"My place is here."

This Wednesday, the V.I.'s debate team, comprising Zamil, Wilson, Jon Siao, Andrew and Adli, will face St. John's team in the Wira State Debate Finals. I've been following the team's progress from the third round, through to the Semis, which they cleared last week. And this round may yield a repeat the triumph of 2004. What's more, Danial, Dinesh and Kishan will be going to watch. It's in SMK Petaling in the Old Klang Road area.

But this Wednesday, at the same time, my class is going to the Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) in Kepong. It's organised under the Science & Mathematics Society, and some members of the Bio-Maths class are also coming along.

I have decided to go with them to FRIM. I'd come to this decision about five days ago, but only today, upon reaching home from the Chairmen/Prefects' Leadership Camp, did these words ring in my head: "My place is here." And at that moment, images from camp and of my camera and Mr Leong, flashed across my mind. He and Mr Kali are going to FRIM as well.


As I reflected further on those words, they ring true also for the little problems tugging at the Victorian Editorial Board. Mr Nik Anuay (the teacher in charge of the extra-curricular wing of the school administration) wants the board's committee to be reshuffled, so as to 'better reflect Malaysian society,' i.e. make sure the races are proportionately balanced; we suspect the Principal is also involved in, if not masterminding, this.

And Mr Anuay made mention of this before all the presidents and prefects at the camp this morning, in his address. This is the second time, the first being at a Board of Chairmen meeting earlier this year.

But this is not feasible or, for that matter, possible. How can we balance a committee if we do not have enough members of a certain 'required' race? This is not National Service, where it is possible to engineer a microcosm of society. What's more, the purpose of the editorial board is to produce the school magazine/yearbook, not become a vessel for the expression of a teacher's whims and fancies.

Above all, effecting such a large-scale restructuring of the committee would require a major infringement of board policy, not to mention a great disturbance of present board dynamics: after all, we're getting along as a team just fine, and shaking things up won't help.

Even friends and teachers are not in favour of such drastic action, and so this is my answer to the school admin: "This is my place, between you and the board." (As Batman said to the Ra's al-Ghul, "My place is between you and the people of Gotham"). I'm here as a leader because some people placed their trust in me, and my responsibility is a duty to them as well as to posterity.


As Martin Luther said when forced to recant his convictions: "Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. So help me God."