Friday, October 10, 2008

Alma Mater


Vvacous suggested that I write about what I studied in university and why I chose to be a Magistrate. Well, I did not have the luxury to choose to be a Magistrate. I applied to join the Judicial and Legal Service and my path towards the judiciary was paved by the Big One Up There.

Lucky? You bet!

I enrolled as a law student because I knew I wanted to be a lawyer ever since I was little. If I remember correctly, I used to participate in debate competition since I was nine. Those were the days when I would gawk in sheer amazement at my father who could speak for one hour with no reading aid. I would write my submissions on small manila cards and memorize the each words and its position. The position is important so that when I look up to make eye contact with the judges, I’d know where to look back.

Movies with lawyers and court room scenes excited me. Back then, I didn’t know what lawyers do but I know they talk a lot and are paid to do so.

After SPM I was offered to do engineering in Korea if I am not mistaken. I declined that offer because I was waiting for the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM) to offer me a place. I remember ticking only IIUM as my choice in the OMR form we had to fill when applying for local university. I told myself, by hook or by crook I want to graduate from IIUM.

Lucky enough I was offered to complete my matriculation there. I took the English proficiency test and managed to secure myself in one of the fast track matriculation program. I completed my matriculation in two semesters and was on my way to join the Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyyah of Laws (AIKOL). One time I was talking to my Matriculation Centre Deputy Dean, Brother Khair Ngadiron, and I told him that I only ticked one university in my OMR. He said that my form must’ve been in the bundle rejected by the computer which he had to vet through.

Nasib baik dia check balik, kalau tak tak taula ape nak jadi ngan aku sekarang.

Once in the main campus, I decided to enjoy my time there by not taking too many subjects and to ensure that I complete my degree within four years. I have some friends who managed to complete their degree within 3 years but kesian they all masa exam period… to many stuff to cramp…

You see in AIKOL, we are supposed to study the civil law as well as the Syariah law. Family Law is broken up into two, one being the civil family law and the other being the Islamic family law. Same goes for criminal law, probate and succession, contract and transactions, jurisprudence and many others. In other words, we have to complete double of each subject. Not to forget the religious classes, weltanschauung (worldview classes), philosophy classes, elective classes, and many others. That goes to about 150 plus credit hours and even more contact hours.

I’d have to say that being a sub-science student in secondary school (I dropped bio for accounts) has definitely helped me look at things differently as compared to my classmates from the arts stream. I noticed that the science stream students who take up law would see things in a more objective manner just like how we were trained in school to have hypothesis, jalan kerja (work method) and a conclusion that fits the hypothesis. On top of that, you get the licence to be creative and not limit the hypothesis to only the physically possible solutions. As most legal students would remember, “The law is a living creature that develops together with time…” This surely allows us to think out of the box and articulate our arguments as wild as possible as long as it remains within the four corners of the law.

University was fun. I spent about 5 years there and I really enjoyed it. There was one time when Dayak and I were driven by our friend to our hostel after dinner outside. It was after 12 midnight. We were considered late. The car went through the university’s security guard at the main gate. The driver was fined for coming in late. Dayak and I got away because we were safely “packed” in the car boot! HAHAHA! That was something! You really lose your sense of direction when you’re lying in a moving car boot. Hehehe… I told you I enjoyed my uni life!

Blig adjourned!

7 obiter dictum:

nurul cakapcakap said...

ohh anda seorang yang hebat!amat mengagumi !

two_one said...

Nurul: Hahaha! kehebatan saya HANYA pada kebolehan saya mengkrepotkan diri dalam boot kereta proton saga SAHAJA... hehehe

patunghujan a.k.a cik teruterubozu said...

salam adam,
just go through ur blog today...
intresting..
no wonder u r 1 of aikol's sweetheart
with ur wise use of legal knowledge, u will spread blossom for aikol..
i just graduate but hav no opportunity to be lawyer,
happy to know my fellow aikolians legally success in legal

V|vac|ous said...

hey thanks for this very interesting !!!! i was a debtaer too right till uni. i know IIUM had a good time during my time at uni. perhaps u shd join the toastmaster !!

two_one said...

Patunghujan: more like AIKOL's sourplum if you ask me. Hehe. Thanks for you support. I'm sure you can be successful too in whatever line you are into now.

V: This is a by demand post for you! hahaha.. Toastmaster? what's that? Toast as in cheers (yam seng) or roti bakar? :)

Azmi said...

hahahaha.... i remember that night when we were in the boot... one of the best memories of UIA EVER!!!

two_one said...

Azmi: Best kan??? hahaha!