1979 - Youthful 18

At the Maxwell Hills (Bukit Larut)

I reached the age of eighteen in 1979. So, what was my life back then in that year?

While awaiting the MCE results, I continued writing letters to my pen-friends, watch movies, jogged or rode my bicycle around the beautiful Taiping Lake Gardens and played football with friends who lived at the government quarters near the Pejabat Penghulu Taiping (opposite the Taiping Library).

I did a little travelling to Penang, Alor Setar and Batu Pahat visiting friends. My mom was worried that I travelled alone by myself. I was young and was not afraid. Fortunate for me, I was not harmed in anyway.

At Wahinuddin's house (Government Quarters Assamkumbang)

When MCE results were out in March, I passed all subjects with some Credit Passes but no Distinctions.It was not very good but not very bad either. I did not qualify for Form 6 so what were my options? Rajisvaran, Hoo Choon Huat and Karunamurthy were entering Form 6 at a private school in Ipoh. They asked me to join them but I knew my mom could not afford it.

My brother-in-law, Abdul Khalid, who was an officer in the Royal Malaysian Navy, invited me to join the Navy Apprentice Program. It was to involve four years of technical cum military basic training (UK course) or two years at other institutions (Politechnic Unku Omar, Ipoh or other countries Australia, India and Pakistan). Well, I made my decision to enter the Navy Apprentice program.

So, off I went to Sembawang, Singapore for my basic training before to be selected for which course and which country for the technical training. When I got there, I met a school mate of mine, Ravindran. Ravi was in the same batch but in a different class. We Apprentice and normal Recruits were grouped together in 4 barracks from A to D. I made many new friends from the other states of Malaysia. Most were Malays, some Indians and a few Chinese. However, my stint with the Apprentice Program was short. After three months, I was allowed to leave and went back home to Taiping.

In June, I was back in Taiping. I pondered on what other options that I could take to progress. My sister suggested that I apply to Polytechnic Unku Omar but I was not interested. Meanwhile, I spent my time assisting the School Band and the Scouts. Of course, mom was glad I was back at home (Well, I was her youngest boy).

Other than those who had gone to the Ipoh private school, most of my other friends had gone to college or pre-university. A few others were in Form 6 at KE VII School - Shahriza, Yuan Lee and Malik.

I resumed my jogging and riding my bicycle at the Lake Garden. I also helped my mom with the household chores like mowing the grass and did the shopping for groceries. I also had to take care of the lawn-mower, cleaned and serviced it (change the spark plug,and oil). For this, my mom gave me a pocket money of RM50 a month.

My eighteenth birthday was even more quiet. I felt very lonely and was not sure of what to do with my life.