SOME 9,800 people have signed an online petition calling on the government to retain the names of mission schools in Malaysia within 24 hours of its launch.

As at 10.30am today, the petition on change.org, titled “Stop changing the name of mission schools in Malaysia”, was short of just about 100 signatures to hit the 10,000 target, which was initially set at launch yesterday.

Addressed to Putrajaya, the petition highlights the case of the St Thomas mission schools in Kuantan, Pahang, which are now in danger of losing their heritage after the schools’ name was deemed unsuitable by state education authorities.

Pahang Health, Human Resources and Special Functions Committee chairman Norol Azali Sulaiman reportedly said the St Thomas primary and secondary schools would change their name to Sekolah Mahkota Abdullah when they moved to a new building.

It was reported that the Economic Planning Unit had given approval to the Education Ministry to build a new complex in Kemunting for both schools with a RM56 million allocation.

Building works are expected to start next year.

Rebecca D’Cruz, from Kuching, who started the online petition, said St Thomas – a top mission school in Kuantan and one of the premier schools in the east coast, with students from Terengganu and Kelantan – was “on the verge of being reduced to just a mention in the history pages”.

“What’s in a name?” she said.

“Everything.”

She said the schools were located on a 2.4ha plot of prime land in Jalan Gambut, and following a court tussle with the Catholic Church, the Education Ministry had told the schools to vacate the land.

“There is talk that the site will be near the Kuantan Municipal Council building in Tanah Puteh, and that the new schools would have a new name.

“I call on past and present students of St Thomas School, and anyone who thinks that this decision is wrong, to say ‘no’ to any proposal to change the name of St Thomas School.”

D’Cruz said many Malaysians spent their formative years in mission schools, where they learned Rukunegara principles by heart and how to live together in a diverse Malaysia.

“As a multiracial society, we were taught not to let race and religion divide us. Many of the life lessons we carry with us today were instilled in us at mission schools, like St Thomas School.”

Mission schools that were established during British rule by missionaries were named after Christian saints or other notable Christian figures.

St Thomas School was set up in 1950 by Reverend Father Louis Guittat under the order of the Marist Brothers. In 1960, it was taken over by the Brothers of St Gabriel.

Through the years, it has had many students, including Pahang royals Crown Prince Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah and his younger brother, Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah.

“Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang attended St Thomas’ silver jubilee celebrations in 1975,” said D’Cruz.

“Ex-students always make it a point to visit the former secondary school building, which now houses an international college, and also the primary school, which has been temporarily abandoned, whenever there is a reunion.”

Last week, DAP’s Bukit Gelugor MP Ramkarpal Singh questioned the Education Ministry’s decision to change the name of St Thomas School.

With Pahang royals among its alumni, he said, St Thomas had a rich historical significance not just in Kuantan but nationwide, along the ranks of other mission schools like Penang’s St Xavier’s Institution and Perak’s St Michael’s Institution.

“In the circumstances, I find it baffling as to how the name ‘St Thomas’ can be deemed ‘no longer suitable’ by the Education Ministry, as reported.

“I find nothing wrong with the new proposed name of the schools, but am unable to understand why the original name is ‘no longer suitable’,” he reportedly said. – November 29, 2017.