Penang Island as tourists and foreigners know it is the “Pearl of The Orient”. It lies off the coast of Kedah, Malaysia.

Before Malaya (now Malaysia) achieved its independence from the British in 1957, Penang was part of the British Straits Settlement, comprising Singapore, Malacca and Penang itself.

Penang was said to have been founded by Sir Francis Light in 1786, this is 224 years ago.

Approximately 2 years ago, the Penang government came to be controlled by the opposition parties which comprised of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (P.K.R) and the Demokratik Action Party (D.A.P) under the Chief Ministership of Lim Guan Eng, the son of Malaysian Opposition leader, Mr. Lim Kit Siang.

If you should happen to be a student of Malaysian history, without a doubt, you surely would have learnt much about the island of Penang and its various leaders. Leaders, such as mentioned earlier, Englishman Sir Francis Light and of course, the Tunku or “Father Of Malayan Independence” or Bapa Kemerdekaan.

Permit me to elaborate a little bit regarding the Tunku, which incidentally is a princely title in Malaysia. Tengku Abdul Rahman Putra Al Haj (1903 – 1990) was born in Alor Setar, Kedah, The Tunku, later to be known as Bapa Kemerdekaan made this beautiful island his home when he finally retired at the 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia in 1970.

For those who are unaware, the Tunku was visited by a group of young people, led by myself in 1975 and my co-organiser Mr. H.C. Chee, then 2nd dan Tae Kwon Do exponent of the Korean Art of Self Defense and a sweet young lass Cik Faezah. The entourage to Penang Island also included my own wife, Mary Yap.

As the group of youths comprised predominantly of youngsters from the sleepy hollow of Kapar town, Selangor, was made up of both boys and girls, their safety became a headache to the organizers.

With this premise in mind, I felt it is necessary to enlist the assistance of my own wife and Cik Faezah to be responsible for the girls’ safety.

It should be borne in mind too, that Penang in the 1970s was renowned for its “Tai Khor”s. Tai Khors or big brother are like the Mafia groups of Italy. They are said to extort money and confront tourists and visitors to this otherwise peaceful and beautiful island.

Anyway, the group of 50 members made an educational visit to Penang, which was planned for 5 days and 4 nights in 1970’s December, some over 35 years ago.

Luckily, we had our security problem well taken care of by our co-organiser, Mr. Chee and his 15 or so members of the Tae Kwon Do group.

I still recall a big and notorious looking character of our group, a young man by the name of Lee Boon Kwee. He was then no more than 15 or 16 years old. He should now be at least 50 years old today. How fast time has passed.

As I said, our group’s visit to Penang was intended to be an educational tour. The organizer promised its members an interesting visit to Penang. A trip which was to be remembered by them for the rest of their lives.

It was with this in mind, that a decision was made for the group to pay a visit to meet Tengku Abdul Rahman, who by this time had retired from active politics. Tunku was now residing in Penang.

The organizers, in its earlier preparation to visit Penang had written to Straits Times newspaper columnist, Mr. Khor Cheang Kee. Mr. Khor was an extremely well known personality, famous for his Penang Perspective column, which appeared in the 1970s.

Mr. Khor was then attached to the Strait Times newspaper office, I think at MacCallum Street, Penang, was therefore enlisted to assist in the preparation of our itinerary to visit the island.

And you know what? Mr. Khor suggested to our group, a programme so good and interesting, that our visit to Penang was to be one so memorable and to be remembered even up to this day.

What did the famous Penang Perspective columnist suggested? Amongst other things, he suggested our group include everything that’s Penang!

Quoting from a letter I received from Mr. Khor dated 7th June 1975, it was his suggestion that we visit historical places, churches, temples, uniquely structured “kongsi” (clan houses) and not forgetting also its picturesque mansions of the rich.

Bearing this in mind, therefore this group wrote to the Governor of Penang, seeking his permission to visit his official residence, the “Bel Retiro”, situated on top of the famous Penang Hill.

Unfortunately though, due to security restrictions, this request had to be turned down. What a waste?

Allow me to elaborate slightly about this famous architecture mentioned above, whatever the consequences. The Bel Retiro, history has it, was built through arduous and back breaking labour of Indian convict dumped on Malayan soil by the British authorities in the 19th century.

The second interesting itinerary suggested to our group was for us to witness the island’s freedom of worship permitted to the island’s multi racial population. We have inherited this legacy to this day.

It was also suggested that our group should visit Kapitian Kling mosque in Pitt Street, Penang. Also suggested was to visit famous Kuan Yin (Goddess of Mercy) temple.

Not to missed too was the Anglican St. George’s church in Farquhar Street and the famous Catholic Cathedral of the Assumption. So much so, for examples of the freedom of worship which Penang is so renowned for to tourists and foreigners alike, who may wish to pay a visit to the island.

With this article getting even longer, with the passage of time, I am afraid as always, too long an article will contribute to making its readers being bored. It is therefore my suggestion to terminate this article at this juncture.

Rest assured that a continuation of this article will be made at another time and place to talk about other interesting subjects and topics such as architectural sights which Penang Island is capable to provide.

So until we meet again, thank you for taking the trouble to read this blog.

At six and a half years of age, my father enrolled me in school. I remember being brought to primary school with my elder brother, Yap Boo Huat and my cousin brother Boo Say to Anglo Chinese School (A.C.S.) in Jalan Raya Barat, Klang.

While my brother and cousin brother had no trouble being enrolled as students, my registration faced some problems. I in fact was too young, being only 6 ½ years then.

As a young boy, hardly knowing anything, I remember my lorry driver father talking about “coffee” money with the headmaster, a G.S. Arumugam. Thus began my days as a young school boy in A.C.S. Klang.

The above school was one of the earliest school built by the missionary brothers in 1898. My primary school days were to stretch from 1952- 1957. I remember finally sitting for my Standard Six exam in 1957.

During my primary school days, we were staying in Kampung Martin in Jalan Telok Pulai. Kampung Martin was a suitable place for me as a young school boy. I could not have asked for a better place to live in.

The kampung above was filled with mangosteen trees, durian, banana trees, buah sentul and rambutans. You name it, and all the fruits were there.

And all the birds were there too. Kingfishers, magpies, mynah birds, swallows and not forgetting the pipits were all present too. Owls too used to hooting in the middle of the night. As a young boy, this made me very much afraid.

When owls come hooting, my mother used to say, bad omen will befall. Its arrival, it seems, was to announce the possible passing away of some sick person in the kampung community.

I still recall my school badge even today. It was a blue and yellow coloured badge. “Sapienta Potensia Est”, it said. The Latin words meant “Knowledge Is Power”.

For sports activities, I remember being in the Klang or “E” house. Unlike today, the Annual Sports of a school was a grand affair. Other schools from around the Klang district, Kuala Lumpur even, use to participate in the open relay events. It was indeed exciting watching these events, especially the 4 x 400m school relay.

While in Primary One, I still recall my teacher Mrs. Ding very clearly. She was a sweet looking Chinese teacher with short hair. I wonder if she’s still alive today. If she is, I gather she should now be over 90 years old, perhaps.

One other Chinese male teacher, I can never forget is Mr. Ng Yin Woot. I remember, being unable to pay up my school fees every month. Mr. Ng happened to be my class teacher for a number of years. To tell you the truth, this teacher gave me a difficult time while I was in primary school.

He used to demand school fees from me practically every month. I was knocked on the head rather frequently. This made me, as a young boy of 10, fear going to school.

Because of this, I did not go to school the first 5 or 6 days of each month. Until my father was able to pay me the school fees, I would stay away from school.

But my sad days of my primary school days were soon compensated by football. Football became my favorite sports. It was this game, that led me become the football captain in my primary school days at A.C.S., Klang.

I really enjoyed my primary school days playing football in Port Swettenham, and even being brought by my football teachers to Kuala Lumpur. I can still remember playing against well known schools such as Pasar Road School and Methodist Boys School, Kuala Lumpur.

I remember once playing against Vivekananda Primary School. When the Merdeka Stadium was first opened in 1957, I remember playing there too.

My interest in football was actually encouraged by Malaysian footballers like Abdul Ghani, Arthur Koh, Robert Choe, the Pang brothers of Penang, Pang Siang Teck and Pang Siang Hock, Govindaraju and Awang Bakar of Singapore.

In my own district of Klang, football was then a game which many Klang folks relish very much. I still recall teams like Ramblers, R.A.F., a team comprised of army soldiers serving in Malaya in those days. R.A.F’s style of football, which represented the English style of play was so exciting and interesting to watch.

There were other famous local teams in the likes of Dynamos, Shell, Highland Estate, Wah Yew and so forth. Games used to be held at the Klang Padang. And at times, even at our school ground, A.C.S., Klang.

Those times I mentioned above were football non-professional at its best.

While in A.C.S. primary, I still remember my football masters Mr. Kon Thean Soong and Mr. A Singham. Mr. Kon, I was told, left the teaching profession, was said to have struck 2nd prize in the then Social Welfare Lottery Draw. He then went into the printing business, starting Preston Publications in Petaling Jaya.

Later on, Mr. Kon bought over a lot of shares in Guinness Anchor Berhad and became one of its major shareholders. I gather, he must be a multi-millionaire today!

As for Mr. Singham, I have in fact lost touch with this teacher after all these years. But to his advice gave me as a young school boy, words cannot describe how I feel.

All I remember still about Mr. Singham today is how my friends and I used to go to the school canteen behind the A.C.S. primary school to take mee hoon and assorted cold drinks on Mr. Singham’s account.

Being a rather poor school boy, his treats meant a lot to me. To that, Mr. Singham, if you are still around, permit me to extend my thanks to you, sir!

Better late than never, expressing my thanks to you, so they say.

My school days at A.C.S. Primary School should also make mention of another headmaster, Mr. Tan Teik Guan. He was a simple man, not strict at all, but loved by use his students.

I remember Mr. Tan giving us money to go to the canteen, whenever he found us fighting. How old is he now? Is he still around today? I really don’t know.

As this article is getting longer and longer, I feel it’s best that it stops here. If time and opportunity permits, I might go on to relate more of my secondary school days, this time at the A.C.S. Secondary School in Klang later.

Before this article ends, I wish to inform readers that I do not fancy watching football these days. Not the World Cup nor the English Premier League (E.P.L.) which some readers are crazy about.

But that does not mean I do not have a team I like. For your information, the team I like best in the E.P.L. is none other than Tottenham Hotspurs!

By the way, my son-in-law’s team is Liverpool. And my close buddy and friend from Banting town, Mr. Tee Too, his team is Manchester United which Wayne Rooney plays.

And who, you may wish to know, I consider as the best footballer of all times? David Beckham? No, it is Diego Maradona of Argentina!

And who is the best Malaysian footballer of all times? Mokhtar Dahari, of course!

I thought of writing this blog post to do a quick up date on the Driving School Malaysia Blog search result ranking. The last update I did was on the 2nd November 2009 on our blog ranking.

Back then, the blog has just ranked No.1 in Google for the key phrase “driving school Malaysia” if you were searching in the Malaysia region.

Since then, I have always wanted for the blog to rank number 1 for the term “driving school“. Guess what…the blog is now rank number 1 and number 2 in Google for that search term from Malaysia!

If you were to look at the picture above, you’ll see our blog is in position 1 & 2 in Google. The amazing thing is, the blog managed to outranked 39 million other pages in the world!

If you have a blog or a web site of your own, you’ll know it is no easy task to rank number 1 in Google especially when there are over one hundred million other web pages in the search result. It took our blog almost 1 year to get there.

Will it stay number 1 for the months to come?

My guess is, it will. My father has been constantly writing new and high quality articles on the driving school industry in Malaysia. With time, the blog will only get better and better.

‘Written by

Will Yap