Mr Goh Choon Lim, MA (Principal, 1946 - 1949, 1954 - 1968)

Mr Goh Choon Lim, MA
Photo taken in 1952

Mr Goh Choon Lim, MA (Denver) had taught at least three generations of pupils who  became successful persons serving in and outside the country in many walks of life. He started teaching in Malacca Anglo-Chinese School in 1926. After Normal Class training he attended Raffles College in Singapore and graduated with a Diploma. He succeeded Dr Ho Seng Ong as Principal of MACS in 1946. The school lacked facilities such as science laboratories, a good library and a proper playing field. It was very difficult to get money during the post war years but the rehabilitation of the school was made possible with the help and co-operation from the Methodist Mission, the public, staff and pupils, old boys and well-wishers.

During Mr Goh's tenure, additional land for the school was acquired. More classrooms were built, making a total of 27 classrooms as compared to 12 in the pre-war days. A vocational block was built for the teaching of woodwork and metalwork in 1956. The school field was rehabilitated by the staff and pupils in what was code-named "Operation Cangkul" with minimum cost. With a Capital Grant of $28,400.00 from the Ministry of Education and the kind donation of $15,000.00 from the Lee Foundation as well as donations from old boys and well wishers, two additional wings were constructed in 1960. The school was then able to provide three new science laboratories for the teaching of pure science up to Sixth Form Level and a proper library room. Later a new tuck-shop was built with a Capital Grant of $10,000.00 from the Ministry of Education and a loan from the Methodist Mission. The school was highly rated as one of the top schools in Malacca. The students excelled in the academic field as well as in sports.

Mr Goh Choon Lim
A 1962 photograph

Mr Goh was truly a leader by example who followed the tradition set by Dr Ho Seng Ong whose sons Robert Ho Guan Hai and Dr Edward Ho Guan Lim studied at MACS - his own sons are all MACSians. Goh Tiow Beng, Tiow Seng and Tiow Hoe were outstanding students who all became medical doctors. His daughters Nellie and Ivy Goh became teachers at MACS. His close friends and teaching colleagues Wong Quie Sem and Wong Soon Cheang (headmaster of the primary school from 1959 -1968) did the same – Wong Quie Sem's sons Wong Wai Kwan and Dr Wong Wai Ping are old boys of MACS as is Wong Soon Cheang's son Dr Wong Kong Meng. 

Many of his students also returned to teach at MACS. They included Yoong Yong Pow ('38) who was a Malacca State Doubles Badminton Champion and a World War Two Veteran who went on to become an engineer, a multi-term Malacca State Assemblyman and a Past-President of the MACS OBA; Lim Hong Kuan ('55), a long time MACS teacher who became Principal from 1969-1970 and then an English lecturer in University Malaya; Kuah Beng Choon (‘49) who co-founded the First Malacca Boys Brigade Company and became headmaster of the MACS primary from 1977-1983; Lloyd Tan Poa Chan ('53) who is best remembered as a well-known Scouter and founder of the first Parkinson's support group in Malaysia; Mow Ah Kwee ('53), See Seng Teck ('53), Lim Meng Wah ('53), Yap Cheng Boon ('54), Tan Tai Liew ('56) the biology master and later a Senior Assistant, Tan Guan Hock ('56); Wong Swee Lim ('55) who was headmaster of the primary school from 1983-1992; Yoong Yee Seng ('66) who returned to MACS as Principal from 1998-2005 and is the current Principal of the Wesley Methodist School run by the Methodist Education Council, and many others.

1985 Photo of Mr Goh

After four decades with MACS, Mr Goh was happy to retire, knowing that a new leadership was in place to carry on the administration and traditions of the school. Mr Goh's advice to the pupils of MACS - "Be loyal to the school always! Work hard and success will be yours."

"Our father was devoted to his God, devoted to his family and devoted to his ACS. We are thankful to God for the life, courage and devotion of Goh Choon Lim to the tasks that he was devoted to in Malacca." 

 - Dr Goh Tiow Hoe, MACSian Class of 1961

Malacca ACS Staff circa 1938 at Kubu Road

Standing L-R: Messrs Chung Shark Pick, Goh Choon Lim, Loh Hung Loon, 

Yong Fu Kong, Wong Quie Sem, Chan Ah Beng, Wong Soon Cheang.

Seated: Mdm Chan Kwye Lim (Mrs Yap Chuan Choon), Messrs Wong Tee Chin, 

Lam Yet Seng, Mrs Ho Seng Ong, Dr Ho Seng Ong, Rev Burr H Baughman, 

Mr Chan Ah Him, Miss Wee Lian Neo 

Below is a snap-shot of the pages in the soon to be published Coffee Table Book: