A Special Report by The President

Dear Fellow Alumni,

SPECIAL REPORT: THE 2012 JOINT IPOH ACS – MGS ALUMNI DINNER & THE “TAKE” ON IT

This year’s Alumni Dinner has come and gone. There are some remarkable observations. I thought I should share them with you.

HIGHLIGHTS AND FEATURES

1. It is not simply one of those annual reunion dinners. It is by far the largest reunion gathering with 110 tables and 1105 diners, stretching the capacity of Ipoh’s newest and largest hotel. It is an inclusive dinner. In addition to alumni, retired and present Heads, teachers and representatives of the present students were all part of the celebration. It is high profile in terms of entertainment, ambience and the exhibitions on our Alma Mater’s sports and stage legacies.
2. The most senior alumni were from the Class of 1947 and the youngest, the Class of 2011. These covered 65 Graduating Years. Of these, 49 Graduating Years were present constituting a good spectrum in terms of age spread with a bias towards youth (or at least relative youth). Only 16 Graduating Years were not represented. Some 47 of our alumni came from 8 countries abroad. Local alumni came from 14 towns and cities all over Malaysia to join our Ipoh-based fellow Old Salts for the reunion.  For once, the numbers of outstation / foreign alumni to Ipoh-resident alumni were quite evenly matched. (These data were obtained from the completed forms placed at the dinner tables. About 65.9% of the diners completed the bio-data forms).
3. There was much gaiety in the air. Age barrier did not matter that night. The Dinner lived up to its core theme, “FRIENDS FOREVER”. Camaraderie and nostalgia were clearly in abundance. If anything, there is a strong tinge of regret that even the long hours for re-bonding were just too brief. The 372 striking photographs taken by our School’s long-standing photographers, Kok Kin say it all. Someone confessed to this being an “unforgivable” night (no doubt a Freudian slip) though the more politically correct “unforgettable” would cover that as well.
4. The photographs and other materials available were uploaded onto our Alumni website. The extent and volume far exceed the coverage of past dinners.
5. Less than 10% of our Alumni Association members were at the dinner. Some 39 applications for life membership were submitted in between “yum sing”. This will swell our membership numbers by 12%. Clearly, there is room for further recruitment drives.
6. The Class of Form 5, 1970 was so overwhelmed by their regard for our School that 14 of them clubbed together to raise RM4500. The funds will provide for 3 bursaries each year over the next 3 years to help out our less financially privileged students.
7. The Back2School event, though attended by 33 Old Salts, brought back much memory. The visit was quite an eye opener. It is evident that much can be done for our Alma Mater.

POST MORTEM AND GOVERNANCE

1. At its closure meeting on Friday, 24^th August 2012 the Joint Organising

Committee (OC) conducted a post mortem session to objectively critique the organization and flow of the Dinner event. A copy of the minutes will be passed on to the next year’s OC so that improvement can be brought to bear on future events. Mr. Gong Wee Ning (Class of Upper Sixth, 1965) is charged with auditing the accounts. He retired as a partner in the “Big Four”.

DINNER SURPLUS

1. The Dinner produced a net surplus of RM22,217 which was donated on 24^th August 2012 to Ipoh ACS and Ipoh MGS in equal proportions and was further sub-allocated as follow:-

MGS Primary        RM4342

MGS Secondary    RM6766

ACS Primary         RM3992

ACS Secondary     RM7117

SPILL OVER

1. We are informed that many of the Graduating Years extended their version of               their “FRIENDS FOREVER” celebration to some 2 to 3 weeks after the Ipoh Dinner. One of the groups did a cookie jar collection and donated the surplus of RM1244.95 (after paying for the meal) to our Alumni Website Fund.
2.  A classmate of mine in Form 5 has written to me to pledge a sum of RM12000.00 to provide bursaries for 2 students from financially poor families for their education from Form 1 to 6.
3.  We have received several calls for staging a Kuala Lumpur Alumni Dinner with our MGS sisters in March or April next year.
4.  The idea of forming an alumni chapter in Singapore is gaining momentum. Several of the Old Salts who attended the 2012 Dinner, have volunteered a helping hand. And so is the proposed inception of a KL & Klang Valley Chapter. We will keep you updated.
5.  Another alumnus generously offered to host us on Sunday 25^th November this year at his durian orchard and fish farm in Karak. He expects a good harvest. He can accommodate up to 200 alumni. We will advise details at a nearer date. Please contact us if you like to participate.

WAY AHEAD

1. Our 2013 Alumni Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, 3^rd August to coincide with the anniversary of the founding of our School. Please diarise this and do spread the word around. If you are interested in being part of the Organising Committee, do call / email / SMS us.
2. Given the support and enthusiasm seen at this year’s Dinner, your Alumni Committee will lay the groundwork for a memorable 120^th Anniversary Celebration in August 2015. It is never too early to make a start. Much has to be done and done well.
3. We will also be initiating a strategic effort to help our Alma Mater to regain its height of achievements and glory.

MISCELLANEOUS

1. Plans are underway to make available a  CD containing all the 372 photographs (very  clear and well defined ones) at a moderate price.

See you at the Reunion Dinner next year if not before then.

Best regards,

Lean Meng Seong

(President, Alumni Association)

4^th September 2012

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