the journey

When I first entered KYUEM, all I wanted was to concentrate on my studies and get decent results for my A-levels. Of course along the way, so many things happened. I’ve dropped my Cambridge application and at the same time too, I didn’t get the results I wanted for my AS.

My post this time is not about this because I want to keep it later. This post is to highlight what has happened for the past 2 weeks.

I was being raised in such an environment which emphasised more on the importance of doing what is right for me and also for others. In MCKK too, I learnt to fight till the end of it. Fighting for what is right is never a famous thing to do. It is rather a bloody harsh thing and sometimes, we are just alone fighting for it. But, that’s the principle that you will understand once you are in MCKK especially in the debating team.

When I first went against the KYUEM’s policy of re-sitting, many people said I was being radical about this and they said it was a sheer waste of time. Even worse, some said fighting the college is useless because at the end of the day, I would still lose the battle.

Putting everything aside, I viewed this from a different angle. It wasn’t so much about wanting to re-sit in October. In fact, fighting for re-sitting was rather a stupid thing as it would not affect me so much. However, the whole idea was about showing to people especially the Students Council of KYUEM to fight for what is right and never afraid even if you need to stand alone. At the same time too, I wanted the college to hear the students’ voices so that they would not see students as their guinea pigs or puppets only.

Before everything started, I have personally talked to a few SC members. Yet, nothing was done. With only 5 people joining the ‘cluster’, I went meeting the headmaster asking for clarifications about the policy. During that meeting, he told us to discuss this with the heads of departments as the heads will then discuss with him.

I knew, fighting him was like fighting for a losing battle as someone like him would not listen to us at all. But, i still wanted to do it. I discussed this with the heads of departments and during that moment i already got support from Biology, Chemistry and Maths Department. But, when the issue was raised during the meeting with the headmaster, the headmaster still did not agree to change the policy. From that moment, I knew something drastic should be done to this person.

There was no point talking to anyone in KYUEM during that time as everyone decided to follow what has been set up by the headmaster. I then personally sent a few emails to the CEO of the college asking him to help and interfere in this issue. The response I received during that time wasn’t that good as he said he would leave everything to the college to decide.

With no prospect of everything to get better, I then met the Director Of Human Resource of my sponsor to discuss about this. The response I received was good as my director said he would discuss this directly with the college.

As the registration for the exam will be closed in 2 days, i knew I had to do something drastic with a huge impact. I then decided to do a petition for this. I was so thankful to God as many people signed the petition. I didn’t expect to receive such like that support. The petition was then sent to the headmaster.

The response from the headmaster was not very good. He said the idea of doing the petition was very pathetic and shouldn’t be done in the first place. He condemned the idea and decided to meet all of my batch mates to discuss about this (where the drama started to begin)

At the same time too, the CEO came to the college to look at this matter closely. I met him personally and told him about this. He said he would discuss this with the headmaster.

A day later, there was a notice from the headmaster to meet all of my batch mates. During the so called ‘meeting’, he clarified every single thing even though we already knew about that. He said the policy could not be changed no matter what happened.

After talking to us, he then walked out. I then raised my hands on the basis to clarify views on our side (the students). While standing alone, I talked to him that he should have asked student’s opinions before having this policy and he should also give students the choice whether to re-sit or not as most of the students are being sponsored. So, the requirements are different. Even the university requirements are different. Having a general policy like this would not benefit students. In fact, it worsens the situation. Thus, he should go on case-by-case basis. I was totally shocked during that moment because he cut me while i was speaking and asking me to sit down. He said this was not a public meeting (even though he was the one telling us that this would be a discussion about the policy). He also told us that he was not going to waste time discussing about this as he had other things to do.

Everyone was shocked because as the headmaster of a World-Class A-level College and an Oxbridge graduate, he should have at least, listened to what we were going to say. This is a democratic world where everyone has equal chance to speak. The headmaster should respect students and not treating us like nothing or just PUPPETS.

Even the deputy headmaster and our counselor were shocked. Everyone wasn’t satisfied with the way he reacted to me.

I knew this shouldn’t end like this. I then wrote a final email to the CEO telling him about this that it wasn’t the re-sitting policy that matters during that time but my biggest concern was more about the way the headmaster treated us .

I was shocked when I received a reply from the CEO. He said that after meeting me at the college, he then met the headmaster and from that discussion, the final say about the re-sit policy should come from the majority of students and sponsors.

This means that our meeting with the headmaster should be the time when we got to vote for this. However, something different happened during the meeting.

At the same time too, i received a response from my sponsor that they already talked to the headmaster. They said that if we could no longer study there, they allowed us to transfer college. They would no longer send scholars there. Parents to a few students also talked to the headmaster but he was still stubborn to change the policy.

I knew this would happen. He was such a dictator. But from what i heard, his contract will not be continued next year.

A few SC people met him and he told them he would make a public apology for the way he reacted in the hall. What attracted my intention was the fact that he said I could meet him if I wanted to (which I find it futile as the registration for the exam has been closed).

However, things did not stop there. During the HOD meeting, the headmaster told every teacher there that there was a student ‘arguing’ with him about the policy. I find it inappropriate to use the word ‘argue’ as it only gave a bad impression about me to the teachers. I didn’t argue with him because i was just about to ask him a few things. In fact, he was the one who didnt allow me to speak.

I knew it was pointless talking to him. During the English class, my teacher was trying to put the blame on me for the chaos I made to the college. But, I told her that what I did was the right thing. I told her that I didn’t fight for the policy so much for me to re-sit, but because i wanted the headmaster to understand that whenever he wanted to have a policy like this, he should ask the students first. This is a democratic place. So, students have the voice to say every single thing.

A few teachers knew about this. They supported me and said i should continue. They believed what i did was the right thing to do as no one has ever done that including the students council. The teachers said that they have been fighting this for so long but no response was received. At least, by me doing this, the headmaster was freaking out a little bit and the CEO has listened to me (even though some students find it pointless as they would rather concentrate on their studies)

I was so glad as some people came and met me personally to say thank you for what I have done so far. It was more than enough to hear people saying that I did the right thing. I could not explain here the moment when I heard people saying thank you to me including the teachers. I am more than happy to help everyone there.

I believe this is not the end of it. But, i have no power in the college. I am not a SC member. This is the best i could do. I hope those who have power in the college will continue to fight for the rights and welfare of students and teachers. Stop calling yourselves fighters if you are only event planners. Dont blame people if they dont thank you for what you have done so far because people here are mature and smart enough to know whether what you have done so far are good enough or not to deserve their appreciation. Fighting for what is right is never a famous thing to do. It was the hardest thing ever. But, people will thank you once they know you have done your best. You are credible enough if people acknowledge you but you are just not trying hard enough if there are still other ways to do it.

Final note on this:

- I should thank and give my credit to a few people who have been standing beside me fighting against this dictator. I know without them, i could do nothing. They knew that this thing is not famous and many people initially did not support it, but these people still continue fighting for what is right with me:

Afzyim@Judo = thank you for standing and helping me doing this. You never afraid to do what you think is right and you never fail to enlighten me with different ways of fighting

Zikri@Blonde = thank you for your support and courage of meeting the headmaster even though you know you will be scolded after that :-)

Sara = thanks for at least be my ‘backbone’ and continue giving me support even though you were the only one understand my ‘ideology’ of fighting the policy. You never fail to be a place where I can share every single thing.

Syakirah = thanks for not complaining about the hardship of this journey and doing everything possible

Alethea = thanks for your support especially when meeting the headmaster and also for influencing the teachers to believe in us

Naim = thanks for your concern and moral support about this. You are always a good listener to share every single thing.

Syahirah, Shu Yi = thanks for being the first to join my ‘cluster’

Although some didnt care for what we did, it’s more than enough to have all of you throughout this journey. Thank you :-)