MCKK declared a national heritage by King in elaborate ceremony

BY V.P.SUJATA AND RASLAN BAHAROM

KUALA KANGSAR: The prestigious Malay College Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) in this royal town has been declared a national heritage by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail. 

Under the royal patronage of the Malay Rulers, the college received the honour in an elaborate ceremony here yesterday which also doubled as its centenary celebration. 

In making the declaration, the King said he and the Malay Rulers would continue to be the patrons for the college which was dubbed the “Eton of the East.” 

“In the course of a hundred years that have passed until the present time, the Malay College Kuala Kangsar has stood with pride, steeped in its tradition and history, and we, the Malay rulers, have been steadfast in our support as the royal patrons of this pioneer Malay College Kuala Kangsar. 

“It is, therefore, the collective wish of the Malay Rulers that the status of this college be elevated; and we solemnly declare and affirm that we shall remain as royal patrons of the MCKK for as long as the sun, moon and stars move across the heavens,” said the King. 

Over 5,000 people from all walks of life including some 2,000 past and present students watched a re-enactment of the college's inception in 1905, before the declaration. 

After cheers of Daulat Tuanku,students of the Malay College Kuala Kangsar give a hearty bung wakcry to mark the departure of Yang di-PertuanAgong Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Syed Putra Jamalullail who had earlier launched MCKK's centenary celebrations and also declared the college anational heritage yesterday. The battle cry is a popular mode of cheering for the school team whenever it meets rivals in rugby, football and othersports. — STARpic by MUSTAFA AHMAD

The descendants of three of the four founding fathers of the college - the present Sultan of Perak, Yang Dipertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan and Sultan of Selangor – were also present. 

Others who attended were old boys of the college – Governor of Malacca Tan Sri Khalil Yaakob, Raja Muda of Perak Raja Nazrin Shah who is the chairman of the MCKK board of governors and Education Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein. 

Earlier, the King was greeted by Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohd Tajol Rosli Ghazali and other state dignitaries upon his arrival in a helicopter at Padang Kawat. 

HISTORICOCCASION:Raja NazrinShah (secondfrom left)handing overthe RoyalScroll to theKing duringthe ceremonyat the MalayCollege KualaKangsaryesterday.Standingbeside theKing is Sultanof PerakSultanAzlan Shah.— Bernamapic

He then proceeded to the nearby Istana Iskandariah. 

The Keeper of the Rulers’ Seal, Tan Sri Engku Ibrahim Datuk Ngah later sought the King's consent to send the Watikah (Royal Scroll) to the college. 

Engku Ibrahim then rode on an elephant named Zibor to Laman Budaya, a park located beside the Perak river, enroute to the college field. 

They were accompanied by six other elephants and 400 hulubalang (warriors).  

Upon reaching the royal dais Engku Ibrahim handed the royal scroll to Raja Nazrin Shah who presented it to the King. 

Old boy Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz – who is Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department – said that in the old days, students of MCKK often went on to become the cream of the country’s leaders.