The Voice of the Omniscient Editor-in-Chief (September 09)

The Voice of the Omniscient Editor-in-Chief

Our new IB-coordinator Mr Azhar reminded me that this issue’s deadline had been moved from the usual 27^th to the 21^st, due to the one-week break that came at the end of the month. My reaction was: “OH NO!”

August was a month filled to the brim with out-of-class activities. There was that wet morning involving handmade speed boats organised by Ms Ellie Chuah. All ingenious inventions (especially the one that whooshed across the pool), but I think I had a little too much fun immersing myself in the warm, crystalline water. The highlight, of course, came at the end, when a bunch of us decided Ms Ellie needed to be thoroughly soaked. It came with a price: Mr Masukor (one of the instigators) went into the pool himself fully clothed.

Then there was the Merdeka Carnival. I had already joined the KDU family last year around this time, but never got to witness this event up close since I had not been assigned a task. This year, together with Ms G, I was to man the IB stall (thanks, Cassie, for the WWF initiative). But let it be known that I was only there for an hour or so before I was whisked away by the boys to get myself into the spinning frenzy of the Zorb Ball (with Eugene, whom I stepped on a few times), and be dunked in public by Lewis, Pratik and Wei Jie, who all missed their target (losers!). Before the day ended, Mr Masukor and I escaped to the pool and tanned ourselves (I am now the colour of a well-done piece of steak). Who says the life of a teacher is tough? I believe it is what you make of it.

A group of IB students (Eileen, Michelle, Azam, Lewis, Khairil, Pratik, Cassie, Wei Jie, Nicholas, Keat Meng) took up the challenge of representing the IB department at KLIMUN (Kuala Lumpur International Model United Nations). They were there for a week, and I am sure they will have a lot to say when we see them again after the break.

Our love to the contributors of this issue: Vivian, Khairil, Geraldine, Pang, Yati, Pratik, Masukor, Ellie, Eugene, Fatin, Sheril, Afandi, Zuraida, Izzudin, Azlan, and the anonymous one. 

Edward Ong, August 09

P.S. This month’s cover (by Hannah) illustrates our exhaustion from fun. Zorba would be proud.

Amidst the rain of creativity crashing down upon the pavements of Sri KDU, I find myself without an umbrella. Already five months since the publication of our magazine, the flicker of light in the caves of our minds (remember those caves?) has grown into a bright, indestructible flame. It truly is a marvel how our words can withhold such power and if correctly used can generate influence of epic proportions, and who would know better about the power of words than the 3^rd KL International Model United Nations delegates from Sri KDU?

 Very recently, a group of twenty-one students from the Secondary School and the IB Department embarked on a journey to INTI University College for this event. As a congregation of delegates from across the world, the 3^rd KLIMUN proved to be a truly enriching experience for all its participants. We saw how delegates were able to convince other Member countries to support their resolutions not merely based on the merit of the resolutions themselves but based on the convincing speech given by these delegates, thus demonstrating the true power of words. It is with that that I urge all readers to take this opportunity to begin expressing your views here in Opinionated Monthly. The platform has been set, but it is up to you to take advantage of it.

Azam Ismail

Deputy Editor

Holidays have always been a good time to reflect; we pack away all-things-school to the back of our brains and let the other corners run messy and wild with our imaginations, our travels. I’ve always appreciated how I always return to my hometown with a mental vacuum; it prepares me well for the sound, undisturbed hibernating marathon I plan to embark on. But even more than that, I appreciate how I always come back with a heavy heart. (Actually heavier everything… the holiday gluttony!)

True, I would choose to face the KLIMUN audience all over again in a heartbeat, than to answer the speculations of a roomful of relatives curious about my “next step”. Or to take another Bio test than to be forced with another mug of Spirulina.

But all that aside, being home reminds me better than anything else about who I am and what I want… as cheesy as that sounds.

Homework moved at an embarrassing tortoise-pace this holiday. But all the time spent looking out of windows doing nothing, it was worth it.

I hope the holidays did to you what it did to me. And perhaps, we’ll be more ready to write this time round.

                                                                   Eileen Cham

                                                                  Associate Editor