Hari Ini dalam Sejarah (Part 1): Batu Lima

Exactly three years ago, the guy wearing this T-shirt turned seventeen.


Exactly three years ago, the VI debate team won their first round (actually second, because they were given a walkover in the first round when Padang Tembak withdrew) in what would be the VI's best year since 1998, and the best year ever since.

We were up against SMK Batu Lima, debating the motion, 'Stress is Good' (stupid motion, I tell you), and we were the Opposition. In retrospect, it would have been an interesting topic if both teams were strong and the Government came up with a very good case.

Unfortunately, the Government did not (instead, they introduced their Third Speaker as their secret weapon, the atom bomb that would wipe out the Opposition), and both teams obviously struggled to get their bearings.

We fielded Dinesh as First Speaker, Danial as Second and Reply, while I rounded up in Third. This was the order in which we went the previous year, and Kishan remained in the reserve, although I think his title always ought to be Researcher, for that is what he was: the best researcher I have ever encountered.

Besides a difficult trip to SMK Sinar Bintang (we were nearly late, no thanks to the bus driver and the fact that we had no idea where the school was), it was all in all an easy round, and as Third Speaker I comfortably spoke my way to the Best Speaker award that day.

But we had much work to do, mainly because we realised we would never reach the Finals if Danial continued delivering the Reply Speech, and from the previous year's experience, Dinesh didn't want to. To further complicate matters, being Third Speaker, I could not.

And the toughest part was that in the next round, we would face Seri Bintang Utara, defending State Champions. And their best debater was still on the team.


That's a story for next time. For today...


Happy 20th birthday, Dan!

(Yes, he's obsessed with the Chili's ice-cream fudge brownie... I forgot what it's actually called on the menu!)

* * * * *

p.s. For no apparent reason, I thought of the word cakerawala at breakfast this morning. Later I looked it up in the dictionary, and yes, it means 'universe' or 'solar system' as I remember. It's actually one of the more beautiful words in the Malay language, I think. ;-)