Posting this here not because I want to boast, but because I put in so much heart in writing this, just for it to be translated and thus, transformed into a piece that I am then unable to be proud to call my own. I am frustrated, but this is the piece that I share with you that is the way my kata alu-aluan should've been in the school magazine. 

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If 5 years ago, you told me that I would be the head prefect of my high school, I would've shook my head and laughed at you; because 5 years ago, I wasn’t anything close to who I am today.There I was, a little kid, terrified of the thought of heading to secondary school, to a new environment with new people. A few years back when I was in the final year of primary school, I was placed in a neighboring school known to be one of the best schools in Malaysia. Some of my peers congratulated me, some gave me high fives, while there were even some green with envy and wished they were in my place instead.

A week before 2010 rolled around, I decided to transfer to SMK Sri Permata.

Some people may think I’m crazy, or absolutely out of my mind to do such a thing, and truth be told, even I used to sit and wonder if I had made the wrong decision.

5 years down the road, and now I know I hadn’t.

While others put up a great fight to be enrolled in elite schools known to be garnered with much status and prestige, I chose to study here in the humble grounds of SMK Sri Permata. Truth be told, I believe that it doesn’t matter where we are - what matters most is that we make the best of what we have. And that is what I did here in SMK Sri Permata.

It has been such honour to be given the privilege of being the Head Prefect of 2013/2014. Of course, I have to admit that this journey wasn’t all a bed of roses, as nothing really is, but here’s the thing: Becoming a prefect slowly, but surely built up my confidence to speak up. It taught me how to work together with people, and eventually, how to lead and it brought out the best in me, capabilities that I wasn’t aware that I had. It gave me an experience that I will never forget down the road in the years to come, and I have so many people to thank for that.

First of all, to the teachers of SMK Sri Permata, thank you for choosing me and giving me the honour of serving as the head prefect of this school. Every advice, instruction and reprimand all came together in molding and shaping me, as well as the Prefectorial Board to what we are today, and in the never-ending journey of improving ourselves to become better individuals.

To my dearest Prefectorial Board, words cannot describe how grateful I am to be able to lead this group of amazing people. I am so incredibly blessed for my committee - the group of peoplewho not only cheered me on as I ran this race, but ran alongside me in this journey, picked me up when I was down, brushed away my tears as I went through my one too many failures, and stood as my pillar of strength in every stumbling block. Being in this board was so much more than simply being a prefect – it was being in a family with the people I love and have come to love. Thank you for giving me the best memories in the past 5 years of my life, for I am forever grateful for that.

To the Editorial Board of SMK Sri Permata, a huge thank you and congratulations once again on successfully creating this masterpiece that is sure to hold the memories of each and every student here in Sri Permata. It’s been great honour to be a part of this team and I have to thank Celine Tey Ee Ween; the Editor as well as my best friend, and her Sub-Editor, Siti Nur Safura. It’s been a painful and difficult journey, conflicts and tribulations a part of it; but you’ve succeeded, so kudos to you for that!

As this chapter of our lives slowly comes to an end, a new one unfolds differently for each and every one of us. No matterwhere the future may bring us, or what it may hold, let us never forget SMK Sri Permata for all that it has done for us.

Thank you.