STILL in the midst of a global pandemic, which we have seen the highs and lows of with no real end in sight, the world continues to spin as we all try to live and adapt to new normals.
Whilst the first months of the new year saw strict social distancing rules and controlled movement nationwide, there were those amongst us, unsung heroes who continued to work tirelessly to advocate for the environment and sustainable living.
One such individual was Afiq Asyran Yusof, whose social media pages blew up when he single handedly cleaned up 360L worth of rubbish from the flood retention lake in his area and created an oasis for nature to thrive, which has now been gazetted as a community garden under Majlis Perbandaran Kuala Langat’s Program Local Agenda (LA21), thanks to the support of his neighbours and the local resident association.
This ecosystem of local flora and fauna has become home to a biodiverse colony of birds, insects and other organisms. The area is also now lush with tropical fruit trees whose fruit can be enjoyed by the community.
The life and times of VC George
In April, former lawyer and retired Court of Appeal judge Tan Sri Vadaketh Chacko George launched his memoir at the grand old age of 90 and shared his thoughts on the country’s judiciary, putting his wit down in writing, to show how he is now taking life less seriously.
‘Some Stories I Have Told and Some That I Haven’t’ is a conversational retelling of decades of amusing anecdotes of George and his friends, which start from his parents’ arrival and settlement in Malaya, all the the way through the waning days of British rule in the 50s, to the present time.
The idea for this ‘project’ was encouraged by George’s friends and family, and is a recollection of events and stories (the telling of it honed by repetition over drinks at the Selangor Club) shared among friends, peers, and even the odd perfect stranger for over 70 years.
“The initial idea was to simply staple and distribute it among my friends at the long bar.”
100 tales make up this tome – and because of George’s age, his life story is intertwined with that of the history of Malaysia. So in effect, his story is Malaysia’s story – the specificity of his experience is in some ways representative of a generation whose time is fading into the mists of history.
Opportunities to parody life and events were bountiful for comedian Douglas Lim
Douglas Lim was dubbed ‘The King of Parody’ by the Malaysian Book of Records back in June. The downtime during the pandemic and the accompanying restricted movement orders had given creatives ample time to pump out material that broke through the noise with laughter, by providing a humorous twist amidst all the angst.
Remarkably, Lim was able to make his comedic observations with the right amount of satire – embellished of course with his trademark ‘lawak bodoh’ antics that not only struck political and social notes with viewers, but struck our collective funnybone.
Case in point is this video where he personifies the MySejahtera app at the height of the huge national hassle in registering to get an appointment for the initial vaccinations.
Netizens found his parodies to be timely and relevant – his material coming from his own keen observations and opinion of the world in lockdown around him. He talked to The Vibes about being a YouTube comedian in lockdown and the fine line he treads between satire and cynicism.
30 years of Hijau, a timeless tune that has become an evergreen anthem for Malaysia
2021 marked the 30th anniversary of Datuk Zainal Abidin’s lead single, Hijau from his self-titled album. Three decades later, it surprises even the former lead vocalist of 80s rock band Headwind, how the song has weathered the years and remains a popular sing-along anthem at any venue, with audiences from all walks of life.
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Having grown up in a multi-ethnic community and a simpler ‘kampung life’ era, it was always his vision to fuse together the sounds that encapsulated that Malaysian experience. Hijau hits the mark in that many, through the years, have identified it as something uniquely ours.
Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, icon of Malaysian dance, opens up
In April, Sutra Dance Theatre artistic director and Sutra Foundation chairman Datuk Ramli Ibrahim opened the doors of Sutra House to talk about the sustenance of his art forms and legacy, and where he sees tradition taking on modernity in the arts.
When asked, in this very frank conversation, what he is hopeful for with the generation of students after him – if they will dedicate their lives to dance and the art that he upholds and practices truly, Ramli said,
“You know, a lot have come to ask, “What is your plan of succession, Ramli?”, and right now I am not concerned about that because I am sowing the seeds everywhere. How the seeds will grow is not within my power to determine.
“The true Tree of Life will keep on growing and branch out – sometimes with different flowers. Of course, you have to take everything into account that a few will turn out to be completely virulent and will try to kill the old tree, but this is part and parcel of the whole system and I have eventually learnt to let go.
“If they do not stab you in the back, consider yourself lucky, a friend once told me. So, it is not just true in politics, but also in the arts.”
Puan Sri Rathi Khoo and the joys of teaching
Every year, teachers are celebrated on International Teacher’s Day. The last two years have seen extreme pressures being mounted on the teaching profession as school children are home-bound due to the pandemic, with teachers trying their best to continue the teaching momentum online and preparing their charges to not just pass, but excel in their major examinations.
Passionate educator, Puan Sri Rathi Khoo, who has always loved the profession and holds a strong belief in public schools, recognises the challenges in these particular times. In a conventional classroom setting, teachers have a closer connection to their students.
“Sometimes as a teacher, I could notice things about a child that even parents don’t notice.”
Khoo was an English and History secondary school teacher at Bukit Bintang Girls School (BBGS) for the first five years when she began her career in 1969 and later Accounting at La Salle Petaling Jaya (LSPJ) for 18 years straight.
She continues to teach – for the love of the profession and the students themselves – but these days, her student group is smaller and she teaches privately in her home, which has now also had to move online because of the global pandemic.
The sprightly 74-year-old revealed that she would conduct all her classes moving around the room back in the day:
“For me, teaching was not ‘teaching’, it was more about engaging and interacting actively with the kids.
“This is because I want my students to look at me and pay attention to whatever I was saying – they have to be attentive for as long as the class is in session.
“I would always tell the kids to hear what I have to say and make their own notes, and we will recap later. I am that kind of teacher, even when I was teaching students for their A-levels.
“Even then, I would encourage them to speak up, and tell me if there are contradicting facts from the textbooks with the lesson plan.
“I would say to my students that I don’t have to be right all the time, they just need to prove me wrong. This is how we can establish a conducive learning engagement.
“Children are very receptive to things, therefore a teacher’s role in the learning process is very important. Again, to be a good teacher you have to love what you do fully,” she stressed.
She laments the fact that online classes limit seeing the body language of her students, as one does not get good visibility through the computer.
But when asked about teachers being stretched too thin to cater for the demand of giving undivided attention to students, she replied that you just have to work with what you are given.
“Back then, everyone was very passionate about the job. And I believe that when you are passionate about something, you make the best of it,” said Khoo. – The Vibes, December 31, 2021
