How I became the 16th "Penyelidik" in 2013 ...

I spent a whole day at the Arkib Negara, Jalan Duta on 4 January 2013 and to my surprise, Arkib Negara had been kind enough to conferred the title of "Penyelidik" ... This is big a title for me to shoulder and I would ensure I will come again to "selidik" at the Arkib Negara ... How did I become a "Penyelidik"? This was what actually happened .. I went to the Arkib Negara to do some research related to work - something about the mass illegal strike staged at my current work place way back in 1979 (I was still in Form 4 at that time). As I approached the guard post of the Arkib Negara, I stopped and got a pass in exchange of my identity card. The guard asked me "Encik nak buat penyelidikan ke?" I answered with a simple "Ya, saya nak pergi ke Dewan Penyelidikan". The guard then mentioned about I would be given a "Pas Penyelidik" to which I just nodded my head ... When I reached the counter at the Dewan Penyelidikan, I was asked to fill in a Form and my name was registered and voila!!!! in not even half an hour after I entered the Arkib Negara I was appointed and given a pass with my name and the title "PENYELIDIK" and it's in Capital Letters as if affirming "look here guys!!! This guy is the "Penyelidik" and do not mess around!!" Upon cursory look at the Pass, I noticed that my "nombor pendaftaran" is 00016/2013 so I assumed I am the 16th "Penyelidik" honourably appointed by the Arkib Negara in 2013. Not bad though not able to be in the top 10 though ..... I went into the "Dewan Penyelidikan' and asked for the Sraits Time (S'pore), the NST and the Star newspapers for the year 1979 from the months of February until April of that year .... I managed to find what I looked for but two (2) news in 1979 during those months really caught my eyes, apart from the Iranian Revolution when Khomeini was back to Iran from his exiled conutry, France and the fall of Idi Amin of Uganda .... The two (2) news were: The Star dated 7 March 1979 had a headline read as "Students on Rampage" ... This is news to me. It states that 1,500 students of Sekolah Menengah Maxwell, Kuala Lumpur went on rampage during the 7.30 AM school assembly when their suspended Head Master bid them "farewell". Apparently, the HM Mr. P. Nadarajah was suspended on alleged of 3 charges of falsifying documents in relation to the salary claims of three teachers. The 1, 500 students refused to go to their class rooms and shouted in unison "We want Nadarajah" for 2 hours. Some of them apart from shouting were reported to go on rampage, banging the doors and furnitures as well as scribbling messages on the wall with 50 teachers watched helplessly. It was also reported that the Head Master left hurriedly soon after with the acting Head Mistress, Madam Jeanette Lim locked herself in school. On 8 March 1979, the STAR reported again as its headline which read as "Maxwell pupils back in class" but not before they booed the Ministry of Education Officer, one Encik Mohamad Diah who gave them a "ceramah perdana" at the morning school assembly. Was Madam Jeanette there? Yup she was ... I cared not to copy down the details as the news on 7 March 1979 is a real news to me compared to the 8 March 1979 report. Slightly more than a month later, The Star on 20 April 1979 reported that "450 Students of MARA Vocational Institute at the Kampung Pandan campus, Kuala Lumpur demonstrated over strict disciplinary rules in force in their campus. They were against the strict ruling of the campus administration in only allowing them to go out twice a week and to be back at the campus by 6.30 PM. In their mass protest they locked out the campus for more than 5 hours by shutting the main gate from 5.30 AM. On 26 April 1979, the Star reported "MARA College closes down" and again I did not copy down the details as it is not news material and it was an "easy way out" .... There you are the early months of 1979 were an eventful months with lots of manifestation of emotion or a manifestation of support and/or protest by students as young as in the secondary school right up to college students and not to mention those in Iran ..... It was really a busy first day for a first time "Penyelidik" for me and I promise Arkib Negara this .... Your "Penyelidik" will come again - this time I have to take a few days leave - to "selidik" the history, the cause and pattern of manifestation of one's or a group's emotion in Malaya/Malaysia .... Till we meet again ....