A word of praise from athletics legend Jesse Owens changed this Malaysian's life

Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he went on to capture four gold medals. In 1954, he made a scheduled stop in Batu Pahat where he visited the writer's school to observe the school boys in their PE lessons. His visit was a defining moment in Ho's life. Photo: AFP

Part I: The Fijians

Recent events on people who fought for the country’s independence, parents’ sensitivities over their children’s punishments in school – some of real concern where pupils are badly hurt – coupled with the long twilight each spring, brought to mind my school days in the 1950s, in particular.