This event was scheduled for 12 December 2012 to mark the 50th year the participants left their school in December 1962.
Early Birds (8 Dec 2012)
Two couples who arrived days before the main events on 12/12/12 were feted to a special dinner on 8/12/12 by the local organizing committee.
The early-bird dinner was held at the New Century Restaurant located at Grand View, near Sim-Sim.
One of the couples: Wilfred and Jackie from Wolverhampton, UK, seen with Stella (left). --->
The other couple is seen here with Siaw Mian (Left).
[Frederick (L), Yin Fan & Alex]
It takes 2 strong hands to serve the fried 'ma-yau' in soya source
-- must be very TOUGH
[Yew Ling (L) and Ket Wing]
Synchronized chopsticks team...
Lunch at Good Taste Bak Kut Teh Restaurant (11 Dec 2012)
This is the favourite launching restaurant for our reunion activities. For the Golden Jubilee Reunion (GJR), it remained the venue for our first activity. The specialities at this restaurant include a variety of sea food items in herbal 'Bak Kut Teh' soup. In particular, the "lai mang fish" dish is well sought after by customers. So, it was not surprising that on this occasion, we could only get 5 fish for our table! Of course the conventional pork fares for 'Bak Kut Teh' are available as well.
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| (L-R) Mrs Chin, Stella, Jackie and Wilfred |
< < < (L-R) Fook Loong, Cho Tong,
Yew Ling and Vui Ming
Jackie, Wilfred and Ket Wing
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| Yew Ling, Vui Ming and wife |
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| Stella, William and Jackie |
Welcoming Dinner at Fisherman's Village (11 Dec 2012)
This sea food restaurant, located on the shore line, is a favourite dinner venue for local and outstation visitors. Unfortunately, some combination of tide/weather conditions and/or nearby human activities had degraded the atmosphere there to such an extent that it was not really conducive to the holding of a major dinner function. Still, everyone seemed to be quite brave about it and put the strong 'pong' off their mind while dining.
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| William, Stella, Cho Tong and Jackie |
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| Peter & wife, Yew Ling and Ket Wing |
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| David and wife |
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| Get Saik & wife, Fook Loong and Stephen |
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| Stephen, Kon Chang, Alex and Siaw Mian |
Breakfast at Bridge No. 7, Sim-Sim (12/12/12)
This activity kicked off our main programmes for this Golden Jubilee reunion gathering. The date had been decided on way back in 2007, during our 45th Anniversary reunion dinner. It was for simplicity of remembering that the date 12/12/12 was chosen. Some may believe that the date is auspicious (as in one of the local newspaper's headlines for the day). Practically, all the major restaurants in town were booked for wedding and other functions on this day.
Our breakfast venue was supposed to be in one of the small (oldest) family-operated eateries closer to Bridge No. 8. That one was closed for the day, and everyone was hastily marshalled into this restaurant which was equally noted for their sea food breakfast menus.
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| Mrs Mou, Stella, Ket Wing, Wilfred and Peter & wife |
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| Stephen (back to camera), Alex, Fook Loong, Get Saik, Siaw Mian, David and wife |
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| Raymund (in red shirt), just arrived via Air Asia and joined the breakfast session late |
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| Cho Tong (in blue) who picked up Raymund, also had his breakfast late |
The visit to the TRDC was in doubt as heavy rains had fallen in the early morning. Fortunately, the raining stopped while the participants were having their sea-food breakfast at Sim-Sim. Nevertheless, the weather remained dull mostly, which was pleasant for walking purposes but bad for photo-taking.
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| Participants assemble at the TRDC's reception area for tickets to be distributed |
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| This first inclined walkway had been added after our last visit during the 47th Anniversary Reunion. It is an alternative to the vertical spiral stairs that visitors must formerly use to get to the first viewing platform. |
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| A good point to take a little rest and a few group photos. (Back:L-R) Alex, Raymund, Wilfred, Fook Loong, Stephen, Get Saik and William. (Front) Peter, David and Kon Chang |
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| Now, with the ladies in the picture. (Mrs. Mou, Mrs W Koh and Mrs Lu) |
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| Participating classmates posing on the canopy walk near the 2nd viewing platform/tower |
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| One of the giant trees still remaining in this forest reserve |
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| ...having that creepy feeling |
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| ...standing tall (and thin) |
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| Forest scene from the canopy walk |
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| Close up shots of tree trunks at canopy level |
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| A forestry expert giving a lecture....
At last, after an hour of slow walking on the canopy bridge as well as ascending one of the towers, the party got down to terra firma again to explore the ground of the horticultural and herbal gardens. Too bad that this time round, hardly any of the orchids were in bloom. However, there were still a lot of surprises around.
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| ...that leaf is huge! |
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| Raymund took a particular interest at this fruiting "Kelumpang Sarawak" tree |
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| Close-up view -- like black pearls on an oyster shell |
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| The old fig tree is still there, and fruiting |
Some close-up views of small flowers...
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| Short rest before leaving for the next activity -- Lunch |
(** The next two photos were taken through the windscreen of the vehicle, Hence the whitish streaks)
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| The convoy stop by a road side fruit stall... |
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| They are not 猫山王, still, Raymund has his eyes on the durians.. |
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| ...and his teeth on the fruits as well! |
After a few meals which were heavily sea-food based, it was time for a change of fares. We adjourned to a small coffee house in Sandy Plain for a 'light' roti lunch.
We arrived at the cafe New Bar Lok Yuen at about 12:30 noon and the place was already crowded. Fook Loong, who used run a sundry shop next to it, made all the necessary arrangements to ensure that we were well looked after. We were ushered into a room in the annex.
It was indeed a very nostalgic luncheon as we were served those snacks which were very common half a century ago. Amongst the goodies were egg tarts, tapioca cakes, Swiss rolls, roti-kawin, and a host of others. There was also a variety of piping hot buns, plain or filled with tau-sar, coconut suntan, crunchy peanut chips or just buttered.
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| Raymund executes a '飞象过河' |
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| Kon Chang and wife prefer the tapioca cakes |
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| Raymund loves the buns... |
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| Yew Ling listening attentively.... |
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| A short chat with Fook Loong on the history related to the Hokkien Association, Sandakan |
* * * *
The Main Dinner Function (12/12/12)
This was held at the Ocean King Sea Food Restaurant, Melantah (Sandy Plain.
Arrival of Classmates and Guests
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| Wilfred talking to Master John Koh |
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| (L-R) Doo Lok, Edward and Kit Sher |
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| (Seated) Kiok Nyee, Chee Shing and Get Saik (Standing) Alex, Yew Ling and Fook Loong |
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| (L-R) Vui Ming, Master Alban Lagan, Alex and Wilfred |
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| Mrs W Koh, Mrs A Koh, Mrs E Chok and Mrs W Tan |
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| General View across the dining hall |
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| Done! I've registered for the next reunion |
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| MC (for life) Frederick delivering his welcoming speech |
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| Peter, Kok Chee, Kon Chang and Doo Lok |
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| Doo Lok, Vui Ming, Kit Sher, Alex and Raymund |
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| Stephen, Tsin Kong, Ying Fan and Siaw Mian |
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| The "Teachers" Table (Anti-clockwise from Frederick) David, Master T Chen, Master A Lagan, Master J Koh & wife, Master A Siew & Wife and Mrs F Chu & Son |
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| Raymund, William and Paul |
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| Classmates from KK and Frederick leading the singing of old school songs, Starting with "The End of the Road" |
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| Master John and Virginia with their Christmas carol (Insets) Fook Loong, Master Siew and Raymund all contributed their solo numbers |
* * * * *
Group Photo
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| Getting ready........ |
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| Almost there... |
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