Chong Chi Nai and Richard Lim Ngee Hong back in Kuching

The boys had a little get-together in Kuching ... in fact, more than one makan session, I think.

Here are two photos ... maybe more later.

Dinner at Top Spot

(15 is either their table number or the age they would like to be again)

A bigger group gathering for makan the next day

L to R (standing): Richard Lim Ngee Hong, Bob Chew Pok Vun;

(seated) Robert Chin, Chong Chi Nai, Alfred Wong Kah Kung

Welcome back, boys. Visit more often !

Anthony Tiong (Class of 76) Writes ...

Here's a note from a former 76 brother, now living Down Under ...

Dear brothers of class 76,

I know I won't even know more than half of you but that is not the point. It is about the class of '76 ex-Josephians getting together for the mother of all reunions. What can I say to people like James Yong, Benjamin Wong, Robert Chin, Mark Chin and many others to name a few for organising the reunion.  I guess only somebody trained from St Joseph could come up with such a feat.

First, I have to thank Sky Sim Kuan Yang, none other than another class of '76 who is also another resident of Canberra for ringing me up excitely yesterday (7 June 2011 4:50pm) about finding James's blog. What a timing and coincidence - 7/6/ '76. Is there anything significant there?  I have yet to go through the whole blog and already I am finding heaps of treasures one of which is all your email addresses.  I also realise that some of us have decided to leave us early and to them, I shall say, we will meet again in the second life.

Yes, we were not there but it is never never too late to turn up for the roll call, so "Greetings from Canberra, Australia - Class '76)!"

Please feel free to drop me a line and if I could response in enough short tome, please accept my apology.

Best regards,

Anthony Tiong

Form 5 Arts 1 - '76

Canberra, Australia

anthony.tiong@bigpond.com

Mini Reunion

Another mini reunion of boys from Form 5 in 1976.

I don't have much time to write at this point, so just posting the photos first. I will edit the text later later. But feel free to post comments anytime ...

Photo 1

Photo 2

Wee Ek Hock comes Home

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Our friend and fellow Josephian, Wee Ek Hock (Form 5Arts2, 1976) is back in Kuching for a short break. He and his family have been living in New Zealand for a number of years.

These are some photos of a welcome dinner with the boys at Sea Good Restaurant.

Pic 1: Wee Ek Hock & Sim Kee How

Pic 2: Robert Chin, Norbert Liew & <to be identified>

Pic 3: Jude Jong & Robert

Pic 4: Anthony Chung and Edward Chin

Pic 5: Tan Kia Kim

Video (taken by Ben Wong) at the dinner

Pic 6: Waiting for session at Thien Jing Reflexology

Fig 7: Waiting for their turn

For a photo from a long, long time ago, showing Ek Hock and some others, click on THIS.

xxxx

K B Law in Kuching

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This morning, the boys of Form 5 (1976) had another welcome breakfast for one of their cohort - can you guess who it was? Look at the photo below without reading the names and see if you recognise them..

Standing: Robert Chin, Bob Chew, Jude Jong

Seated: Sim Kee How, Law Kok Beng, Peter Ngiam Tie Fen, Mark Chin

I asked Bob to relate the events that led to this happy reunion. Here is his reply.

"Hi  James,

I  was  wandering  around  the  Boulevard  Shopping  Complex  trying  to buy a pair of jeans when  i  suddenly  bumped  into  surprise,  surprise , Law Kok Beng !  The  last time  I , like  most of us , saw  him  was in Form 5  Science in  1976. That was  35  years  ago.   I remember  him as  the  quiet type,  the   intellectual  sort,  whose  favourite subject was mathematics .  He could  figure out sine/cosine faster than we could say  hi.

I said, "Are you Law Kok Beng?"  He  just stared  at  me . " I  am  Chew  Pok Vun," I  added. He continued  staring  at  me .  After  a  while,  it all  flashed back.   The  short  encounter ended  with me promising to arrange   for a breakfast  meet   which  happened  today  at Fu Yu  kopitiam, Sekama. The  venue is right behind his father's  house.

Kok Beng  looks not much  different  from his  school days  except  with a few  grey hairs on the side.  He  got  baby smooth skin   making  him  look younger  than his age . He is back on holidays visiting  his  91 yr old papa  at Jln William  Tan and who is still an active traveller .

Kok  Beng  now  lives in Melbourne  with his  wife (also from Kch)  and  3  sons  aged  19, 16 and 14. He  has been  there  for  the  past 21 years residing  in the  suburb of Rowville, next to Ferntree Gully.  He works as an IT  consultant  for  an  Australian company.

Our  next  meeting  with Kok Beng will be  lunch  at 1230pm on Wed., 19 Jan  at the  S'wak Club.  Pls  call  Bob 013 8020620 if you  like to  join in.  Kok Beng's  email  is  beng.law@gmail.com  for  those  who  want to touch base  with him."

Thanks Bob. That was a great narrative. Our old English teacher, Bro Adrian would be proud of you :)

Then & Now

We haven't done a "then & now" for a while, so I thought I'd include this to give you a sense of what has changed and what has stayed the same ...

Enjoy and comment !

One more thing ... if you want to see a really, really old photo of Kok Beng and some of these guys, click on THIS.

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Condolences to Chris Sim Kay Guan

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Deepest condolences to our friend Christopher Sim Kay Guan (Form 5Sc, 1976) on the passing of his beloved father early this morning.

Our thoughts are with you and your family at this difficult time.


May he rest in peace.
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