White Volkswagen BH120

Ulong Leman (Sulaiman Mohd Zain) was a teacher at Tuanku Muhammad School, Kuala Pilah. He was also once the Headmaster at Sekolah Menengah Zaaba, Kuala Pilah. He was a teacher all his life and is now living in SS2/4. He was my mentor. He was my idol.

When he bought his first car, a white Volkswagen, I was one of the happiest boy in the village; for I will now go to school everyday in a car instead of the bus. Every morning, when he goes to work at Tuanku Muhammad School, Alang Udin (Shaharuddin - his brother) and me would go together in the car. I was in Standard 2 in Tunku Munawir School. I normally sit in front. When he drives, I would replicate whatever he was doing. Using the small handle bar at the front as the steering I would 'drive' together with him. I use the window slider by the door side (there were no auto window then) as my 'gear' replicating everything he does while driving the Volkswagen. 1st gear front, 2nd gear back, 3rd gear further front and 4th gear further back. However, there was no reverse gear!

Everyday, after school; and I would have finished earlier from my primary school, I will go to the place where he usually parks his car. Under the 'Flame of the Forest' tree next to the TMS school hall. I will wait for him and Alang Udin to come out, to take us home to Kampoing Senaling. Many years later, and I do not live in Senaling anymore; when he moved to Lembaga Peperiksaan in Jalan Duta, he sold the car and bought a Nissan Sunny (the 1st version), still white in colour. I will always remember that car, the first car I 'drove' - the Volkswagen with the number plate BH120.