Tan Sri Haji Abdul Rafie Haji Mahat - Educationist, primus inter pares

Permit to share with you my personal glimpses of Tan Sri Abdul Rafie when he was the 30th principal of the Malacca High School, the second oldest institution (180 years 2005) in the country. As reflected, I remember vividly the first day Tan Sri reported for duty as the principal of Malacca High School. In his ice-breaking maiden speech he uttered the words, "I have come to join the family of Melaka High - please accept me as a member of your family". These utterances are perhaps out of the norm in he modern corporate world but the passion of these words spoke volumes of this man and above all drove his telling message to the teaching fraternity of Malacca High School.

Tan Sri more than anyone else knew that the "Keluarga Sekolah Tinggi Melaka" was of paramount importance for Malacca High School's ultimate excellence in all its endeavours. He thus natured and nurtured this ideal amongst the 'anak didik' as he fondly addresses his pupils. The school motto "Meliora Hic Sequamor" realized must become the creed of the school. He had a passion and penchant for using this word in school functions especially assemblies which was his platform to reach out to the pupils. MHS with its long history, fine tradition and past glories had evolved a culture and a built in value system uniquely Melaka High. Tan Sri rejuvenated and brought about a new renaissance in the culture of the school. MHS was well set up to play its role in developing he students' potential and character as envisaged in the National Philosophy of Education.

In tandem with the creed of the school, Tan Sri spurred the school to greater heights for academic and sports excellence. "Meliora Hic Sequamor" became the mantra on everyone's lips synonymous to "Merdeka" during the era of Tunku Abdul Rahman. MHS became a hub of academic excellence. She ranked top in a roll of honour at national level when the results of public exams were announced. Tan Sri opened her doors to high achievers from all over the country. Tan Sri's particular brand of magic and dynamism created a committed academia who with their excellence tutelage expertise groomed students par excellence. Melaka High's prowess in sports did not waver. In hockey, football, cricket, rugger, and athletics. she became a force to reckoned with. These achievements indeed are a clear manifestation of the undivided and impeccable loyalty of the teachers and the taught to preserve the image of MHS.

What is phenomenal about a phenomenon like Tan Sri is deep sense of human compassion. As a humanist, he felt that education should be ideally democratic. The annual prize giving and speech day was no more the privilege of the academically excellent and the sports Olympian. Tan Sri had the knack of "seeing a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower". He created the coveted "Murid Mithali" award for a pupil with high moral standard and devotion to the school. With a new array of awards like "Reader of the Year", "Best Encouraging Student" and "Best All Round Student" , every pupil felt that he had a place in the school's "corridor of fame". Tan Sri strongly advocated a caring culture in the school to wipe out indiscipline amongst pupils. An Sri' Gandhian ideal of "non violence" combated any form of wrongdoing and indiscipline in the school. The school became a safe haven for every pupil.

Tan Sri was not merely a prinicipal of a school but a leader of a miniature multi-racial society in MHS. He was an epitome of a true Malaysian professing and practicing the principles of our national ideology, the "Rukun Negara" thus looking far beyond the boundaries of the school. His words and actions were sensitive to the feelings and belief of others. He was above colour, creed and race. Deep down, he knew one of the "better things"  he should strive for was the Malaysian dream. He ensured that every school finction especially the Speech Day, Sports Day, Teachers Day Open Day ticked with Melaka High's mixed magic of cultural and human values symbolizing the Malaysian dream, the ultimate goal of any true Malaysian.

Tan Sri's dynamism of leadership is that he was within him selfless quality to create  a self out of response to people's needs. With his brand of leadership, Tan Sri led MHS in the epoch-making 90s. Tan Sri has the rare distinction of being the first principal of MHS and perhaps the only one to become the Director General of Education. As DG, primus inter pares, he was instrumental in charting the country's education course. In his quest and zeal to help globalize the education system of the couintry, he was caught in the political milieu between the language nationalists and the powers that be. His moral fibre withstood pressure and the heat of crisis. As a crisis manager, he staged a major breakthrough in the grand plan of teaching science and mathematics in the medium of English, the political minefield he was treading notwithstanding.

When he rose to the pinnacle of DG, his vision was never clouded but he transcended to be a true seer of the unseen in the teaching profession and enabled teachers to be seen. Tan Sri ensured that there was enough economic pie to go round in the teaching profession. Such was his moral commitment and social justice for the teaching fraternity. Although he he retired as DG for education,he has been justifiably entrusted with the oost of Chairman Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatam Pelajaran  and in the words of Nehru "his ceaseless adventure" in the education mission will continue.

I had the good fortune of serving under Tan Sri as a teacher in the Malacca High School. It was "the best time " in the unDickensian fashion. Those associated with the Malacca High School walking down memory lane will feel the mystic aura of charm and charisma of this great institution and the unblemished  tradition set by Tan Sri.  It is a temptation to be anecdotal about Tan Sri but truth reigns over fiction. Far from assuming a celetial status he is a flesh-and-blood educationist and a visionary out of the ordinary. Robert Frost' s "The Road Not Taken" best sum up Tan Sri's pursuit of an ideal.

I shall be telling with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, an I -
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the differences.


MP 4th October 2006


Page 196 Isu 85 the school's magazine,, the Optimist 2006 180 years

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