ANDERSON SCHOOL: CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF NURTURING

MOHD AZRIL MOHD ANNUAR

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- It has been a century since the illustrious
Anderson School was established. One hundred years spent nurturing and grooming
generations of proud Perakians and Malaysians to step out as leaders in their
respective fields.

This year, this historical school which was founded on Feb 6, 1909, thus
being one of the oldest in Ipoh and in the country, is celebrating its 100th
birthday to commemorate all it has given to society.

Named after the British High Commissioner of the time, Sir John Anderson,
the school began as an answer for Malay students who had difficulty finding a
place at the prestigious Malay College Kuala Kangsar and whose parents refused
to send them to other English schools such as the Anglo-Chinese School for
religious reasons.

Steeped in traditions befitting such an old and well-loved school, hockey
has always been the game where many Andersonians have found passion for the
sport and where many national players such as M. Kaliswaren come from.

The school is renowned as a hockey powerhouse, having won the National
School Championships from 1992 to 1996, again defending the title in 2000 to
2004 and still churning out top hockey players for the country.

However, like many colonial schools, sports was not Anderson's only forte as
it has groomed many leaders in government, politics, judiciary and corporate
sector who have lived and breathed the school motto: "To Strive, To Seek, To
Find and Not To Yield".

Some of the luminaries include renowned and respected names such as
Permodalan Nasional Berhad (PNB) (Malaysia's biggest fund management company
chairman and former Chief Secretary to the Government Ahmad Sarji, Chief
Justice Zaki Azmi, Gua Musang Member of Parliament Tengku Razaleigh
Hamzah, former Solicitor-General Haliliah Mohd Yusof, Bernama chairman
Mohd Annuar Zaini and cartoonist extraordinaire Mohd Nor
Khalid, better known as Lat.

Other products of the school have also walked the halls of academia and
as the nation's valiant defenders within the armed forces such as the former
Museum Negara director-general Shahrom Yeop and former Air Force
chief Lieutenant General Mohd Yunus Tasi.

In celebrating the school's honoured past and contributions, the Centennial
Celebration actually began in February last year with the soft launch and the
countdown.

This year's celebration will begin on Feb 7 at the school field at 11pm
and throughout the year there will be many sporting, socio-cultural and academic
events and continuing up to Feb 8 next year.

Many of the sporting events will be pitting the current students against
their AOB seniors and students from rival schools.


Education Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has agreed to
honour Anderson School by launching the Centennial Games at the Sultan Azlan
Shah Hockey Stadium on Feb 8.

On Feb 15, the Ruler of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah will officially launch
the celebrations at the school field which is preceded by a parade from the Ipoh
Padang to the school. The launching will be followed by a carnival.

Later that night, the Sultan will be gracing a stage show, supper and
fireworks display with his presence.

Anderson School's Royal Centennial dinner will be held on Feb 16 at the
Syuen Hotel in Ipoh together with the launching of the "History of Andersonian"
book and the Anderson Centennial Personalities Award.

-- BERNAMA