One of the landmarks within the small and unassuming city of Raub is SMK Mahmud, one in a cluster of the few premier colleges in Pahang. It’s positioned on the gateway to Raub city, a most welcoming sight.
At one time recognized affectionately as Mahmah School by the Chinese-speaking group there, it was each guardian’s want to have their youngsters research there.
The occasions which have taken place within the college, throughout my education and instructing days, actually carry again nostalgic reminiscences.
Many illustrious headmasters have led the varsity, equivalent to, Murugesu, Victor Gopal, Saw Chee Leng, Bhaskaran and Ajmeer Singh.
The very considered Murugesu taking a stroll alongside the lecture rooms, with a cane in hand, would ship shivers down the scholars’ spines.
Ajmeer Singh would each morning place himself on the workers quarters, which was on larger floor (aka “The High Chaparral”) – a vantage level to see who had been the latecomers to highschool. (The relaxation, I go away to your creativeness.)
All these nice directors served the varsity with distinction, and went on to carry posts at state or ministerial stage.
SMK Mahmud additionally had many devoted academics. Among them had been Shanmuganathan and Gandinesen, who went on to develop into well-respected legal professionals.
Velayuthan was an outstanding Geography instructor. During his classes, time simply flew by.
Chiam See Tong, one other nice educator, was additionally the badminton grasp. My brother Tharmarajan, being the varsity badminton captain, launched the Chiam See Tong Cup, an revolutionary stepladder format of event, whereby there was nonstop competitors amongst gamers of various seedings, to take care of curiosity within the sport all 12 months spherical.
Chiam later moved to Singapore, the place he had a really profitable profession in politics, being an assemblyman of a constituency for plenty of phrases.
Art instructor Cikgu Rauf is effectively remembered for the monumental sculpture of Socrates that he erected on the grounds going through the workplace. He should have been an ideal thinker himself.
SMK Mahmud has by no means been in need of college students who’ve gone on to carry glory to the varsity.
Clarence Samuel was one who excelled in cricket, and went on to characterize Malaysia on the worldwide stage. He was inducted into the Malaysian Hall of Fame for Cricket in 2020.
R. Surendran, by way of sheer diligence, turned the supervisor of HSBC Bank in Raub.
Not forgetting my classmate Chow Yean Khow, a professor within the National University of Singapore.
At SMK Mahmud, which had two massive taking part in fields, the annual Sports Day was held on a grand scale. The stalls for the 5 sports activities homes – Goldthorpe (orange), Coulson (purple), Small (inexperienced), Sennet (yellow) and Macpherson (blue) – had been constructed utilizing bamboo stems and adorned with evergreen ferns, crepe paper and balloons. It was a very carnival environment.
During the Nineteen Sixties, the varsity subject was additionally the venue for interstate cricket matches. I used to be lucky sufficient to witness Singapore and Negri Sembilan coming over to play in opposition to Pahang.
The JKR sports activities too was hosted on the varsity grounds on many events, as a result of camaraderie between the varsity authorities and the federal government departmental heads.
At the sports activities meets, my father, being a JKR worker, could be the primary to be on the beginning line to participate within the veterans’ race. He by no means upset us, as he could be positioned both first or second on most events.
The spotlight of the JKR sports activities was not the athletics occasions however the pillow fights on the finish. In a makeshift canvas pool of water, measuring about 20ft x 20ft x 5ft, an extended cylindrical pole could be horizontally positioned over two crossed constructions, and tied firmly. The pole could be effectively greased.
Two contestants would rigorously make their solution to the centre of the pole, cross-legged. They would every be handed a 2ft-long cylindrical pillow. They had been required to beat their opponent with the pillow, to power him to lose his stability whereas taking evasive motion. One get together would inevitably slip and fall into the water. The one nonetheless remaining on the horizontal beam could be declared the victor.
It was a knockout competitors and the contestants could be all smeared with grease. It was nice enjoyable watching them in motion!
In 1980, I used to be lucky to get my first posting as a instructor to this college, upon request.
The infrastructure was simply the identical as what it was through the 60s, aside from a brand new canteen. The two wood blocks of school rooms close to the canteen had been nonetheless intact. The wood classroom the place I had studied in Standard 1 was the precise classroom the place I taught in Form 4 Perdagangan 2 as the shape instructor. It certain introduced again fond reminiscences.
I’m proud to have served the varsity, and to see so a lot of my college students doing effectively in life. Just to say a number of, Zafari Zulkifli is the Senior Assistant Commissioner at Maktab PDRM Cheras, whereas Kausalya Devi is Deputy Commissioner of Police within the Prisons Department. Suras holds a Director’s put up within the Education Ministry and Ganeson Sivagurunathan is Malaysia’s Ambassador to Austria and Slovakia.
I served 5 memorable years throughout a special period – a very nostalgic feeling to savour.
