SPI, 125 years old this year, being a template for dignity, evokes a strong sense of national identity among its former students in all the joy that old friends bring.
Over 1,400 alumni of the school brought out the best of Malaysian life and character at the 98th reunion, organised by the Old Paulians’ Association (OPA), last week.
It illustrated the buoyant spirit of friendship, affection, cooperation and loyalty.
With its deep echoes of fine educational and sporting tradition, and a feeling of community, pride and strong camaraderie, the event also reinforced its unifying role in national life.
It wasn’t just about the continuity of the yearly gathering, but also about the continuity of efforts by the OPA to unite and induce a sense of cohesion.
Of friendship, the last, the lost and the least
There’s nothing like an eager gathering of past students and teachers, with their families, to rev those friendship engines and generate warmth, care and social connection, said OPA president Steven Chan Weng Choy.
He said the theme of “Our Pride and Legacy” aptly honoured the rich history and cherished traditions of SPI, ensuring that the memories and heritage of the institution endure for future generations.
Steven noted that as an educational centre, SPI has nurtured exceptional individuals per the core values of the Lasallian Foundation.
He paid tribute to the unwavering dedication of the Lasallian brothers, who have persevered through adversity for over a century in Malaysia, selflessly delivering education to “the last, the lost and the least.”
Pure love and a kind of healing
Douglas Chan Wing Hong, from the class of 1971 and the vice president of OPA, likened the record turnout to “pure love.”
“School reunions are meant to unite. Living it is a positive experience,” he said.
Douglas said the reunion was a reminder of how much SPI has meant to many people, and the power and responsibility a school has to successfully shape the life of a young person.
“The school’s commitment to preparing students for a global future is evident in its students’ wonderful stories and in their own present-day successes and career choices,” he added.
Retired Royal Malaysia Police superintendent Ivan Christie Jeremiah, 70, said the high fives, back slaps and meaty bear hugs at the gala were not just a sudden spike in testosterone, but a reflection of the Paulian spirit of “being together, not pulling each other apart.”
“I have attended dozens of the reunions and all of them accentuated the power to bond, an experience I am not likely to forget in a hurry,” said Jeremiah, from the class of 71.
The authenticity of that togetherness was felt by a younger alumnus, Navin Francis (class of 2010), who said: “It has been refreshing for many of us to take pride in our alma mater. It feels like a kind of healing.”
What parents can learn from SPI
While SPI at Mont La Salle, Lobak, remains a citadel of learning, it was once an unlikeliest of Olympic and national sporting pipelines.
Students, inspired by their parents and teachers, learnt sports and became enthusiastic with modest facilities.
Its secret to creating international, national and state athletes can be traced to the way the town collectively raised its children.
Most parents stressed a generosity of spirit and sportsmanship over one-upmanship.
They embraced the belief that youth sports exist to develop a lasting love for physical activity and the outdoors, life skills and long-lasting friendships.
It was a time when kids were let to own their activities and parents tried not to control their children’s choices to serve their own egos or anxieties.
Things were easier then because it was a school of ethnic and racial diversity, neighbourhoods were a mixture of all the races, and no child knew anything about racism.
Illustrious Paulians
SPI produced 12 Olympians, 11 in hockey and one in athletics, between 1956 and 2000, drawn from diverse backgrounds.
The first hockey players to see Olympic action were Peter Van Huizen (1956), his brother Lawrence (1964) and Ho Koh Chye (1964 and 1968), all of whom are deceased.
They were followed by Franco D’Cruz (1972), Brian Sta Maria (1972), Colin Sta Maria (1984), Kevin Nunis (1984), Stephen Van Huizen (1984), Gary Fidelis (1992), S Suriaghandi (1992) and Keevan Raj (2000).
In athletics, the late S Sabapathy was in the 4x400m relay team at Munich in 1972.
Other illustrious sports figures include Mok Wai Hoon and Chow Kwai Lam (former national football captains, both deceased), the late M Joseph (double international in football and hockey), PS Nathan (ex-Asian bowling champion and World Ten-Pin Bowling president), hockey world cupper James D’Cruz and 400m hurdles star Anto Keney Martin.
SPI also boasts prominent personalities in other fields and those in politics include the late Bahaman Shamsuddin, a former minister of natural resources and later minister of labour.
There is Anthony Loke Siew Fook (current DAP secretary-general and transport minister), the late V Manickavasagam (former MIC president and minister of communication), Dr S Seevaratnam and Dr Chen Man Hin (former DAP MPs, both deceased), and the late Chan Choong Tak (former president of the Senate).
Seevaratnam’s brother, Rajaratnam and Yong Nyuk Lin derived their political fortunes in Singapore, serving as the deputy prime minister and minister of communications respectively.
The first head of the archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur was the late Dominic Vendargon while the current Catholic Archbishop is Julian Leow Beng Kim.
In judiciary, Harmindar Singh Dhaliwal is a Federal Court judge while Lee Sieu Kin was appointed a senior Supreme Court judge in Singapore in January this year. Former Federal Court judge of Malaysia, Edgar Joseph Jr, passed away last June.
Among the other notable Paulians are Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, Malaysia’s first astronaut, and the late Zainal Abidin Ahmad, a Malay scholar familiarly known as “Pendita Za’ba,” who had vastly contributed to the progress of race and country.
Once a Paulian, always a Paulian
Every generation thinks it’s special but all of them share something in common: once a Paulian, always a Paulian.
For them, the thrill of being a Paulian feels truly thrilling.
“It is a feeling of pride, of dignity and of gratitude to be a Paulian,” said retired planter Titus Gomez.