Muar State Railway

Muar is the only town in Malaysia that had been served by its own railway network, known as Muar State Railways (MSR), operating just 4 years after the first railway line of the country from Taiping to Port Weld was inaugurated in 1885. The railway operated from 1889 to 1925 linking Jalan Sulaiman in Bandar Maharani and Sungai Pulai for a distance of 22.5 km. Being the local light railway, MSR was isolated from the national railway network but there was a plan in 1916 to extend the line to Batu Pahat. However, the project has never taken off due to financial and geographical constraints. The railway was profitable and had facilitated the mobility of people and goods besides promoting the economic development through opening of new coconut plantations along the railway corridor.

However, its prominence had dwindled upon the opening of Jalan Abdul Rahman in 1918 that linked Bandar Maharani and Parit Jawa. In addition, maintenance of the dilapidated infrastructure was very limited. The track was often neglected to the extent that poor drainage had damaged the track substructure. Moreover, the absence of ballast stone in the track construction had also contributed to the fast deterioration of the track that ground settlements were common and had caused several derailments. Huge fund was required to rehabilitate the railway. Being saddled with financial constraints and declining popularity, MSR's glorious existence of 36 years finally came to an end in 1925. Remnants of the track has disappeared since the track had been replaced by Jalan Temenggung Ahmad.

The display of MSR locomotive at Taman Tanjung Emas is the only relic that proves the presence of MSR in the past. It is believed that the locomotive is the oldest in the country that can be seen intact since the steam locomotive on display at the National Museum in Kuala Lumpur is of a later model. Considering that Muar has never been a state capital nor largest town of the state, it was a remarkable feat for Muar to have its own and exclusive railway network comparable to the present day LRT system, a facility that even Kuala Lumpur, the nation's capital, did not have at that time.

There is a local lore that only in Parit Jawa, Muar there has been an accident between a railway train and a tongkang (boat).

CNY 'old boys gathering yam cha' at Star Restaurant. Jalan Sakeh, Muar

Photographs Courtesy of Mr. James Lee Say See

La Sallian members from all the old boys alumni in Malaysia

Dear all old boys of SAS Muar,

Attached newspaper write up on La Sallian Convention to be held on March 20,
2010 at Hotel Equatorial Melaka.

As at todate, from the Muar Andreans Association KL Chapter, Henry Goh, S.H Lau,
A.K Ishak and myself (Goh Bong Hiang) had decided to participate in the convention
and dinner on march 20 as well as attend the mar 19 gathering at St Francis
Institution Melaka. March 21, we will opt out of the Melaka city tour and
instead we hope to relax by playing golf at A Famosa Resort, Alor Gajah. It
will be good to have more old boys to join us.

According to Mr Lim Thiam Soon, Muar OBA had contributed RM2000 towards
aiding this global La Sallian convention and in over the next couple of days
some muar old boys from Muar Committee will be participating as well.

I had spoken to James Sia (the main organizer) this morning and he is
targeting around 180 or more participants for the convention and more paxs
for the dinner on march 20. Places is fast been taken up and at the moment
there is still available places.

It would be great if more old boys of SAS Muar can come forward to
participate so that we as a whole MUAR ANDREANS ASSOCIATION can send more
old boys representing our beloved school to meet and network with more La
Sallian members from all the old boys alumni in Malaysia but also from Asia.

FORTITE IN RE

Regards

Goh Bong Hiang
Vice President
SAS OBA PJ/KL Chapter

Gathering of La Sallians to build network of former students

Reminiscing: Dr Augustine, Datuk Michael Jacques and convention sponsor Lim Si Boon looking at the coffee table book published to commemorate 150 years of La Sallian education in the country.


THE STAR NEWSPAPER Wednesday February 17, 2010
Gathering of La Sallians to build network of former students

PETALING JAYA: To all ex-La Sallians out there, your alma mater is asking you to respond to her call.

Malaysian Federation of La Sallian Associations (MFOLSA) president Tan Sri Dr Augustine Ong said the organisation is taking its first step to build a network of former students, said to number in the hundreds of thousands, through a convention next month.

The convention, The La Sallian Commitment to Transformative Education in Asia: Sharing Experiences and Drawing Insights, will be held at the Equatorial Hotel in Malacca on March 20.
“This will be a great opportunity to gather La Sallians for fellowship and friendship, and to strengthen our associations in faith, hope and mission,” said Ong.

The La Sallian convention will also see participants from six countries – Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines and Australia.

“The convention will help the La Sallian community that was brought up with noble values by the brothers to forge closer ties,” he added.
The oldest “old boy” expected at the convention is former principal Brother Datuk Michael Jacques who, after graduating, joined the La Salle Order in 1935 at the age of 19.
For information, call James Sia at 019-667 8297 or email jsia@tm.net.my.

KL Chapter CNY ‘get together dinner’

KL Chapter CNY 'get together dinner' will be held on the 6th.of March 2010 at 7pm at Shogun Restaurant 1 Utama Shopping Centre. RM60/pax.

CNY 'Old Boys gathering Yam Cha'

CNY 'old boys gathering yam cha' will be held on the 1st. night of Chinese New Year at 10.00pm at Star Restaurant in Jalan Sakeh, Muar.
(Courtesy of our 'old boy' Lim Thian Soon)