SABSAR CAMP

Camp Cameron is situated at Batu 5 Jalan Cameron Highland from Tapah Town. Tapah is situated at the Southern part of the state of Perak. From Ipoh, you can enjoy a two hours drive in the old green bas to Tapah. I’ve tried both types, with and without air-condition. If you are a traveler who loves greeneries, you should take the non-aircond bus but if you need a good rest for a few hour journey, go on and take a more expensive air-conditioned bus. The roads are tarred anyway! What can you find at Camp Cameron back in 15 years compare to now?
Ya, I was 1stly introduce to Camp Cameron or it was known as SabSar Camp (Sabah Sarawak Students Camp) by my ex STARIAN school mate Mr John Chukit. It is a place where the Sabahans and the Sarawakians who don’t have any plan to go back to their home town during school holidays and that’s the place to gather and meet new friends. I was quite reluctant at the1st place because every school break, I always go back home to Kuching. But during my final year at STAR Ipoh, John was able to convince me that I would not regret to follow him just that one final year end camp. I agreed though it is held for a week! I know how hard life is to be isolated deep in the jungle without electricity and a proper waste water system. I can easily get sick! HOME SICK! “Trust me, you’ll like it.” That was John final promise and I just cross my finger tight.
When the Friday bells ring, end of the class, it’s packing time… I just can’t wait to get out from the boarding school. It’s too hectic and full of rules and regulations. We had lunch at the cafeteria first since they are free. After that John and I quickly go to Taman Chempaka to wait for the bus to go to Ipoh Bus Station. There, we will get another ticket to Tapah and at Tapah, we have to buy another ticket to Batu 5 where the camp is situated. The whole journey including the waiting time was about 6 long hours. When we arrive at SabSar camp, it was already nearly dark.
I was quite excited to see the camp. It is divided into 2 sections. At the 1st section, there are wash rooms at the south, kitchen at the far north, far left is the 4 rooms for the boys which face the jungles while the 4 rooms are for the girls and it is facing the 2nd section which is the field and the main kitchen and the river. Between the boys and the girls room, there is a big assembly hall which can accommodate around 300 -.350 people at one time. Since the room can accommodate 4 people, I chose to sleep at the big assembly hall with more other friends because it’s spacious. There is no proper gate system and all that I can see is a big open space which may invites wild animals and also intruders. So most of the time, we are on guard and watch each other’s back.
So that evening, I met friends from different schools and different matriculations college. But surprisingly, most of us were from USM. John and I from STAR Ipoh, Aidan From SERATAS, Alan, Zamery and Melcome from Mohamad Jiwa, Kedah, Yuhanna and Jusmijo from MRSM Kulim Kedah, David Andrew from Perlis (forgot the school name already). So the evening ended with everyone went down to the river and took their bath.
The session “Getting to know you” started at night where everyone gather around the dinner table and introduce themselves one by one. Many questions asked but some only just to make fun out of it. I came to know that the camp was head by the Scripture union and the PIC was Brother Thomas Rabang (now a Pastor) and his team. That night went so fast and everyone was looking forward to bad after a long and tiring journey. We know that the camp was not just a co-incident one but God had prepared something special for each one of us. My roommate that night was Aidan, Melcome and John while Jusmijo, David and Zamery slept in the next room while Yuhanna, Edna and Alan in one girl’s room. Pastor and his team slept at the main kitchen’s house, about 100 meters from where we were.
That morning everyone woke up early. The wind from Cameron was so cold and one can feel it deep to the bone. I guess everyone was hungry and long for foods so we all went to the main kitchen after shower. Wow, looks like the ladies already cooked nasi goring and air kopi panas, perfect for the lovely cold morning. We were told that that day, more students would be coming from all parts of Semenanjung Malaysia and the Thomas needed our help to organized them. There were 10 of us and everyone seemed to know what they are supposed to do. Out of 9, 4 can lead praise and worship, out of 9, 2 can play guitar. The group was perfect! We started to get close day by day but I realized that from then 1995 – 2010, we never give our group any name. Never in our mind to think about that…Well it really signified something. Let me continue the story and maybe if I have the guts to share it here, let it be then...
Students started to come after lunch time, more and more and there were form orang asli tribe too joining us. They came from kampong near by and their skins were dark compare to us and their hair mainly curly but we welcome them too. That night, I guess there were nearly 50 of us gathering under one roof. Frankly it was a tough job to manage children, but thank God, one and or two of them acted naughtily but majority of us are ladies and gents! Everything was arranged and it ended up that all girls will get the rooms while the boys will sleep outside. Agreed! So a timetable was made and the 4 of us became the leader of the group and the other 4 became assistant while John became the camp commandant with a whistle. The daily task involved schedule for washing the plates, cooking, washing the toilets and all the cleanliness of the camp. Never in those 1 week camp have I heard anyone complaining about the chores. I guess Bro Thomas was so happy about that. I could remember one day we were given a present by the villagers, ya a wild boar meat! Everyone enjoy their meal especially me 
From Tuesday to Saturday it was full with activities. Bible study in the morning continue with praise and worship, minister time by Bro Thomas and his gang, lunch time, games, afternoon naps, then another group games such as captain ball where every teams will fight for the trophy and then bath time in the RIVErrr… by that time another group was preparing for that night meal and everything was done in order and without hesitation. After dinner, another session of praise and worship and talk by Bro Thomas before he ended the final activity but before that, another group had already prepared supper for us before we go to bed. So one thing good about this camp, we were always being fed regardless you want it or not.. It’s a choice to make!!! Another thing that I found out, not everyone there are Christian, there were non Christian too but we welcome them with open heart. I was involved in the counseling ministry where students with issues and this and that. Actually I was a bit shy during the one to one session but of course, men to men and Vice versa but when you read the bible, the answer is always in there. Trust me!
When Saturday came, some of them are leaving back for their school and some of them are leaving using the night bus from Tapah and most of us are leaving on Sunday morning to our own destinations. This is the worse part! IT was so difficult to say the GOOD BYE word when you just made a friendship with someone. There were a lot of tears and a lot of promises that we will meet again one day, same place and same time. I did feel sad leaving my juniors and the other 7 friends that I met, but John was a great company whom never fail to encourage me when I’m down. Actually now I want to dedicate this post to the 9 of us, the heroes and the heroin of SABSAR camp batch 1994-1998. Forget the misspelling, the grammar error. To Aidan Gorino, Alan Sirang, David Andrew Balai, Jusmijo Taising, John Chukit, Melcome Ferdinand, Yuhanna Ubong Wan, Zamery Atting and Davidson Toda, no matter what happen to us, the quarrel that we had, the grudge that adhere, the fun that we experienced, the joy that we gathered and where ever you are, we had colored everyones life with different type of colors and I’d like to thank you for being there as my friends. Nothing can replace each one of you. We have no group name and I thank God for that because groups may disperse and it may break our hearts but we disperse without feel any guilt because it shows that we are so mature in life and we need to continue to bless other’s people’s life. Since Christmas is coming, let us celebrate it with love, joy and peace by not compromising what we belief. May God Bless you abundantly!