800 ex-students celebrate school’s 40th anniversary

JOHOR BARU: About 800 ex-students of SM Teknik Johor Baru celebrated the school’s 40th anniversary recently.

They started arriving at the school’s Dewan Seri Gemilang at 7.30pm. They were elated to meet their ex-schoolmates. Some had not met for almost four decades.

Some embraced as they greeted each other. A few expressed surprise over the changes in their ex-schoolmates’ appearance.

The event, which was called Tautan Kasih, was graced by State Assembly speaker Tan Sri Mohamad Aziz, who represented Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Khaled lauded the school’s achievements during the past four decades.

  “On behalf of the menteri besar, I pray that the school will maintain its outstanding achievements in producing outstanding citizens,” he said.

There was a sumptuous dinner and a string of musical and cultural performances. Former Black Dog Bone lead singer Tahir Ali, who is known as Jatt, belted out several of the group’s popular hits.

Jasni Ismail, the school’s current and 10th principal, thanked the organising committee for their remarkable achievement.

“I am  honoured to be the school’s principal as a large number of students who studied here since its inception 40 years ago now hold respectable positions such as state executive councillors, professors, entrepreneurs and administrators, to name a few,” said Jasni, who is in his second year as principal.

Organising committee chairman Md Jais Sarday thanked the ex-students and other guests for their attendance, and proposed that a reunion be held yearly.

Jais, who is the state Education, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives executive committee chairman, also announced the formation of the school alumni.

He belongs to the school’s batch of 1982-83.

Several students donated a total of RM40,000 at the event.

The school opened in January 1974 with a handful of students who had excelled in the Sijil Rendah Pelajaran examinations.

Its first principal was Omar Abdul Rashid.

The then deputy prime minister and education minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, declared the school open in June that year. 

Many of the ex-students had not met for almost four decades. Pic by Syed Abdullah Syed Mohamed