Haji Hajeedar Haji Abdul Majid was a Victorian from 1959 to 1963 during which time he was active in the V.I. Art and Craft Club, serving as treasurer and secretary at various times. Under the mentorship of his art teacher, the noted artist Patrick Ng, Hajeedar and his contemporaries Ismail Mustam and Dzulkifli Buyong, developed their artistic gifts at the Wednesday Art Group. Today, one of Hajeedar's oils, Teluk Cempedak, is on loan to the National Art Gallery.

On leaving the V.I., Hajeedar applied for a MARA scholarship. Noting that a course in Naval Architecture was being offered, he impulsively struck out the word Naval and then sent in his application. To his utter surprise he was called for an interview - a nightmarishly gruelling one - in which he doggedly defended his choice of career. Finally, he stomped out in disgust at the verbal pummelling he was receiving and while walking away in the street was persuaded to return to continue with the interview! A short time later, to his utter surprise (again), he was awarded a MARA scholarship to read Architecture, not Naval Architecture, in Portsmouth, England, majoring in Urban Studies and Conservation Studies.

On completion, he trained with an architectural firm in England. He also continued his training in Japan and received a Certificate in City Planning in Tokyo. Back home, he worked as an architect in UDA, and served as Deputy Director in UDA's Technical Services from 1975 to 1978. He was awarded the Penguin Prize by the Norwegian Government in recognition of the restoration works carried. Since 1978, Hajeedar has had his own practice, Hajeedar and Associates Sdn.

Hajeedar's architectural accomplishments include many outstanding buildings around Malaysia as well as the magnificent mosque at Malé, capital of the Republic of the Maldives. (Hajeedar is now Honorary Consul of that country!) It should be mentioned that the cost of the Malé mosque was underwritten by the Sultan of Brunei, another Old Victorian!

His public service is extensive. Hajeedar has served as a member of the Advisory Council for National Culture, as President of Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia, as a member of the Lembaga Akitek Malaysia, as a member of the City Hall Advisory Board and as a member of the Lembaga Jututera Malaysia. He was recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Malaysians of 1985 by the Jaycees Malaysia and Business Times. He was appointed Chairman of Pernas Construction Sdn Bhd and Chairman of subsidiaries in 1987. He was a founder member of the Persatuan Kebajikan Anak-anak Yatim Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur.

Hajeedar has not forgotten his Alma Mater and, in fact, has left an absolutely indelible mark on it! He was the designer of the V.I.'s Surau Abdul Kadir Mat, a major portion of the cost of which was borne by another ex-Victorian, Tan Sri Shamsuddin Abdul Kadir. On July 27, 1996, Hajeedar returned to the old School to explain his design to the dignitaries present at the official opening of his creation.

Hajeedar was conferred the Ahli Mangku Negara by the Yang Di Pertuan Agong in 1978. Today, ensconced in his office which is just a stone's throw from the Bangsar Mosque (another of his creations), Hajeedar continues designing his creations in concrete and glass rather than in the oils and water colours of his old V.I. days. But definitely a far cry from doing Naval Architecture!

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