Historic Seremban convent gone but not forgotten

Free Malaysia Today

Ex-students and teachers of the historic Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus in Seremban are pushing for its recognition, nearly three decades after its demolition.  Written and presented by: Theevya Ragu Shot by: Fauzi Yunus Edited by: Daniel Chung  Read More: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2023/10/08/convent-seremban-alumni-want-demolished-school-recognised/   Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com Follow FMT on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2Rn6xEV Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM Follow FMT on Twitter: http://bit.ly/2OCwH8a  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2OKJbc6 Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3cpbWKK Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/2VUfOrv Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/3B1e8lN Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/39dBDbe ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Download FMT News App: Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46 App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP  #FMTLifestyle #SerembanConvent #DataranSeremban #HistoricalSite

Transcript

00:00 [Music]

00:04 Would you believe that this gigantic pool of water in Seramban

00:07 was once the site of the state's only convent?

00:11 Established in 1904, the Convent of the Holy Infant Jesus in Seramban

00:17 was a missionary school that was demolished in 1994.

00:21 But a group of former students, members of the Convent Past Pupils Association

00:26 Seramban, refused to let the memories of their alma mater fade away.

00:31 FMT Lifestyle met with these ladies at Dataran Seramban

00:35 once the school's field and now a public park.

00:39 We go back a long way. I have memories because

00:43 I am actually a class of 66. My early education, primary, secondary,

00:50 was all here in this school.

00:53 The Seramban Convent was one of the most sought-after schools in the state,

00:58 having fostered numerous high achievers, including Mary,

01:01 a retired assembly person.

01:04 This parcel of land is prime land in the heart of town.

01:08 So they wanted development. The school was demolished.

01:14 And I will tell you, I was one of them standing opposite there crying.

01:21 There were quite a number of us were standing there

01:24 watching our school go down. It was very, very sad.

01:29 Chan Sau Mei was part of the final graduating batch of 1994.

01:35 Most of my time is more spending over time here in school

01:41 rather than at home. It's our first home.

01:44 It's my first home, to be frank. Sorry that

01:47 during our SPM examination, that is our last final exam

01:54 before the entire building was knocked down.

01:58 And the best memory is that after the exam, everyone is like, we are

02:04 taking pictures all over the buildings. Toilets, even classrooms, canteens,

02:10 all over.

02:12 In 1995, developers began efforts to construct a mall on the site

02:17 and excavated the area for an underground three-story car park.

02:22 Yet because of the economic recession in 1997,

02:26 the project never went beyond the stage and the abandoned plot of land

02:30 gradually began to fill with water. Over 20 years later, it remains at the

02:36 same level despite numerous drainage efforts.

02:41 Today, these former students have just one wish,

02:44 for Dataran Seramban to be renamed.

02:49 I can speak for all the convent girls, the past pupils,

02:53 what we would like is this place, although the school is no more there, the

02:58 building physically is not there,

03:02 but the surroundings holds the memories. So I want this parcel of land

03:10 to be given some recognition. The state has called it Dataran

03:17 Seramban, but I cannot see that connection with Dataran and Seramban

03:24 here. What I see is Dataran Convent Seramban.

03:32 While these ex-students and teachers may never set foot in their school again,

03:36 if they are successful in their efforts, they may well become an integral part of

03:41 the story of this once cherished historical site.

03:44 Divya Ragu, FMT Lifestyle.

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