KUALA LUMPUR: Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Victoria,
which now has national heritage status, reverts to its old name of
Victoria Institution (VI) from Saturday as it is world renowned.
"The world already knows its name as Victoria Institution
so it is my pleasure to announce that its name, beginning today, will
remain as Victoria Institution," said Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage
Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
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Heritage site:
Shafie (second from left) and Federal Territories Minister
Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique
holding up the national heritage declaration
plaque at the Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday
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Speaking at a cermony Saturday to declare
the school's national heritage status, Shafie said the school
was chosen as it met the criteria of the National Heritage Act
2005.
Shafie, who is an alumnus of the school,
said the VI played a role in the country's history when it was
used as the administrative headquarters by the invading Japanese
army during the Second World War.
The school, he said, was also the first English
secondary school in the country, was prestigious and had produced
important personalities from Sultans, leaders, ministers, corporate
figures, politicians to sports luminaries and professionals.
He said the school was the first in Southeast
Asia to have cadet corps and a school band.
Shafie called for the school's heritage to
be conserved as each characteristic "be it a wall, a window,
balcony, roof, tower or its field has its own story."
Founded by Sultan Abdul Samad, William Hood
Treacher, Loke Yew, Thamboosamy Pillai and Yap Kwan Seng on
Aug 14, 1893, Victoria Institution has steadfastly maintained
a record of academic excellence and produced many leaders and
luminaries.
Those who passed through its hallowed halls
include Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, Cabinet ministers
then and now like Tan Sri Rafidah Aziz, Datuk Seri Zulhasnan
Rafique, Datuk Seri Dr. Ng Yen Yen and former judge Datuk Mahadev
Shankar.
Other former students include corporate giants
like Tan Sri Shamsuddin Abdul Kadir, T. Ananda Krishnan and Tan
Sri Francis Yeoh while in the field of sports the school has
produced luminaries such as Datuk Dr. M. Jegathesan, the late
Mokthar Dahari, Datuk Misbun Sidek, Foo Kok Keong, Datuk P. S.
Nathan and Ishtiaq Mubarak.
Shafie said till today there were 172 items
listed on the National Heritage List.
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Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
(left) with Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique
looking at the national heritage declaration scroll at the Victoria
Institution, Kuala Lumpur.
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He said there were four sites in the country
accorded 'World Heritage Site' status and several manuscripts
were in the 'Memory Of The World' register.
"Such recognition surely adds value to our heritage
and Malaysians should be proud that our heritage is shared with
the world," Shafie said.
Meanwhile, VI Parent Teachers Association (PTA)
chairman, Raja Amir Shah Raja Abdul Aziz, said now that the school
had been bestowed national heritage status, with its illustrious
name restored, a strategic plan needed to be formulated to chart
the school's future direction.
"After the heritage do and getting back the VI
name, all of us the PTA, old boys, the teachers and community
should make the VI the best in everything.
"We can have the Raffles Institution in
Singapore as a benchmark," he said. - Bernama
NEWS
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Nasi lemak is now national heritage, VI gets back its name
By Shuhada Elis
The next time you eat nasi lemak, yong tau
foo or tosai, bear in mind that they are not just food but also
a national heritage. They are among 100 local foods, including
Penang char kuey teow and pisang goreng, which have been included
in the list as they enjoyed favoured status and should not be
forgotten.
The food list is part of the 172 items which
have been given the national heritage status and announced by
Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal
at a ceremony at Victoria Institution (VI) here today.
The others include heritage sites, paintings,
cultural dances and living heritage treasures.
The 116-year-old VI was also declared as one
of the 12 heritage buildings in the list besides Stadium Merdeka
and Masjid Jamek here.
In his speech, Shafie, a former VI student,
announced that the school?s name would revert to VI instead of
SMK Victoria.
?This school has played an important role
in the nation?s history and it is also the first English high
school in Malaya. The world has known it as Victoria Institution
and it should remain that way,? he said to a loud cheers and
applause by current and former VI students who were present
in the packed hall.
Among them was Federal Territories Minister
Datuk Seri Zulhasnan Rafique, who was also Shafie?s senior.
Shafie said the tangible and intangible heritage
items would be protected under the National Heritage Act 2005
and efforts would be made to preserve them.
?The buildings on this list cannot be demolished,
altered or developed without the consent of the National Heritage
Department.
?It is in this way that the society will realise
how important it is to appreciate and keep our heritage for future
generations,? he added.
Six living heritage treasures, who have contributed
to the development of the nation?s art and culture, also received
RM20,000 each.
They were prolific storyteller Ali Badron Sabor;
traditional drum performance expert the late Tan Hooi Song (whose
wife Yai Yin Ching received the cheque); Indian classical dance expert
Vatsala Sivadas; boria entertainer Abu Bakar Jaafar; Kadazan Dusun
Losimin Majanil, a shaman from Sabah; and bangsawan entertainer
Mohd Bahroodin Ahmad.
The 172 items are the second batch under the National
Heritage List. Former Culture, Arts and Heritage Minister Datuk Seri
Dr Rais Yatim announced the first 50 heritage items two years ago.