JOHOR BARU: When 138 ex-classmates of Maktab Sultan Abu Bakar (MSAB) or more commonly known as English College (EC) met up for a reunion dinner after 38 years, it was a night of nostalgia as old memories came flooding back.
Now, more than half-a-century old, most of them had not met since going their separate ways after Form 5 in 1979.
There were moments of emotion at the entrance to the school hall where the dinner was held, as classmates arrived and upon recognising each other, clasped and hugged, overwhelmed by memories of times past.
“It was like old times all over again. We felt like long-lost friends meeting up. It was good to see so many of our former classmates,” said Sonny Tan, 55.
“This gathering was unlike those during our schooldays when some classmates were shy and reserved. This time around, everyone was very open.
"We’re mature adults now and can talk about anything and everything. We hit it off instantly, and teased each other and cracked jokes.”
Some were seen hugging one another as they renewed old ties.
Tan felt that some classmates had changed a lot in appearance and character.
Realising that he had left school for almost four decades, former student Othman Zakaria, also 55, said he had been reminiscing his schooling days, which sparked the desire to meet his old friends once again.
Othman, who is also the organising chairman of the reunion celebration, said he took the initiative and found help from friends to set up the meeting with his ex-schoolmates.
“Our relationship remains strong, we still keep in touch with each other although many of us could not meet up face-to-face,” he said, adding that it took him 26 months to plan the dinner with the hardest being coordinating the date.
“From young schooling kids, born in the sixties where we didn’t have PlayStations, no cell phones, no computers, no Internet but we had neighbourhood buddies and we played outside all day long, sometimes we didn’t come home until sunset. And no one was worried about where we were or what we were doing and today now we are already 55 years old and some have even become grandfathers,” he said with a smile.
According to Othman, many of the former students who made it to the gathering made it all the way from abroad.
He said the gathering is themed “Charity and Networking Dinner” managed to raise RM15,000 for their alma mater’s underprivileged students, and RM3,000 was raised as a "Dialysis Fund 2018" for two renal patients who are former students.
Othman added that it was their way of giving back to the school and helping other students out.
Another former student Daniel Lokman Hakim said the get-together proves that the strength of the friendships forged in MSAB as well as the discipline and lessons taught by the teachers will remain in their hearts forever.
Also present were their former teachers Lee Kheng Hon,72, who taught them mathematics, Zaharah Abu Bakar, 64, who taught history and Zainuddin Mohamad, 64, who taught physical education.
Lee said he was very proud of the men his students had become.
“I remember them as little boys and they’ve grown up and become great men. I taught at the school for almost 23 years and enjoyed every moment as an educator. "For someone like me, it is wonderful to see the enduring love and brotherhood amongst them,” said Lee, who also taught chemistry.
The night was warm throughout, filled with laughter and excitement as they enjoyed a buffet dinner, a group photo session and cake-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion.
Two of the school’s famous students were former prime minister Tun Hussein Onn and former deputy prime minister Tun Musa Hitam. Two Sultans of Johor and three former Menteris Besar of Johor were also former students.