Danial Norjidi
Decades-old friendship among a group of former students from Anthony Abell College are going from strength to strength.
While the class of 1964-1965 had since gone on to pursue their own paths and careers, their time at the college had built a bond that is seemingly unbreakable.
In an interview with the Weekend Bulletin, a representative of the group, Haji Md Razali bin Haji Johari, spoke of the time spent at the college.
“It was the foundation formed when we reached our secondary school in English, and then once you passed your ‘O’ Levels, you were sent to the United Kingdom (UK) and further your studies in whatever discipline you wanted to follow,” he said.
Asked how the group was able to build a bond from the foundation, Haji Md Razali said, “It started with the class of ‘64 and ‘65. We would get together and then word got around, people started joining us and so on.”
“The 1964-65 class was the nucleus that started this, and then there are a few intakes of younger people who have joined us as well,” he added.
On the solid friendships built, Haji Md Razali said, “That’s the beauty of it. In our formative years, we were sent to the UK and everywhere, but when we came back, we got together again. It wasn’t institutionalised, it was just about getting together.”
Haji Md Razali also touched the challenges of staying in touch during the pandemic.
He said, “We have a WhatsApp group. We share our experiences and activities. Almost monthly, we have a get-together for coffee, but it’s a small group.”
Because of the pandemic, he said, they had to miss out on two occasions.
Thus, this year’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri was a time of celebration and rekindling friendships.
As the chairman of the event, Haji Md Razali said, “We wanted to refresh the friendships we had in school. We manage to bring together a small crowd. It was a beautiful experience.”
A notable highlight of the recent get-together was the presentation of a special award to another member of the group, Pengiran Haji Ismail bin Pengiran Haji Mahmud, who upon receiving the award said, “As far as I’m concerned, I feel very proud to be associated with the school.”
He also said, “We are brothers and sisters, and we came from a good school, with good teachers.”
