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.

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.

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.