MCKK and Education – Co-Curriculum

The Scout troop consisted of the Senior Troop, Junior Troop and the Cub Pack. Each troop had 24 Scouts and a Troop Leader. The troop was not able to produce the Queen/King Scouts then because the senior scouts were drafted to the Cadet Corps. The Scouts who were First Class and Venture Scouts were appointed as the Assistant Scout Masters.

The Scout Den was built in 1947 behind the Big School. The indoor activities were held in the Den. Before it was built, a room was given in the Preparatory School to carry out the activities. In 1950, The King’s Pavilion Guard Room was lent to the Kuala Kangsar Rovers and it was converted to the Rover’s Den.

In 1949, the 1^st Kuala Kangsar Troop became a member of the Perak Boy Scouts Association. In the same year the 6^th Kuala Kangsar Troop was formed for the Senior Scouts.

The Wolf Cubs were made up of students from the King’s Pavilion and Form one. Monday afternoons were the meeting day. All instructions were given in English. On passing the tenderpad test, an investiture was held and the Cubs were ready to work for their First Star. The Cubs were also involved in the annual Empire Parade. Campings were held at the King’s Pavilion compound. When the King’s Pavilion was returned to the Government in 1961, the Cub Packs were disbanded.

Parade was an important activity for the Scouts. The annual King’s Birthday Parade was on the 10^th June, the Empire Day Parade on the May 24^th and the inspection by the Board of Governors.

Route Marching from Karai to Kuala Kangsar with the Cadet Corps was a regular feature in 1935. Inter-Troop Competition on (1) Inspection, (2) Fire-lighting, (3) Knotting, (4) Bandaging, (5) Whistle and Hand Signals, (6) Verbal Message was keenly contested. The winner was awarded a High Tea in the Dining Hall by the Headmaster.

Activities like camping, outings and hiking were very popular among the Scouts. At the same time the Proficiency Badge tests were done during those activities. Some of the tests conducted were Ambulance, Despatch Rider, Cook, Interpreter, Public Health, Padang Rengas in Kuala Kangsar and Pangkor. Hertslet Camp, Ipoh was a favourite because tigers used to roam near the camp. Hiking was one of the activities where the Scouts got to know better of the surrounding areas in Kuala Kangsar and the Maxwell Hill, Taiping. Places like Karai, Padang Rengas, Lubok Merbau, Ulu Kenas, Ulu Kangsar, Gunong Pondok, Bendang Kering, Sungai Chermin and Kota Lama Kanan were the common destinations in Kuala Kangsar.

The favourite places for swimming were Bukit Gapis, Ulu Kenas and Taiping. The swimming pool of Mr. Robinson, a planter in Bukit Berapit, was another favourite. Master Swimmer test was done in these places.

Camp Fires were held at the end of the terms. The Scouts gave performances like solo and group songs, sketches and dances. The rapport with Scouts form Clifford School was very good. Being invited to their campfires was more of an annual affair.

Malay College Kuala Kangsar played a significant role in contributing to the nation’s leadership specifically in the armed forces and the police during the nation-building years.

Not much has been written or mentioned regarding the MCKK’s part in producing leaders in the field of national security and defense. However, several old boys have played distinguished roles in upholding the sovereignty of the nation. MCKK was not only a breeding ground for able MCS administrators, statesmen, politicians, academicians and astute businessmen but also a place where a few Generals of the Armed Forces and an Inspector General of Police polished their leadership background in the noble interest of the nation’s sovereignty. This also included the many unnamed (unsung heroes) old boys who served with valour during the pre- and post-war years in the defense of the country.

According to the Malay College magazine of 1939, there were at least 14 old boys already serving in the Federated Malay States Volunteer Force (FMSVF) holding various ranks such as Captain, Lieutenants, Sergeants and Corporals at that time.

These old boys acquired basic military training when they were members of the Cadet Corps in their Alma Mater, the Malay College, and hence could easily be absorbed into the security forces then. There were inadequate records on Cadet Corp activities in MCKK prior to 1919. The Corps did exist with limited activities, such as drilling, musketry and impromptu parades honouring visiting dignitaries.

In 1920, Encik Ahmad Jalaludin scrambled the cadets for a parade to honour the visit of Sir Lawrence Guillemard, the then High Commissioner of FMS, followed by several other dignitaries in later years. The Cadet Corps has been a regular extra curricular activity for the MCKK students since then. In the earlier years, the activity was carried out on Friday mornings, then changed to Monday afternoons in 1939, while nowadays they are held on Tuesday afternoons.

Training included marching, reading maps, handling of firearms, camping, shooting competitions and parades. The Cadet Corps together with the Scouts continued to function during the College’s sports day, HRH Sultan of Perak’s inauguration/birthdays and visits by foreign and local dignitaries. All these activities helped the cadets to become disciplined, organized, and independent while gro

up activities instill the spirit of camaraderie or esprit de corps.

Today and since its inception, MCKK is proud to record that its products have penetrated the high echelons of Malaysia’s who’s who. There were old boys who became generals in the Army and high ranking officials in both the Navy and Air Force. Two of the old boys have been the Chief of the Armed Forces while another was the Inspector General of Police for 20 years. Members of the Armed forces and Police have undergone much sacrifice and hardship and all of them have served nobly in the defense and security of the country, MCKK old boys included.