theSun | WEDNESDAY MARCH 18 2009
news without borders
by Maria J. Dass
newsdesk@thesundaily.com
PETALING JAYA: The joys of go-
ing to school at a time when it was
a privilege for many, the teachers’
dedication and challenges faced by
students while striving for success
created a kind of camaraderie among
the older generation that is rare
among students today.
Students of the century-old Sultan
Abdul Hamid College (SAHC) are
living examples of this.
The school – first known as the
Government English School – was
set up by the Kedah government for
the benefit of the elite and royalty in
Kedah in 1908 when the state was
still under Siamese rule.
It opened its doors to more stu-
dents over the following years, in-
cluding boys from the rural reaches
of the padi-growing state.
It was a time when it was not
uncommon to see water buffaloes
wallowing in the school field during
the rainy season while Malay boys
The Sahoca
building in Kelana
Jaya – a dream
come true for old
collegians
Mahathir and his old school
FORMER PRIME MINISTER RECALLS
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
AT SULTAN ABDUL HAMID COLLEGE
in sarung and songkok and Chinese
boys with pigtails trumped into the
school grounds and washed their
muddy feet at a specially-erected tank
before entering their classrooms.
For past and present students,
teachers and headmasters of SAHC,
a tribute to the struggles of their past
and successes thereafter has been
enshrined in a new building almost
500km away from the old school.
This decade-old dream was
7
to standard four before they went to
English school. “I was still in Stand-
20 years of age then.
Speaking of his father, Mohamad
ard Two when my father shifted me
to that school (SAHC) and my class
Iskandar, the founding headmaster of
the school, Mahathir said the school
was, of course, a multi-racial group had only one teacher at that time and
of students and we started by saying it was meant for English education
‘What is your name? My name is for the elite and royal family. One
Mahathir’,” he of them was Tunku Abdul Rahman,
fulfilled said, adding the country’s first prime minister.
after many this was his Mahathir said his father was one
obstacles. introduction of the few Malays who ran to school
Last Friday, to English. because his parents did not want him
the Selan- Mahathir to go study in some mission school in
gor and Kuala related one Penang. “But he went to school with-
Lumpur wing of his most out telling his parents. That’s how
of the Sultan memorable much he appreciated education and
Abdul Hamid experiences to be able to bring education to Alor
Old Colle- in the school, Star and that the school he founded
gians Associa- which un- went on for 100 years would be very
tion (Sahoca) derlined just satisfying for him,” he said.
members, how much On the Sahoca building, Mahathir
whose presi- he loved to go said: “SAHC has contributed much
dent is none Mahathir ... has A dapper-hatted
to school. “It to education in Malaysia and there-
other than fond memories of Mahathir in his
was just after fore deserves some prominence in
former prime his alma mater school days
World War II the community after having bred
minister Tun and it was the so many prominent leaders and
Dr Mahathir Mohamad, spoke of old greatest moment of my life to be able even two prime ministers for the
times and their success in construct- to go back to school because for three country.”
ing a Sahoca building for members years, I could not get into it as it was He said the Sahoca building will
based in the Klang Valley. used by the Japanese. But when the be used as an administration centre
The five-storey building will be Japanese left, I went back to school and for functions as it has a 300-ca-
launched by association patron, with a piece of charcoal and started pacity hall. The idea for the building
the Sultan of Kedah Tuanku Abdul signing my name all over the build- was mooted during the association’s
Halim Mu’adzam Shah and Ma- ing, until I was scolded by Mr Lim AGM on Aug 4, 1974. But it was not
hathir, on Friday. Chien Chai who made me wash the until the eighties that earnest efforts
Mahathir, who enrolled in the markings off the wall. That’s how were made to realise the idea. The
school in 1932, said: “I came from much I loved school,” he said. land on which it now sits was pur-
Seberang Perak Malay school, but “I don’t know how many people chased from the Selangor govern-
I did not finish Malay school like love going to school but I did,” he ment. The whole project cost about
the others – they usually went up added. Mahathir was approaching RM5 million.