Greetings from Teo Eng Seng

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2010 GREETINGS TO ALL.
It's almost a year since we last met during our get together dinner early this year. Time flies, but we really appreciate the tireless effort taken by Kong Chuan and group for keeping us informed through GESLABUAN.
GESLABUAN has been able to keep us updated with our latest development wherever we are. Thank you GESLABUAN
My family and I would like to take this golden opportunity to greet all our teachers, classmates, schoolmates and friends wherever you are a VERY HAPPY AND PROSEROUS NEW YEAR 2010.
Cheers,
Teo Eng Seng.
http://www.Teo-Education.Com/

Seasons Greetings from Yong-Eng Han

Hello Kong Chuan,

Thanks so much for your great and interesting holiday greetings. Besides, I really appreciate for keeping me informed with all the updated news and activities of the GES 5th Formers Science of Class 1972.

I wish all of you and your families a Joyful Christmas and a very Healthy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

"HAPPY HOLIDAYS!"

Yong-Eng

Year end message from the Hovermans

Dear Class of 1972,

Now that a year has passed, another really. Suzanne and I reflect on the gathering with great affection. It represents a benchmark in our lives that increases in importance as time progresses. So please have a wonderful end of year break and give pause for a thought on how much enjoyment you have provided by turning out to be such a great collection of individuals.

Cheers

Suzanne and Stuart Hoverman

GREETINGS FROM GESLABUAN

We are approaching the end of 2009 ...... the year we had our 1st get-together dinner in Labuan ..... and naturally its holiday time for many of us. On behalf of the 5th Formers Science of 1972, I forward to you all the following greetings.

Thank You Mr Chia for being Host

I was in KK for a short visit with 2 of my family members and met up with Mr & Mrs Chia Chin Koi on 14 Oct 2009 morning. That was the 1st time I met Mr Chia after I left GES in 1972. Wow...37 years later. Called Kim Poh for breakfast together but he was as usual busy. We had dinner together and Kim Poh was able to make it. That was a nice dinner at the Welcome Seafood Restaurant in Bundusan Penampang and thank you very much to Mr & Mrs Chia for being the Hosts that evening.

Cheers

Kong Chuan

A joyful gathering !

Hi Richard and Lay Kiong,
It is indeed a memoriable meeting with you all yesterday noon in Labuan. Through it was short time, my wife and I still find it enjoyable and friendly to have met and talked with you.
All I saw yesterday remain the same feathures except the phyical changes like ages and styles of life. All of you have grown up and are matured already. Now , please care about a bit of health and you will be alright then !
Richard, I must say sorry for this sudden acquaintance but I still appreciate your whole kindness in getting all your friends (my ex-students) to meet me and talk to me on that afternoon. I'll go again next day this time staying there longer ! My wife and I thankyou for your hospitality rendered to us. Please convey my regards to Robert, Ang, Woo S H for their kind prsence, through it is brief ! Any one of you who happens to come to KK, please contact me and I am only too pleaased to meet you.

Cheers in life all,
chia c k

Hi Mr. Chia
Nice talking to you again (on the phone) after sooo.. many years. Sorry I was out-station attending to an urgent matter.
As everybody agrees, you ought to come to Labuan for a longer period of time. We must have a proper dinner together.
Cheers
Kong Chuan

Mr. Chia Chin Koi's Visit to Labuan

Hi Mr. Chia,
It was indeed a great pleasure for us to meet up with you
yesterday in Labuan after almost 40 years !!!).
Sincere apology from the other students who couldn't make it
due to their prior commitment and short notice. We do hope that
you and your family had a fruitful short stay while in Labuan.
Now that we are reconnected, we look forward to your "longer" next visit;
so that we can inform the rest and plan for some time together.

Cheers, take care & God bless.

richard

What about Climbing Mt. Kinabalu????

Its been quite a while that I had not put up any new posting here. And I also realised that there are more than a thousand visits to this site. Thanks for the support.
On 14 May 2009 I bumped into Leong Tiam during lunch hour in the same shop in town. We had a short conversation and we tossed the idea of organizing a Mt Kinabalu Climb for our 5th Formers Science of 1972. We agreed that was a good idea and Leong Tiam suggested Chin Kian and Sim How are 2 good fellas who can do this organizing job and this I agreed too. Hope our other classmates are in favour of this proposed event and of course we welcome more ideas and suggestions which I hope will eventually end up in a preliminary meeting to formalize this proposal and from there other details will ensue.
So Cheers to all of you. And keep fit and healthy always.
Kong Chuan

LETS PUT SIPADAN ISLAND INTO THE NEW 7 WONDERS OF THE WORLD ON NATURE

My Dear Friends

We have a special request from Clement Lee who has put in lots of effort promoting Sipadan to the world nature lovers and he has the following message to all of us who can play an important part to put Sipadan into the 7TH WONDER OF THE WORLD ON NATURE.  Read his message and cast your vote at this site 

http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/vote_on_nominees/

I have submitted my vote ......... please submit yours. Every single vote is crucial.

            

My Dear friends, Friends of Sabah, Friends of Malaysia:

I am writing to you to inform you that Sipadan, the very special unique and equal to none majestic island in the south eastern coast of Sabah is entering its final round to be listed as the 7th Wonder of The World on Nature.

A lot of you have been to this very magnificent and special island, and have seen the swimming swirling tornado formation of Barracuda, the thousands of silver jack fish, the giant size parrot fish and of course the ever obliging turtles and  many others such as sharks, tuna, ray etc. you name it !

The late Captain Jacques Cousteou made a famous quote  in 1988 and I quote " I have seen Sipadan some 40 years ago but no more but now I have found an"untouched piece of Art"  unquote.

With this absolute once in a life time chance  of getting Sipadan into 7th Wonder of the World on Nature, I respectfully request all of you, my friends, my personal friends, friends of Sabah, friends of Malaysia and most important of all Friends of Sipadan Island to join me to cast the vote to support Sipadan as 7th Wonder of the World on Nature and thrust into History when one unique feature from Sabah and Malaysia is world recognised.

In so doing you are endorsing the underwater protection  for this island and that 40 years, 400 years from now our generation can still dive and swim with pride to see the schooling Barracuda, jack fish, giant parrot fish etc and say " my great great grandfather cast the vote and make this happen for us to see". Sipadan will remain as an Art in the late Capt Jacques Cousteou quote.

Please kindly distribute this emails to all your friends, your contacts, you associates, your collegues, and who ever you think has a special spot in his heart  for SIPADAN.

I thank you , thank all of you for the friendship, the support and most important of all, I know I am not alone in this sentiment in protecting the Sipadan environment.

Please use the following links to cast your vote:

 http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/vote_on_nominees/

Thank you all.. 

Regards 

Clement Lee

Managing Director

Borneo Divers

9th floor, Menara Jubili

53, Jalan Gaya, 88000

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

Tel: (60) 88 222 226

Fax: (60) 88 221 550

Web: www.borneodivers.info

Email:clement@borneodivers.info;  nylee@pc.jaring.my

Cell phone : (60) 13 881 9989

                      (60) 12 803 9989

Skype: clementlee1952        

MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES

We express our deepest sympathies and heartfelt condolences 

to  Mr. Ian Griffiths & his family on the recent demise of his/their 

Beloved Mother.

Our sincere thoughts and prayers are with you.

From : 

GES Labuan Fifth Formers Science of 1972

HELLO AGAIN FROM IAN GRIFFITHS

Hi Kong Chuan et al

Sorry I am late in writing. My Mum passed away early in February and I was in Brisbane for a month away from Cairns. 

Please let everyone know on the blog. I am now back teaching in Cairns. Thanks again for the photos and the blog.

Joy and I have great memories of the reunion!

THANKS AGAIN ALL

Ian and Joy

March 04, 2009

Mr Chia Chin Koi is keeping in touch with us

Following are some e-mails between Mr. Chia and Richard Liau:
Hi Richard,
Just to say hello to you after we left each other in 1971!
We have not met each other for the past forty years!
Omar, Samsuddin and Said Basman met me the other day in KK and we chatted about you and he sent me your blogsite and I manage to look through some of your photos and up materials. Well, interesting and informative indeed! I really missed the dinner on the 11 Jan 2009 and hope I should join you should there be another one in the coming year!
I have met Chew Bee Koh and Edward Poh too who spent me and my wife a spendid dinner in KK.
Perhaps, you would be wondering who I am! Sorry!
I am Chia C Koi, originally from Sandakan; I was transferred to GES in 1967 till 1971.
Please contact me when you are in KK for a cup of coffee then !
Live with cheers,
chia c koi
Feb 27, 2009

Dear Mr Chia,
Greetings from Labuan.
It's so nice and such a great pleasure to hear from you again after almost 40 years!
Of course I remember you very well, Mr. Chia, you were teaching us Maths and in 1969 took us "hitch-hiked" round Labuan Island where we had so much fun and learnt much survival skill from you then.
Thank you for everything.
We were very disappointed when informed by Bee Koh that you were unable to join us for the dinner on 11 Jan 2009 due to last minute clash in your schedule.
Nevertheless, we definitely look forward to meet up with you again in our next gathering in future.
The gathering was indeed memorable to us all; we had fun and delighted to be able to meet/catch up with so many familiar faces after such a long duration........ 37 years!!!
In case you happen to come over to Labuan, please do let us know so that we can arrange to meet up with you. (Dinner will be on us, hahaha!). (P/S: my h/p #: 019-8820401).
Meanwhile, appreciate if you can also let me have your h/p contact so that we can look you up next time when we are in K.K.
Cheers for now & God bless.
Best Regards to you & your family,
richard liau
Feb 28, 2009

Hi Richard,
My old memories come back when I look through the list of names in your email and your website geslabuan.blogspot.com; one by one those childhood faces float up in front of me, recalling our good time together in learning and playing.
Samsuddin asked me the other day: “Sir, why didn’t you smile when you were teaching us? Now you smile a lot! "
The answer is simple: now I am retired, no pressure from Headmaster so relax. In those days, we as teachers got to watch our steps or else a fall would decide our future.
My family and I are now residing in KK at (address & tels. had been e-mailed to all of you by Richard Liau)
E-mail address: tanbanan82@yahoo.com
Now I have your contact; I'll contact you and others when I happen to visit Labuan.
I'll make a point that my family and I would join your next gathering.
I love to meet all of you. Any one of you who happens to be in KK, please don’t hesitate to call me and I love having a cup of coffee or teh tarik with him/her.
Live in cheers, Richard,
Chia c k
Feb 28, 2009

Another message from the Torvis

Hello Kong Chuan,
Yes we are at home and yes we received the CD's that you sent. Pleaseaccept my apologies for not emailing you sooner. I thought I had emailed you but obviously I was confused.We arrived home on January 31st and it was about a week before we felt really adjusted to this time zone. The CD's arrived soon after we did,so I was able to take Mary's to her in Toronto along with other gifts for her.My mother and other members of my family live in Toronto, but we had never met Mary face to face although I had spoken with her on the phone and by email. Mary left Labuan just before Gerry and I arrived there. While I was visiting Toronto, from Feb 8 to 11, Mary came to my mother's home. We had a lovely visit and looked at the pictures along with some other pictures that we took during the trip. My family -two brothers, two sisters-in-law, my older daughter- also enjoyed meeting Mary; so we can also thank our Labuan students for giving us the opportunity to get to know her. It is interesting, isn't it, that although Mary and I come from the same city in Canada, it was our experience in Labuan that brought us together.I am now back at home (Pembroke is about 300 kilometres from Toronto), looking out my window at fresh snow which came down last night. It looks beautiful- quite a contrast to the warm, bright sights of Sabah. Thanks for helping us to keep our memories alive with the pictures you sent.
Warm regards,
Lee and Gerry Torvi
19 Feb 2009

Feeling homesick for Sabah

Hello all,
Gerry and I are back in Canada now. We have been home for 5 days now and the fog of jet lag is starting to lift. However, we still feel as if we have been living a dream. Our time in Sabah and in Labuan in particular was magical. It has reconnected us with people (you) and with places that are important to us, and now we feel homesick -homesick for Labuan. I know now that our goodbyes were not permanent. Labuan will draw us back. After the reunion, we stayed in KK for a while with Chiew Bee Koh from the 73 class and met a few students from that time. We also visited Tenom and marveled at the beautiful gardens at the agriculture station there. Later we stayed with a couple of Canadians (one is a Sabahan-Canadian) in Papar and celebrated Chinese New Year with their family. Our final few days were spent in Labuan. It felt right to end our holiday where it started and where our life in Malaysia started. Tonight we watched the DVD we were given of the Five Science '71reunion in 2007. There were certainly poignant moments for us watching that celebration, but also lots of laughs. I'm glad we got to be part of it. Of course we are going through pictures of this reunion and talking about all the wonderful times we had. Next week I am going to visit Toronto and I have arranged to get together with Mary Corkery on Tuesday evening. I'll give her your gifts, and I also have lots of pictures and stories to share with her. I will tell her how wonderful it was to see all of you. We cannot thank you enough. We miss you and think of you often. I look forward to the news that one or some of you plan a visit to Canada. (But don't come in winter. The temperature has 'warmed up' to -15C right now! You probably wouldn't like it.) I think an August or September visit would suit you. We could show you the beautiful autumn colours and take you to see some of the sights in Ontario.
Much love to you all,
Lee and Gerry Torvi

Ng Leng wrote .............

Sun, Feb 8, 2009 at 12:40 PM

Kong Chuan, I viewed the two CDs.... it took 2 - 3 hours total and brought back tons of memory.  I certainly enjoyed it and hated the thought I was not there to join the group in the reunion.  I was planning to go all along and then the change. Anyway, thanks for the CD. Thanks N. L. Lee

Fook Jui, Ching Han were in Labuan

Hi Guys
Sorry I was not around when Fook Jui was in Labuan recently during the Chinese New Year.
Here's a photo taken at Choice restaurant on 25 Jan 2009.


Here are some photos taken with Ching Han:



And not forgetting our pre-reunion "teh tarik" night at Malindo Restaurant.

Thanks to Leong Tiam for contributing the above photos.
Anyone who has photos to share, do sent them to Leong Tiam or myself.
Just for your info, Mr. Ian Griffiths called from Australia and he really missed Labuan and will be planning his next trip here with Joy. They are so keen to return to this island of Labuan. He expressed gratitude for giving him and the rest of the teachers a wonderful time to remember. He will keep us updated on his future schedule to Labuan on this website.
Cheers

Kong Chuan

Message from Mr. Ian Griffiths

Hi Kong Chuan,
Thanks for your part in the wonderful reunion!
It was such a wonderful time and I will never forget it. Joy loved it too.
Please thank all the organisers. i am sorry about the delay in sending an email but my mum is very sick and I have come to Brisbane to see her and support family.
I am homesick for Labuan already!
Best wishes to you and the other students,
Ian and Joy
Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 1:19 PM

Calling for photographs contributors

Hi GES fellow schoolmates,
I believe some of us took photos during the recent GES Labuan Get-Together Dinner and would like to share them with GES Labuan visitors of this site.
I would be happy to upload the photos and credited them under your contributions like this http://picasaweb.google.com/tankongchuan
Please send the photos to tankongchuan@gmail.com or rltliau@gmail.com
Don't forget to send us your personal photo so that we can acknowledge your contributions.
You can also send in photos of yesteryears.
Thank you & cheers
Kong Chuan

Just A Few Lines from Sirazul

Hi Everyone,
Just a few lines to say it's been a fantastic reunion night and it was such a great joy to have met so many of you after such a long, long time. More than 35 years! Can't imagine.
Though, I may not know all of you, and not all of you may know me, nevertheless, I felt like being in GES(SIK) again, seeing the same faces of yesteryear. Of course, most of us don't look recognizable anymore, but some of us looked very much unchanged.
My sincere thanks to the Organizing Committee for an amazing job well done. It must have been a daunting task. And to all the ex-teachers, my utmost appreciation and thanks for coming all the distance to be with us in Labuan.
As I said, it's just a few lines (already exceeded). So, before I end here, I would like to wish all those who observe it a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year...Gong Xi Fa Cai.
Do keep in touch from time to time. Should anyone of you come to KL, please look me up.
Best regards,
Sirazul (Nam Sang)

466 Photos for you to view

Hi Everybody
I have just fully uploaded a total of 466 photos taken during our 11 Jan 2009 Get-Together Dinner.
For ease of uploading and viewing online, the photos are of low resolution. Higher resolution photos will be supplied in CDs upon requests. Each CD will contain a total of 466 photos for just a nominal price.
Text me at 019-8220779 for more information or mail me at tankongchuan@gmail.com
HAPPY VIEWING
Cheers
Kong Chuan

Thanks for a wonderful evening

On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 5:23 PM, Lee Torvi wrote:
Hello Kong Chuan,
After we get back to Canada I will take more time to write a longer message. (Just now, Mr. Torvi and I are in an internet cafe in Tenom,continuing our tour of Sabah). I usually check email much more often than Gerry does, so if you add my email address to your address book, you will reach us faster. However, I can't wait any longer to say that the evening was a wonderful experience for us. As teachers, we feel so proud of our students and are very lucky to have been able to talk to so many of you. I am looking forward to visiting Mary Corkery and telling her all about it and also giving her the CD that you made. I think that an evening like that one is very unusual. I've never heard of such a grand reunion before. I hope that you and your classmates will keep in touch with each other. We feel quite honoured by our students. Please forward this message to the other students. I want to thank you all.
With many thanks,
Lee and Gerry Torvi

INVITATION TO COMMENTS

Hi Everbody,
I would like to invite comments about the just concluded GES LABUAN TEACHERS-STUDENTS GET-TOGETHER DINNER held yesterday 11 Jan 2009. Please leave your comments here. We would like to hear from you how you feel about this reunion.
As regards the photos, the photographer Wei Hao is editing them one by one. He plans to finish the editing work by next week before end of January 2009.
Cheers
Kong Chuan

THE RESPONSE WAS OVERWHELMING !!!!!!

Hi Everybody
That was a memorable night and I hope everybody enjoyed and had a wonderful night yesterday. The organising committee is happy with its conclusion. We really could not control the crowd and that head boy TBO Robert Lee could not control the crowd hahahahaha TBO=Too Bloody Old. .... Robert, the crowd was taking revenge on you.
Of course lots of you had requested for the photos taken during the night. Please be patient.
There are more than 600 photos taken and I will have to screen and edit them before releasing them in the website.
I will do that batch by batch and upload them into this website for your downloading. I need to find time for this as I am not retired yet ... still working.
You will notice I have changed the name of this blog to GES LABUAN 5th FORMERS OF 1970's to acommodate all.

Cheers

Kong Chuan

5 Sci Class'72 - Impromptu gathering for a Drink @ 8.00pm on Saturday Night 10th January 2009

Hi everyone, (5 Sci Class of '72!),
A very Happy New Year 2009 to all of you !
To all our classmates who are in Labuan or will be arriving Labuan on Saturday (10th January 2009).
Please kindly be informed that we have decided to plan for an "Impromptu" Gathering for our class on saturday evening. (10th Jan'09).
(Let's come together for a "Teh Tarik" !).
The time & venue are as follows :-
Time : 8.00pm onwards
Date : 10th January 2009
Day : Saturday
Venue : Malindo Restaurant, Labuan. (next to Sarah Hotel, behind Hotel Labuan).
Hope to see all of you there.
Please give us a tinkle in case you are not sure of the above venue location
Cheers & Regards,
richard

Han Yong Eng's message

Hello Kong Chuan!
Thanks for your e-mail. It's always great to hear from any one of you who are thousands of miles away.
Time really flies, it has been 27 years since I left Labuan to Los Angeles, California. Since then, I managed to make a few trips back to Malaysia. My last trip to Labuan was in April 2008. I was in the Island for about two half months (April to mid June, 2008). I met Sim How and Chin Kian. I had a good time with my brother, Koon-Fong, enjoyed meeting with all my friends, relatives, and my former colleagues. Most of all, I had tasted the original tastes and favors of the local food and fruits I had missed in the United States. Fortunately, I met Sim How and Chin Kian before I came back to L.A. It brought back all those good and everlasting memories. Though, I am not sure when will be my next trip, I am hoping that I will have the opportunity to meet with most of you if I have a chance in future.

My brother Lock is heading to Labuan for the REUNION tonight. Unfortunately, I won't be able to join you guys this year but I will try my best to make it should you guys have one in future. Please say "Hi" and convey my best wishes to all my former students and to all your ex-teachers (my former colleagues in GES) attending the Reunion. It would be much appreciated if you give them my contact info in the U.S..
WISHING ALL A HEALTHY, HAPPY, PEACEFUL AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR OF 2009!
HAPPY REUNION!

Cheers,
Yong-Eng Han
pyehan@yahoo.com

Wed, Jan 7, 2009

Ian , Joy, Gerald & Lee are now in KK

Hi
The latest update is that Ian & Jo Griffiths and Gerald & Lee Torvi are now in Kota Kinabalu meeting up with Koh Choon Kong and students.



Cheers
Kong Chuan