Missing Class of May 2009

In Aceh, June 2007

There is no great genius without the mixture of madness…

ARISTOTLE

It is now 3.50 am, Saturday, June 13, 2009. Tried to get some sleep just now, but to no avail. It has been like this for 31 years, since 1978. The year I started my studies in Sixth Form Centre, Pusat Tingkatan Enam in Malay and in short, PTE, Jalan Muara. We were the last sixth formers to study there and the first batch to occupy the new PTE in Jalan gadong, before the name was changed to Maktab Duli Al-Muhtadee Billah.

Many of my SSS Class of May 2009 students were not aware that every time during their ‘full intensive’ course period, the seems to be ever energetic cikgu Mansor was actually coming to teach each day with very little sleep. The most I slept was four hours, for three solid weeks. Syukur alhamdulillah, no matter how little sleep I had everyday, it is very unlikely my students will see me yawning during class. It is all for the love of those victims of consequences – who had put their trust in me helping them to go thru the tough infamous Ujian Bahasa Melayu (Malay Language Exam) – and to help them improve their family and future generations living conditions – to achieve their future excellence, to better serve the country and to uphold our loving monarch sovereignty and legacy. And I am so passionate in doing this, something I know and something I do best. A born teacher…

Quoting what Jan Shim said in an earlier post, “everything happens for a reason…”.

My biggest number of student passing the exam was from Class of May 2007 (P28). 56 students out of possible 66 is now a proud and responsible citizen of Negara Brunei Darussalam (NBD). I believed, at-least two out of ten who failed from that P28 group was not because of scoring below 50 marks. There are other ‘ruling’ and criterion which the candidates need to adhere to.

NBD never judge the citizenship applicants qualification by checking how much money and property ones have, nor did the government requires each one of us to be potential gold medal earners in the Olympics. The government also never check you on your medical status. And the application process is always free of charge (only Cikgu Mansor charges you, hehehe…). NBD is only interested to know if you are indeed a law abiding (Berkelakuan Baik) PR’s, apart from, yes, passing the Ujian Bahasa Melayu. So, it is very important to pass the Exam and at the same time avoiding breaking our penal code law. Do not even go out from the country during Sultan Birthday’s or during our National Day.

I really miss giving my lengthy lectures in front of the class. I knew, some students may find it boring at times. I miss looking at those red eyes and the timid, weary and sleepy look and able to read their mind – when is this cikgu going to stop for his ‘smoke’ interval…

I love you all Class of May 2009. I love you for being patient with my up-roar. I love you for letting me smoke in the class.

Thank you.