Hi, I enjoyed reading your web page, particularly the 1964 page on SSSS. I was searching the Web for contacts with teachers that I met in 1964/5 while I was a very young, inexperienced volunteer teacher in Kuala Terrenganu. I actually taught at Tengku Bariah SS, but stayed in the SS compound with other teachers, so got to know quite a number of them - I remember the names of Mr Nava and also CheGu Razali and CheGu Gazali, though I can't remember which is which. I also remember many evenings playing field hockey on the playing fields by the beach - I was never very good (rugby was my sport!) and I was put in goal where I would disrupt play as little as possible. I made very good friends with an SS maths teacher called Gurusami and I met him again a few years later when he was in the UK training to be a teacher - we subsequently lost contact - one of the reasons for my surfing the web was to see if I could find any information on his whereabouts. There was also a teacher called Mr Denis (?) who collected sea-shells. I went back to KT in 1993, the year of my 25th wedding aniversary, to show my wife where I lived and worked during that marvelous year in Malaysia - much had changed, of course, the teachers accommodation had mainly been replaced by new student hostels and the playing field seemed smaller and less well-care-for. I visited TBSS - the fabric was the same but the only man who I recognised was the head groundsman - but everyone was very hospitable and it all brought back very fond memories. I still think Malaysia is a marvelous, beautiful country and its people are so friendly. I try to get back as often as I can but recently that has just been a short visit to KL. I'd be very pleased to hear any more news of SSSS or TBSS, or if you know how I might be able to re-establish contacts with teachers I knew during this time. best wishes, chris;

Professor Chris Vincent, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ UK, Phone +44 (0) 1603 592 529, Fax +44 (0) 1603 507 719, http://www.uea.ac.uk/~e470/www_cev.htm.


Thank you Prof Vincent, It is my pleasure to be able to assist you, as much as I could for I myself am a "foreigner" in Terengganu since I left in 1967 (and subsequently settled in KL). However, traces of my presence are abound in the form of my friends, associates and most preciously, my relatives and origines. Well, going back to 1964, ... I was a mere 13 yrs old timid local boy, and you were a European teacher; obviously we were wading in two different biospheres. The only common denominator was the time and the overlapped location. To begin with, perhaps, CheGu Ghazali may serve as a common starting point. I could not remember much about the morning session teachers, apart from the hostel warden, since I was in the afternoon session. Mr Denis surely does not ring the bell. CheGu Ghazali was the PE teacher, a gymnast, always in the hall in the evening (the hall beside the line of big trees near the entrance). We lined up under the trees before entering the class. That's why I remembered him. I know his whereabout, although I have to make a trip to Terengganu to talk to him. I do not remember Mr Gurusami, but I am sure CheGu Ghazali does. Perhaps you could recall Mr Nagadran, a PE teacher. He taught us PE, and always play cricket in the afternoon in the field along side the boys hostel by the beach. Incidently, my wife's alma mater is TBSS for her secondary education, but later than your time. She spent six years in TBSS, from Jan 1968 to Dec 1973 (the period I had already firmly stepped my foot in KL). She told me that the HM was Mr Raju (a slightly leg-crippled - pardon me, merely for recognition purposes only) for the initial period. She could not tell since when Mr Raju descended from, your time 64/65 or later. She remembered also Ms Patmaja, the English Teacher, throughout her tenure, and Ms Mahani the home science teacher. These two teachers I think could also be located via CheGu Ghazali (via his wife, CheGu Khatijah, --- nicked KT --- who was a TB teacher promoted to a lecturer in Daily Teachers College [DTC] Pasir Panjang, then retired early to do business). My wife also remembered several European teachers, teaching foreign languages, including French, but could not utter any names; surely not you of any of them since you left perhaps in late 1965. I have overheard once from CheGu Ghazali in 1993 (CheGu Ghazali's youngest daughter was my daughter's College Sister in Tunku Kurshiah College in Seremban, so I visited him once in 1993) that they have "Kirby's Alumni" and "Brinsford's Alumni", the alma mater of most of Malaysian Teachers at that time. Perhaps Mr Gurusami is a member. That's all I know. I will let you know if anything of interest to you come up. Perhaps next time you stop over in Malaysia, and wish to stroll back to 1964, please let me know; may be we could stroll together. I am really very pleased to have met you, real or virtual.
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From: "M.B. Zakaria" <drmbzak@pkrisc.cc.ukm.my>
To: jalil_aghani@hotmail.com
Subject: Your Web page and SSSS
Date: Tue, 24 Sep 2002 10:10:40 +0800
Sdr Jalil,
Ni dia email drp bekas guru ss/tb 1964, Chris Vincent.


Dear Dr Zakaria, It was very kind of you to spend so much time replying to my questions! I was interested to hear that your wife was from TBSS - she may remember Mr Arumugam who was deputy head while I was there! I don't remember the name of the headmaster during my time but not the one who your wife mentioned! I will continue to search to find Mr Gurusami and thankyou for the contacts and the other names. I had the very pleasant opportunity to visit UKM some years ago - I went to meet an old friend from the Geolgy Dept Mohd Tan, and also to give a seminar on my recent work. I enjoyed my visit, which was then followed by a field trip to the East Coast. I will certainly contact you should I visit Bangi again! If you have the opportunity to visit the UK do contact me and come and visit our University! best wishes, chris;

Professor Chris Vincent, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ UK, Phone +44 (0) 1603 592 529, Fax +44 (0) 1603 507 719, http://www.uea.ac.uk/~e470/www_cev.htm.


Hello Prof Vincent, Something came up, I forwarded your first e-mail to me, to a good friend of mine in Terengganu, who took a very personal effort to locate CheGu Ghazali Mutalib, who I am sure remember Mr Gurusami. CheGu Ghazali said (according to my friend) he remembered you and would try to get in touch with you via your email. His home phone number is +6 09 6221063. To elaborate my friend's email (transcripted below): Jalil A Ghani is my friend who went to locate Che Ghazali. He is my class mate since 1964 and went through the schooling just like myself. Haji Mohamd Abu Bakar is also a SS oldboy. He was in form 4 in 1964. He might have a faint memory about yourself. If you were a SS teacher, he surely would remember you well. Thank you.
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X-Originating-IP: [219.92.225.21]
From: "Jalil A. Ghani" <jalil_aghani@hotmail.com>
To: drmbzak@pkrisc.cc.ukm.my
Subject: Re: Your Web page and SSSS
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 21:51:57 +0800
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 14 Oct 2002 13:51:57.0513 (UTC)
FILETIME=[DCB10390:01C27388]

At last, today I managed to speak to Cikgu Razali Mutalib regarding the message from Chris Vincent. I went to his place in Kampong Gong Tok Nasik, Kuala Terengganu at about 12.45 noon together with Haaji Mohamad Abu Bakar, but he was not in. I left a copy of the message. I called at about 6.30 pm through is home number +609-6221063 and managed to speak with him. Tengoklah susahnya nak dapatkan orang, semua orang sibuk sekarang. According to him, dia masih ingat dengan Chris Vincent. Dan beliau akan berhubung terus dengannya melalui e-mail. So, you can inform Mr Chris Vincent about this. All has to do is just wait for the e-mail from Cikgu Razali Mutalib or call him through his home number +609-6221063. TQ. Have a nice day. Jalil - Terenggnu.

Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 19:05:18 +0800
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 15 Oct 2002 11:05:19.0172 (UTC)
FILETIME=[BFA10040:01C2743A]
Today I talk to Cikgu Razali again. He called me in the office. He told me that he has sent an e-mial to Mr. Chris Vincent and CC to you thru' your e-mail adress. TQ. Jalil, Terengganu.


From: "RAZALI ABDUL MUTALIB" <razam@pc.jaring.my>
To: "Chris Vincent" <C.Vincent@uea.ac.uk>
Cc: <drmbzak@pkrisc.cc.ukm.my>
Subject: Terengganu teachers from the last century!
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 13:12:12 +0800
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.50.4133.2400
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.50.4133.2400

Hello Chris! First I need to bring you up to date on what happened after you posted that mail to Prof Dr Mohamed Bakar Zakaria. He decided that the best place to start is in Terengganu, so he forwarded your mail to a former classmate of his who is in the Terenganu office of the Federal Schools Inpectorate ( a Mr Jalil). Jalil showed the printout to a senior Inspector by the name of Hj Mohamed Abu Bakar who was a colleague of mine when I was in the Inspectorate. He also happens to be a former student of mine from SSSS. When I read your letter I thought maybe if I get in touch with you we could establish some kind of common areas for future correspondence. I was away from Terengganu for the first ten months of 1964 - I was in New Zealand doing a specialist course in Physical Education. Upon my return in October 1964 I was back in SSSS doing what I do best - teaching Physical Education and English. So, we must have known each other, especially in your second year in Terengganu. To be frank, the name Chris Vincent sounds familiar to me but I am not able to put a face to it. You mentioned a Chegu Razali and Chegu Ghazali - there was a Razali Haron in SSSS and a Chegu Ghazali in TBSS. Both of them are two years my junior from the Malayan Teachers Training College, Brinsford Lodge, in Wolverhamton. Chegu Ghazali (a plump, short, cheerful person) died quite a long time ago. The other Razali has retired and is now somewhere in KL. You also mentioned Dennis - that's Dennis Boudville the Shell Collector! He's still in Kuala Terengganu and I do bump into him on the few occassions I happen to be in his neighbourhood. I would just like to mention one other name (not on your list) to see if it rings a bell. Do you remember a Mr Tan Teong Kooi the Art teacher from Tengku Bariah? He and wife Joyce stayed in a rented wooden house near TBSS. I mentioed him because he is also one of my favourite people.Unfortunately I have lost touch with him since he retired from the Penang Free School. I hope I have made a start. Maybe ther are questions you have that will help put the pieces together. In the meantime my warmest regards to you and family.Sincerely, Razali Abdul Mutalib (Spike to my rugby-playing friends!)

Date: Tue, 15 Oct 2002 17:27:04 +0100
Dr Zakaria, Many thanks for your help! it really is good of you to help like this. I have just received an e-mail from Razali Abdul Mutalib (who I remember better by his rugby-playing name of Spike!). I will keep you up to date with any progress in finding Mr Gurusamy! best wishes, chris: Professor Chris Vincent, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia,