In the Spotlight…

1. What are you planning to do during the May/June school break?
2. How old were you when you had your first crush? Who was he/she? How did it end?
3. What is your most prized possession? Why?
4. What do you think of Ms Ellie's ability to sing?



Hidaya Ahmad (June 09)

1. Volunteer work with student exchange organization. And spend time with EE!

2. Around 11, a skater boy. He never left his gf, haha!

3. My ice hockey and in-line skates. Hold many memories.

4. Only heard her sing once and she's awesome!


 


Ms Geraldine Phillips (CAS)
1. I'm toying with the idea of going to Singapore. I hope to land some extra cash soon so
that I can buy that ticket once and for all.

2. Not counting Patrick Swayze, ;) It would have to be Nick. A boy who at 18 was far too matured for the 12 year old me. We spent a weekend in Awana together...along with his brother, my brother and our parents. ;)

3. This is totally shallow of me, but it would have to be my very own Louis Vuitton bag. This recently acquired item has been on my wish list all my life and the fact that I bought it with my very own hard earned cash just makes it sweeter to possess.

4. It makes me cringe. Hahahahaha...just kidding...or am I?


Lewis Jackson (ex-IB-er)
1) I’m going to alternate between gaming myself into another century, and partying so hard I rock the world (lol). Mixed up with a healthy dose of complete 'wastedness' haha. I basically want to maximize the fun I have in each day, make the best of this time. I also want to try marijuana ;)

2) Hmmm a girl called Olivia Duvall, I believe. I was obsessed with her for like 2 years or more. Got to the point where my nickname around school was "ILOD", I love Olivia Duvall. After I left, she got with my best friend... so a bit heartbreaking, but funny nevertheless.

3) I don’t really have one. I’m not materialistic in that sense, or perhaps I've never bothered spending enough on one thing for it to mean that much to me. If I had to pick one, perhaps my collection of books? All the books I’ve ever owned.

4) She can sing?


Azam Ismail (ex-IB-er)
1. School BREAK? I'll be free from school by then! I plan to travel the world, but due to lack of expenses, a family trip to the US to visit my sister and a weekend in Singapore with IB friends after graduation will do. Apart from that, I'll probably start volunteering at PT Foundation again (they miss me) and sort out all my university applications.

2. Probably when I was 13. I don't really remember. Guess my crushes weren't really big enough to leave an impression on me.

3. My beloved Proton Waja! It's a crappy car, but without it, I'd be doomed to a slow and painful boredom-induced death.

4. Ms. Ellie can sing? I've never heard her solo voice before! Guess that's another thing to add to my post-IB to-do list: Get Ms. Ellie to sing at graduation ;)




Mohd Izzuddin bin Nor Azminuddin (June 09)
1. I will have reunions here and there with my ex-schoolmates. :D

2. When i was 13 I had my first love. :p

3. 3 things that I always make sure I have before walking out of my house: my Fossil watch, my fake Timberland wallet, and my so cool G705 Sony Ericsson.

4. Hmm... For the sake of my Physics' test next week, it is better for me not to answer this question. :p

Continue Reading...

YOUR MOST LASTING MEMORY…

I have one lasting memory which I would never forget for the rest of my life. Every time it comes to mind, I will smile alone. I never thought that I would have the greatest opportunity to go to that one place which most people in this world can only dream of. Before this, I had never found something that could lift me up and build my confidence whenever I felt sad and down until this happened in my life.
It actually happened last year when my dad announced that we would be going on a holiday. At first, I did not bother about the place because my family used to travel during school holidays. However, I was eager to know when I saw my father started to do research about Paris and London. At last, on one fine day, he told us that we were going to London. I was so excited because I always wanted to go there since I was a kid.
I spent about two weeks in Amsterdam, Paris and London, learning about their cultures, enjoying the beautiful sceneries and also having fun. The best thing that ever happened in my life which would be my lasting memory was when I got to go up the Eiffel Tower at night. From there, I could see the whole of Paris lit by spotlights and decorations because it was Christmas celebration! When I reached at the top, I realized that I should be going to Paris 2 years later after I have completed my IB. But now I got the chance to go there earlier. This encourages me to be strong in IB and strive for infinite excellence!!

Fatin Shazea

When I was 17 years old, the year I sat for my SPM, something happened that will always last forever in my mind. This thing happened a day after my birthday, which was on 8 August 2008. My auntie whom I cared like my own mother passed away. She died because of cancer. What makes me not forget this thing is the regret I felt for not being with her on the day she was buried. During that day, I was sitting for my trial exam so my father did not allow me to return to the kampong.
I still remember on 7 August that year, I was having fun with my friends celebrating my birthday. I called my mother and because at that time my mother was with my auntie, I asked to speak with her. She asked me to study well for my exam that year and to make her proud. I promised her that I would do it. I also asked her to take care of her health so she would recover faster. The next day, after I finished my mathematic papers, I straightaway returned to my room and I checked my phone. I received a message from my brother but I sensed something wasn’t good. He said “Maklong is not with us anymore”. I was speechless, frozen. I straight away called my brother and asked him whether it really happened. I was very shocked and tears wet my checks. I didn’t expect that my conversation with my auntie the day before would be our last conversation.
For my SPM, I kept the promise that I made. I managed to get 10 As for it. 

Mohd Izzuddin Azminuddin

Life is very interesting. A lot of things happen in one’s life. It could be something sweet or something bitter. These experiences play an important role in characterizing a person. Awful situations in the past could result in people behaving badly in the present. However, this cannot be the reason for people to blame solely on experiences. Sometimes, experiences can be a good teacher.  People keep all experiences as memories.
19 years is very long and I have gone through many experiences that I cannot forget. One memory that I would like to share is how I had gone through my secondary school. At the age of 13, I was sent to continue my study at a boarding school. It generally was a pleasant memory. It was there that I had to learn to take care of myself. I had to wake up early to organize myself. Time management was very important as no-one was there to help you. Mistakes were familiar as I was naive. I need to thank my friends for helping me survive that phase. When I was hungry, it was they who offered to share their food. When I was sick, it was their medicines that helped me to recover.  We lived like one big family. Those 5 years flew by very fast.
I will never forget this experience. My friends have helped me to be what I am today. Thank ya!
P.S. Thanks to Hakim who was my senior in my secondary school. Not forgetting, all my IB seniors, and Keat Meng! It is nice to have all of you as my friends.

Firdaus B Roslan

He is just a normal guy, not really smart, or rich but we do understand each other. The first time I met him was at a mosque where we went for religious classes. The first time I was in the class, I felt really lonesome as nobody was affable. In the third class, I saw him and I thought he was a new student. Moreover, he took a seat beside me at the back. I didn’t feel comfortable in the class yet although it was my third class. However, he started our first conservation.
‘’I love cricket too.”
“How do you know I love it?’’
“Your key chain tells me everything.”
He was the first person I spoke with, and I knew that we had a lot in common. He loved playing cricket. He loved Malay literature – pantun. After a month, we became closer. Every time after class, we would hang out at a café nearby and then we would go to a pet shop to look for fish. We both loved fish. It was one day when I didn’t bring money to pay for my food that he paid for me. And he always helped old people around the mosque.
Suddenly, my parents asked me to stop studying there as the mosques was too far from our house. After few days I didn’t go to class and he called me. I tried to explain to him but it seemed couldn’t understand my situation and he wanted me to continue to study there. Yeah, I understood why he forced me as he was lonely. I didn’t understand why all of our classmates were reluctant to be close with him.
I didn’t hear anything from him anymore. I found that he studied around my house.  I tried to trace him but I failed. I asked my friends who studied at the same school with him. But, what a surprise! The friends told me that he was such a jerk! He was nearly kicked out of the school. His discipline record was terrible. He smoked, played truant, etc.
I never expected that he was that terrible. But, I wanted his explanation as to why people talked bad about him. Why? If he is so, he would still be my best friend.
Nearly 8 years I have been waiting for him but I will never give up. He is Muhd Norsyafiq bin Muhd Norhisyam. Hope to meet you one day!

Ahmad Afandi Bin Suhaimi

My most lasting memory happened about a year ago. I went to Bandar Seri Iskandar, Perak to be interviewed for the Petronas scholarship. I travelled with two of my best friends and it was the first time for me to travel far without my parents. We took a bus to get there, and we stayed at my aunt’s house for a night, before checking in the University Teknologi Petronas (UTP) where the interview was going to be held the next day.

The next morning started out great with a perfect breakfast. But a great start of a day never tells you that the rest of the day is going to be perfect as well. As soon as I reached UTP, the soles of my shoes were torn, both sides. Till they got really annoying, I decided to rip them off, and I walked around the place with the shoe’s upper part, and only the thin layer of my socks as the base. The worst part was when it got wet. As much as I tried to hide it from everyone, I had to bear with the humiliating condition. I dressed smartly with my Padini shirt, and tailored dark pants, but my feet, they could see my toes stuck out from the shoes. Embarrassing much?
It was very demotivating. I could not concentrate on the preparation for the interview. And to see the other snobbish-looking candidates made me lose my self-esteem. Completely. However, I managed to distract myself from the embarrassment. I was even interviewed by the officers and lecturers with my toes stuck out from the shoes. But that did not matter, as I ended up being chosen as one of the few to get the Petronas scholarship to go overseas. Forest Gump says, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You will never know what you are going to get”.

Azlan Bin Latif

Continue Reading...

~MARCH'S DISCUSSION TOPIC~ LOVE

~ MARCH’S DISCUSSION TOPIC ~

LOVE

What is love? Does true love exist? Is there such a thing as everlasting love? Is love purely biological or spiritual? Is monogamy the only way? Is love entirely selfless or selfish? Love – the age-old conundrum.

First of all, I sincerely would like to thank all PETRONAS scholars for the great initiative of taking Malay A1, which can be described as a dream come true. I love you guys so much! And I love other IB students and teachers too! =) Love? What is love? Love is a big, meaningful word. People have searched for the meaning of love a million times over. But even the great philosophers, with their researched definitions, could not get hold of its true essence. Actually, the meaning of love could only be defined by ourselves.

Since I am not taking English A1 anymore, I am going to spread the importance of love in our life which I wrote about in my World Lit Essay. The important message that can be seen in the work of Hermann Hesse is the nature of father-son relationships. Throughout the work, the writer manifests the various emotional sentiments revolving around father-son relationships.  While the father appears to offer an abundance of love, the respective son seems to be unappreciative. Despite the efforts of the father, the sons continue to show signs of disrespect, indifferent attitudes, and to some extent, rudeness.

In the case of Siddhartha, his character is portrayed as someone who continues to offer his fatherly love, and harbours hope that someday, his son will be able to accept and love him as a father. Siddhartha is genuine and expects nothing in return other than his son’s love even as his son continues to show disrespect and cold behavior towards him. His love is without expectations and unconditional: “Still, he loved him, and he cherished the sorrow and suffering of love more than joy and happiness without the boy”. This is because the son has never met and felt his father’s love. However, Siddhartha chooses to suffer and be in the presence of pleasure of his son rather than enjoy worldly pleasure without his son’s company. Siddhartha even disregards Vasudeva’s advice and persuasion for him to give up. He continues wooing his son’s heart even as Vasudeva says to him: “Your son, dear friend, is causing you worry, and he is causing me worry too”. This shows that he tries to convince Siddhartha to give up as the son’s attitude has caused them much to worry about. Siddhartha still wants to love his son but meets resistance from him. He does not realise that his action is bound to an earthly desire.

In a subsequent passage, Siddhartha is reinforced as a determined person. He is tenacious in his decisions as he strongly believes that he will someday win his son’s heart if he continues to pursue his objective with love and patience. The bonding between the two is very strong as is evident in his willingness to face any circumstances in order to capture his son’s heart: “Look, I am fighting for him, I am wooing his heart, I want to capture it with love and friendly patience”. Eventually, he does not realise that the cycle repeats itself, which is the cycle of the nature of father-son relationship. However, Siddhartha loves his son and assumes that someday, the son will start to love him as a father.

As we can see, the bond between the father and the son is very strong until Siddhartha does not even care about his son’s attitude and still hopes for the son’s love. This behaviour shows how important love is until someone is willing to sacrifice his own feelings in order to be loved.

Fatin Shazea Jamaludin

Holding firmly a dark brown wrapped glass bottle in his left hand, Shawn yells strongly in pain till he can be heard in the next few houses. He has gulped the liquid in the bottle and now he is suffering. He staggers a few inches forward, trying to reach a portrait on a wall in his living room, and his vision is getting blurred and he feels truly dizzy. He tightly clutches his throat with both hands. The bottle glides down and breaks into pieces. Then, he collapses on to a rocking chair, falls down on the floor, crawls, and his fingers are scratching the floor. He is committing suicide.
Why? Is he mad? A short question clouds my thoughts. Why did he do so? Once again, a question storms in my confused mind.
Knock! Knock! Knock! Somebody is at the front door.
‘Open the door! Shawn! Open!’ A loud shrilling female voice is heard, urging Shawn to open the door but, actually, it is unlocked. That is Sherry. For Shawn, she is a special person in his life. Because there is no response, she pushes the door open and dashes into the living room. Startled, her eyes are on Shawn, who is lying on the floor. Quickly, she cuddles him.
‘I-I-I-’m sorry Shawn, it’s really my fault. I-I-I never mean to do so!’ Sherry wails.

Earlier, Shawn went to meet Sherry at her work place, a restaurant which is situated 25 metres from Shawn’s dwelling. He invited Sherry to sit with him because he had something to tell her and it seemed to be quite important for him. So, Sherry sat in the opposite chair. She felt pretty anxious with Shawn’s strange behavior as since their first meeting seven years ago, he had never been this serious.
Shawn removed something from his pocket and showed it to Sherry. He knelt and articulated, ‘Would you marry me?’
‘Are you mad?’, she replied loudly in surprise, frowning.
Her eyes showed her blazing wrath. Everybody in the restaurant was staring at them both, and some of them were clapping their hands. Shawn was surprised by her reaction and she was truly surprised by his action. Shawn thought Sherry loved him but she thought Shawn was out of his mind. Then, she slapped him, just nice on his left cheek, in public. A wave of shame went over him. He was dreadfully disappointed as he wasted seven years waiting for this moment. After that, he quickly left the restaurant.
‘Shawn! Wake up!’ Sherry cries to Shawn whose head is on her lap, but it is too late. He is dead. Tears stream swiftly from her eyes and she feels terribly lost.
I know that Shawn loved her more than himself and I do know that Sherry loves him, but due to her shyness, she harshly rejected his propose. Every day, Shawn would stare at the portrait on the wall about an hour. It was Sherry’s portrait. Shawn loved her very much. If he could not win her heart, he believed his life was valueless because he got cancer and he only could survive a few weeks more. Winning her love was the only thing he dreamt of. Sherry loves him as well. She keeps his picture in her purse and always smiles when she looks at it.

Wha can I do? I am just a little bird in a steel cage. I only can see and but can do nothing. If I am free, I am sure that I can help them and other people as well. And, of course, Shawn would be the happiest man in this world if he knew that Sherry loves him.
Ahmad Afandi

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and February is a month that is linked to love and lust. What is love actually and how do we define love? Love means different things to different people, but probably one thing they all have in common is the unselfish giving of ourselves and showing concern for each other. Some people might say that love is a burning passion and compassion for someone who makes you gasp at their every action. There are also certain people that do not believe in love, maybe because they have been hurt before. As for me, I would say that love is a complicated matter. It can hurt, and it can be great at the same time. My concern right now is: can we still love our partner when we are ninety? Will this feeling last forever though our partner changes a lot, not to mention he or she will become fatter and very different from whom they are right now?

               Love is blind, that is the reason why we can find many young couples kissing each other without thinking about their partner’s background.  They might say that love conquers everything or love is the strongest force on earth; what I can conclude about those young couples is: they are morons. In my opinion, in order to find the love of your life, you must begin by looking for the qualities that you want inside our partner. It might sound selfish, but this is the truth. What I mean by quality refers to the characters of our partner. Most young lovers do not really care about their partner’s personality. They will say love is blind, but think carefully, if your lover is a drug addict, will you still love him? Only stupid people will do that. Regarding my concern above, I strongly believe that we will not have the same feeling towards our partner when we are ninety. Logically, people change, so do our feelings. The only reason why we stick with the same partner is all the responsibilities that we have. If you are already married, surely, you do not want to start over again. What I mean is I do not think people that have a stable career would care to fall in love and have new babies all over again. They might as well stay with the same partner.

               Some people will say that love can bind two souls together forever until the day they die. This is another rubbish statement that does not make sense. How can you be so sure that your partner is created for you? As for me, I would say that everything would be sweet for you if the relationship is still at the early stage.  You do not know your partner’s inner self yet and I am sure everyone will try to hide their inner self especially in front of their loved ones. Things will somehow change when you have already known your partner for a long time; you will start to see their weaknesses.

               Next, I would say that I do not believe in love at first sight. Running through a field, arms wide open, a long embrace, and an even longer kiss. All these things will only happen in fairy tale. Love at first sight is actually lust at first sight. Seeing a stranger for the first time and admiring their beauty and physical attributes does not mean that you are in love. Most are so caught up with the first exciting moments of a new relationship that they go so far as to call it ‘love’. They do not understand their feeling, and the only thing that makes them attracted to each other is only appearances. Love takes time, commitment, nourishment, and trust. Without all those values, love will not be a success. In my opinion, people who say that they fell in love at first sight simply mean that they are in awe of the good looks they see.

               For some people, they would say that I have such a cynical view about love. I am just telling you my opinion, as I do not want people to keep on living in a fairy tale. Trust me, true love does not exist, as we are neither Cinderella nor Snow White. Wake up and get a life, step into reality. Maybe true love does exist, but it is hard to maintain given the distractions.

Sheril Emy Idayu Binti Abdul Latiff

What is love? Love is god. There’s a poem by Rumi, a Sufi poet, that I’d like to share with you:

“Gamble everything for love,

If you’re a true human being.

If not, leave this gathering.

Half-heartedness doesn’t reach into majesty.

You set out to find god, but then you keep

Stopping for long periods at mean-spirited roadhouses.”

Loving others is not so much an obligation but a privilege. Also, loving someone gives that person value; valuing someone increases love. Love is a wonderful feeling. It’s the feeling I get when I’m river trekking, camping, being in the outdoors and swimming.

Does true love exist? Yes.

Is there such thing as everlasting love? Yes.

Is love purely biological or spiritual? It’s intertwined.

Is love entirely selfless or selfish? Neither.

Before I end, I’d like to send my love to Liza, Pamelyn and Jenifer. Thank you.

Surain A.

              

Love, there are people who die because of love. Love, with its power, can make people fly high into the sky. What does love mean? Is it just a relation of man and a woman or does it mean more than that? For me, love means more than just a relation, means more than holding hands together, means more than just about having sex. To find the person that we love is easy, but to keep loving the same person is difficult. So, in a relationship, it is important to understand each other. This is the basic rule of relationships. If we cannot understand our partner, problems will arise later on.

               Love happens everywhere. Love is funny, especially when it happens when you least expect it. Since I got to Sri KDU, I have seen quite a number of incidents where my friends ‘accidentally’ fall in love. This one incident, however, which I personally rate as very sweet, is currently happening to one of my closest friends here.

               He is a student that a student should be. He has his mind concentrated on studies and assignments. He mixes well with everyone around. Initially, to him, it was all joy and contentment everyday having friends by his side. It was indeed a new experience for him to socialize with girls especially. Until one day, he himself could not understand what actually happened to him. He realized that he missed that one particular person during the long school break. For some reason, he was not fond of what he was feeling. He found that the feeling was kind of a torture, causing him to think of her most of the time, distracting him from his own life.

               Jealousy is an everyday feeling for him now. He feels jealous when she talks to other people but not him. He tries everyday to overcome the feeling, but it will eventually end in failure. Everyday he has the hope of getting at least some attention from her. He comes to the conclusion that what is happening to him is unavoidable. For the first time ever, he feels weak, unable to fight the feeling. Love is complicated.

               As for me, I prefer to be a lonely soldier boy. :p

Mohd Izzuddin Bin Nor Azminuddin

An elusive word, love. Love is complicated. Love is natural. There, a series of statements associated with love. Can someone define love? How does it feel when someone falls in love? Is love real? Uh, so many questions!

As love is subjective, it differs from person to person. One may say that love is when one cares for his partner. Emphasis on the word “care”. Next, one could say that when people are in love, they sacrifice for their relationship. At the other end, love satisfies human. Humans are blessed with feelings. One of the feelings is love. Oh, love is now a kind of feeling! There are people who say that love is needed to produce offspring. HAHAHA. Eh, we are not supposed to love only humans. We can love our shirts, our country, our school, our car, etc. Whoa, love is so big it can embrace almost everything.

Even for the definition of love, so many troubles have to be endured. In a world driven by knowledge and logic, everything must fall back on definitions. Definitions are very important as they provide the basis that we can fall on. We cannot build a tower without laying the foundation first. If there is no real definition for love, what is love actually? See, a question like that can already trigger so many problems. Maybe love is just a word with no meaning. Oh yea! Baah, to people who say that they are in love. There are other words that they can use like care, need, lust and responsibility. If we already have specific words like these, do we need the word love? Expunge this word. It just adds more confusion to the already complex world. The combination of the letters L, O, V, and E is invalid. They do not carry real meaning. Maybe the best way to end this is by uttering 3 most famous words: I LOVE YOU. Hmm, no difference right! I told yea :P

Firdaus B Roslan

Continue Reading...

~SEPTEMBER'S DISCUSSION TOPIC~ ITS THE END OF THE WORLD.

~ DISCUSSION OF THE MONTH ~

It’s the end of the world. what would be the last thing(s) you do?

If the world ended tomorrow, I would first say goodbye to my family, my cats, Sharkey and Gorgeous, and also express my feelings to them as I love them so much. I would miss them the way they are and I would thank my parents for being so lovely and caring in my life. They taught me how to be a better person in life and also they always give me the inspiration on how to face this world which is full of happiness and also obstacles. I would spend our last night together in a restaurant and laugh as much as we could and enjoy the last moment together before this beautiful world ended.

Other than that, I would spend all my money which I got from my father for my distinctions in the SPM examinations. I got RM1300 for that and I would go shopping even though I knew that the world would end tomorrow. It is my hobby to shop so I would spend my last day shopping and hanging out with friends if possible and I am very sure that I could feel the satisfaction of being with them. I would buy clothes which I did not have the opportunity to get before because I was not born affluent. Now, I have the money and I want to spend it all.

Moreover, I would like to seek forgiveness from my friends and also, if possible, from my teachers.  Sometimes we do not realize that we have hurt our friends and teachers. If we offended them and we did not apologize, they would think that we did not care about their feelings. At least, if the world ended tomorrow, I would feel relief if they have forgiven me. I would also settle all my debts and of course as a Muslim, I would pray and give alms and charity to orphanages and old folks as much as I could. Lastly, I would like to get married with the one I love. I want to know how it feels like to be someone's wife because there will be someone who will always care about us.

In a nutshell, if the world ended tomorrow, I would like to do all the things that I want to do which I do not have the opportunity yet. After all, I would like to feel the satisfaction of being a perfect person in this world.

Fatin Shazea Binti Jamaludin (June 09)

When we talk about the end of the world, it gives us the meaning that all living things in this world will die. If the world ended tomorrow, I am sure there are many things that I would like to wish for. Everyone will be the same as me; surely, they also have their own last wish before they leave this world. Since I am only 18 years old, there are many aims and ambitions that I want to achieve before I go to the nirvana stage. Out of so many wishes that I want, there is only one wish that is always my priority. I think I will rest in peace if I have the chance to fulfil this dream.

As for me, if the world ended tomorrow, besides saying goodbye to my beloved parents, I will go and meet the only boy who has stolen my heart and confess to him how much I love him all this while. I first met him when I was in Form 3. My school had organized a rugby tournament among all the schools in Kuala Lumpur and he was representing his school for rugby. I was his school’s guide and I was supposed to show them their hostel and so on. Since that day, we have been friends and day by day, we have become closer to each other. We studied together and lucky for us, we both managed to get flying colors for our SPM examinations.

As we got closer, I began to realize that I actually had a crush on him. The reason why I am attracted to him is because he is such a good listener and he really takes good care of me. I still remember the day when I first enrolled in Sri KDU, I called him and cried over the phone because I was not able to cope with the new environment. He patiently listened to me and he has kept advising me until today. He always manages to calm me even in the most difficult circumstances, and he will always be there for me whenever I need his help. On his part, he treats me as his best friend and nothing more than that. It never crosses his mind to take our relationship to another level and I accept that fact as long as we are still close with each other.

I know if I did not tell him my feelings, I would not be able to live happily but I really do not have the guts to do so because I am afraid he might freak out and leave me behind. For now, all I want to do is to concentrate on my studies since I know I would go nowhere if I kept dreaming about him. However, if the world ended tomorrow, I would not hesitate to go and meet him to tell him that I love him so much and will keep on loving him until the end of time.

Sheril Emy Idayu Binti Abdul Latiff (June 09)

  

 

Till then.

John 8:32 – Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

If it is the end of the world, one of the things I would do is e-mail this article to the chief editor of Opinionated Monthly, which goes like this:

Is there a correlation between the numbers of A’s obtained in schools and colleges to the level of poverty, corruption, dispute among nations and to the quality of air, water and soil? The issues of yesterday, which stem from greed, indifference and ignorance, still persist to this day. Does it mean that nothing can be done about it? Does it mean that it is a waste of time and energy to do something about it?

Is it our duty as teachers and students to find and be part of the solution to the issues humanity is facing today? Or do we conveniently point our fingers to someone else?

A glimpse of paradise on Earth can be caught once we begin to adopt an attitude of ‘if it’s to be, it’s up to me.’ That is my contention. Yours too, at some point, one way or another.

What is the purpose of education then? Can we see beyond an A? Is there a grander scheme of grooming students to answer exam papers?

If education is not about solving issues and problems through means of philosophy, religion, science, politics, technology and arts, then I would let out a big sigh of relief. But if it is, I will not panic, make eye contact with my students, and say; “I’ve failed you,” smiling.

And I shall be free.

-   Love Your Mice   -

If the world ended tomorrow, I most probably would make myself the center of peace of the world. Through the millennia, we have not been able to eschew from causing misunderstandings and other factors that caused the world to be unsafe to live in. World War I and World War II have told us enough about the consequences of war. Although humans are sensible enough to evaluate the effects of war, they are still sending their armies to wars and operating activities that can harm world peace such as producing nuclear weapons.

As the center of peace of the world, I would meet the world leaders regardless of their political ideologies in order that we all could negotiate and understand each other just for the short moments left. I would persuade North Korea to cease manufacturing nuclear weapons. The missiles which are ready to be launched should be undetached. The ongoing war in the Middle East between the Israelites and the Palestinians should be ceased. I would make all the world citizens unite as today was the last day that we would breathe and see each other.

Ahmad Afandi (June 09)

If the world ended tomorrow, the very first thing I would do is to buy the most expensive first-class airplane ticket to Langkawi. I would then meet my family in Langkawi and ask for their forgiveness. I am dead sure that my sisters, one in Sarawak and one in Australia, would come home too. So, we could have our last little reunion.

            Then, my family and I would go to the beach and we could swim there, because I never had the chance to boast to them that I can swim now. Well, kind of. I would force my family to get a manicure just because my dad hates it (been there, done that) and thus we could laugh and cherish the moments we have. Most importantly, I would try to drive my dad’s car even though I have never learned how to, which probably would get me killed. Hmm, maybe not such a good idea...

            Lastly, I would call the person I have a major crush on and confess my feelings to him, and I would say to him, “Even though we die, my love for you will live on forever.” Well, to sum up, I would also have to call, like, a dozen people of the opposite gender, including Eunhyung from ‘Super Junior’, to confess my everlasting crush on them. Hmm, too troublesome. I might just spend more time with my family.

Zuraida binti Din (June 09)

It’s the end of the world. What can I do? Even if I did carry out my deepest desires with doomsday looming, there is no joy or satisfaction to be had in earthly pursuits at the eleventh hour.  I would simply sit and wait for the end of the world, comfortable in my own bed with a nice glass of white, listening to Chet Baker. 

Geraldine Phillips (CAS)

Tomorrow is unpredictable. It is a mystery. Even if we plan what we are going to do for the next day, unfortunately sometimes it does not go according to plan. If we knew we would die in the next 24 hours, it would create a chaotic situation. People would start to think about the last thing they wanted to do. As for me, if the world ended tomorrow, the last thing I would want to do is sleep for the whole day.

            Why? The reason is simple. I do not want to know how the world would end. Would it explode like what we have always been told in the theory of the big bang or would an alien come down to earth and wipe out the entire human population? It does not sound realistic but the possibility is there. So sleep is the best thing to do. We wouldn’t need to wander around doing this thing or that thing because it would be useless. If Einstein were still alive, I think he would agree with me. J 

Mohd Izzuddin Bin Nor Azminuddin (June 09)

If the world ended tomorrow, that is the time when my life, my parents’, and all the others’ would stop, including yours. That is also the time when we would all start to think back what we have done throughout our days of living. Have I been a good person? Or have I been living as a nuisance to others? Did I do enough good deeds to go to heaven?  As I fear the wrath of Hell.

            If the world ended tomorrow, today I would live my life to the fullest. Starting with my beloved parents, I would kneel down and ask for my very last forgiveness, “Mum, Dad, forgive me for all of my wrong-doings, and if I did not fulfill your dreams and expectations.” And I hope I will meet you in Heaven. Then only would I ask for forgiveness from others. Not forgetting, the Almighty, who gave me the chance to experience the supremacy of his creations.

            If the world ended tomorrow, I can’t deny I would be a bit happy, as I could finally free myself from those meter-thick books. Not that I dislike them. I just think that it’s time for my brain to rest, peacefully.

            If the world ended tomorrow, I would fulfill all the promises I made. The promises I made to my parents, and my dearest friends. And lastly, the promise I made to her. And that is, to stay with her till the end of time.

Muhammad Azlan Bin Latif ( June 09)

What Would Be The Last Thing You Do?

Before my eyes close for the very last time,

Allow my heart to speak, and you will hear it say;

That a Muslim, a Hindu, a Christian

I am not

A man, a woman, a child

I am not

Sir, teacher, mister -

Do not call me by those titles.

To put myself above you is pretentious of me

To put myself below you

Is akin to Ali punching his own face

In a fist fight.

To take me as I am and

You as you are would be

Respect given where respect is due

And not because I am

A Muslim, a Hindu, or a Christian

Nor because I am

A man, a woman, or a child

And certainly not because I am

A sir, a teacher, or a mister.

- Drunk on the Fruits of Love -

Continue Reading...