重温1976年至1980年大学生活与毕业照 (Revisit of Undergraduate Life & Graduation Photos 1976-1980)

1976年6月我赴新加坡到新加坡大学(SU)攻读工程科(四年制)。当年我申请到郭氏基金的贷学金(每年马币3000元，共三年，毕业工作后每月分期摊还)以及最后一年级的助学金(马币3000元)。

当时新加坡大学的工程系借用位于Prince Edward Road的新加坡理工学院(Singapore Polytechnic)上课，1977/78学年以后才迁至位于Kent Ridge的新建校园上课。

我初到狮城的第一年时是在Tanjong Pagar的Tras Street租房。那里距离上课地点只有步行之遥，而且非常靠近牛车水(新加坡唐人街)和珍珠坊People's Park Complex），都是我当年周末经常溜达的地方。

我从大学二年级(1977/1978学年)开始，在Kent Ridge大学校园对面的金文泰旧市镇(Clementi Estate)与3位同学合租一间双层排屋，直至1980年毕业为止。

当年新大工程科首两年级要上的是共同课程(Common Course)，第三年级才分系，即: 化学工程、土木工程、电机工程、机械及制造工程、工业及系统工程。新加坡学生大多喜欢选修电机或机械工程，而大马学生则选土木工程。我选修了土木，班上大多数同学是大马人，而本系的讲师颇多来自印度！

前身是在1949年成立的马来亚大学、而在1962年分立的新加坡大学，与在1956年成立的南洋大学，在1980年合并成为新加坡国立大学(NUS)，相关法案在1980年7月29日的新加坡国会被通过。

我在新大第四即最后一年级是1979/1980学年。1980年度毕业典礼在当年9月5日至7日举行，我获取的大学学士文凭可谓“新大末代文凭”！

1980年我带同父母出席9月7日(周日)下午3点在Singapore Conference Hall举行的新大工程系毕业典礼。当年的工程系毕业生共有244人。当时居留在狮城工作的表哥莫锦棠也到场观礼，并替我和父母拍了很多照片。

毕业典礼过后，经父亲提议，我没向校方归还(等同购买)租用的四方帽和礼袍，带回大马，以便继续穿戴拍些照片和收藏为纪念品。

I went to Singapore in June, 1976 to pursue my undergraduate study in engineering course in the University of Singapore (SU). I had then successfully applied for a Study Loan (RM3000 each year for the first 3 years) and a Bursary of RM3000 for the final year from Kuok Foundation, K.L..

The then SU Engineering Faculty conducted classes in the campus of Singapore Polytechnic at Prince Edward Road until 1976/1977 session. We moved to SU’s new main campus at Kent Ridge from 1977/78 session onwards.  

During my first year in Singapore, I rented a room at Tras Street, Tanjong Pagar which is within walking distance to Singapore Polytechnic campus. It is also near the China Town and People’s Park Complex which were my favourite hangouts during weekends.

I moved to a double-storey terrace house at Clementi Estate, opposite SU campus at Kent Ridge, renting the whole house with 3 other course-mates from mid of1977 until early 1980.

All of us engineering undergraduates studied Common Course in the first 2 years before branching out to different disciplines of engineering, namely Chemical Engineering. Civil Engineering. Electrical Engineering, Mechanical & Production Engineering, and Industrial & Systems Engineering. Most Singaporean students preferred either Electrical or Mechanical & Production Engineering, while Malaysian students selected Civil Engineering. I took up Civil Engineering and most of my course-mates were from Malaysia, while there were many lecturers came from India!

In 1980, the University of Singapore formerly known as the University of Malaya founded in 1949 until separated in 1962, merged with Nanyang University which was founded in 1956 to become the National University of Singapore (NUS).  The relevant NUS Bill 1980 was passed in the Singapore Parliament on 29 July, 1980.

My final year in US was in the 1979/1980 session and the B.Eng. degree certificate I received during the SU’s last Convocation from 5 to 7 September, 1980 can be deemed to be the “last of its kind”!

I brought my parents to attend the SU Convocation of the Engineering Faculty held in Singapore Conference Hall at 3.00pm, Sunday, 7 September, 1980. The number of graduates in Engineering in that year was 244. My cousin brother Mok Kum Thong who was working and staying in Singapore then also attended and took many photos for my parents and me after the ceremony.

After the Convocation was over, I took my father’s suggestion to purchase the used mortar and gown to bring back to Malaysia for further photo-shooting and kept as souvenirs.

SU Kent Ridge Campus. Background was Faculty of Architecture.

Engineering Block 3

With course-mates at 3rd year Survey Camp 

In front of Clementi Estate house

Department office entrance

The to-and-fro bus tickets to Singapore to attend my Convocation in 1980.  The bus fare then was RM13 one way.

A visit to Nanyang University at Jurong with my parents on 5 Sept., 1980 

The front page of Convocations 1980 Program Booklet

Convocation Day on 7 September, 1980

The last batch of University of Singapore's degree certificates

Testimonial from Head of Civil Engineering Department Prof. Lee Seng Lip who also taught me "Structural Design (CE404)" in the final year. He was a great lecturer and I was always very attentive at his lectures. i managed to score an A in his course!

My final year (1979/1980) exam results

A pose with my mum

A pose with cousin Mok Kum Thong

A pose with my parents on my left and cousin on my right

Taken at our house at Jalan Shahbandar, K.L.

Banner written by my dad

A copy of “The National University of Singapore Campus News No. 1, August 1980” was obtained on the Convocation Day and a few interesting pages were uploaded as follows:

The Vice-Chancellor Mr. Kwan Sai Kheong retired in the same year of our SU Convocations 1980.  His signature was found in our degree certificates for the last time.  So both SU and her Vice-Chancellor went to history at the same time!