Malaysia.Currently it is known as Universiti Perdana Malaysia).After obtaining a Diploma in Agriculture he worked with Felda  and Mardec for a few years after which  he left for the United States to acquire a Masters degree in Agricultural Economics. Upon his return he rejoined Mardec for four more years before finally landing his last job with a British Company, Revertex ( M) Sdn. Bhd. as Manager rising to the post of Director of Human Resources. He has now retired.

Hamzah Sulaiman (son of the once renowned Tampin icon the late  Dr. Sulaiman Attas) from our 1965 batch left for England soon after to further his studies. He has since married and has settled in London. He is currently a professional golf coach. It is reported that he revisits   Malaysia every year.   

India has always been the obvious destination for those seeking a career

in the medical field. We can remember a number of our colleagues who went to the medical colleges there – namely Mohammed Unni, Parameswaran (deceased), S. Sivalingam (our former Headmaster Mr.S.K.P.Sivam’s son) , Jeswant Singh and P.V. Kumar.

Allahyarham Hamdan Sulaiman went to Pakistan to study for his MBBS at the International Dow Medical College, Karachi.His final year in the MBBS course was delayed by almost a year because of social turmoil there following the late Mr.Bhutto’s detention. Knowing his nature,  Hamdan it seems got married and overturned the “idle” final year of the MBBS into a genuine honeymoon period in Karachi itself while waiting for the unrest to subside!This information was disclosed by sources close to him.

 Reuni di kediaman Salleh Simon di Ulu Klang.

  

After serving the required customary period in Government service he went into private practice. At first his clinic was located in the midst of the new row of shops, opposite the new bus stand in Tampin. Later he operated from the large family house along Seremban Road.

Towards the end of his short life the late Hamdan was instrumental in reactivating the Old Boys Association of our alma mater. He was President of the OBA until the day he died of cancer. Another major achievement during his tenure of office was a grand get –together function of some 500 ex –TBS students at A Famosa - which subsequent committees will certainly find it difficult to emulate.

 He is survived by his widow, Puan Rahmah Edwin, two sons and two daughters. The family tradition of a doctor in the family,( promulgated by Hamdan’s late father Dr.Sulaiman Attas) continues as their elder daughter Hyrene Hamdan is a Ukraine - qualified medical officer.  

My brother, (Dr.) Sarfraz Manzoor also chose to complete his MBBS in Pakistan at King Edward Medical College, University of Punjab, Lahore.His studies also suffered because of frequent interruptions related to external events.Not only that besides his studies his engagement and marriage plans  also dragged on !  

He served in a number of hospitals namely, University Hospital, Hospital Simporna (Sabah) and Kuala Lumpur General Hospital. Since 1991 he has been a qualified Psychiatrist. In this capacity he has served in Ipoh Hospital and then back in Kuala Lumpur Hospital again for many more years. He is currently attached to Tuanku Jaafar Hospital, Seremban.

 He was most outstanding in cricket and hockey in TBS (Under 15) and then in RMC, Sungai Besi. While at the College he represented Selangor Combined Schools in cricket. He has also led the Old Putera cricket team in many tournaments lately.

The Royal Malaysian Police consistently used to advertise for admission at two levels -for school leavers after Form 5 or Form 6 to start as Police Inspectors and the Graduates for higher positions in the force

 Abu Aman Bachik

Among the many colleagues who were attracted to a career in the  police  force were - Deputy Commissioner of Police Razak Sulaiman ,Abdul Karim bin Abu(DSP), our former Head Boy Khalid(SAC) ,(Dato’)Hamzah Samsudin (SAC) Zahriman Alias (Supt),Abdullah Pilus (ASP) Mohammad bin Ibrahim (SAC), Razali bin Saad (ASP) ,Nasaruddin Ali (SAC),Maamor Yasin (ASP) .

Among those  who later left were Mohd Zain Sulaiman(Deputy Supt) who went on to read law at the International Islamic University and left the force on completing his studies, Abdul Ghani Samsudin (ASP) and our classmate and fellow – cricketer Ibrahim Samsudin who resigned quite early  to join the private sector.

 Mohd Yusof Sudin (ASP) had  secured a place in the 6^th.Form in KGV and represented his new school in Rugger .However he left halfway to join the police force He took  optional retirement to join the private sector too. Abdul Karim bin Abu (DSP) nicknamed “Car Lim Aboo”, was an outstanding athlete especially in the middle and long distance races.It is not surprising that he went on to represent the N.S. Combined Schools in 800M and 1000M races at the MSSM Athletics Meets in Malacca and in Kuala Lumpur the following year.

Zahriman Alias the President of our “sub –alumni” (GRUP TBSST)  was posted to Bukit Aman where he served for two decades .In the course of this he attended a linguistics course in Chinese. After this he was posted  to the Special Branch in Bukit Aman to observe and single out Communist activists in urban locales and their threat in the trade unions. His express task was to detect, arrest and to deal with them as required.  He undertook a one year diploma course in Strategic Studies in the University of Malaya following which he was sent back to Bukit Aman to the Special Investigation Unit within the CID. In December 1992 he assumed the post of Deputy OCPD of Kuala Selangor.Three years later he was transferred as OCPD to Hulu Perak,Grik and Lenggong. At the age of 52 he called it a day and  asked for optional retirement to devote more time to his other love – farming . He is married to Puan Che Hawa bte Mohd Yusoff.   

  

Khalid Abu Bakar left TBS after Form 3 to continue his studies in KGV ,Seremban.He left this school too when he was offered a place in Form 6  at St.Johns Institute ,K.L.

Subsequently he joined the police force and served for 23 years.  Following his optional retirement with the rank of ASP, he enrolled in University of Malaya in the Economics Faculty, followed by post –graduate studies at University of Canberra.

 Upon his return he served Petronas for 8 years and Astro for 4 years.  Currently he is Head of Group Corp Security -Sapurakencana Petroleum.

The army also attracted a number of our colleagues. Among those who made their mark in the category of officers are: Brigadier –General Dato’Thanaraj@ Jamil Rais bin Abdullah,Lt.Col.Yusof Rahman,Major Tan,Major Hattar and Capt.Hanafi .All of them are retirees now. The late Mohd Zain Mohd Yassin’s chosen career was in the travel industry. First he joined MSA (Malaysia - Singapore Airlines) in Singapore. Later he switched to PIA (Pakistan International Airlines ). He next joined the Safwan Group in their travel sector only to move to Saudi Air and finally to Yemen Air until the day he died. His memory will always remain with us as one most concerned with all ex-TBS batchmates of the 1960’s.He would SMS, without fail of important goings-on concerning our colleagues. Almarhum is survived by his widow, Pn.  Raja Rodiah and four children.

 Ghazali Yasin

Ghazali Yasin joined University Science Malaysia, Penang in 1970. In 1995 he opted for early retirement. His last post in USM was as Computer Programmer. He later joined a prominent NGO organization known as JUST (International Movement for a Just World) based in P.J. under Dr.Chandra Muzzafar for 11 years.He started as a Programme Coordinator and rose to the post of Executive Director . In 2007 he left JUST to join Future Global Network Foundation as Director. FGN is also another NGO based in Kuala Lumpur and affliated to the Union of the NGO’s of the Islamic World (UNIW) based in Istanbul .He stays near Johol .

Mohamed Salleh bin Johari was a very active Boy Scout together with Wilfred and Mohamed Ibrahim It was during his time that a record five TBS students were made King Scouts. He continued his studies at MiTM to obtain a Diploma in Business Studies. Later he acquired his first degree from the Science University in Penang. After this he joined Dewan Bahasa Dan Pustaka as a research officer. Later DBP sent him to the University of Essex where he obtained his masters degree. He continued being a research officer until he retired. While at DBP,he helped in the compilation of “Kamus Dewan” .He was also involved in coining Malay terminology.   

Mohd Sany Abdullah (Tan Cha Lai) ,Ng Siew Kee  and Shuck Ket Lim chose the insurance sector as long term career.Mohd Sany rose to be the regional head of AIA. Now that he has retired he has associated himself with a unique and interesting career relating to signature styles and the link with one’s character and personality.Ng Siew Kee has retired and continues to reside in Sabah.   

Shuck Ket Lim had earlier tried  his hand as a temporary teacher and then switched to Radio Malaysia for a period of four years.He was first based in Kuala Lumpur.Later Radio Malaysia shifted to Klang. His job required him to monitor and record any news broadcast by specific  foreign countries pertaining to Malaysia on day to day basis. Apparently  his heart had always been in the insurance sector.So he chose it as a lifelong - career. He is still active in this industry operating under his own registered company in Batu Pahat.

Maamor Abd.Manap took a somewhat unconventional route towards his tertiary education before running his own business in the manufacture and sale of small arms and ammunition from 1992.His company was   initially based in Kuala Lumpur but now it is operates from Alor Gajah . He has vast experience in the private sector working in a multitude of companies basically in the field of human resource management. In this particular domain he has undertaken post –graduate courses leading to the MBA .All these courses were fully sponsored by the private sector as well as the Sabah State government at different periods in his career .To name some of the tertiary institutions he had the good fortune to attend were: the Sheffield City Polytechnic,UK.,Brunnel University South London and Henley Management College ,Yorkshire .

Abd. Aziz b.Mohd Noh worked in various government departments after completing Form 5 in 1965 .His last post was at the Department of Legal Affairs in the Prime Minister’s Department in Putrajaya. After his retirement, the the Legal Affairs continued to reemploy him on contract on a yearly basis. Norbaya Shafi applied to join the Immigration Department and  remained in service until the regulatory age , her last post being Senior Immigration Officer based in  Kuala Lumpur . 

Reggie Rajendram joined the Inland Revenue Department.Years later   we heard of a dramatic change in his career. He has become a pastor and is based in Banting .Being a Vicar he has 7 churches in that area under his charge .He declares that he played almost every game for the school but always as a reserve ! Xavier Retnam sought work in the plantation sector and was a planter with Dunlop. His brother, Peter, a graduate in economics joined the civil service as a PTD officer with the Public Services Department. He retired as Deputy Director . 

Nursing as a life –long career attracted quite a lot of young  ladies from our batch. Monica Lim and Sarojini left for UK. Monica worked in the U.K. for 13 years.She was a Staff Nurse when she decided to return to Malaysia . Sarojini who is married has settled in England. As for Nabjeah Abd.Aziz, Getsy Rajendram, Ashishah Othman (deceased) and future dental nurse Norkiah Mohd Yusup they felt contented to receive their professional training in Malaysia.

Norkiah retired in 2002 as a Staff Nurse and stays in Kuala Lumpur while Getsy is still working as a Matron in Tuanku Jaafar International School in Nilai. Monica’s younger sister, Philomena Lim went to the Britain to do a course in hair-dressing but was advised to discontinue because she developed allergy to the chemicals used in that industry. She returned to Malaysia and joined Electrolux in a secretarial position .She has retired now and stays in Malacca, while Monica stays in Kuala Lumpur.

Margaret Lewis after her H.S.C. preferred to work in a secretarial position and in the evenings studied music to acquire a Diploma in that discipline. In the midst of this she married Bernard Thamboo, our fellow 6^th former and varsity - mate in 1972. Upon graduation, Bernard worked as a temporary teacher in TBS for a few months before joining MCIS and finally joining the New Straits Times where he rose to a senior post .

 Meantime, Margaret continued her secretarial work and her study of music .On obtaining her Diploma she ventured to become a professional music teacher. By 1979 she was fully qualified and started teaching music from their home in Klang. Later they shifted to Shah Alam .She continues to give lessons in music from home .

 Her younger sister, Geneieve Lewis after completing her Form 5 in TBS enrolled in a Secretarial school and worked as a secretary throughout  her working life in the private sector in Kuala Lumpur.

Salmiah Ahmad started in a clerical position in RMIV. Later she was ma an Official Assignee in the Ministry of Housing.She opted for early retirement in 1998. Noraishah Hassan studied in Institute Technology Mara to complete a course in stenography.Thereafter she was posted to the Ministry of Labour. She was next transferred to the Prime Minister’s Department   followed by an administrative position in the Ministry of Law. Her last place of work was at the Ministry of Defence .She retired at the age of 47 and stays in Kuala Lumpur.

Syed Abdul Hamid joined Foreign Service as an executive officer and in the course of his work he was posted to a number of overseas destinations. He retired as a senior executive officer in the same ministry. He stays in Seremban . Mohd Jani bin Abd.Manap our junior, joined the army from the rank and file and rose to the rank of Warrant Officer 1 (special investigation under  the Royal Military Police)In this capacity he attended special courses in New Zealand ,Australia and the United Kingdom.  He was an outstanding hockey player right from his primary school days. Under Jani’s captaincy coupled with good coaching by Mr.Choy Kim Fatt, TBS became hockey champions again in 1966 after a long lapse.

 Ann Sara

 Mohan Singh’s younger brother Sohan Singh Randhawa (Dato’)   completed his 6^th Form in High School Malacca. Being an outstanding Rugby player from his days in TBS, he represented the Malacca state senior team in that game. After graduating from the University of Malaya, he was enterprising to join Sabah Agricultural Marketing Authority. He was bestowed the award “DPTJ” which carries the title “Dato” from Negri Sembilan.He is a smart businessman owning a string of properties in  the upscale enclaves of Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya.

He is highly respected among the Punjabi community of Kuala Lumpur and P.J. - having been elected twice to the position of President of  Aman Club, Kuala Lumpur from 1996 -1998 and  again from 1999 -2001. Since 2006 he has held the post of President of the Malaysia - Singapore Sikhs Sports Council.The MSSSC has the distinction of organizing one of the oldest inter-state tournaments in the world run continuously on annual basis since 1952.What is even more remarkable is that all funding is done by the Sikh community itself.The games played are hockey, football, netball, badminton and athletics.    

Their youngest brother Dato’ Balwant Singh Randhawa is also a businessman –tycoon owning property and  land. He prefers staying in his  hometown.Other outstanding TBS personalities  who ought to be mentioned with pride include  Tan Sri Mohamed Rauf Sharif, the current President of the Court of Appeal, Malaysia. Tan Sri completed his Form 5 in 1969. Mohd Arshad M.H (Dato’)is probably the third ex –student of TBS to have served as Malaysia’s Ambassador after the late Dato’ Jamaluddin Abu Bakar of the early 50’s followed by Dato’Ismail Ambia of the late 50’s.Incidentally the present Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports, KhairyJamaluddin is the son of Allahyarham Dato’Jamaluddin Abu Bakar.

Mohd Arshad a good hockey and even better cricketer represented the school in both games.He was also the Head Boy in 1968 . Coming from a humble family he had set his mind to pursue tertiary education leading to the university.To materialize his dream he passed his HSC and  was fortunate in obtaining a  loan from Mara. Having graduated with an interest in international relations, he joined  the foreign service.His overseas postings beginning with Second Secretary (Paris) in 1976 were quick and varied. By 1992 he had served in even higher positions in Islamabad ,Tripoli, Stolkholm  and Ho Chih Minh City.

In the last decade of his 36 –year diplomatic career, he served as  Ambassador to the Philippines, ( he e played a critical role in negotiations to secure the release of 21 foreign and Malaysian hostages kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf Group)  ,High Commissioner to Australia, Ambassador to Austria (and concurrently accredited to the Slovak Republic) culminating as Elected Chairman of the 35 member Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) for the 2009/2010 term.For his long distinguished service he received Datoship from the Philippines(Order of Sikatuna); Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang and Dato’Setia DiRaja Kedah .He retired  in 2010.  

(Dato’) Nafsiah  Hj. Abu Bakar the former Girls Captain in 1971  was very active in sports and represented TBS in netball and basketball as well! A graduate of the University of Malaya, she held a very senior post in MITI (Ministry of International Trade and Industry) but later in 2011 decided to opt for early retirement in order to focus on her growing family .Later she went into the business sector. She is married to Haji Ghaus a former student of the Malay College, Kuala Kangsar, and a prominent businessman like Dato’ herself .

 Nasarudin Abu Bakar

Haji Nasarudin Hj.Abu Bakar, the older brother of Dato’Nafsiah Abu Bakar, started as a government servant in the Ministry of Home Affairs ,attached to the Immigration Department .He left the government service after working for 6 years to join Ericsson Malaysia as its Vice President (Administrative) for the next 15 years .After that he set up his own business .

Lilian Fernandez our classmate and an outstanding relay runner and hockey player who continuously represented TBS in the primary and later the secondary school received her dental nurse training locally.She worked in Kuala Lumpur throughout her working life. Unfortunately she died of cancer in 1990. What is most tragic is that Mr. Henry Herara, her husband collapsed on the tennis court and died last year. Lilian’s father, the late ,Mr.Alfonso Fernandez and his family were originally from Seremban. He was the Hospital Assistant in Tampin Hospital until he retired. It is remarkable that all his his five children Kenneth, Rowena, Malcolm (deceased), Lilian(deceased)  and Annette schooled in TBS until Form 5.

 In the process each one of them made noteworthy contributions towards the glory that TBS was in the late 50’s and the 60’s especially in athletics, hockey and badminton. Kenneth Fernandez who worked in the Public Works Department in a senior supervisory position, was also the School Cricket Captain. He married Shuck Khoon Ching, a staff nurse now  retired.  Annette Fernandez our junior , followed the footsteps of her eldest sister Rowena  ,when she left for England to further her studies in nursing.She too married while in the UK and has settled there ever since.

 Dato' Nafsiah Abu Bakar

Gopinath our classmate in the primary school was one of the founder - members of a band named “The Wanderers” between 1963-64 .This band gained fame in the late 60’s when it was placed second in the first –ever Competition among bands organized by Television Malaysia .The other founder - members were Ramly Hj. Hashim , Abdul Latif and  Aidin all  ex –TBS boys. J.Sham ,once a temporary teacher in TBS was their lead singer.His hit song “Surat Ku Untuk Mu” literally placed Tampin town on the hearts of his fans. In 1968 Gopinath started work with the Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) in Perak.Having taken optional retirement when he reached the age of 45 he  left for the United States to undergo training in male nursing with emphasis on geriatric care. During his free time there he studied music .Now back in Ipoh ,he is a full –time music teacher.

Our former Biology teacher (also Form Teacher 5 Sc.1965)MrK.N. Pillay  married Sreejaya, Gopinath’s  sister.The couple were our neighbours in Tampin Jaya for many years before they shifted to their new, larger house in Woon Estate,in the early 1980’s before he died . Adam Maarof our schoolmate in the primary school, worked with the Telecoms Department until his retirement .Later he joined a private company and ventured to travel daily by comuter from Tampin, where his family prefers to live, to his place of work near the Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur .

Sariffuddin Ibrahim,the hostel captain in 1969, secured a place in the 6th.Form .He completed his university education in the mid 70’s and joined Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur.His last post was Head of Landscape Department, City Hall Kuala Lumpur .Monica Lim’s young brother, Vincent Lim Beng Eng was in the same batch and a friend of the late Dr. Hamdan Sulaiman .After his 6^th.Form studies he left for England to study Accountacy. While pursuing his ACCA  ,he was diagnosed as having cancer and the doctors there felt helpless. Faced with this gloom Beng Eng returned to the support of his parents who had now relocated from Johol to Malacca. Beng Eng died at a rather young age in 1981.  

  A number of our batchmates who have also died  since leaving school include P.Sivalingam ,the athlete, whom we fondly called “cowboy” .He joined the Customs and Excise Department and was based in Johor Bahru. Another three batchmates who have died were our fellow –cricketers Navaratnam, and Nordin, who had retired as a Post Master and Kanagaratnam also in the postal service .

 Car Lim Aboo

Sufian Hj.Yusof, as well as his younger brother Mustaza and Kandiah who lived near Hotel Wangsamas have also died. Sufian was a qualified Tourist Guide and had worked with a Travel Company in Kuala Lumpur .Ram Singh who was attached to the Metereological Department in Penang for many years also died about a decade ago.Our former  classmate in Form 5 Science Ashishah Othman, a former Staff Nurse has also died of cancer.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Before ending this narrative we wish to record a note of thanks to our former teachers Mr.Edward Felix Joseph  and  Mr.Gurunathan ,  Puan Halimah Bte. Abu Bakar, the current TBS Senior Assistant (Pre -U   students) and Mr. M.Vivekananda of the School Alumni all of whom offered vital information  when called upon.  Many thanks to all our former schoolmates, specially Shuck Ket Lim  as we struggled to update on their whereabouts and past and present vocation. 

 Reuni at Tunku Besar School Tampin

To the families of our former teachers and our colleagues who are no longer with us in this world we wish to extend our condolences.At the same time we extend my sincere “al Fatiha” and prayers for these departed souls. “May their souls rest in peace forever”  Our idea in naming them as I developed my narrative was to bring alive their memories to each colleague who happens to read this narrative.

We apologize for any misinformation and shall endeavour to set it right .

(Written and compiled by Mohd Ashraf and Ghazali Yasin)

            

                     

Breaking news 20th August 2013

On the 20^th.of August 2013, Dato’ Nafsiah Abu Bakar and her husband played host to a grand Hari Raya Aidilfitri party at their beautiful house at her house.The function was to commemorate all ex –TBS students from the 60’s and  early 70’s .

Included in the gathering were the once –famous band “the Wanderers” with their 3 founder –members,namely Latif ,Gopinath or Bobby Das and J.Sham .Two other fomous singers of the era of the late 60’s and the 70’s –Hail Amir and  Dato’Jefri Din .Each artist sang al least 3 - 4 numbers which were  super hits of their era .

 Dato' Nafsiah Abu Bakar hosting the "Reuni" this time around considered by many the best  ever.

As the party warmed old hidden talents emerged The hosts - husband and wife, as well as our batchmates Abd.Aziz Mohd No ,Ghazalii Yasin and Mohd Ashraf took to the mike in turns to further enliven the  nostalgic atmosphere . The function to say the least seemed more like “The Golden Jubilee” (or” Diamond  Jubilee “) celebrations  of the ex -TBS  students .It was a huge success as some 50 personalities mentioned in this compilation attended the party, in their glittering Raya clothes.I feel we should all be thankful to Dato Nafsiah  Abu Bakar and her husband  for honouring us in  holding  such a lovely and lively gathering .