Old Tech Luncheon.

I attended the Penang Old Tech Luncheon at Subang Lakeview Club and about twenty three of us attended. The most interesting exciting moment when S.L Quah brought along the 1963 TI Annual Magazine and I saw my article contribution. I was amazed with my article then, about “gotong royong” (community work). The gotong royong concepts is still practice today and in 1963 vide my article I wrote that the concept should be continuously adapted by all races in Malaysia. I am glad it is. However, I was smiling as I read the article due to the spelling then.

The head count for the get2gather on 29/12/2009 at Lakeview Club are as follows:
1. NOORDIN SAAD
2. PAUL CHONG
3. SUN TOONG MENG
4. CHEAM THAN HAI
5. DAVID CHEANG CHET YEW
6. OSMAN AWANG
7. A.B. CHIN
8. K. MUNIAPPAN
9. LEONG PENG YOON
10. NGAW WING FATT
11. MUSTAPA HAMID
12. RAJA MOHAMED
13. THARUMALINGAM
14. BOB LIM ENG HENG
15. FOO FANG BOON
16. GAN HOOI CHENG
17. SUM KOK LEONG
18. SUEN PING CHONG
19. CHAN SIAK HOY & WIFE
20. CHAN THOO CHAI
21. CHAI PAN SEE
22. JAYATHISA
23. QUAH SUAN LEE

No 11 arrived at the Club at 1300 hrs due to massive traffic snarl at Klang Bridge.

Regrettably, some had to back out at the last minute due to other commitments.

The interesting part we are all above 60 and we still maintain the comradeship, the Malays, Chinese and the Indians. We did exactly the same when we were sharing the same Hostel, the same bathroom and Dining Hall. We were the early 60 batch and during that time all were competing on the same platform. After TI we ventured into various fields. Not all ultimately became an Engineer. Raja Mohamed became a Helicopter Pilot, A.B. Chin became a Ground Air Force Officer, Ngaw Wing Fatt became an Accountant, Osman Awang into Agriculture, Noordin Saad into Civil Aviation, Paul Chong into Real Estate and yours truly into Petroleum Refining then hop over to Plantation Distribution & Logistics. Though retired, some continue with their own business or part time lecturing. Leong Peng Yoon an Automobile Engineer my buddy pre TI day from Tapah was also present but he was not in good condition. The Don Juan of Peng Yoon had mellow down.

We adjourned to the Lounge to catch up with old times and Ngaw Wing Fatt the Holy Priest I used to address during TI days was telling stories about his sixteen (16) years stint as a bachelor Accountant in Shanghai China. He called for a bottle of wine but I had to resort to only ginger beer. He said, “Ada beer, ok”. Finally Raja Mohamed paid the tab. He was the opposite of the Wing Fatt that I used to know for we had not met each other since 1965, nearly forty five (45) years!! At the first instance I could easily recognize Wing Fatt of his double chins. He related how he had to study accounting on his own. After HSC he got a place at MU to do Engineering but due to poverty and no scholarship and sponsorship he had to work and study simultaneously. From technical to accounting was a tough slog. Nine years ago he did angioplasty at four arteries and still standing tall. Jokingly he told us that currently he is a Pauper and if condition persist he is willing to part with his half a million worth of antiques and art masterpieces.

We hope to have the gathering more often to foster the everlasting friendship and also to check whether we are still around in this world. We never know, someone maybe missing at the next gathering.





(This is the last masterpiece of 2009. Wishing everybody who read & follow my blog: A very Happy New Year for 2010 and hope the year would be better than 2009).