
22 APRIL 2023
Today on 22 April 1961 (a Saturday, then), 62 years ago, FMC began its move from the FMC camp in Port Dickson to its new camp in Sungai Besi.
On the same day, all the Budak Boys left for home for their first term school holidays for the year 1961, for the last time from Port Dickson. A number of Budak Boys, especially those from Kuala Lumpur were involved in the move, assisting the FMC staff in cleaning up the new camp in Sungai Besi.
The Budak Boys reported back to FMC after the first term school holidays to its new camp in Sungai Besi on 14 May 1961, to start their second term schooling. Those who came back by train had the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station as their final stop, no more the Seremban Railway Station. The 3-Ton trucks took about an hour or so to arrive at the new Sungai Besi camp, along the winding and narrow Kuala Lumpur-Sungai Besi road then.
The Boys’ Wing buildings were all sited on one hill; no longer wooden barracks but two 4- storey accommodation blocks, one for A, B, C and D Companies and the other for E, F, G and H Companies. The classrooms, the library, the dining hall and the canteen were all on the same small hill as the two accommodation blocks. As such there was not much walking to be done daily. There was no sea nearby to go to but a man-made lake to view from the hill.
The FMC Administrative block and the Cadet Wing block were on the hill below; so were the parade square, the gym and the assembly hall. The guard house was quite some distance away.
It was not until 20 June 1961 that the official opening of the new FMC camp in Sungai Besi was declared by DYMM Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Syed Hassan Jamalullail, the third Yang DiPertuan Agong, (1960-1965) during a parade held on the Parade Square of the College.
Those were the days ….. the Budak Boys then longed for the Port Dickson camp!
Written By
OP Nawawi bin Mat Desa
(F Coy; 1959-1961)
22 April 2023