I went (for the first time after leaving DJ three years ago) to the Majlis Penyerahan dan Penerimaan Tugas 2008 for Prefects (Prefects Handing-over Ceremony) which was held last week at DJ’s Pavilion.

I miss the old school days. So fun.

Some pictures:

Five generations of DJ Head Prefects. From left: Ern Sheong (04/05), John Lee (05/06), Sher Rin (06/07), Ming Ping (07/08) and the newly-installed Head Prefect, Zhu Chuen (08/09)

Hey what’s this? (At the back of the DJ Hall)

I’m surprised. They got the name wrong, again. So I’m No. 20. Nice. I was born on the 20th too!

Ex-DJ Prefects at the makan table.

Well quite recently some third bus(es) and idiot(s) burned the hall stage and a classroom in Block D. I’ll show some pictures here to show the damage.

DJ Hall mayhem. What a disgrace.

Block D Apocalypse.

More pictures can be found in Suh Ming’s Blog (Asst. Head Pref 05/06)

To be blunt, I think that there is a problem with the school administration (especially the one at the most top). This never happened at all during Puan Lee’s administration, i.e. during my senior years in DJ. Change of school leadership needed perhaps?

In the meantime, to all the DJians out there who are planning to do some more damage to the school, you are stupid if you think that by doing all this you are rebelling against the school leadership. In actual fact, you are actually damaging the school’s 25 years of reputation of excellence and you are not doing the school any favor by doing this. There are proper channels like blog reactions and writing to the newspapers if you are not happy with the school administration (or with the single person who is at the helm of the school right now).

I would like to call for the unity of those in DJ right now to continue to uphold the school and shine in all the inter-school and national events. And yeah, do support the school administration in all that they are doing, no matter how you feel about their decisions and actions. This is not the first time something in DJ was burned. It’s just another black mark so move on and do what DJians are respected for, i.e. being among the best of the best in Petaling Jaya and some say the whole Malaysia. At the end of the day, while the teachers are undoubtedly important, it is the students that dictate the success of the school. So throw away all the negative stuff and press on toward excellence in your secondary school lives.

To the DJ Head Prefect and his core team (Morning and Afternoon session):
An important message to the current Prefects is to be sensitive and listen, especially the Head Prefect and his inner circle. Don’t appear to be aloof. Go down there and meet the students, make friends with all of them, and I mean all, regardless of class ranking and race, and not just the Prefects. The Head Prefect label is actually inaccurate and should actually be Ketua Pelajar or Head Student or something. You are not just the Head of the Prefects, but of all the students in DJ. (Bear in mind that giving speeches and reading the ikrar, i.e. being a symbol is not your job. You should be proactive, progressive and productive in your duties, and your job can be anything that makes the Prefects more efficient and the students of DJ more respectable.) I can say that it is a personal challenge, because there are so many ways to improve such that in the past I was extremely excited because there were too many possibilities of improvement. Take the initiative. Go the extra mile. It is never a one man job. It is always the team, though I must say that nothing would happen if you do not drive them to happen. You need to mobilise your team and act quickly. One year is pretty short.

To all DJ Prefects:
During my time I found it easy to “control” the “problematic” people because (I believe) they were treated as friends with respect. Also learn the art of persuasion with courtesy. Once you gain the students’ respect, and you treat them as team players, I can dare say that they would not do anything stupid because you have created in them the sense of purpose that they see you do passionately everyday, i.e. to uphold the school discipline and to do the best for the benefit of the school. Seeing your commitment to that may lead them to think twice before doing stupid things. As I said, DJ is a team, and Prefects must see beyond the discipline stuff and realise that they are indeed student leaders of the school tasked with the unenviable job of uniting the school and create that sense of pride among the students of the school. Don’t be proud and don’t allow the perception that you are arrogant Prefects to seep in among the students (though it inevitable happens lah, as some people just hate Prefects. But if you can win the respect of your enemies, you’ve made it. It’s not impossible. Be sensitive to the needs of the students. Serve them.) Service is what we are talking about. Be relentless in keeping the school rules enforced. Have no compromise on that. Be strict and courteous at the same time. It can work. Use your personal magic to be a great student leaders whom all can respect. I think the Prefects in DJ today have a very challenging year ahead to unite the school and foster esprit de corp among the students once again. All the best to you current DJ Prefects.

If those of you who damaged the school don’t read English, then read this:
Janganlah rosakkan reputasi sekolah kita. Apa yang anda buat it tidak bertanggungjawab and hanya menunjukkan bahawa anda langsung tidak matang. Sekolah tidak pernah berbuat salah terhadap anda, hanya individu-individu yang berkuasa buat sementara waktu yang mungkin telah menyebabkan anda marah. Tetapi janganlah merosakkan sekolah oleh sebab mereka. Mencalar mereka dengan merosakkan harta benda sekolah tidak akan mengubah apa-apa, dan hanya akan menjatuhkan nama sekolah. Nama sekolah itu perlulah disanjung. Jangan buat perkara bodoh.