LUMUT ESCAPADE Moments to Share

(1) OP Mokhtar Ahmad (OP65)
We were colleaugues working in the same company, unti he retire from service in 2003. I have not seen or met him for quite sometime.

Lumut Escapade BBQ on 17/12/2005 provided me the chance to meet him again. We talked a lot about the past and of course, the future.

But, of course, we can only talk, no decision can be reached. Only enrinching our acquintance and friendship.

“Mokhtar, your hand phone number still the same?”
“Yes, same.”

We parted company, but the sms are sure to follow...!


(2) OP Dr Tengku Mohamed (OP72)
He is our family doctor in Taman Sri Serdang for the past 10 years. My family members regularly visits his clinic.

But never for a moment did I recall that he was our fourth year when we were New Boys in 1975 !!

BBQ night was a historic moment for me and my wife. When I shook hands with Dr Tengku Mohamed, my wife was nearby, so I called her and pointed her to the doctor.

“Kenal tak siapa ni?” I asked her.

“Em..doctor, saya tak makan daging ye doktor. Saya makan ayam panggang aje..” she was talking about his medical advice, instead of what year he was in the Boys Wing.

So, it was a moment of truth for us, my wife and I found out that our family doctor for the past 10 years was actually an OP (our 4th year when we were New Boys in 1975)


(3) OP Syed Zahiruddin (OP75)
Syed did not recognise me.

“I’m sorry I cannot recall who you are.”

I told Shaharuddin (Hj Shah) that Syed was in the same room, same class (Delta) and same company (B Coy) and he did not even recognise me!

Shaharudin was very loud in pronouncing this moment.

“Syed, you tak kenal Mrae? He was in the same class, same bloody B Company and same bloody Delta class some more..???!!”

Syed apologised to me for not recognising me. Well, I guess either we have grown old or that I have changed so much since 1975!!


(4) OP Azizan (isteri 2)
Azizan did not recognise me, too.

And Ajit’s wife passed the remark as to why he did not bring along any of his wives to the BBQ.

“Hang ni, dah lah ada isteri dua. Seorang pun hang tak nak bawa?”

“Nanti takut gaduh.” His reply was concise, precise and so spontaneous.

Then he said to me: “Sorry Mrae. Sejak ada banyak bini, aku tak berapa ingat la....ehehehehe..”


(5) Ambil Kambing/Ayam Panggang di “dapur”
Bila selesai speech from the host and the senior naval officer and the OP Organizing Committee, maka tibalah waktu makan.

There was a rush towards the table. No more room for us to squeeze in between.

OP75 members just coolly walk to the ‘kitchen’ where the naval cook boys were doing the grilling for chicken and mutton.

So while the crowd was elboying for their BBQ share, we were already eating our BBQ.

Initiative of OP75 is surely a recognizable phenomena.

Mood & Malik in Sudang must be smiling while reading this piece.


(6) Not Enough Tables & Chairs
After the pre-drinks we were invited to the dining hall. It was raining almost the whole day of the 17th that the table were hastily set up in the hall instead of the verandah.

Some families were without seats. All the table were occupied except the VIP tables.

Later, chairs were brought into the hall and we were all finaaly seated when we were having the meal. But, of course many of us were standing outside, to chit-chat while eating.


(7) Anak OP Mohd Dan Sudin the Singer
Our OP75 friend, Moh Dan was quite a celebrity that night. But not because he was the singer. His daughter was on stage giving the the traditional Malay numbers before the “Alleycat” copy cat guy went on stage for some Alleycat oldies.

May be I will get a CD or two of her albums....

(8) TTS OP75 at Lumut Nasi Kandar & SMS from Sudan
After the BBQ at the Lumut Base, many of OP75 adjourned to our good old “must have” teh tarik session (TTS) in one of the Nasi Kandar restaurant in Lumut town.

Quite a few of us were there: Admiral Jamilos, Ahmad Thani, Prof Hishamuddin, Husae, Razak Bahaq, Hamdan Taraguna. Aziz Ishak, Ajit Siam, Mahmud Sayuti, Harun (our junior), Hj Shah, Ismail Desa, .. Alamak,, baru semalam..dah mula lupa kawan-kawan yang lain yang hadir... A number of seniors were also there.

While we were noisily (very, very noisy indeed) talking...an sms were received via Harun’s handphone: “SMS from Malik Kang, all the way from Sudang...”

That’s OP75 esprit de corps..... indeed, Malik dan Mood are in Sudang and cannot be with us physically, but are here in spirit....

(9) Ahmad Thani, Prof Hishamuddin, Aziz Ishak & Mrae at Hotel Putra
Ex-Putra at Hotel Putra, get it..???!!
Many hotels were fully booked for the weekend of the OP Lumut Escapade. But imagine at least four of us (OP75) are booked in at Hotel Putra: Aziz Ishak, Ahmad Thani, Prof Hishamuddin and Mrae.

It may be just a co-incidence but think about it: OP75 (ex-Putera) booked in to a hotel named after our alma mater. X-Putera staying in hotel Putra.

Orient Star may be the official OP Lumut Escapade hotel, but Hotel Putra is indeed a hotel with the appropriate name for OP.....!

(10) The Ship Cruise on Board MV Fajar Samudra (Ship for Camp Anak OP)
Admiral Jamil Osman has arranged a wonderful trip round the Pangkor Island onboard MV Fajar Samudra, the naval training vessel/ Lunch was served onboard.

The event capped the 2005 OP Lumut Escapade. I headed hone with my family on out wonderful Innova MPV, stopping by at the restaurant in front of the Tapah mosque. We had dinner of ikan ketutu (hantu), chicken soup and gear box soup, and of course, some rice.

After maghrib jama and qasar prayer together with isyak, we took off for KL and was back home by 11.30 PM.

A tiring weekend holiday at the Lumut Escapade, but a holiday well worth all the effort and time.

Thank you OPA & OP75 friends in Lumut, and not to forget thank you Admiral Jamil Osman for making the cruise and lunch onboard naval training vessel MV Fajar Samudra, a memorable and pleasant experience. (alang bidara - 18/12/2005).