Fitting Recognition for our Big Three

 In July 2010, we got the school to agree to spruce up and name the previously disused “Teachers’ Meeting Room” (which was being used to store old documents, school magazines and trophies) after Mr Chua Cheng Chye, one of our most loved former teacher and primary school headmaster. The room was  repainted, refitted and renamed “Bilik Warisan Chua Cheng Chye” with intentions to display on the walls framed historical photographs and documents of MACS and our story.

Mr Chua had passed away in November 2008, a few days short of his 86^th birthday. As those of you who have read some of the articles on Mr Chua, the ChuaCC Fund was set up by some MACSians to start a bursary for the MACS primary school boys and/or similar projects to remember Mr Chua by.  The ChuaCC Fund committee came up with the suggestion to the MACS secondary school to name the meeting room after Mr Chua while the primary school agreed to name the school hall “Dewan Chua Cheng Chye”. To reciprocate these kind gestures, the ChuaCC Fund suppliedand installed a 42” LCD TV and two Glass Display Cabinets in the meeting room. The old school challenge trophies have since been restored to their original gleaming state, displayed inside the glass cabinets. An XGA LCD Projector and a 7’ projection screen have been installed in the Dewan Chua Cheng Chye for the benefit of the boys as they spend much time in the hall before classes, during recess and after school - as a security measure since the primary school is without any fencing. A "Chua Cheng Chye Achievement Award", comprising a framed Certificate and a RM100 voucher  is presented to selected boys in 5 categories – Sports, Academic, Special Education, Remedial and Overall. This year’s awards will be the third year running.

Around the same time in July 2010, we had discussions among ourselves and with Mr Lee Bun Chuan, the principal then, about not forgetting the two great legacies of our school – Dr Ho Seng Ong who organised the fund-raising and built the main building of our school, officially opened in 1941. He and his teachers had even donated a month’s salary each to the school building fund. It was noted sadly that prior to the centenary and The Macsian blog, very few MACSians have even ever heard of Dr Ho, a giant in Methodist Education in Malaysia and Singapore.

Like Dr Ho, Mr Goh Choon Lim lived his life for and around Malacca ACS. He was a student, teacher, principal and advisor and never wandered into “new” territory as his heart and soul were always with MACS.

I am very pleased to inform all of you that since the Centenary celebrations and Reunion dinner last March, and before Mr Lee moved on promotion to SFI, he had successfully implement our suggestions.

Today, any visitor and student can clearly note the bold “Bangunan Ho Seng Ong” lettering on the school frontage. 

 Note that the main building of the Methodist Boys School Kuala Lumpur (MBSKL), a cluster school and among the best if not the best, school in KL, was also built  under Dr Ho’s principal-ship and aptly named after him. Dr Ho is an old boy of MBSKL. There is also a primary school in Ipoh named SK Ho Seng Ong Methodist.

As you approach the school hall, you will now be greeted with the signage “Dewan Goh Choon Lim” above the main door.

Thank you Mr Lee Bun Chuan for taking the initiative and implementing what is long overdue. Indeed very long overdue but one can safely guess that such a measure was never before initiated as the personalities themselves did all the good for the school and their students, not for personal glory or reward.

Mr Chua Cheng Chye for example was still attending old boy’s functions,  keeping an eye on the BB boys at the MYF and attending the Boys Brigade functions in the last few years before his passing.

MACSians can do more. The recognition extended to our past leaders should not end with a simple naming of the buildings. Better fittings and facilities for the school, the hall and other rooms are welcome and needed to give real meaning to the initiatives.

You can help to keep alive the legacies left by these three fine educators and friends of MACS, by supporting any existing and future efforts like the ChuaCC Fund by giving generously or if you prefer, in your own ways.

Let us give back some to our alma-mater. Thank you in advance.

Note: This is not an entry article for the Coffee Table Book.