CheGu Omar Ibrahim, (Dr.)A chemistry teacher. Chief Warden, 1970, Sekolah Alam Shah, Kuala Lumpur. Like others freshly graduated from Australia, CheGu Omar was a dedicated teacher, putting every effort he could to 'malay-nise' the chemistry in the school, including the very first raw list of terminology english-malay chemistry terms - the precursor of what later became million ringgit project undertaken by the Institute of Language and Culture (Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka).

CheGu Omar taught chemistry, but he did not teach my class either for the SPM 1968 or the STP in 1970. I learned my chemistry lessons from other chemistry teachers, viz. Chegu Baharuddin for the SPM and CheGu Noehi Nasution for the STP. In fact during the period 1967-68, I was a non-person to CheGu Omar. Our 'acquaintance' began in Jun 1969 when I was accepted into the board of prefect, close to which he was a warden. And especially in 1970 when I was the HB and he was the chief warden.

CheGu Omar eventually proceeded his career in education, and like CheGu Ariffin Suhaimi, he joined UKM's education faculty, specializing in preschool education. Got himself post-graduated in London in the late 1970's and completed his doctorate in UKM in early 1990's, from whence I got the real opportunity to know CheGu Omar in a close range.

In 1994, CheGu Omar and I, and his colleague, my constant co-author Rashidi, almost made into an education venturing. We were lured to venture into KBSR; to be promoted by Datin Azizah Mokhzani's publisher who included a teacher I had never met before, Wan Salma (and I never met to the end). The first sitting was on Jan 20 Tue followed by a BBT's briefing in DBP on Jan 27 Thu. The proposal ms was prepared almost round the clock during the short few days; submission on Feb 14 did not kick the tick.

CheGu Omar retired from UKM in the twilight of the third millenium. During that period CheGu Omar and I almost 'met' every morning and afternoon in SRK BBBangi, where his daughter, and all my kiddos went to learn to read, to write, and to do arithmatics.