Friday, September 11, 2015

Launching of the Alumni Park and the Burying of the Time Capsule - A Haibun

The Prose
On August 23, 2015 Hank found himself among his buddies from the OPA (Old Putera Association - our Old Boys' ) We were all on our way to our Alma Mater. We comprised the batches of 1952-1961 who were in the FMC (Federation Military College) in Port Dickson.The FMC later became the RMC (Royal Military College) upon relocation to the present site at Sungai Besi.

The RMC is a unique school in the tradition of Eton and Sandhurst combined. It was established with the prime purpose of providing officers for the Armed forces (though it did not preclude us from joining 'civvy street' upon leaving the College) The OPA in collaboration with the RMC Administration had designs in having an Alumni Park and it was launched that very day culminating in the burying of the Time Capsule. 

At the Alumni Park were etched for posterity the 'role of honor' of all those who went through the College's corridors. They experienced the rigors of military discipline together during their school days and the esprit de corps was still maintained decades after.
(Attribution: Photos courtesy of OP Commandant Col Wan Ghazali Wan Din)

The Haiku
Select group of scraggly boys
Molded into disciplined youths
to be of service to the nation

Note:A Haibun comprises a Prose and any micro poem usually a Haiku. The haiku may not conform to the 17 syllable count of  5-7-5 of a traditional haiku 


Image:1 Registration for all those Alumni who were present

Image:2 At the Agro Park at the jungle fringes beside the College where the boys had their military training on survival tactics.The Commandant had ready for us a generous offering of succulent fruits and roasted meat upon arrival (meant to highlight what were involved in a jungle survival situation) Fruits there were best taken with the hands (seen above were durians, langsat, cempedak and rambutans)

Image:3 Luminaries now retired, OPs Cheng Wah (Datuk) Nawawi (Datuk) Michael and Baharudin (Datuk,Maj Gen)

Image: 4 The Present Boys (average age 17 years old) performing the Maori Haka
They waited in the sun on the Parade Square for our arrival. They then gave us the super seniors a very warm welcome on this nostalgic outing.(Hank was one of them many years ago).

Image: 5 Solidifying the esprit de corps between the Past and the Present. We joined the
boys following that in a group photo.

Image: 6 The Alumni Park

Image: 7 Solemnizing the Event by the OPA President

Image: 8 The Plaque for the Time Capsule (to be opened on July 03, 2027 during The
Platinum Jubilee year of the RMC)

Image: 9 OP Salleh (Tan Sri,Dr) the OP President burying the Time Capsule

Image: 10  From Left: OPs Omar, Salleh (Tan Sri,Dr) Nawi (Datuk.Lt.Gen) Jalal, 
Mohd Noor (Datuk,Dr) and Hank

Image: 11 OPs Borhan (Tan Sri, Gen) Wan Ghazali (Col.Commandant of the RMC)

Image: 12 The Distinguished Alumni at Lunch prior to Departure From Left: OPs Zakaria,
Borhan (Tan Sri, Gen.ex-Chief of Defence Forces) Wahab (Tan Sri,Vice Admiral ex-Chief
of Navy) Halim (Tan Sri, ex-Chief Secretary to the Government) Abdul Rahman
(Tan Sri,Gen. ex-Chief of Defence Forces) and Salleh (Tan Sri, Dr. ex-Director-General
Forest Research Institute, the OP President)

For Bjorn's hosting at d'Verse : Haibun Monday 1 

11 comments:

  1. Sure looks like an enjoyable time was had catching up and a lot of retired bigwigs there too.

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  2. Hi Hank.. i take a test the other day that indicates
    i have the vision of a pilot.. in other words
    very visual thinking over word
    thinking.. haha.. believe
    it or not.. albeit
    in thinking.. as visual
    acuity is not good.. in other
    words i get more out of pictures
    than words.. and i will be oh so
    happy if more poets include photos
    like this.. as i know more about you
    now from viewing these several
    photos than i will ever learn
    from words.. but yeah
    that's just me..
    But anyway.. i am also
    impressed by the group
    show of martial arts among
    the combat soldiers.. here in
    the U.S. they just do pull-ups
    sit-ups and run together in
    boots.. if they ever get
    into hand to hand
    combat again
    they will
    get their
    butts whipped
    by eastern countries
    for sure.. ugh.. but
    anyway.. the
    secret to life
    is to never leave
    bootcamp.. make
    challenges and beat
    them everyday like
    a real survivor
    and Lover
    of making it
    to the next
    moment still free
    and alive.. with
    eyes of
    the warrior
    liver and
    Lover..smilesx3..:)

    Never Leave
    boot camp
    Warrior Lover

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  3. first thank you for serving. it is amazing what a little discipline can do to mold a boy into a man. it is cool as well that you are all still friends and could get together like that

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  4. Awesome pictures and post Hank, a pleasure to read.
    Yvonne.

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  5. I second X. Usually schools with strong discipline lead to tight friendships. It seems you had a good day with your friends.

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  6. I really enjoyed all those photos, Hank. So good you all get together on occasion. And, ha, I could picture you doing that Maori Haka in the 'good old days.'

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  7. I really enjoyed this post. It looks as if you had a lovely time with your friends.

    Greetings from London.

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  8. I spent some time at Port Dickson when I was a kid. Climbed Monkey Rock. Nice to read your memories.

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  9. A wonderful haibun, Hank, made even more poignant as it is a very important gathering of the "elders" that support the youth. Really enjoyed the photos that illustrated it so well.

    Gayle ~

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  10. What a nice writing on all those memories.. Meeting old friends has to be marvelous,

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