Friday, December 16, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012 AND GONG XI FA CAI



In two weeks' time, we will be celebrating Merry Christmas and the end of 2011. We will usher in the New Year 2011 as well. At the same time, by the 3rd. Week of January 2012, billions of Chinese around the world will celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Golden Dragon. All these festivities will be celebrated within 1 month.

As we celebrate X'mas, New Year and Chinese New Year, may we take this opportunity to wish everyone well. May Peace prevail around the World so that everyone can enjoy happiness, wealth and health. Let us usher in these celebrations by sharing with the unfortunate and provide them with warmth and joy as we are One of the Kind in this Earth of ours.

Happy Holidays and Happy Celebrations to Everyone.

www.malaccahigh.net

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

MALACCA HIGH SCHOOL 185TH. ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS PROGRAMME (24TH.-25TH. SEPTEMBER 2011)

Malacca High School celebrates 185th anniversary

2011/09/21

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MALACCA: With an illustrious history dating back to 1826, the iconic Malacca High School will be celebrating its 185th anniversary this weekend with an exciting line-up of games and activities for its past and present pupils and teachers.
The celebrations will kick off with the Games Carnival on Saturday and Sunday where students will pit their skills at cricket, hockey, netball, golf and football.

The cricket, netball and football matches will be held at the MHS Padang while the 6-a-side hockey tournament and the golf tournament will be held at the Bukit Serindit Hockey Stadium and the Ayer Keroh Country Club, respectively.


Past pupils and their families can also reminisce about their schooldays during a trip down memory lane at their alma mater on Sunday from 9am followed by a fellowship and nostalgic tuckshop fare at the MHS hall from 11.30am to 12.30pm.

The highlight of the celebrations is the 185th anniversary dinner specifically for former pupils and staff, their spouses and current employees of the school.

The dinner, priced at RM80 per person, will be held from 6pm to 11pm on Sunday at Hotel Equatorial Malacca. For details, call Dr Ee Tiang Lock at 06-282 0161/06-286 8146 or Aljan at 016-284 4684.


The Malacca High School, a premier school, is the second oldest school in the country. It is now a cluster school.

Founded on Dec 7, 1826, MHS was initially known as the Malacca Free School. Its name was changed to Malacca High School when the government took over its management from the Christian mission in 1878.

Some of MHS's prominent alumni include statesmen Tun Tan Cheng Lock and his son, Malaysia's first finance minister Tun Tan Siew Sin, former deputy governor of Bank Negara Malaysia and former managing director of Petronas Datuk Rastam Hadi, former chief secretary to the government Tun Abdullah Salleh, High Court Judge Tan Sri Lal Chand Vohrah who was also ad litem judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Shirley Geok-Lin Lim, a UCLA Professor of English, who chairs the School of Education of UCLA and winner of Commonwealth Poetry Prize and National Book Award.

MHS 66 GRAND REUNION DINNER ON 1ST. OCTOBER 2011

The Malacca High School of 1966 (MHS 66) will be holding its 2nd. Grand Reunion dinner at Mahkota Hotel, Malacca on 1st. October 2011 at 7.30pm.

For details, call Seet Kim Seng at 012-639 6428, Chua Eng Him at 016-660 6739 or Leo Ann Mean at 012-606 8265

Thursday, June 9, 2011

MALACCA HIGH SCHOOL FORMER PUPILS TO ORGANISE 185TH. ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Hi guys,

Malacca High School former pupils intend to hold her 185th. Anniversary celebrations on 24th. and 25th. September 2011 in Melaka.

A Games carnival is to be held on Saturday, 24th. September 2011 while the main dinner is to be held on Sunday, 25th. September 2011 at Hotel Equatorial.

It is unfortunate that Hotel Equatorial Ballroom is booked on Saturday night otherwise the Grand Dinner could be held on Saturday night.

Those interested, see the following flyers.

Flyer A

Flyer B

Webmaster

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

FRIENDLY FOOTBALL MATCH AND DINNER IN MELAKA ON 23RD. SEPTEMBER 2011

From Kelvin Becksy Chow,

A friendly football match between old boys residing in Malacca and rest of the world is being scheduled on the afternoon of 23 September 2011 right before the big dinner.

Those who wish to play for the Malacca team pls contact me.

Malacca must take revenge having lost out in 2008.

MEETING AN OLD MHS TEACHER IN PJ

29 th. May 2011

While in PJ State this afternoon, I was fortunate enough to recognize my former MHS teacher. He is Mr Wong Kim Siong who taught Bahasa Malaysia and English in MHS in 1969-70.

He left to UK to pursue his higher degree, worked in Ministry of Education before retiring in 1993.

Now 73, he keeps busy doing church work and stays in Old Klang Road. Has asked him to check out www.mahsopa.net.

If anyone of us meets any former MHS teachers and pupils, do encourage them to join our network.

MAHSOPA WEBSITE
Www.mahsopa.net

Monday, May 16, 2011

HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY TO ALL TEACHERS

Today is Teachers' Day. For former students and students still in school, let us remember our teachers with respect and kindness.

Through their dedication and mentoring, they moulded us into human beings. Without their tireless effort in classes, sporting and through extra-curricular activities, we were able to learn values, compassion, responsibilities, honour and other aspects of life.

Do take some time to reflect on our teachers.

HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY

Monday, April 11, 2011

MCKK HERITAGE BUILDING IN DEPLORABLE STATE

Mighty MCKK falls to humble termites

2011/04/11




The dormitories at Malay College Kuala Kangsar are empty and in a sorry state.
The dormitories at Malay College Kuala Kangsar are empty and in a sorry state.
THE old boys are furious at what the termite-infested Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) has become. They cannot bear to see the heritage Big School building fall apart, as reported in this paper two days ago.

The anxiety is real. Even the swift response from Education director-general Datuk Abdul Ghafar Mahmud yesterday that the matter would be rectified immediately would do little to ease the exasperation.

Said one of the old boys, Federal Court judge Datuk Abdull Hamid Embong, a member of the school board, in a text message: "It is a heritage building and the government must save it. Historical significance too important to ignore. Even Queen Elizabeth and Emperor Hirohito visited it a few years ago. I wonder what they would say if they come to know that the Big School is left to rot, that our heritage has become a meal to the humble termites."


Another, Azizul Kallahan, executive chairman of communications consultants Spencer Azizul, called in to express his deepest concern about the state of affairs and said he would rally support to set things right.

Indeed, the alarm bells have sounded. First, it was the school's declining achievements. Now even the physical structure is crumbling away at MCKK.

And something must be done fast to save the century-old fully-residential school that has produced the cream of the country's who's who.


The Big School, the landmark hostel section that looks so majestic from the outside, is crumbling and creaky on the inside after being eaten away by termites.

It is now unoccupied, the students having been moved out of the dormitories for safety reasons.

This actually has made it worse because the desolation has turned the whole section into a horrible scene: an abandoned ghostly building waiting to fall to pieces.


News about the termite infestation has been around for a while and it was not until I saw the situation for myself that I realised how bad it was and how seriously the school has sunk.

This was last Tuesday when, together with four old boys from the Class of '71, I set out on a sentimental journey to Kuala Kangsar to see for myself the sad state of my alma mater.

No matter how jovial and upbeat T.K., Vic, Zin and Azhair have always been and no matter how many times they have visited MCKK the past two years, we couldn't hold back our tears when we saw the deterioration that had taken place, particularly at the Big School.

Some dormitories were empty and in a very sorry state. Parts of the ceiling and floorboards were rotting away, having been eaten by the pests.

What used to be Dorms 7 to 16 were dark and empty, with dust gathering all over the place. The balconies were unkempt and the Roman pillars very rough at the edges with signs of the termite trail. The common rooms and the sick bay on the lower floor were also not there anymore.

This was the place we grew up in and we stood there gasping at what had become of it.

No doubts at all, something has got to be done to save this heritage.

The reactions are understandable. Another old boy, Datuk Mohd Shukri Hussin, executive director of CIMB Group, said he found it hard to understand why the pest problem was not addressed earlier.

"Why must the matter come to a head like this until students had to be moved out?"

I also detected a lot of anger from retired diplomat Datuk Salim Has-him. Among other things, this was what he said in his email to me: "Read the story. Yes, alarming and heart-wrenching, its like your soul is gutted to the core. What happened to our Big School, perhaps, is not an isolated case. There are many other iconic buildings that could be in the same state of affairs.

"It is reflective of the national mind, to put it mildly, of how much such things are valued. That we do not possess the culture to recognise these national heritage is simply mindless. We continue to build new complexes and new symbols for the nation and yet neglect the ones that we already have. Where is the balance in our milieu of things?

"If the government is not able to consider providing the appropriate funds to restore the decaying buildings, perhaps the alumni would come forward to contribute to the restoration work. Mind you, it is not only the Big School which requires repairs, but generally the whole school complex is in such deplorable condition.

"When was your last visit to the school? I was there about eight months ago and decided to walk around the campus. Never mind that things have changed so much after 42 years but just imagine that the library is relocated at the far end of the school?

"I went to look for old school magazines and was told that none is available and all are pushed into what is called cabinets? I could not find any single magazine which I thought could remind me of the years I spent at that famous MCKK... what a shame."

I think he has said it all.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

ACS MELAKA CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF FOUNDING

Victor Chin is a Kuala Lumpur-based artist and photographer.

Celebrating the ACS 100

March 27, 2011

Anglo Chinese School signage . All photos: Victor Chin

MARCH 27 — During the British colonial times, over a hundred years ago, in Melaka, there were already five Christian missionary schools. But of course, an early metropolitan port like Melaka would have many other forms of schooling for the early trading communities like the Chinese, Indians, etc. as well.

These five early schools are still in Melaka today. Three of them are Catholic schools: St. Francis Institution, Sacred Hearts Canossa Convent and Infant Jesus Convent, the other two are Protestant schools: Methodist Girls School and Anglo Chinese School.

The European Catholics and the Protestants were at war with each other, for many years, and this was reflected through their race to gain colonial power over as much territory as it was possible. In the 19th & 20th century, their rivalry was in South Asia, China, Japan and South- East Asia. Religious battles are still with us today, everywhere (that would be another story).

Anglo Chinese School, Malacca

On Saturday 5 March, the Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Methodist Melaka formerly known as the Anglo Chinese School celebrated its centenary. The school started in 1910. Their sister Methodist Girls School Melaka started six years earlier. The two schools started along Jln. Tun Tan Cheng Lock (formerly Heeren Street). The boy’s school moved four times, to different locations, in that area.

Their own new building along Jalan Tengkera (formerly Trenquerah Road) was completed in 1941. The principle then was Ho Seng Ong. He and his wife and all his teachers, through their nationwide fundraising efforts, plus the support of the relevant authorities, built the first main portion of the school. Later, other parts were added with the gradual demand for classrooms. It was the school of choice from the 40s to the 70s. Now it has a lot more competition from other new schools.

Today the Methodist Church Malaysia still has 35 schools in the peninsula.

The earlier Methodist missionaries sent out here to start churches and schools were mainly Americans. The British were not that interested in educating the locals, they were more interested in exploiting the local raw materials and its people.

In many ways it was education, mainly in the mission schools and in the private Chinese schools, that first planted the seeds of Malayan nationalism which eventually drove the British out, more than 50 years ago.

It was the deep dedication and perseverance of the earlier Christian headmasters and teachers (such as W.G. Shellabear and M. Dodsworth, to just name a few) that made education possible for many Malayans, in the early years, and later, Malaysians of all races.

With an education, many of us can better improve our social and economic positions. We can also all aspire for civil liberties and human rights.

More than 1,000 ex-students and present ones, ex-teachers and current ones, came together for a dinner, at the school compound, to celebrate the centenary of their school. It was an “electric” kind of an evening. Voices filled the air. Well over 1,000 stories -- memories and news -- were all busting out simultaneously like invisible fireworks.

Many ex-teachers were meeting up with ex-students after 30 or 40 years. Lots of long-lost school- or class-mates were looking around frantically, among the large crowd, to reestablish contact of old times.

Some had come from as far away as Australia. Lots of them have not been back to their old school since the day they left it. Groups of class-mates have not seen or heard from each other for many years. Many gathered there were well over 80 years old. Others were younger and still at school.

Dr Wong Kong Ming, ACS class of 1949

One of the many old ACS fellows was Dr Wong Kong Ming. He is now living in Adelaide, Australia, with his family. He flew in just for the occasion. His father, Wong Soon Cheng, was an ex-teacher of the ACS primary.

“I can still recollect how happy the students were when they finally moved into their new building in 1941, with proper classroom furniture, with their own ACS insignia etc. In those days we were taught to love reading, dancing and singing besides our school work. Although our teachers were strict they had hearts of gold,” he said.

He went, “But the unfortunate part was that in that same year, in December; the Japanese army bicycled into Malaya, through the back door, and defeated the British. So our happiness was short-lived. Our new school premises were used by the Japanese army for their training. We returned to school in September 1945 but found the school completely wrecked and looted by the locals.”

“We also found out that our school principle, Ho Seng Ong and some of his staff had been imprisoned and tortured by the Japanese during the Occupation. He was later transferred to ACS Ipoh.

“Goh Choon Lim took over the job. I finished my Senior Cambridge Examination in 1949 and later left for further studies in Singapore. After that, I had a clinic in Melaka for many years before we moved to Australia.”

Dr Goh Tiow Hoe, ACS class of 1961

Another ex-student was Dr Goh Tiow Hoe. He left school in 1961 and went on to study medicine at the University of Malaya. He is the youngest son of Goh Choon Lim. He flew in from Sydney for the dinner.

He said, “My father was the principal of ACS for 18 years, with a short break in between, to further his studies in the US; he was one of the longest serving HMs. He retired in 1968. All my brothers and sisters were from this school or the MGS.

“We’re all here tonight. We are very proud of our father and all that he had done for the school, the community and for our family. Only one of my sisters, Nellie Goh, became a teacher in this school. She taught for many years before their family moved to Singapore.”

Bien Hock Nein, ACS class of 1955

The final words were from Bien Hock Nein, class of 1955. He said, “I had a really memorable time in my school days. My family lived far away from town. My father was a manager of a rubber plantation in Nyals near Jasin. So I become a boarding student.

“Besides school work I was very interested in scouting. We had a great scout master, the late Chua Cheng Chye. He was a motivator and a real hit with the students. However, our headmaster at that time was an American, named, C.E. Shumaker; he was the complete opposite to Chua. I had never seen such an inhumane person like Shumaker before.”

He went on, “One day in school, one of the boys, who suffered from epilepsy, suddenly went into a fit. Instead of helping the epileptic student, Shumaker paraded the boy around as if to make fun of a helpless boy who was suffering from an illness. This scene of the headmaster humiliating a student to such a degree is unforgettable. Otherwise, I am very proud of my educational heritage.”

Thursday, March 24, 2011

MAHSOPA AGM AND ANNUAL DINNER ON MAY 7TH. 2011

MAHSOPA AGM at 7pm and Annual Dinner at 8.00pm on 7th. May 2011 at Kelab Golf Negara Subang.

21st. February 2011

Prices for MAHSOPA Annual Dinner 2011 on 7th. May 2011 at Kelab Golf Negara Subang at 8.00pm are as follows:-
Individual : RM 70.00 only.
A Table of Ten : RM 700.00 only.

The tickets will be ready for sales from mid March 2011. Advance bookings for tickets and tables can be booked via admin@mahsopa.net or from all MAHSOPA Committee members.

MAHSOPA looks forward to your participation.

10th. February 2011

The MAHSOPA AGM will be held at Kelab Golf Negara Subang at 7.00pm on 7th. May 2011. All members are invited to attend this Annual General Meeting.

After the AGM, members and non-members will be able to attend MAHSOPA Annual Dinner.

The buffet dinner tickets will be sold to all former Malacca High School students. Price will be announced at a later date.

Bulk booking of dinner tables can also be made by former pupils of various years.

email us at : admin@mahsopa.net

We hope to see members and fellow Malacca High pupils to attend the AGM and Annual Dinner in force.

MAHSOPA Committee
2009 - 2010

Monday, February 28, 2011

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

CM Pledges to help HSOBA

CM pledges to help HSOBA

By MARTIN CARVALHO and CINDY TAN
malacca@thestar.com.my


MALACCA: Former student and Malacca Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam has pledged to help the Malacca High School Old Boys Association (HSOBA) following plans by the education authorities here to acquire its clubhouse.

Mohd Ali, who studied at Malacca High School between 1961 and 1967, said he was unaware of the dispute between the school authorities and HSOBA over the use of the clubhouse.

“I will ask the Malacca Education Department for a full report on the matter as I was unaware that HSOBA members had been prevented from using their clubhouse,” he told reporters at his office in Ayer Keroh yesterday.

He added he would personally assist HSOBA, as best as he can, to resolve the issue over the proposed acquisition of the clubhouse.

“The state would be willing to offer them a place on Pulau Melaka.

“I am willing to help them raise the necessary funds through a fundraising dinner,” he said.

When contacted, HSOBA president Manual Gomez said he was glad that Mohd Ali, a HSOBA member, had agreed to look into their plight.

“I am happy that the Chief Minister has agreed to help us.

“We are not against the acquisition but worried that HSOBA would be left out in the streets without a proper clubhouse once it is acquired,“ he said.

He added that the Melaka Tengah Land Office had also agreed to defer the acquisition evaluation exercise fixed on Jan 18 to Feb 9 following an appeal by HSOBA.

Malacca High School, the second oldest school in Malaysia, was established in 1826.

HSOBA, which has 18,000 members, was formed in 1921 with MCA founder Tun Tan Cheng Lock, a former student, appointed its first president.

Problems arose between HSOBA and the school authorities in 2006 when members had difficulty using the clubhouse which is located within the school.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

ACCESS ROAD TO HSOBA BUILDING BLOCKED IN OCTOBER 2010

18th. January 2011

During one of my visits back to Malacca, I had the opportunity to drive into the Malacca High School on 2nd. October 2010.

I was shocked that the access road to the HSOBA Club house has been blocked by concrete tables and a pile of bricks.

Instead of welcoming back former Malacca High school pupils and their families to visit their Alma mater, the current authorities want to exclude us from our past. To them, we are unwelcomed UNLESS WE WANT TO DONATE TO THE SCHOOL.

I understand from the Internet, former MHS Alumni has raised funds in the building of the MHS School Hall in 1988 and only last year, MAHSOPA raised a substantial contribution for the MHS Cadet Band in their annual dinner.

For me, the HSOBA Club house was the place where I saw first hand how data communication was made using the telephone/modem in 1974. A former MHS pupil who was working for a telecommunication firm, came to demonstrate this devise in the HSOBA Club house to us students then. It was done in a large brief case containing the telephone and coupler.

The current school authorities must realise that education CANNOT be done in a vacuum. Current technologies especially the Internet allows students to explore their subjects beyond the classrooms.

Most schools even universities are re-connecting with their former graduates via Alumni associations. Here, we have a reverse trend of trying to bury our past by trying to acquire our Club house. Why not all parties come together to draw up a win-win situation where the students benefit viz:- the School authorities, Parents-Teachers Association, HSOBA and MAHSOPA.

It is wishful thinking that an Alumni building be acquired just because it is located within the school compound. The fact that it was built there in the first place indicate that during that time, there was a cordial working relationship between the School and the Alumni, which unfortunately,this relationship has been eroded for the past 5 years.

Principals come and go as time goes by but our HSOBA has gone through for the past 90 years. Moreover, we have our own Clubhouse to be proud of.

I for one is against such a hostile unilateral move to acquire our HSOBA Clubhouse and its land.

Monday, January 17, 2011

STORM BREWING BETWEEN HSOBA AND SCHOOL AUTHORITIES OVER OBA BUILDING

Tuesday January 18, 2011

Standoff between old boys and school

By MARTIN CARVALHO
malacca@thestar.com.my


MALACCA: A storm is brewing following plans by the education authorities here to acquire the clubhouse of the 90-year-old Malacca High School Old Boys Association (HSOBA) which is located within the school grounds.

HSOBA members have been prevented from enjoying the use of the clubhouse since 2006 by the school authorities.

Its president Manuel Gomez said he was shocked at the manner in which the school had acquired the club house without holding proper talks first.

“We were informed of the acquisition via a notice to the school dated Oct 5 last year,” he said when met here yesterday.

Gomez said the problem arose five years ago when HSOBA was issued guidelines by the school restricting the usage of the club.

“First, we were restricted from using our own club and now they are acquiring our property,” Gomez added.

“We hope that the acquisition can be deferred to give us time to obtain views from members and former students,” he said adding that HSOBA is merely seeking fair compensation and a suitable piece of land to rebuild a new clubhouse.

However, he said HSOBA would not hesitate to challenge the matter in court if it is not resolved amicably.

Malacca High School, the second oldest school in Malaysia was established in 1826.

HSOBA, which has 18,000 mem-bers, was formed in 1921 with MCA founder Tun Tan Cheng Lock, a former student, appointed as its first president.

Meanwhile, state education committee chairman Datuk Yaakub Md Amin said the problem arose as the club house is located within the school grounds with the school authorities deeming it inappropriate.

He advised HSOBA to appeal for the acquisition to be deferred by the Melaka Tengah Land Office.