If any MCOBs were to go back to the Alma Mater, they could not help notice an impressive new V-shaped building behind the Big School, the surau and the Fives Courts. This is the International Baccalaureate (IB) Complex of the Malay Kuala Kangsar to cater the intake of students for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. Since 1984, the Six Form in MCKK was abolished. After that, the last form in MCKK was the Fifth Form. The IB programme serve as an extension to that.
At MCKK, the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a highly acclaimed programme for students aged 17-19. It is designed to produce new generations of highly motivated, globally mobile and well rounded youths.
Compared to other pre-university courses which have become atomised and rigid, International Baccalaureate is much more liberating; with a flexible coursework that gives teachers and students more independence. With International Baccalaureate, students learn more than a collection of facts; it encourages them to dissect the facts.
The curriculum at MCKK is an elite, challenging, two-year programme of international education, where students are required to study six subjects and a curriculum core concurrently. This programme is designed to equip students with balanced foundation and advantageous skills in preparation for university study, further education and their chosen profession.
It also develop in the students the values and skills needed to become progressive and responsible global citizens. Apart from International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, MCKK has recently been accredited to run the IB Middle Year.
The IB complex is dear to me as I was the project coordinator for the design, construction and the complete of the entire project on behalf of the client, the Board of Governors of MCKK viz-a-viz the MCKK Foundation. The project was awarded to UEM Builders Bhd who the sub it out to its subsidiary UEM Construction Bhd on a Design and Build concept with a project sum of RM10 million and a completion period of 12 months.
The MCKK Foundation forked most of the RM10 million (including fixed furniture and fittings); The Ministry of Education Malaysia contributed a total of RM1.3 million towards the project. The IB Complex was basically funded 90% by MCKKF. Work started on site on 4-11-2009 and slatted to complete on 12-12-2010. The total built up area is 6,000 sq m. The project involved the design and construction of a 3 storey academic block, a 3 storey administration block and a 3 storey hostel block. IB complex is now known as Kompleks IB Sultan Azlan Shah, renamed during the Speech Day officiated by the YDP Agong in 2012.
When I came from my 2 years sojourn in Abu Dhabi, UAE (where I was working with a UAE construction company constructing a university campus), I was contacted by Sdr Razak Ali aka Jak Li (C’76), who was the administrator for the MCKK foundation. They need someone to coordinate the project with regard with liaising with D & B contractor, monitoring progress of work, budget control, certifying progress payment, etc.
This needed me to go to MCKK every month to undertake such tasks. I readily accepted their offer and for a year, I was the appointed project coordinator who made regular visits to the site. There were site problems that need decisions from the client and there were variations that need attention. I was also contract managing the project.
Alhamdullihah, with the cooperation of the contractor, the project was completed on time and within the stipulated budget. The project was handed over to MCKK in time for its first intake of students.
What is satisfying to me is that I was involved in the construction of another emblematic but functional building on the MCKK grounds. The other gratifying about this project is that it involved the efforts of MCOBs. Credit should be given to DYMM Sultan Nazrin as the Chairman of Governors MCKK who mooted the idea of IB@MCKK.
The MCOBs who was instrumental to make it into reality were Tun Hanif Omar (C’54) and Dato Khalilur Rahman (C’66) and of course, my batchmate Jak Li (C’76) for giving me the opportunity to project and contract co-ordinate the project . The chairman of the construction outfit UEM is Tan Sri Tajuddin Ali (C’67), the architect employed by the builders was Asif Md. Nasarudin (C’83), the C & S engineer was Azful (C’82) and the M & E Engineer was Arul Hisham (C’82). A project designed by MCOBs, build by MCOBs, coordinated by MCOBs for MCKK. Another project part funded by MCKK Foundation.
We were a team of MCOBs that made things done when it matters most. Less talk, just work and just do it.
