1966-1967 Form Six Years - Baijuri and Asfia

These two years were my Sixth Form Years.

This was the period of self reconciliation for me. FirstlyI was admitted to Sixth Form which dispelled a lot of self doubt and secondly being in Sixth Form, we were informally conscious that we were role models.

All 21 arts students must have felt the same way.

There were two girls, Sukinam Domo and Sylvia Lee. They must have had mixed feelings about those years. Sukinam and Sylvia were seated between Baijuri and Asfia who never failed to entertain the entire class and especially the two.

When there were times when Asfia was late for afternoon class, he pretended to whisper to Baijuri that he just had an erotic dream which made it difficult for him to get up. This supposedly whisper could be heard by me and Alec Kaboy who sat a few desks away. Although it was not supposed to be heard by the two girls, nevertheless, they were able to hear every word.

Today I can still picture very clearly Baijuri and Asfia walking from the dormitory to the school block. Both are very lean and lanky. And Baijuri habitually advised Asfia not to go out too much in the open field around the school, lest he would be blown away by the wind. Prominently Asfia had his red belt around his waist which was one of his key icons.

Both of them were good debators. Even at that time, everyone realised the potentials of these two young men. Both went to England. Baijuri became a qualified valuer, had a successful civil service career and topped it of by becoming the State Director of Lands and Survey. Personally I thought it was a blessing he did not take up law because if he did I would have big competiton in hand.

Asfia became a successful lawyer. He is equally successful in politics. He is now the Dewan Undangan Negri Speaker. From the recent report of the sitting it is clear that he is able to diffuse the many tense happenings in the August house.

As a student Asfia, was clearly a role model in his own hometown in Bintulu. Haji Mohammad once told me that in Bintulu he was yardstick of Intelligence or IQ. The locals would always ask ,when a student was said to be academically clever,"Siapa pandai, dia atau Asfia?" (Is he as clever as Asfia?)

There would be other stories later.