Malay Mail, May 6, 2004
Mission to restore St John's Institution

By Tony Mariadass

UNDERLYING the coming St John's Institution's alumni centenary celebrations is a mission to save the school from the ravages of time.

A recent in-depth building condition survey on the school, commissioned by the School's Board of Governors, found serious defects such as corrosion, stains, cracked and uneven floors, and signs of sinking.

In addition, the school's aged electrical wiring system is in dire need of replacement.

The study, by the Faculty of Built Environment of the Universiti of Malaya was supervised by Board member Das Gupta, a chartered surveyor, and Prof Bill Hamilton from Scotland, currently attached with UiTM.

The school's centenary celebrations committee, headed by Datuk Abdul Azim Mohd Zabidi, the chairman of Bank Simpanan Nasional, are going all out to save the school, which opened on Jan 18, 1904.

Abdul Azim, armed with the 243-page report, said former Johannians should chip in to help. "It will take about RM3 million to restore the school," revealed Abdul Azim, who left SJI in 1976.

"Instead of going to the Government, we felt that we, as former students, should do our part to help the school. We have targeted raising around RM1 million through various projects during the centenary celebrations this year.

"If we go to the Government or relevant authorities with already RM1 million in our hands, we can get things moving faster.

"The report on the school is scary and something has to be done urgently."

Among the avenues Abdul Azim hopes to raise the funds are the Royal Gala Dinner at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on July 17, a play which the Alumni hopes to stage in November, sale of various items specially made for the celebrations and donations from benefactors.

He said that Johannians wishing to make donations for the restoration could send their money to the `Building Development Fund' c/o St John's Institution. The fund will be managed by the Board of Governors.

"I'm urging every Johannian to come forward to contribute, no matter how small. I'm sure if every Johannian who has walked the corridors of this school steps forward, we'll be able to raise more than our target.

"Johannians who are contractors can come forward to help. Hopefully, they will be willing to consider doing the work at cost price."

The centenary celebrations were launched at the school grounds at Bukit Nanas on Jan 19 (Monday) by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, a Johannian himself.

Among the other events for the celebrations include the Homecoming, which will now be held on July 3, a Disco Nite, the publication of a Coffee Table book and various games between the old and present Johannians.

Tickets for the Gala Dinner are priced at RM2,000, RM3,000 and RM10,000 per table.

Tickets are available from Friends Advertising & Communications who can be contacted at 03-27119799.

Further information on the dinner can be found on the website, www.sji100yearsdinner.0catch.com. The school also has a website which was launched by Najib in January.

The website is www.sji.edu.my.

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