Friday, July 9, 2010

Lagenda Negeri Semboyan

Al-kisah sebuah negeri yang kaya dengan hasil bumi dan kedudukannya yang strategik di antara laluan kerajaan-kerajaan terkuat di rantaunya. Nama negeri itu Semboyan....

Meskipun kaya dan maju dalam pelbagai segi, Semboyan dengan mudah jatuh ke tangan penjajah akibat pergolakan politik antara pembesarnya. Penjajah pun membawa masuk pekerja dari dua buah negeri jajahannya yang lain, iaitu dari Melawati dan Suvarnabumi, untuk memperkembang sektor ekonomi Semboyan yang sememangnya berpotensi tinggi.

Namun menjadi adat penjajah yang mengambil kesempatan terhadap hasil kekayaan sumber bumi tanah air puak Semboyan dan kerajinan puak Melawati dan Suvarnabumi. Lalu, pemimpin berpengaruh dan berpendidikan tinggi daripada ketiga-tiga puak ini bersatu-padu lalu berjuang demi kebebasan negeri Semboyan daripada kuasa penjajah.

Selain kebebasan, para pemimpin juga memperjuangkan penyatuan antara ketiga-tiga puak ini. Pemimpin puak peribumi Semboyan memperakui kerajinan dan kebijaksanaan puak Melawati dan Suvarnabumi yang telah banyak menyumbang ke arah pembangunan ekonomi dan sosial negeri Semboyan, lalu bersetuju untuk memberikan hak kerayatan kepada dua buah puak ini.

Sebagai balasan, pemimpin puak Melawati dan Suvarnabumi setuju untuk memperakui hak istimewa puak peribumi Semboyan dalam beberapa hal seperti pendidikan, perniagaan dan banyak lagi. Dengan itu, termeterailah perjanjian antara ketiga-tiga puak ini dan akhirnya negeri Semboyan bebas daripada cengkaman penjajah.

Puak Melawati dan Suvarnabumi bersyukur pada Maha Pencipta kerana memberikan peluang untuk memulakan kehidupan baru di negeri Semboyan. Rakyat berketurunan puak Melawati yang bijak dalam selok-belok perniagaan dan perdagangan banyak menyumbang ke arah pembangunan ekonomi negeri baru mereka. Ramai rakyat berketurunan puak Suvarnabumi pula menjadi tok guru, kerani, pakar ubat dan buruh kasar, meskipun mereka antara rakyat paling miskin di negeri Semboyan.

Malangnya selepas beberapa tahun, timbul ketidakpuasan antara pemimpin peribumi Semboyan yang mengaku kononnya wujud ketidaksamarataan dalam pembahagian harta negara antara ketiga-tiga puak ini. Para pemimpin peribumi Semboyan merasakan ahli puak mereka ketinggalan jauh berbanding dua puak yang lain, terutamanya kalau dibandingkan dengan puak Melawati.

Akhrinya, wujud pertelingkahan antara puak peribumi Semboyan dan puak Melawati. Hasilnya, kerajaan negeri tersebut memperkenalkan beberapa undang-undang baru bagi membangunkan puak Melawati. Wang diberikan kepada mereka untuk memulakan perniagaan serta peruntukan khas diberikan untuk menuntut ilmu dan berkerja untuk kerajaan.

Justeru itu, negeri Semboyan mendapat nama buruk di mata dunia. Meskipun terkenal sebagai negeri yang pesat membangun dalam semua aspek, Semboyan dikatakan mendriskiminasikan puak-puak kecilnya. Hasilnya, sejarah pun berulang. Bantuan kuasa luar diminta oleh sesetengah pihak yang tidak berpuas hati dengan layanan yang diberikan, lalu negeri Semboyan sekali lagi kehilangan maruah dan kedaulatannya sebagai negeri yang merdeka....


Wednesday, July 7, 2010

2003-2007: We made culture in SMKTT...

I don't know why.... but I miss you guys!!!!!!!!!!


Who, to be exact? They are the servants of God that go by the name Tung Yan Yee, Yuvaneshk Krishnan and Lavanya Manogaran.

I miss those good old times when we use to skip assembly and hang out at the library. Gosh! Those were the good old days. When I look back, I can only remember how happy I felt just being around you guys. For the first time, I felt like I did not need to put on a mask. I could be myself and you guys excepted me for who I was...



Guilty pleasure was a common feeling whenever you guys were around me. Remember how we use to share the latest, juiciest gossip? We had good connections now didn't we? We were always the first to know the latest hookups, breakups, misunderstandings, fights... you name it!

When we look back, our school had some kind of a caste system, right? A food chain in a manner of speaking. Those from the Elite company for Kadet Remaja Sekolah (KRS) were the popular kids. Everyone wanted to be friends with them. And we use to gossip about them all the time. I mean, so much was was happening in than group, right?

I don't mean to brag, but even though we were never top of this so-called food chain, but we can consider ourselves as the Brahmins of the caste system, right? Everyone noticed us and looked up to us to a certain extend. Yee was the head prefect for us librarians. Yuvaneshk was very much respected for being everyone's big brother. (Everyone called him Brother, remember? Hahahaha.... It was so cute!)... Lavanya and I were blessed to be such close peers.

I also miss our larger group. The Moral class gang - Shashi was like our leader wasn't she? She kept us all together. Then there was also the controversial Sharmi, the popular Janice, the sweet Rajes, the funny Senna... You know I'm actually crying as I type all your names. It just brings back so many sweet memories...

But we were not a racist group now were we? We had plenty of Malay friends as well. I knew I had! Remember Jazza - the glam queen of our batch? Hahahaha... not only did everyone want to be her friend... it was great to be her friend!! She was such a nice girl! Then there was Amalina! Sue and Pija were most close to me of the lot - and we still are good friends. And who could forget Dayah - our head prefect. She was such an angel.

Then of course, there was my best friend-emy, as I would call him. Hatim.... both my pal and my rival! Hahahahaha.... how can I ever forget that clown? One second he would make me feel like the happiest being on earth, the next he would turn my world into a living hell!!!!!!!!! He was the GOSSIP QUEEN man!

And there was also my twin from another mother - Hidayat. Haha... why twin??? We were born on the same day! He never thinks bad of others. Now that is a real good boy. Such an angel. I often wonder why, regardless of the fact we were born on the same day, was I not blessed with such a pure heart. Weird isn't it how the Lord works...

Right! So why am I suddenly so sentimental? Well, let me be straight. My relationships at college were never as strong as they were back during school times. Sure I had great friends! And even greater juniors. I cherish them with all my heart and God bless their good souls. I don't really know how to say this... but it was never the same like when I was at school with you guys.

At school, I didn't have to wear a mask and be a hypocrite. I could be who I want and I felt no obligation to please anyone by behaving the way that would please them. Sure, I know there were a number of guys who disliked me. But here's the thing - I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THAT AT ALL!!!!!!!!!

Why? Because I had you guys to have my back at all times...

Now, the world seems lonely. I seem to have the tendency to want to please everyone. I am desperate to have everyone like me! Also, due to the existence of various cliques, it seems hard to get along with everyone. Sure, we had cliques back at school too. But everyone could get along with everyone, right? The naughty Mat Rempits from Lavanya's class could click just fine with the nerdy book worms from my class.

There were even some teachers who were hated didn't we? Hahahaha.... and not to mention their kids studying at our school! Gosh! They gave us a hard time remember? Always trying to spread rumours and make fun of us for not being as smart as them! And what did we do? We returned the favour... triple the affect! We gave them hell! Remember our last camping at school? We had a mock funeral? Boy we were such devils!!!!!!!!!!

Now, everyone has gone their separate ways. If I'm not mistaken, we have four to five friends overseas now doing their degree. I will be joining them in a couple of months time. Apart from my family and home, I will really miss you guys...

And did I mention how hard it is to hold a decent reunion these days? Gosh!!! Everyone is just so buys running their own lives, aren't they? Don't get me wrong. I'm not just mad at you guys. I'm also mad at myself! There is always something to do that seems more important.

Last but not least, I would like to say...
HEY!!!!!!!!!!!! WAIT A MINUTE!!!!!!!!!!!! I'M NOT DONE YET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where in the world is Lavanya????? Some say she's in Singapore working. But nobody can get in touch with her.... Oh gosh!

Now I got to go bed and cry my heart out... and hopefully I will have sweet dreams of spending time with you guys. At least, that is the closest I can get to spending time with you all. God bless....