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