Over the past few days, we have seen Victorians from across the globe put up appeals on their websites to help a fellow Victorian. Mr Muhammad Noor Azri Bin Abdul Rahman (“Azri”) of Victoria School was seriously injured during his PE class and now requires constant care.
We have verified the case with the school and family. Victorians and well-wishers can be assured that this is a bona-fide case. All donations can be made directly to Azri’s father’s bank account (POSB Savings account no. 194-62059-4).
We have re-posted here his father’s appeal for help.
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From: http://victorianazri.blogspot.com/
Hi there, I am Abdul Rahman Bin Abdul Hamid. I have been a taxi driver for 16 years. Some of you might have read http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20081018-94659.html , this article which was first published in the New Paper on Oct 19, 2008. It was about a tragic accident that happened on Mar 8, 2007 to my son Muhammad Noor Azri Bin Abdul Rahman who was then a Sec 4 student of Victoria School. The accident happened during a cable skiing activity which was organised by the school as part of the PE curriculum.
A few days before that fateful day, my son brought home a consent form for the cable skiing activity for me to sign. Initially, I declined to give my consent. However, the form came back again 2 days later with my son saying that the school insisted on my consent so that he could join his classmates. Looking back now, how I regretted that decision!
On the last day of the activity, my son fell hard face-down on the water. As a result of the fall, he suffered brain injuries which cause a stroke on the left side of his body. He was in critical condition. Doctors had operate on him to remove the right half of his skull because of severe swelling in his brain. He was warded in ICU for 10 days.
Despite the treatment, the right side of his brain was diagnosed to be permanently damaged. He spent 10 months in TTSH and had to undergo 7 major operations in all. He had to go without part of his skull for 17 months. Just 3 weeks ago, he got a cranioplasty to cover the big hole in his skull (please see attached photo).
The 10 months’ stay in TTSH cost $70,000 and I have nothing left in my Medisave account. My son is on medication now and he is also attending further therapy treatment at Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) and AMK Rehabilitation Centre. It is expected that he will require continued treatment for a long period of time. Besides being emotionally draining for the whole family, the treatment is going to cost us a lot of money for sure. However, we have very little financial resources left.
In addition to life-long disabilities arising from his injuries, my son has to bear with all the pain everyday. He is weak on the left side of his body. He needs a walking stick for moving short distances and a wheelchair for long ones. Now, he is not like any other normal teenager. He cannot clean, bathe or wear attire himself. For everything that he needs to do, my wife and I have to assist him. It is uncertain that he will ever go back to school again.
My son is my only boy. He requires constant care now. I dread to think what will happen to him when my wife and I grow old. Who will take care of him? As it is now, the future looks very dark future for us and we desperately need your kind assistance. I appeal for your kind donations. With sincere help from people like you, it would give my family some hope for the future. No amount is too small for us. My family is eternally grateful for you help. Thank you very much.
Abdul Rahman Bin Abdul Hamid
POSB a/c no. 194-62059-4
33 Comments. Leave new
Thanks OVA for confirming the validity of the above.
This should cast aside any more doubts.
Regards
Maybe OVA can take on the responsiblity of acting as a trustee for the donation drive as Asri really needs all the financial support that can be provided. Then there will be no doubts as to the transparency and authenticity (not that there is any doubt in the present arrangement) and many more Old VS boys and girls and other kind souls from Singapore and other parts of the world will hopefully come forward to give help to this young bright Victorian who would otherwise have a brigth future to look forward to if not for the unfortunate accident. Apart from the donation drive, perhaps the OVA or the school or even enterprising individual Old Victorians, such as businessmen, event organisers, can help to organise other forms of charity drive such as a fun fair, variety show, film premiers, and so on. On my part, I have humbly sent a small cheque donation to Asri's father's POSB account as stated in the appeal letter.
Thank you for posting Azri's blog here. I believe Old Victorians will find it in their hearts to help Azri's family in any small way they can.
Sad to read this. I just wonder whether VS or VJC buy insurance for all students. I hope OVA and schools can look into this. Can Association do bit more for the poor boy and his family? I will forward email to all my victoria friends and play a small part in donation.
Hey Victorian, "Don just talk, Action Please!" this was golden advice from my most respectable VS teacher, Mr Chan, 1983-1984.
Hi Mr Victor Koo
I am an ardent reader of your blog. I find your postings very interesting and refreshing, quite often spiced with wits, humour and incisive observations. As an Old Victoria think we must thank you for first highlighting the plight and appeal for help from Azri' papa amd the subsequent follow up with another well known Old Victorianogger now living in Sydney, Phil Wong. There seems to be widespread publicity on this n
Hi Mr Koo
Sorry for the break in my posting above.
To contiune………There seems to widespread publicity on this appeal now and I have been sending this to my old schoolmates from the 1960s to request them to help Mr Azri. BTW, Mr Koo, I enjoyed very much your posting on reminisences of your schooldays
in Victoria Schhol. I am familiar with names of teachers like Mr Mok Khooon and Mr Wee Keng Chin, famously or infamously nicknamed Bulldog Wee. I was taught by both of them and notwithstanding their no nonsense approach on disciplne, they were good and dedicated in teaching their respective subjects.,Mr Mok was especially adept in the teaching of Additional Mathematics. I have learned that both these two gentlemen had since passed away. Bless them. Regards
Thank you for posting this appeal. Lets hope that the appeal ultimately contributes to the wellbeing of fellow Victorian Azri.
Nil Sine Labore
Phil
Hi oldvic,
Beside Victor Koo, I thank another Victorian Hong Wee who has the remarkable ability getting people to agree to do things without them ever knowing quite what they are agreeing to until it's all too late. (Haha). If wasn't for him, my blog would still be in the "planning stages".
Please visit my humble blog http://unclephilipsg.blogspot.com/ whatever monies generated from now on will be Azri.
Nil Sine Labore
Hi OVA,
I echo what tyrwhittdays has posted earlier. What we really need is a longer term financial plan, especially a regular income to help with Azri's daily needs. Perhaps there are more charity and NGOs out there that we can get help from.
Together, we can do more for Azri. Nil Sine Labore!
No issue about helping Azri. However,it would only be fair to the school to establish facts regarding the necessary procedures it took to ensure safety before the activity and how it has been helping Azri in the light of what his father has posted on the blog.
Hi Old Proud Victorian,
It is not a matter of fairness to the school and everything else. Personally I feel that every responsible adult owes the duty of care to every child.
I cried when Azri wrote to thank us. All I can say he is a proud Victorian and a true son indeed.
Let us concentrate our efforts to help him.
Victoria thy sons are we,
And we will not forget,
Perhaps OVA can help VS to buy some form of insurance for the students in such future activities.
In the yesteryears, especially during the 1960s, Victoria School was a hive of activity and pioneer in helping to raise funds for charity and in giving the students the space to exercise their creativity and spirit of kindness and love for the school. There was a pop band concert successfully organised at the Singapore Badminton Hall and spontaneously spearheaded by the students in 1965 to raise funds for a former Victoria School great distance runner Justin Rozario who was paralysed after a diving accident. I think many students would have recalled with pride and fond memory of the efforts they put in to selflessly helped a fellow Victorian in need. I think Mr Phil Wong, a popular blogger now living in Sydney had recalled with pride in his involvement in putting up the banner for the show. See his blog. Then there was the 1968 Carnival of the Year held at the school compound and having the then Minister of Social Affairs Mr Othman Wok as Guest of Honour to raised funds for charity. It was a roaring success, with a myriad of popular activities staged, including a beauty contest won by a lady who later went on to become the first Miss Tourism Singapore and a talentime contest whose champion turned out to be a VS boy Subronto who later became a well know professional trumpeter. By the way the carnival was conceived by two Pre U students Arthur Goh and Raj Kumar and subequently taken on by the OVA whose stalwarts included the former Head Prefect Mr Richard Teo Cher Aik and the late SRS Naidu and their committee. Then in those years the school annually held a talentime concert in which there was tremendous particpation by the students. I recalled that among the prominent particpants were Baharom Salleh, the great sportsman and footballer who had a golden voice to match, and Chong Seng Choi, the then Head Prefect who was an accomplished guitarist. There was no dearth of talents and the the event was held in the school quadrangular which were looked forward to enthusiastically by the students. Some years later, the talentime was discontinued perhpas by the more conservative principals. Then there was the beautiful garden and pond created by students of Pre U 2 Arts in 1967 in the school quadrangular and it was spearheaded by Philip Lee, a Queen's Scout and a very creative person who is now a high flyer in the corporate world. Also in the 1960s, Victoria School was the first school to introduce a school supporte' cap which was won proudly by our students at inter school sports meets, especially at the Serangoon District Annual Athletics Championships where Victoria Scool was the perennial champion. Our hero athletes of those years were people like Alagirisamy and Dr Siah Kim Bin, both middle distance champions, Giang Toh Chye, the top sprinter and Fok Keng Choy, the best shot putter of his time. They brought joy and cheers to the fellow Victorian supporters who were equally up to the task in their vociferous support and the mass turnout. There was one year when a large contingent of supporters marched from Farrer Park Stadium back to the school in Tyrwhitt Road, waving the school banners and singing the school song and shouting out the school cheers all along the way after yet another triumph at the Serangoon District Championships. It was really a sight to behold and an experience that will not be forgotten by those who had taken part. Come to think of it, this could have been considered as an infringement of the law forbidding public demonstration. But hey, the students were in really high spirit. By the way, the student who came up with the supporter's cap which was Arthur Goh who was a very creative and innovative fellow who later made a name for himself in the publishing business, Although a somewhat simple item, no other schools had had ever thought of making one those day and this was quickly copied by schools like RI. Then during the 1960s there was a proliferation of school newsletters published by "rival" groups. There was the 'Victory' dominated by the science students and there the 'Victorian Forum' spearheaded mostly by the Arts students. The newsletters even carried serious articles including an interview with the the US Consul in Singapore. Some of the promient editors of these newsletters were student like Chung Chee Kit and Mok Kong Chua. Then many graduating Sec 4 and Pre U claases published their own commemorative class magazines. One of the popular one was the "VICSON" which was the class magazine of Sec 4 Sc One in 1968 and edited by that most loyal of Victorians, the evergreen Alwi Said Abdullah, who was a champion campaigner for everthing Victoria School. What great days those were! I am sure that the Victorian Spirit is still as strong as ever now.
Thanks for the enlightening history, Tyrwhittdays
Hi Tyrwhittdays,
Voices and names still echo in my mind after reading your comment in this post. Yours recounted reminiscences of our schooldays especially the class of '65 is just incredible. How you remember the names of our schoolmates and details are beyond my comprehension. Anyway, thank you my brother Victorian for the memory.
For we shall not forget…
Hi Old Boy, Glad to inform that one of my classmates of Pre U One Arts in 1967 had read my posting of 8 Feb above. He reminded me that our class monitor Mr Lim Lay Hock, who later carved out a successful career in the banking world, had played a big part in getting the beautiful pond done and leading our class of students to a forested area in Bedok to cut and collect the bamboo to build the pond. I now recalled that we worked very hard and tirelessly to cut, collect and bring back the big amoung of bamboo to the school. The pond was symbolic of our class wanting to show ourselves as role models for the younger students and played our role in contributing to the school. Our then form teacher, the late Mr P K Hernon, a long serving British expatriate educationist in Singapore who had been posted not long ago to our school from RI (where he served for many years) performed the opening ceremony much to the applause and admiration of our other fellow Victorians. Besides, Messrs Lim Lay Hock, Arthur Goh and Philip Lee (mentioned in my posting, our Pre U One Arts Class of 1967 had produced a number of other well known Old Victorians, inclduding the great middle distance runner R Alagirisamy (a one time Secretary-General of the Singapore University Students’ Union, the late Dr Ong Chit Chung (who needed no introduction) and Rajoo Gopal who is a retired Assistant Commissioner of Police in our Singapore Police Force. We are trying to search for photographs of the beautiful pond that we had proudly built and will contribute them to the school heritage centre or post them on the OVA blog if we can find them. Thank you.
G'day all Old Victorians, and Victorians too
This is the first time I've been here, and it really refreshes my mind with all things Victorian in 1960s.
Tyrwhittdays has mentioned me in one of his posts as Alwi Said Abdullah. My real name is Alwi Sa'adullah. If tyrwhittdays could give me his real name, perhaps I could connect with him. I still have a copy of VICSON that he mentioned.
In 1967/68 our Pre U 2P built immediately to the left of the gate from Tyrwhitt Road, a garden with the school badge (NIL SINE LABORE)on the ground. I think I still have a black and white (of course) photo of it.
One of my interests in 1960s was photography. I may still have some photos of the school at that time, including perhaps the "White House" – the temporary toilet when the school was being extended.
Ong Chit Chung's name was mentioned. He was in in my class in Sec 1 and possibly Sec 2. It is no surprise to me that he turned out to be a politician.
Rajoo Gopal was also my classmate prior Pre-U days. He was a decent boy. Alagirisamy was an asthmatic, and if I remember correctly he collapsed in one long distance runs, after(?) he left school.
When I was in the OVA, the President of the OVA was also a prominent member of the Workers Party – I think he started it. He was close to LKY during the days before he came to power. Can't remember his name today, but he owned a printing company.
One other thing that I remember is that we sacrificed all of our year end holidays (1967) to catalogue all the books in the library to the DEWEY decimal system. That was the time when the library moved to the new location (formerly the school hall, which was converted to two storey for the library).
I am now in Sydney. I remember Chit Chung asking me to remain in Singapore as I could contribute a lot there. But I had to go.
I still love the school and all OVA, where I served for some years after my school days. We organised the Annual Dinner for the OVA (can't remember the year). I remember vividly that Othman Wok stepped out of the dinner when the fashion/beauty show was on, as it was not right (not food for his eyes) for him!
It is also refreshing to read about Mok Khoon Yam and other teachers. I recall that at one of the soccer games, I thought our group should go up the school terrace and cheer the school. So we climbed up the vertical stairs (hardly) and started cheering. Mr Mok then called us down and I still remember him telling me, "So, it's you." He let me off, as he was just as loyal to the school.
Then there was Mr Soocelaraj the Hockey Master. During one school holidays (I used to go back to school just for the sake of being with the school!)he chased out some boys who illegally entered the school premises. The next days, when I was there the boys brought their gangster friends and looked for him. I think he was then away overseas playing cricket! Lucky for him. He was fearless. There was a rumour that when he represented Singapore in hockey, he was banned from the game because he used the hockey stick to hit a player on his neck.
One other thing just crossed my mind. The National Library has a microfiche of the Kg Glam School, Vicoria School diary from 1890s. I used to go there to copy the diary and type them out – hoping to have a copy for the library. I guess during those days it was not possible to print them – or we did not have the money to copy them any other way. I guess the school should have a copy of this diary today?
Thank you for reading.
"When I was in the OVA, the President of the OVA was also a prominent member of the Workers Party – I think he started it. He was close to LKY during the days before he came to power. Can’t remember his name today, but he owned a printing company."
Alwi, is the person you referring to call Kum Teng Hock? I believe he moved from the PAP to the Workers' Party.
The founding secretary-general of the National Solidarity Party, Ken Sunn, is an Old Victorian too.
Hi Alwi, good to read your posting. It has been a long time since you left Singapore. Wow, you still have good memory of the names of the schoolfriends. I recollect you were a co-editor of the school newsletter "The Fabrik" with the late Ong Chit Chung in 1967. "The Fabrik" was the almagamation of the earler two school newsletters "The Victory" and the "Victorian Forum." "The Fabrik" was quite a popular newsletter especially for its sports coverage.
Nil Sine Labore!
Hi Tyrwhitt and Victor. Yes it was Kum Teng Hock, I now remember. Victor, did you say "late Ong Chit Chung"?? What's happened. Is Kum Teng Hock still with the OVA?
Do I know you Tyrwhitt by your real name, and you also Victor? If you wish to remain confidential, please email me ssaadull@bigpond.net.au I would very much like to know your real identity.
Kenn Sunn must be after my days in 1968. Gives me the impression that Victorians didn't like the PAP!!
There was also a Lee Eng Bok, my junior, who is(?) in the Auditor General's (?) office holding a very senior position. Looking back, I realise how wrong he is today. When he was in the Uni, the Pyramid Club (of which Ong Chit Chung was a member), approached him to join the PAP. He told them that when he turned 45 he would be interested in politics but the PAP wouldn't be there. So declined the offer. That could have been early 1970s. Lee Eng Bok used to play chess with me prior to school hours. He must have moved his chess pieces quite well, as the last I heard he was in charge of the audit of the Defence Dept!
Talking about Ong Chit Chung and Kum Teng Hock. Chit Chung told me that he was to look into the OVA as it was getting active. Kum Teng Hock was then president, and Chit Chung was there to keep a watchful eye on our activities. Subsequently I dropped out of the OVA.
One of my old classmates that meet me occasionally (at least once a year) in Sydney is Dr Lim Poh Heng and his wife Dr Lee Yip Mui (also old Victorian in 1968). They are both very successful, and when they come here I enjoy having dinner with them. This has been going on for more than 10 years now. The two doctors are two most generous persons who donate quite a bit to charity. I wonder how many old Victorians know them. Dr Lim and I have been friends since Primary school days at Rangoon Road School. I think Chung Chee Kit was also from Rangoon Road School (or at least he was living in a street close to the school then – can still picture the unit/flat he was living in).
Chung Chee Kit was a brilliant scholar. I wonder where he is today. He did tell me that he opted for Victoria School rather than RI as he wanted to prove that any student could do as well as a person in a privilege school like RI. When he came back from scholarship in UK, he told me that it was so easy to top in the University there as the other students did not study!
Not an old Victorian, Dollah Kassim the footballer was in my class for many years in Rangoon Road School. He tried to get into VS for Sec 1 but couldn't make it and ended up at Serangoon English School (?). Dollah used to dribble the ball all the way from midfield into the goal post past the goal keeper. He was in incredible footballer. Pity he was not a Victorian. Read about him on the internet. Is he still in coma?
If you remember Irene Khan, the biology teacher, Dr Lim is still in contact with her.
Then there was a Lam Chuan Leong who topped the HSC in 1967 or 1966. Wonder where he is too today.
One of my chess friends Tang Kum Foo (Chee Kit's year – and Chee Kit's competitor for academic prize), is active in the Singapore Chess Federation. I found this out on the internet.
Amongst the "Red Guards", those HSC girls in maroon skirts, what's happened to them? Have they all "disappeared"?
We still cherish those old days, and this is an avenue where we can share news. Am hopeful that more Victorians will participate in this blog.
Hi Alwi
This is Victor. I will contact you soon via your email address given above.
Dollah Kassim, the affable "Gelek King" of Singapore football, is reported to have been discharged from the hospital and is now at home. Yes, VS paid dearly for not taking in Dollah for the latter was the key player, together with Jita Singh (who later became a national coach)in the Serangoon English School team that dethroned VS from the Serangoon District Soccer Championhsip in 65-66. Until then, VS was the kingpin of the district in the game. Remember we had Eric Paine and the great sprinter Giang Toh Chye, and the all round sportsman Bahrom Salleh in our team in 1965 and yet Serangoon English School got the better of us, largely through the contributions of the talented Dollah. Besides these names, that era produced many star schoolboy soccer players such as Rajagopal and Samad Alapitchay of Monk Hill's Sec School nad Serangoon Garden Tech School respectively. who later went to become Malaysia Cup stalwarts for Singapore.
Btw, Alwi, VS has continued on its fine tradition of being a school soccer powerhousee up to today. Our former school's 'B' and 'C' boys were runners up to the "professional" Singapore Sports School last year.
Regards.
Lim Chuan Leong – appointed Ambassador-at-Large, after leaving Permanent Secretary post.
Lee Eng Bok – presently Asst Auditor-General, Auditor-General's Office
Jita Singh – thought he was from St Andrew's School
re Alwi's post of 7 Mar the Tang Kum Foo (Administrative Manager)in the Spore Chess Federation (photo in the SCF website) does not appear to be that of the old Victorian scholar of the same name. Tang Kum Foo was one of the top HSC students in Singapore in 1967. Together with Chung Chee Kit, they went on to win the Colombo scholarships.
re vschess, I had a look at Tang Kum Foo at http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/3-n… am sure he is the same TKF that I know in the 1960s. I may however be wrong, as he was then in his teens and the man in the picture is in his 60s.
There was some news on Rangoon Road Primary School last year. The full article cannot be found on the internet. Here's part of the article.
Aug 29, 2009
Teachers' Day treat
By Nur Dianah Suhaimi
IT IS arguably the only primary school in Singapore which can boast three Cabinet ministers and a state president among its former pupils.
Former minister S. Dhanabalan, current ministers S. Jayakumar and Wong Kan Seng as well as the late president Devan Nair all studied at the now-defunct Rangoon Road Primary School.
On Saturday, Mr Dhanabalan, now chairman of Temasek Holdings, together with 24 other old boys, gathered to throw their former teachers an early Teachers' Day party. Teachers' Day is on Tuesday.
Read the full report in The Sunday Times.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapo…
Looking at the picture of Mr Tang Kam Foo, now recall that he looks indeed like the former top VS student. Was he ever the President of the Singapore Chess Federation? Pl see attached http://thefidetrainer.blogspot.com/2009/07/our-ve…
It seems like he is not in the best of health. We wish him all the best. Thank you.
Re Rangoon Road Primary Sch, my good Old Vic friend Arthur told me he was a contemporary of Chung Chee Kit in school. In those days, there were Rangoon Road Primary School I and II (housed in same premises, different sessions). Chee Kit was top boy of School I and he opted for VS after PSLE. The top boy of School II went to RI. i think one of our current senior cabinet ministers was also an alumni of Rangoon
Road Primary School. He was ever mentioned in the press to have said that after his primary 6, he had the choice of either VS or Outram Sec Sch. He opted for Outram as the shcool offered commercial subjects and he would be able to get job more easily if he was equipped with such qualifications. He later went on to become a teacher and studied his HSC (now A Level) at the night classess in VS. Some of my more observant schoolmates in the early 1960s had vaguely remembered seeing this minister when he was a student at what was then known as Adult Education Board classes at VS (btw, the man behind the introduction of ADB classes was reputedly another prominent Old Victorian, the late Mr Devan Nair.) Years later, when he was a Guest of Honour at one of VS Speech Days, the minister was said to have to have disclosed that his two sons (?) were students of the school or had studied there. Those were the good old days! Nil Sine Labore
Reply to Alwi Sa'adullah, March 6, 2010 @ 20:02:
This is very valuable. But the only way is to check with the schoool. This is the first time I have heard of this.
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One other thing just crossed my mind. The National Library has a microfiche of the Kg Glam School, Vicoria School diary from 1890s. I used to go there to copy the diary and type them out – hoping to have a copy for the library. I guess during those days it was not possible to print them – or we did not have the money to copy them any other way. I guess the school should have a copy of this diary today?
Reply to victor, March 7, 2010 @ 22:31:
In fact, VJC has continued the strong football tradition of Victoria in the National Schools A Division. Both boys and girls teams are coached by ex-VS/VJC Victorians. The boys team has entered 9 out of the last 10 finals, winning 5 of them. The girls team has entered 4 out of the 5 finals, winning 3 of them.
A few years ago, an ex-VS/VJC player, Fabian Tan, was in the national under-23 team and the only NUS undergrad playing in the SLeague.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Junior_Coll…
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Btw, Alwi, VS has continued on its fine tradition of being a school soccer powerhousee up to today. Our former school’s ‘B’ and ‘C’ boys were runners up to the “professional” Singapore Sports School last year.
Reply to tyrwhittdays, March 11, 2010 @ 12:20:
One of Devan Nair's sons will be Janadas Devan, an Editor with Straits Times.
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another prominent Old Victorian, the late Mr Devan Nair.) Years later, when he was a Guest of Honour at one of VS Speech Days, the minister was said to have to have disclosed that his two sons (?) were students of the school or had studied there. Those were the good old days! Nil Sine Labore
reply to Old Boy dd 14 Mar 2010
The minister mentioned is Mr Wong Kang Seng.
Mr Nair's son was, I believed, from ACS.
Reply: Ok, I read it wrongly. I thought you were referring to Devan Nair. I think ST reported that Wong Kan Seng has mentioned that he is in a way a Victorian because he had attended the night classes at the school.
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to nine individuals who have came forward with donations for my son which totals up to 1,470 dollars and also OVA soccer team which came up with 1,000 dollars. I hope you will be rewarded for your kindness. God bless you all. Thank you.