BBGS Class of ’96 rekindles memories and ‘schoolgirl days’
THIRTY years after they left school, 43 alumnae from Bukit Bintang Girls’ School (BBGS) batch of 1996 gathered at McDonald’s Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, for a reunion.
“For a few hours, we were adolescent schoolgirls once again at our favourite after-school haunt,” said Dr Hafizah Ismail, according to a media release.
Some alumnae were joined by their daughters, who got to witness a snippet of what shaped their mothers into who they are today.
Long before Pavilion Kuala Lumpur stood where the historic BBGS grounds once were, the McDonald’s outlet served as the girls’ favourite hangout.
BBGS was a pioneering all-girls school established in 1893 as the Chinese Girls’ School in Brickfields.
It moved to Jalan Bukit Bintang in 1930 and served as a premier educational institution until it was demolished in 2000.
The school then relocated to Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, as SMK Seri Bintang Utara.
Among the school’s many claims to fame is that BBGSians may have started the trend of dipping fries into sundaes.
After all, the McDonald’s in Bukit Bintang is the fast-food chain’s maiden restaurant in Malaysia.
The gathering also honoured the school’s 133-year legacy, with guests dressed in BBGS’ signature green and white, some even donning their school uniforms and badges.
Old class photographs, school magazines, autograph books, report cards and diaries filled a “time tunnel” display area, sparking spontaneous storytelling and roaring laughter over long-forgotten confessions and school antics.
Despite the passing decades, many remarked how naturally everyone slipped back into their younger selves – giggling, teasing and catching up with one another as though they had never left school.
The reunion also revisited one of the school’s most cherished traditions – the singing of the BBGS anthem and centenary song, Within These Walls.
It was accompanied by a piano rendition by Denise Lim, daughter of alumna Yap Huei Huei.
A video clip shared online of the singalong has since drawn nostalgic responses from BBGSians across generations.
Former BBGS head girl Aina Zahari, who currently serves as group strategy director at a publicly listed company, reflected on the enduring values shaped by the school experience.
“What BBGS really gave us was a strong sense of service and unity.
“Seeing childhood friends again three decades later, it’s clear that while the school grounds have dramatically changed, the good foundational values remain ingrained among us BBGSians and the lives we touch,” she said.
The reunion also brought together several other high-profile BBGS alumnae from the class of 1996, including former beauty queen, TV presenter and emcee Jayalakshmi Appadorai, Communications and Multimedia Content Forum of Malaysia chief executive officer Mediha Mahmood, UBS Securities Malaysia country head Lee May Lin and PNB chief information security officer Aishah Farha Mohd Raih.
The event concluded with a spirited “BBGS Dynamite” cheer, group photographs and a commitment to stay connected.
Those who lingered on eased into a more intimate sharing session involving cheeky school-day confessions, including tales of whole class disappearing acts and other antics.
Reunion organiser Chayenne Tan said: “It was my joy and honour to curate the experience of the girls walking down memory lane, reliving our BBGS memories and rekindling our friendships.
“We found ourselves simply hugging one another, proving that the bond we share transcends race, background and titles.
“We were also so glad that Sarah Malek, Dr Vivienne Tan and Andrea Ng joined us all the way from Singapore, Australia and the United Kingdom respectively.”
Chayenne shared that a few alumnae even voluntarily chipped in to support the reunion from afar.
“Evidently, the spirit of unity, steadfastness and sisterhood that we inherited from our alma mater continues to live on in all of us.
“The girls are already asking for more regular gatherings,” she said.
