MESSAGE NO. 11/2014
Our Alumni Association bids everyone good cheers for the joyous festivities that will come upon us in the First Quarter of this year.
May I now take this opportunity to update you on the outcome of our efforts last year and share with you our aspirations and schedule of activities for this year.
Our Alma Mater will attain its 120th Anniversary this year, a feat that clearly displays remarkable resilience and longevity. It is apt that we apply exceptional efforts to put together a series of celebrations that will recognize this and spur our Alma Mater to greater heights.
120th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
Rachael Khoo, the renowned BBC celebrity chef and host did some location shooting at our Alma Mater on 25th November last year. There was a lot of footage shot. It is a happy timing that this episode of the BBC’s “World On A Plate” programme will be aired in March this year. This should give our Alma Mater some considerable mileage, creating awareness and recognition beyond Malaysia. Watch out for the slot. Rachael’s father, Khoo Kheng Hin, studied in Ipoh ACS from 1964 to 1968.
Plans are afoot to take on one of the Shakespearean plays, “Macbeth” directed by our renowned Old Salt, Chin San Sooi, as one of our celebration events. This will bring back much nostalgia reminding us of the heydays of our Alma Mater’s stage prowess. The event will be staged at Damansara PAC in April this year.
A School Fun Fair is planned for the First Half this year. This is intended to draw participation from young people in Ipoh and to bring together Old Salts who have spread their wings beyond Ipoh.
A celebration-cum-fund raising dinner will be held in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday, 25th July this year. Donations will be solicited for the setting up of The Ipoh ACS Alumni Foundation. The Foundation will provide financial support for our present students in school, recognize merit performance on the academic, sports and extracurricular fronts; accumulate some means to assist in our Alma Mater’s restoration efforts and provide for a limited measure of moral support for the teachers.
The Ipoh-centered core events will be held over 3 days from Friday, 31st July to Sunday, 2nd August 2015. It will start with an “old days” school assembly on Friday morning – replete with a mock public caning enactment – followed by a series of novelty matches with our own Ipoh ACS sports heroes who won international and Olympic honours. Watch out for surprises. A concert is planned for the evening.
A golf tournament will be held on Saturday morning followed by our Alumni Reunion and 120th Anniversary Celebrations Dinner in the evening at Kinta Riverfront Hotel.
The concluding part on Sunday will take us back to our School Auditorium where we shall resurrect the fun and activities of our past Literary & Debating Society meetings and gaieties. There will be al fresco dining on the assembly area spilling on to the school field. We intend to bring together for your enjoyment the food stalls of Ipoh fame and of course the “leong char mui” (the girls who sold herbal drinks in the 50’s and 60’s or to be more accurate their surrogates). Then followed by the closing big bang.
The KL and Ipoh Dinners are to be held only 1 week apart to cater for foreign and outstation Old Salts who would like to take in all the celebrations within a shorter time efficient window.
We look forward to your participation. Please pass the word around. Dinner invitation cards will be available after the Chinese New Year. We expect that the places will be heavily subscribed. Please confirm your places early.
SCHOLARSHIPS AND BURSARIES
Our Old Salts came together last year to sponsor 40 bursaries totaling RM34,200 for our students, a record high. This year, amidst the economic challenges, there will be a greater need for support and we will have to increase each bursary value to cater for cost inflation.
We appeal for your generous support.
We are greatly heartened by the exceptional efforts of our Singapore Chapter who are on the verge of putting together a substantial Bursary Fund to commence awarding bursaries from this year.
ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP
Our alumni membership as at the end of last year reached the level of 678 members. This compare favourably against the past years trend:-
2011 285
2012 379
2013 557
We need your support. Let’s go for the 1,000 mark before the end of this year.
ALUMNI WEBSITE
Our Website was well visited and followed with much interest. As at the end of last years, we had 17,707 visitors from 106 countries and 86,299 hits compared to 12,122 visitors from 66 countries and 65,717 hits the year before (all cumulative figures).
LOOKING AHEAD
Let’s come out in full force of our 120th Anniversary Celebrations. It will count meaningfully towards the restoration of our Ipoh ACS glorious history.
Regards,
Lean Meng Seong
Alumni President
18th January 2015