...of speaking engagements, reunions and race relations act?

Last week I obliged Asia Business Forum (ABF) again when I accepted their invitation to speak at their Malaysia Insurance Conference at Istana Hotel. I presented a paper on 'Claims Management: a promising oasis or a treacherous mirage?' and a few days earlier at their Malaysia Transport Conference where I spoke on 'Rail Networks' at JW Marriott Hotel(probably because of my former experience as director of human capital development at Malaysian Railways...KTMB) hehe. And on friday Umi (of ABF) called me on my mobile asking for the slide presentation because it seems the transport minister wanted to see it (wink).

And last friday evening between 830pm till about 1145pm there was this unscheduled reunion of old schoolmates (class of 1970 & 1971). Just a few of us, Michael Mok, Sukumaran, Tiruchelvam (the chappie who commented anonymously on one of my blog entries hehe) and Patrick Yong and his wife Caroline Marimuthu (I didn't know Michael Verrapen was her cousin hehe until that night). Patrick and his wife were classmates, they were in form 5 when were in form 4. He came to our school SMI PD from Malacca. We chatted, reminisced old times and started recollecting and trying to locate the whereabouts of others. We will be having a proper reunion at the Yatch Club, Port Dickson on December 6. At the start of our meeting at sheraton subang michael mok agreed (unlike him hahaha) that he will try not to pick a fight with me hahaha no matter how provocative I may get (you know me lar...hehe ..evil wink). So is Tiru. At about 11 pm I called Lawrence Lee Boon Kah but he was about to go to sleep but manage to speak with those who were with us that night. Patrick Yong picked up the tab and refused to let us pro rate the bill. Said he just got his salary...and I was like saying oh ok guys..let us give Patrick the honour (hehe). Thanks Patrick and Caroline! I was very close to Patrick during those school days, me and Tiru. We'd walk over to his house (the TNB quarters in Kampong Arab Port Dickson) and play the guitar. We spoke about all the parties we went to those days hahaha and how in form 4, I went to the first party at the church hall in PD near suku and osman's house and how my late dad picked me up at 4am in his blue Ford Prefect (BD 8771) hahaha. That was how sporting my late father was. And Josephine Yeow and Voon Yoke Mooi taught me how to dance...wow! That's about all I will disclose for now...hahaha..the rest is history as they say(evil wink). Jo is residing in Germany I was told. Not sure where Yoke Mooi is. Then there were the Pereira girls and many others. We had really great fun in school those days...it couldn't be more malaysian, no polarisation and certainly no racial prejudices then. And we didn't even need a race relations act too then to watch over each other in case we call people keling or something racist or politically incorrect (wink). I am excited at the coming reunion on december 6 as we are trying to get more of our teachers who are still alive to attend. Thanks to the initiatives of michael mok and sukumaran and others too...