1/12/2025 MY POLITICAL GRAPS STARTING POINT .... 1980

I joined UKM around July 1979 after finishing my Matriculation at SMSAH Jitra, Kedah. Having the lecture at Science Faculty at Pantai Baru Branch Campus and stayed at Section 17/1

Petaling Jaya, lives in those days were very interesting. Students' social lives were very liberal and in some way could just end lots of us to nothing. Early morning I need to take the bus to the Pantai Campus and stayed until late noon. In 1980 I joined the ROTU program - a military training program equivalent to the USA ROTC, and was given high priority to stay at Pantai Campus Hostel, and thereon start mingling with broader UKM communities at the Bangi Main Campus. Campus politic then was very tense. Majority of the students were anti-establishment whom were linked to Anwar Ibrahim whom then was the ABIM President. In those days Anwar was championing on poverty issue which was a subject so close to the students movement. Anwar got strong support from PAS whom was in serious political head logging with UMNO. Anwar then was the students idiolatic hero for poverty and Islamic courses. But I was never been convinced due to his rhetoric approach in promoting his idealism.

(2)    During my first year course, I was a bit indifferent about UMNO-PAS-ABIM political chaotic out there. My focus then was on how to survive in view I had no body to rely on for my financial support. Alhamdullillah, thanks God, the ROTU had helped me a lot not only in term of financial standing but my sphere of socialization. ROTU in a sense was my the best "guru" 

for my survival game, strategic thinking and political in road later. ROTU had awaken the "leadership talent hidden in me then". I would say, the ROTU had polished my inferiority attitude and walk tall as an officer as thought by the military cadet discipline - the ROTU trainers used to shouted into my head: "You are a bloody Officer, and you must act an Officer". I picked those challenge fast and that where my talent began to shine out. I was spotted by some seniors and there and then I was recruited into the campus political movement. I read the history of UKM, it was not an easy work by - Razak Hussein and Rahman Yaakub. The objectives of the UKM establishment were noble and I wanted to place myself into such a struggle. Being active in Campus politic to me is my first best choice to lead me to where I shall be far ahead.

(3)    A senior by the name of Shamsuri Syono coited me, and dragged me into joining the TSB group - Tindakan Siswa Bersatu, a group of students caucus to counter  another group called ATMA - Angkatan Tindakan Mahasiwa. TSB then turned poxy of UMNO and ATMA the proxy of PAS and ABIM. Indeed DAP was also dragged into the Campus politic then through the Chinese students proxy. UKM students then were politically divided into Pro UMNO, mostly the Malays students from the West, South and Sabah-Sarawak regions, Pro PAS-ABIM whom were mostly among the Malay students from the East Coast. The Chinese and Indian students were mostly allianced to the DAP ideology - every Malaysia is equal. I could feel, the students then were engrossed into triangular social polemic and strongly linked to self-race interest. People then seem to see nationalism from the racialism perspective.  With this type of political environment, I took such opportunity as my socialization training ground. 

(4)    Nonetheless to be broadly accepted by the UKM communities then, as well as in 1982 I was elected the Sarawak students society President, so as small community, I need lots of supports to some of our struggles and interests. I must allianced myself and the Sarawak students society to the establishment side. Being a Sarawakian with a much dynamic social structure, I would say I personally I developed myself to be a person suited for Sarawak course but within the broader nationalism spices blend. Personally I was then having no ambition to be politician as most of my Malayan colleaques despite I was close to some influential political figures from Sarawak. Partly may be due to my academic field - science-based with very less exposure on our social backwardness. 

(5)    In 1982 I move over to the UKM Bangi Main Campus. I was then in my third year course. Being a senior in the ROTU program, commisioned as the Army Second Lieutenant Officer,  and as as the Sarawak Students Union President as well as ex-Pantai College Welfare Exco, immediately I was caught by Rahman Bakar, Datuk (tinted black shirt), the TSB chairman in Bangi. Rahman was a Trengganu guy, and upon graduation in 1983 he entered into active politic. His interest in politic was glaring even during his student day. I joined him to campaign in Kuala Trengganu byelection in 1982 which then linked me to Aziz Shamsuddin of Mahathir PolSec Head. In his first term bit as the MP, he was indeed a giant killer to Hadi Awang for Marang. He also exposed me to lots of UMNO big men. I was active in helping to raise fund for TSB then.

(6)    I was invited to attend the First TSB Reunion on last 1 Dec., 2025 at Pusanika UKM. Standing to my right is Hj Jamal whom used to be the HEP Officer then. As Sarawak Students Union President, I owned him a lots. He helped me with lots of logistic supports for our PEMESRA out of the Campus activities. He was among those strong and pioneers in establishing the TSB in 1980. Sitting to the left was my junior Muhammad Husein, Datuk Prof and we work hard to sustain the TSB struggle beyond 1984. To this days, we still be together despite we are far apart. With Muhammad Hussein, we are going to do some strategic move for the good of the nation into

the future; In Shaa Allah. When I was serving the LCDA, Sarawak GLC, Mohammad Hussein helped me by providing hostel facilities to those staffs that I sent to do Post Grad Study in UKM. 

(7)    I was also happy for reason I was able to meet Rais Zainuddin, Datuk Seri (standing in the middle) the founder of the TSB then. Rais due to his close association to the UMNO big men, he made himself into one of the Negeri Sembilan political big boys circle. I never met him before, but at this reunion,  I told him that in 1980 he made Shamsyuri Syono to get hold of me and then I turned as one of the hardcore TSB ever since.  Probably, I was the only Sarawak students then whom was very much as my Sarawak colleagues used to say "the most Malayan Sarawakian". Not only that, I was ever willing to stay back for a year 83/84 just to reorganize the TSB whom failed badly in the 82/83 UKM Students' Election. I withdrew my thesis which indeed had been completed and work to secure another year scholarship from the Sarawak Foundation. the whole of 83/84 period I was free to move around to key local Universities to help BTN then to reorganize all the pro-establishment students associations to crush all those opposition-proxies groups. Standing to the far right was my contemporary Fuad Jali, Prof. In 1983-84, we used to work to late night doing all sort of "nonsense" campus political activities.

(7)    At UKM Bangi Campus, most of the ROTUs were homed at Kamsis A, now known as College Rahim Kajai for ease of the ROTU weekly activities. Since I was already a commissioned officer, my weekly activities were very much reduced so much so I was placed at Kamsi F far inward on the hill top closer to the Sciences Faculty. But due to my close association with colleagues from the Economic and Social Sciences Faculty, so I used to squat with them at Kamsis A. In those days, Akhbar Satar, Datuk Seri (white shirt sitting to my right) was the Kamsis A YDP Welfare Committee. He was also one of those later be my contemporary in the TSB group. I became very close to him due to my ability to speak fluent UK-Kelantanese dialect. Indeed TSB and ROTU of UKM had given birth to lots of great people. In Malaya their up rising were very much facilitated by the after-student era linked to the UMNO echelons. In Sarawak, I was left alone to swim across the seas and rivers and my going easy of my thereon life made me three years junior in term of my governmental services even compared to my contemporary Sarawakian colleagues.

(8)    In this reunion, I was given a chance to say my piece. Apart from those nostalgic students days political refreshing, my key points for our TSB to work on is on how to instill our eroding fighting spirit into today UKM younger generations hearts and minds. But most profound, I suggested that our nationalism spirit must evolve, be nurtured and sustained as an inclusive ever green struggle of true federalism perspective.  UKM carries the term "national" so much so, UKM must work to bring and instill the genuine Malaysian federalism nationalism spirit into the whole nation souls.

Sekalong penghargaan kepada semua rakan-rakan yang telah sama-sama meniti ke alam kedewasaan dalam membina negara Malaysia majmuk permai.

Kuching, Sarawak

3 Dec., 2025

Footnote:

I had promised myself of not taking the 2030 hrs AirAsia flight, but since I started the day around 0430 hrs, I forgot about my promised. So much so, at this trip, for the last four consecutives trips that I had made, the flight had been facing delayed till 22:50 hrs. What is the reason? Is AirAsia so hungry to trick passenger to buy the "Flight Delayed Insurance"?