The Rejoicing After months of practice and rehearsals, the KYS Orchestra (KYSO) and KYS Junior Orchestra (KYSJO) departed to Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC) on the morning of the 8th of August. Once they had reached the location, immediately without wasting any time, they got themselves ready in Pentas 1 for their first rehearsal at the venue. The orchestra checked into their hotel rooms only after their first rehearsal. Throughout the days in KL, rehearsals were held from morning to night. In KLPAC, the orchestra had performed two different concerts under the baton of Ms. Adrin Teo Yee Chin and Mr. Ng Kim Suai. The first performance was on the 10th of August, the Matinee Concert. KYS invited students from Kolej Tunku Kurshiah, Sekolah Dato’ Abdul Razak, SK Bukit Damansara, SK Setiawangsa, and HELP International School to witness this fun and casual afternoon concert. The orchestra played a set of pieces from their repertoire; a few grand pieces were not played to save it for the annual concert later on. 148 Then, after the Grease Medley were performed by the KYSO, the MC invited a few audience members to play some percussion instruments along with the orchestra for the last part of the piece. The KYSO played a few rounds of the excerpt as there were so many audience members eager to play with the MATINEE CONCERT orchestra. In the Matinee Concert, some activities were conducted to have interactions with the audience. After the KYSJO performed Polka Party, the Master of Ceremony (MC) opened the stage for some of the audience members to dance the ‘Chicken Dance’ from the ending of the piece, led by a few members from the KYSO. Once again, the KYSJO played the ‘Chicken Dance’ for the dance to begin. To mark the end of the performance, the MC invited the schools one by one for a photography session with the orchestra members. After the performance, the orchestra members got back to their hotel to rest and get ready for the night rehearsal for their next and final grand concert.
KYS Orchestra Concert 2023 “The Rejoicing” repertoire in order of performance: 1.KYS Junior Orchestra: a.Blackforest Overture, Michael Sweeney b.Polka Party, arr. Paul Murtha 2.KYS Orchestra: a.Grease! Medley, arr. Calvin Custer b.Malay Dances, arr. YEO Chow Shern Dance of The Yao Tribe, Liu Tie-Shan/Mao Yuan c. d.Hungarian Dance no. 5, Johannes Brahms e.Slavonic Dance no. 8, Antonín Dvořák Symphonic Dances from Fiddler on The Roof, arr. Ira Hearshen f. g.Don’t Stop Believing, arr. Paul Murtha h.Radetzky March, Johann Strauss I i.Rasa Sayang This concert was a meaningful one, especially to the graduating members of the KYSO. After the COVID-19 pandemic hit the global population, the orchestra could not perform outside of KYS, and instead they had to continue performing in the school compound from 2020 to 2022. For the 13 Form 5 members of the orchestra, they stayed loyal to the orchestra ever since they joined in 2020 as Form 2’s. In their last year of performing, they finally got the opportunity to perform outside. The concert this year and the journey towards it are definitely memorable experiences to everyone involved, especially to the young musicians. 149 Opening the concert with two pieces performed by the KYSJO, they grabbed the attention of the audience, getting them eager to listen and watch the rest of the concert, with several pieces performed by the KYSO. During the intermission, the audience were presented with two videos, the history and timeline of the many different orchestras in KYS as well as a compilation of videos of graduated KYSO members talking about their time being a part of the orchestra. On the 12th of August, the KYS Orchestra (KYSO) and KYS Junior Orchestra (KYSJO) performed their concert “The Rejoicing” at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. This year’s concert marked the 25 years of performances by the KYS Orchestra Club. The repertoire for the concert centred around the theme of “Dances”. Many of the audience have mentioned how much they enjoyed the concert, stating many aspects of it. Throughout the concert, piece after piece, the audience applauded with enthusiasm to show appreciation to the young musicians’ presentation of the pieces. In some cases, it is seen that some members of the audience got on their feet and swayed with the music. This just shows how melodious and rhythmical our young musicians have performed. The list of pieces played consists of cultural dance music from the local culture, classical pieces, dances from films, a pop song, and a march as an encore. The Malay Dances piece was accompanied by dancers from the Dance Club. Another one of the pieces, Don’t Stop Believing was played with two vocalists from the KYSO, Syed Farihin Aiman bin Syed Sahibulbahri and Puteri Elena Damia binti Tun Mafizal, accompanied by a dance by the members of the KYSJO. Not to forget, the traditional practice of playing ‘Rasa Sayang’ to mark the end of the concert, accompanied by KYSJO members dancing ANNUAL ORCHESTRA CONCERT — THE REJOICING
August is a special time in our nation, as we celebrate our independence. In the grand Great Hall, patriotism and love for our country were on full display. A group of students, dressed in all-black attire, proudly waved the flags of Malaysia's 13 states while beaming with joy. Airiel bin Eddie Yuszaireen, donning the iconic yellow attire of our Prime Minister, surprised everyone in the hall, including our Russian exchange students and the enthusiastic audience. As Airiel Mariez and Siti Khadeeja Iman, our dedicated project managers, recounted the exciting events of the week, the entire hall was captivated. Teachers and students alike were filled with excitement as they discussed their strategies for achieving victory. BULAN KEMERDEKAAN CLASS DECORATION PILIHAN RAYA PELANCARAN BULAN KEMERDEKAAN A class decorating competition was also held during the merdeka month. Each clasess from all the batches were required to decorate their classes. This resulted in many different styles of decorations shown from each classes starting from the flags that they would hang to their own personal artwork. It was a day of spirited democracy, with ideas and dreams colliding in the ballot box. During Kolej Yayasan Saad’s very own Election Day, Form 5 students, eager to nurture their leadership skills, formed their own parties, each with a unique vision for the school's future. Manifestos filled with passion and purpose were presented, as students from all forms eagerly cast their votes. When the results were revealed, it was party "Pesan Rakyat" that emerged victorious, the Prime Minister namely Saif Gibran and Deputy Prime Minister, Ariana Iman, promises resonating deeply with the student body. Election Day at Kolej Yayasan Saad not only fosters leadership but also showcases the power of unity and collective voice among the students. 150
TREASURE HUNT The treasure hunt was held for the Form Ones during the Merdeka month. All form one students were required to gather at the main block to officially start the games. They all also gathered at the amphitheater in their respective houses. It all started with a cheer given by each house. And with that, the games commenced. Many games were held and competed by the form ones in their effort to find the treasure. Those games included classic and popular games such as 'galah panjang' and red light, green light. The games all ended when the treasure was found hidden behind the cafe. The Merdeka run was held on the 7th of September. Students were required to gather at the sports complex where they would start the run. Dressed in their respective house shirts, the students ran from the sports complex all the way to great hall. As they arrived at the great hall, they were greeted with the sight of their next activity. The merdeka carnival. MERDEKA RUN TREASURE HUNT 151
In the hallowed annals of our institution, Malam Ambang shines like a beacon, a Union night that stirs the hearts of every student and educator. As nightfall graces Kolej Yayasan Saad Melaka, the stage becomes a canvas where talented students paint their stories through the time-honored melodies and rhythms of traditional music. Diverse dances from different batches were performed. Our revered teachers, shared their own expertise in singing too. Additionally, there were also lucky draws held and the audience enjoyed the anticipation and the chance to win something. With bated breath, we awaited the moment when the project managers would unveil the champions of various contests, among them is the class decoration competition. Classes that emerged as champions are 1 Taat, 2 Ikhlas, 3 Ikhlas, and 4 Ikhlas, forever etching their names into the annals of Malam Ambang lore. MERDEKA CARNIVAL MALAM AMBANG The Merdeka carnival was held on the same day as the merdeka run. It was held at the end of the run which was at the great hall. Many varieties of entertainment was present at the carnival including games. Some games that could be enjoyed included 'bola beracun', 'baling selipar', basketball and many more. Students were also able to enjoy delectables from the food trucks that was present on the day. There was also a band of students performing songs as an act of entertainment for us. Near the A-levels building, a bunch of picnic blankets were set on the grass as a place where the students could hang out and eat while enjoying the day. The day ended very successfully. MERDEKA CARNIVAL 152
Axcidora’s Pledge of Excellence Every year, the students from each Form 5 batch gather together to make a promise – the Pledge of Excellence. It can best be described as an oath for each student to do their very best in the upcoming SPM examination. The pledge is more than mere words; it is a shared vow to work hard, stay united, and aim for top-notch academic success. It is a simple yet powerful annual ceremony that marks each and every batch’s collective dedication to excellence. The Pledge of Excellence is held 100 days before the date of the first written SPM examination paper every year. In the year 2023, it was held on the 22nd of October. On the day of the event, the students from Axcidora all dressed in unique corporate shirts tailored for the occasion and gathered in the Great Hall, eagerly anticipating the arrival of YBhg. Datuk Ahmad Terrirudin bin Mohd Salleh and Principal, Mr. Tan Cheh Li. Once they arrived, representatives from each batch delivered their respective speeches, expressing their admiration for Axcidora’s unity and dedication as well as their gratitude for the batch’s kindness and guidance towards them. A Promise for Achieving Academic Brilliance 153
We, the persistent and courageous members of Axcidora, Gather here today, To pledge that we respect and honour our teachers, With all the knowledge they bestowed upon us, And we are ever ready to lend a hand, To our fellow brothers and sisters, As we are one in this journey. We vow to persevere, Till the end of the line, In order to achieve our goals, In everything we do. We pledge to stay true to our word, To exert our best efforts, And emerge victorious, Axcidora’s Pledge of Excellence 154
T The committee also took steps in making the programme not only more welcoming for the candidates, but also more memorable for participants and committee members alike. RESIDENCE BASED SELECTION The programme is also largely organised and executed T through a student-led framework, bringing novelty to the programme every year, with RBS 2023 being no different. The first session of RBS 2023, starting on the 16th of December, hosted 220 candidates, while the second session, starting on the 19th of December yielded 246 candidates, resulting in a total of 466 students applying for the new Form 1 intake of session 24/25. he 3-days-2-nights Residence-Based Selection Programme (RBS) is an evaluation of the new intake of Form 1 students for the following academic year. his year’s RBS committee took numerous bold steps in implementing changes— most notably, the addition of spots to the line-up of heads and a rotation of Head Facilitators, with the second session of RBS led by a different pair of heads from the first. RBS 155
O T In the Great Hall, the principal, Mr. Tan Cheh Li, held a talk to interact with parents and briefly explain KYSM’ mission and ideals in educating their students. The parents were then invited for a bus tour around the campus, which provided a first-hand view of the school’s countless facilities. Aside from conventional interviews and written exams, team-building challenges, logic puzzles and even an 800- metre run tested candidates in numerous fields while allowing them to experience the school’s atmosphere first-hand.and. n the respective first days of both sessions, KYSM was open for parents to tour the campus and get to know more about the school. hroughout the programme, candidates were assessed thoroughly in every aspect. Most notably, candidates slept in the student dormitories to step into the shoes of a KYSM student and experience living independently. A Just as the programme was handled in a unique manner, RBS 2023 was met with a batch of candidates like none other. Both sessions yielded participants brimming with not only talent, but also the unbridled confidence to show that talent to hundreds of people, making RBS 2023 a highlight for everyone involved. s per RBS custom, the last night of the programme ended with a talent show, where candidates themselves had the opportunity to show their talents. After the talent show, the night ended with a festive surprise dance performance by all the RBS committee members. Furthermore, this year’s committee added a new element— every facilitator and secretariat danced in onesies, brightening the Great Hall with a colourful splash of excitement, and making the last night of RBS a fond memory for every candidate. 156
YOKOHAMA SCIENCE FRONTIER HIGH SCHOOL X KYS - FORGING A FOREVER FRIENDSHIP The collaboration between Yokohama Science Frontier High School (YSFH) and KYS is a unique initiative, bringing Japanese students to interact with their counterparts and explore cultural exchange. This programme not only focuses on understanding each other's traditions but also encourages joint research on science-related topics. It is a meaningful effort to bridge cultural gaps and enhance global perspectives in education. January 9th, 2023, numerous students from YSFH arrived in KYS. They were greeted with a speech by the emcee, along with a captivating traditional dance performance from members of Citra Pawana at the Great Hall. Mr Tan Cheh Li, the principal of KYS and Mr Maoto Watanabe, an English teacher from YSFH, delivered short speeches, expressing their gratitude and appreciation towards the other party. The programme was followed by a presentation by the KYS students, featuring an introduction to KYS along with its lifestyle, culture, rules, co-curriculum, and many more. After that, the students from YSFH also gave a presentation about their school. Next, there was a souvenir presentation where souvenirs were exchanged with Mr Maoto Watanabe. There was then a photography session held featuring the KYS and YSFH students along with the teachers. 157
TEXT After the photography session, the YSFH students were split up into groups to play traditional Malaysian games with the KYS students, such as Batu Seremban, Congkak and Sepak Yam, in order to learn more about Malaysian culture. Moving on, after enjoying the fun games, everyone headed to the dining hall for lunch, enjoying the delicious food KYS has to offer. The programme was carried on with a research presentation done by the YSFH students, in which KYS students gave their insights and thoughts on a specific topic related to science. Lastly, the YSFH students got to enjoy a unique snack experience in which they indulged in Malaysian snacks such as “choki-choki”, “hawflakes”, pandan cupcakes and others. The KYS students on the other hand got to try out different Japanese snacks brought by the YSFH students, such as fish-flavoured rice crackers and matcha biscuits. At last, it was finally time for them to wish their goodbyes after a day of fun and educational experiences for all students. “We were able to overcome the language barrier by various methods, which proves that friendships don't bloom by words, but through simple connections”, Rania binti Ismail. 158
January 8th, 2024, the first day of the highly anticipated PreChampionship was held. All three houses set up their tents by the pool and gathered to support their enthusiastic swimmers. The swimmers were provided with light snacks and drinks to gain energy for their events. For the following two days, the PreChamps were held as usual with multiple different events. January 11th, 2024 the infamous Dual Challenge was held. The purpose of the Dual Challenge is to compile merits to increase the house’s ranking in the championship. This signifies a crucial and contributing role for every individual in their respective houses in addition to the major events. Not only does this challenge give opportunity to many students to show their talent but also to truly chip in into the reigning house spirit that keeps the school alive. Separated into two categories of boys and girls, conducted at different times, all houses swam their hearts out in hopes of holding the cup of winners by the day of the Swimming Championship. Following the Dual Challenge conducted on the same day, the evening was enlivened by the Award Ceremony for the pronounced swimmers that outshined the stage with their resilient hard work and effort in the past three days of the Pre-Championship Swimming Event. All three houses came down in their pride colours in support of the swimmers. January 13th, 2024, finally the day of the SwimChamps had arrived. Parents and VIPs were invited to witness the nerve wracking event, wondering which house will win. All three houses sent marching teams to support their own swimmers to fuel them with hope. With that, the events started and the swimmers did their best to win. Screams and cheers could be heard from all three tents set beside the pool. When the events had finished, the winners for every event were awarded. The best boy swimmer was awarded to Mohamed Aryan bin Mohamed Azam, while the best girl swimmer was awarded to Nalisya Naqina Noor binti Marikh Azahari, both students being in form 2. Only then were Rahmanians cheering gleefully as they were announced the overall winner for SwimChamps, followed by Razak and then Hussein. Everyone ended the competition by singing the school song together, encouraging friendship with each other even after competing against each other. 159
ANNUAL HI-TEA JANUARY 16, 2024, As the spirited cheers from the Award Ceremony subsided, the Hi-Tea came to an end with a photography session. Though brief, the session served as an opportunity for students and teachers to capture and cherish the memories of the event, which they are sure to look fondly upon in the near to distant future. The performances were followed by a highly-awaited event— the Award Ceremony, where students and staff members alike voted for winners of several categories, including but not limited to the most welldressed students, the most charming teachers, as well as the Prom King and Prom Queen of the year. Vernacia Incentra organized the first KYS annual Hi-Tea ever since the Covid-19 Pandemic. The event served as a grand closure for the academic session 23/24. Held in the beautiful hall of Bayou Lagoon Park Resort, students dressed up to the given theme — The Met Gala: A Fairytale Promenade. The event commenced with a speech from the project managers, namely Maryam Zahra and Ahmad Hafiy Ruzain. Then, the staff and students were invited to eat from the wide selection of Malay cuisine prepared. The students were treated to a delightful medley of performances from every batch, with heartfelt speeches from batch representatives to keep up the liveliness of the event. 160
KYS STRING ORCHESTRA KYS STRING ORCHESTRA PERFORMANCE AT THE ISTANA NEGARA PERFORMANCE AT THE ISTANA NEGARA efore the confirmation of the KYS String Orchestra performance at the Istana Negara, the Datuk Paduka Maharaja Lela visited the school in December to watch the orchestra showcasing their talent. The orchestra played various genres of pieces which included ‘Enchanted’, ‘Beauty and the Beast’, and ‘La La Land’. Thankfully, the KYS Strings Orchestra passed the set expectations and were invited to perform at Istana Negara. Before they knew it, the palace representatives were already discussing the pieces that were to be performed on the real day. B Over the school holidays, the members of the KYS String Orchestra continued to work hard for the performance. As they got back to school, they continued to have physical rehearsals as they only had 2 weeks to prepare before the event. January 16th, the KYS String Orchestra did their first rehearsal with Datuk Syafinaz, with her agreeing to sing 2 songs which are ‘Malam Dipagari Bintang’ and ‘Can't Help Falling In Love’. After many intensive rehearsals, on 18th January the KYS String Orchestra headed to the Istana Negara for their soundcheck and rehearsals. They had to get used to the new environment quickly as they only had 2 days before the event. 161
text They started their performance with a mellow tune called ‘Yesterday’ by The Beatles in the first set and ended their first set with the iconic ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Their second set started with the famous ‘La La Land’, and they performed ‘Malam Bulan Dipagar Bintang’ and ‘Can't Help Falling In Love’ with Datuk Syafinaz. Their final set started with ‘You Raise Me Up’ and ended the whole performance with a bang with ‘Under The Sea’. Throughout the days at the palace, multiple rehearsals were done including one more rehearsal with Datuk Syafinaz before the big day. 20th January, the KYS String Orchestra members were seated at the hall and ready to perform for Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah during the King’s Royal Tea Reception at Istana Negara. The KYS String Orchestra had prepared three sets of pieces. The pieces included in their repertoire are some iconic old tunes such as ‘Best of Queen’, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, ‘Malam Bulan Dipagar Bintang’ and ‘Best of ABBA’. 162
KYS' dh|h Annal Speech Da, or Majlis Hari Ucapan dan Penampaian Hadiah kali ke-ae, iv eagerl an|icipa|ed b v|den|v eer ear for |he oppor|ni| |o be recognived for |heir co-crriclar and academic achieemen|v |hrogh |he receip| of priev. Thiv een| verev av a pla|form for celebra|ing |heir hard ork and dedica|ion, along i|h invpiring and mo|ia|ing o|herv |o accomplivh vome|hing av ell. Febrar erd, dbdf, Sidang c of Speech Da av held a| |he Grea| Hall. Nmerov impor|an| figrev a||ended |he een| av VIPv vch av |he Fonder; YBhg. Tan Sri Halim Saad, |he Board of Direc|orv of KYSA Edca|ion Sdn Bhd, |he KYS Board of Goernorv, and lav|l, |he Previden| and Grop Chief Eec|ie of Permodalan Navional Berhad (PNB); YBhg. Mr. Ahmad Zlqarnain Onn av |he gev| of honor. Thiv ear, |he |heme of Speech Da iv “Formasio Inyeleky~alisasi dan Transformasin Wadah Kemenjadian Pelajar”. The |heme vmmarivev |he v|agev of a v|den|'v gro|h in|o |hree fndamen|al par|v; forma|ion of fonda|ional alev, in|ellec|al deelopmen|, and pervonal |ranvforma|ion. SIDANG 1 163
The een| began i|h |he arrial of |he VIPv and vinging of |he vongv Negarak~o Melaka Maj~ Jaa and Pelajar Beraasan. Ne| av a performance b |he KYS S|ring Orchev|ra, plaing veeral ell knon piecev vch av medlev from La La Land and Bea~y and yhe Beasy av ell av a performance b Khvara Ta Chin|a vinging |he vong “Hero”. No| long af|er av |he preven|a|ion of Academic and Co-crriclar Priev av ell av achieemen|v vch av |he Fonder’v Aard and Principal’v Liv| |o aard recipien|v. Lav| b| no| leav| av a cap|ia|ing dance performance b memberv of Ci|ra Paana and |he vong “Memori Tercipya” vng b Nr Aleeva Hana. The een| ended on a good no|e i|h a banqe| in |he cafe|eria. Febrar g|h, dbdf, Sidang a of Speech Da av held a| |he Grea| Hall. The een| began i|h |he arrial of VIPv vch av |he KYS Board of Goernorv and |he Previden| of KYSER and repreven|a|ie of “Clavv of dbbg”; Mr. Nrivam Haji Samvdin. Moing on av vinging of |he vongv Negarak~o Melaka Maj~ Jaa and Pelajar Beraasan. Righ| af|er |ha| av an enchan|ing dance performance b Ci|ra Paana and a de| performance b Ar Iarif and Nr Aleeva Hana vinging |he vong “Reri|e |he S|arv”. Ne| on |he agenda av a Welcoming Speech gien b Mr. Tan Cheh Li, |he Principal of KYSM, folloed b a mo|ia|ing and invpiring cloving vpeech b Mr. Nrivam Haji Samvdin abo| hiv life in KYSM and hiv jorne p |he corpora|e ladder. Sidang 2 Moing on, YBhg. Prof. Dr. Mohd Aian bin Mohd Noor, |he Chairman of |he KYS Board of Goernorv gae a vpeech eprevving hiv apprecia|ion for |he diligence and ecellence of KYSM v|den|v. No| long af|er, an inagral vpeech av gien b YBhg. Mr. Ahmad Zlqarnain Onn, |alking abo| hiv eperiencev in niervi| av a meanv |o invpire v|den|v. Af|er |ha|, Mr. Tan Cheh Li, |he Principal of KYSM gae a College Repor|, de|ailing |he vchool’v and i|v v|den|v’ achieemen|v |hrogho| |he academic ear dbde/df. Moing on, |he Preven|a|ion of Academic and Co-crriclar Priev ere gien o| |o aard recipien|v, folloed p b a volo performance b Ar Iarif vinging |he vong “Memori Tercip|a” av ell av a performance b |he KYS Band vinging |he vongv “Prod Mar” and “To Loe Somebod”. Thiv markv |he end of Sidang d of Speech Da and |he occavion rapped p nicel i|h a banqe| held in |he cafe|eria. 164
The event started off with speeches by Yang Berbahagia Prof. Dr. Azizan and Adam Abdul Rashid, the batch leader. They recalled the memorable experiences that Axcidora had gone through, and emphasised the importance of the future ahead of them. The attendees then enjoyed the buffet dinner prepared for them. After the meal, every student was called up on stage one by one according to their classes to receive their school leaving certificate. FAREWELL, AXCIDORA To top off the event, there were an array of performances done by the students of Axcidora themselves as a showcase of their talent. The wonderful performances included a poem recitation by Kreesan Bathmanaban and a band performance by several students, they call the band “Mendung”. Everyone had a great night during the event. They took their final photos together to keep as memories and sang along as a batch. They learnt to value the time spent as a second family, like brothers and sisters. As they left the hall, they realised that it was already time to let go and explore what the outside world has in store for them. All good things come to an end. For Axcidora, it is the 5 years they spent together through thick and thin. On the 7th of March 2024, they attended the Axcidora Graduation Night at the MITC Convention Centre to commemorate their hard work in their SPM examinations, to remember their experiences together, as well as to say their final goodbyes to their beloved teachers. This event was attended by Yang Berbahagia Tan Sri Datuk Wira Halim Saad, Yang Berbahagia Dato’ Mohd Hafiz bin Nuruddin, Yang Berbahagia Prof. Dr. Azizan bin Mohd Nor, Yang Berusaha Madam Aldela Puspa binti Nordin, Yang Berusaha Mr. Ghaus Ismail, together with all the teachers and staff members. GRADUATION NIGHT Goodbye, Axcidora. 165
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