Canossian Convent Segamat 70th Anniversary Celebration

02/09/2026

A heartwarming speech made by Puan Suzanariah bt Ibrahim, Pengetua SMK Canossian Convent Segamat……

WELCOMING SPEECH BY THE PRINCIPAL

70TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER OF CANOSSIAN CONVENT SEGAMAT

Good evening and a very warm welcome to everyone.

Yang Berhormat... distinguished guests, former Principals, former teachers and staff, members of the Alumni Canossian Convent Segamat, former students from different generations, our present students, teachers and staff, members of the organising committee, ladies and gentlemen.

Selamat pulang kembali ke rumah.

It gives me immense pleasure and a deep sense of gratitude to welcome all of you to this very special 70th Anniversary Dinner of Canossian Convent Segamat.

Tonight is more than a celebration.

It is a homecoming.

It is a night when generations of the Canossian family — those who studied, taught, served and contributed to this school from 1956 until today — come together under one roof.

Some of you may have left these school gates many decades ago. You have travelled different paths, built careers, raised families and created lives of your own.

Yet tonight, when you return to CCS, something familiar remains.

Perhaps you see an old friend and suddenly remember the laughter you shared.

Perhaps you meet a former teacher and remember a word of encouragement that stayed with you.

Perhaps you hear the name of your old class and, for a moment, you are transported back to those precious school days.

That is the magic of a school.

We may leave the school, but the school never truly leaves us.

The classrooms may change.

The teachers may change.

The students may change.

But the memories, friendships, values and sense of belonging remain.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Seventy years represents an extraordinary journey.

Behind those 70 years are thousands of stories.

Stories of young girls who entered CCS with hopes and dreams.

Stories of teachers who gave their time, patience and hearts to educate generations.

Stories of staff who worked quietly behind the scenes to keep the school running.

Stories of friendships that began in a classroom and lasted a lifetime.

And stories of former students who went out into the world carrying with them the values they learnt here.

Tonight, all those stories come together.

Different generations. Different memories. One shared home.

And that shared home is Canossian Convent Segamat.

Ladies and gentlemen,

What makes tonight especially meaningful is that this anniversary is not only about looking back.

It is also about giving back.

For many of us, CCS has given us so much.

It gave us knowledge.

It gave us opportunities.

It gave us teachers who believed in us.

It gave us friendships.

It taught us discipline, resilience, compassion, responsibility and service.

It helped shape who we became.

And tonight, many of you have returned with the desire to give something back to the school that once gave so much to you.

That spirit of giving is truly beautiful.

Giving back is not merely about financial contributions or physical improvements.

It is about saying:

“I remember where I came from.”

“I have not forgotten the people who shaped me.”

“I want the next generation to have the opportunities that I once had.”

This is the spirit that makes an anniversary meaningful.

It transforms a celebration of the past into an investment in the future.

At this point, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the 70th Anniversary Dinner organising committee.

To every committee member, every volunteer, every supporter and every individual who has contributed time, energy, ideas and resources — thank you.

We know that an event of this scale does not happen simply because a date is chosen and invitations are sent.

Behind tonight's beautiful gathering are countless hours of planning, meetings, phone calls, messages, coordination, fundraising, preparation and problem-solving.

There were probably moments when the committee members wondered:

“Will everything be ready?”

And perhaps a few moments when you thought:

“Why did we volunteer for this?”

But tonight, as we look around this room and see so many generations of the Canossian family reunited, I hope you know that every effort was worth it.

You have not simply organised a dinner.

You have created an opportunity for people to come home.

You have brought old friends together.

You have reunited former teachers and students.

You have revived memories that may have been quietly resting for decades.

And most importantly, through your generosity and commitment, you are giving back to the school and helping to create opportunities for the students of today and tomorrow.

For that, on behalf of SK and SMK Canossian Convent Segamat, I offer you our heartfelt thanks.

Terima kasih atas masa yang diberikan.
Terima kasih atas tenaga yang dicurahkan.
Terima kasih atas pengorbanan yang dilakukan.
Dan terima kasih kerana terus percaya kepada CCS.

Your contribution will become part of the school's continuing story.

To all our former students, teachers and staff who have travelled from near and far to be here tonight:

Thank you for coming home.

Your presence is the greatest affirmation that the bond created by a school can last a lifetime.

To our former teachers and staff, I hope tonight reminds you that the work you did mattered.

Perhaps you taught hundreds, or even thousands, of students.

You may not remember every student.

But many of them remember you.

A teacher's influence does not always appear immediately. Sometimes, it takes decades before a former student realises:

“That teacher changed my life.”

Tonight is an opportunity for us to say thank you.

And to our alumni, tonight is your opportunity to reconnect, to reminisce and perhaps to complete a conversation that began many years ago.

Please take the time to look around.

Find an old friend.

Shake the hand of a former teacher.

Take a photograph.

Share a story.

Laugh about the things that only your generation would understand!

Because tonight, we are not divided by age or generation.

We are united by one name: Canossian.

To our present students and teachers, you are now the custodians of this legacy.

When you walk through the school gates every morning, remember that generations walked there before you.

You are standing on the foundation built by those who came before you.

One day, you too will leave these school gates.

And years from now, I hope you will return to a future anniversary dinner and say:

“This was my school. These were my friends. These were the teachers who shaped me. This was home.”

And perhaps, just as our alumni are giving back tonight, you too will one day ask:

“What can I do for the school that gave me so much?”

That is how a legacy continues.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As we celebrate 70 years, let us remember that the greatest tribute we can give to those who built CCS is not simply to remember what they achieved.

It is to continue their work.

Let us continue to build a school where young people are encouraged to dream.

A school where teachers are valued.

A school where friendships are treasured.

A school where every student is given the opportunity to discover her potential.

And a school where the values of excellence, compassion, courage, service and unity continue to guide every generation.

Tonight, we celebrate the past.

Tonight, we cherish the present.

And tonight, we invest in the future.

So, dear members of the Canossian family,

Welcome home.

Thank you for coming home.

Thank you for remembering.

Thank you for reconnecting.

And most importantly,

thank you for giving back.

May this evening rekindle friendships, revive beautiful memories and strengthen our shared commitment to the future of Canossian Convent Segamat.

Let us celebrate the people who made the journey possible.

Let us celebrate the friendships that survived the years.

Let us celebrate the school that continues to bring us together.

And let us celebrate the wonderful spirit that connects us all.

70 years may be a milestone, but the Canossian story is far from over.

The next chapter belongs to us.

And together, let us make it a chapter worthy of the generations who came before us.

Happy 70th Anniversary, Canossian Convent Segamat!

Once a Canossian, always a Canossian.

Welcome home, and thank you for making CCS forever a part of your story.

Enjoy the evening, cherish the memories, and most of all — enjoy being home.

Thank you.

02/09/2026

70th Anniversary Dinner Opening Speech delivered by Lily Lim (Class of ‘67), Organising Chairperson of the memorable event

• Yang Berhormat Ramaraj, Deputy Minister of National Unity of Malaysia and Member of Parliament for Segamat,
• Sr Christin Law, Provincial Leader of the Canossian Daughters of Charity (FdCC)
and our very honoured guests

Welcome and thank you all for your presence here this evening.

Today, we celebrate 70 years of a living legacy. In 1956, the Canossian Sisters of Charity planted the seeds of education and service right here on this ground. Today, we stand together as a living testament to that beautiful legacy.

Before we proceed with the celebration, let us take a moment to look back. Over the past seven decades, we have been blessed by many incredible individuals who are no longer with us today. May I invite everyone to please stand, as we observe a minute of silence to honour the memory of our past Sisters, teachers, and students who have gone before us.

Thank you. Please be seated.

Planning a milestone of this magnitude is a massive undertaking. I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to my phenomenal organising committee. This dedicated team is made up of 30 volunteers spanning across Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Johor Bahru, right here in Segamat, and even across the border from Singapore.
They have been working tirelessly since September 2025. While juggling their busy schedules, families, and careers, they poured countless hours and boundless energy into pulling tonight together. Thank you, team.

We are also profoundly grateful for the overwhelming generosity of our alumni and friends. Your cash and in-kind donations have made this dream gathering a reality, while raising much-needed funds for our schools.

As of yesterday, we have received approximately RM100,000 in cash and the equivalent of RM29,000 in kind. At this point I would like to thank 2 very special alumnae Cindy Chu (’92) and Caset Ho (’2008) who donated 10 sets each of canteen tables and benches to the primary and secondary schools. . From the outset we actually set a fundraising target of RM150,000, which means we are still about RM21,000 short... Just a gentle hint to Yang Berhormat Yuneswaran?

I would also like to thank the children whose performances must surely have brought fond memories of our concert days.

I wish to assure all of you that every single dollar donated will go directly toward the upgrading and development needs of both the primary and secondary schools. As for tonight’s dinner and everything connected to it—the souvenir book, the gift bags, the printing—these costs were funded solely and strictly by your dinner ticket purchases.

Looking out at this hall tonight, I see seven decades of history staring back at me. We have alumni here from different generations, backgrounds, and walks of life, arriving from all corners of the world.

Yet, the moment we walk through these doors, those differences fade away. We are instantly bound by the same shared memories, the same school badge, and the same values of charity and humility that the Canossian Sisters instilled in us from the very beginning. (Though thankfully, we no longer have to wear those bloomers!)

As we celebrate how far we have come, we must also look forward. To keep providing the best for our future generations, our schools require continuous care. We look forward to your ongoing support—whether through financial aid, resources, or mentorship—to ensure that the Canossian flame burns bright in Segamat for many decades to come.

To every alumnus who made the journey back home today, thank you for honouring our alma mater with your presence. Let us laugh, reminisce, and reconnect tonight in ways that remind us that Canossian Convent Segamat will always be our roots and our home.

May God bless all of us, and may God bless our beloved school. Thank you, and have a wonderful evening!

01/09/2026

30/08/2026

Tonight’s the night!!!!🎉🎉🥳🥳
The Organising Committee, volunteers and students have been on their feet non stop in the past week to ensure everyone will have great memories to cherish.
We just can’t wait. Are you ready???!!! 🎈🎉🥳

27/08/2026

Bringing Segamat’s nostalgic flavours to KL

As our alumni trickle into Segamat for the school’s 70th anniversary, the chatter in the reunion chat groups isn't about changes in the school nor the town —it’s about food. Specifically, the hawker fare and iconic dishes that defined their childhoods. And this weekend, Segamat is set to witness a pilgrimage of former Canossian Convent girls on a mission to recapture those lost flavours.
But for those who couldn't track down their old favourites—or who need one last taste before catching a flight home—there’s a closer solution. Third Serving at KLGCC Mall is offering a culinary trip down memory lane.
Third Serving will satisfy your craving for that Segamat old school flavour because the owners – Fay Cheng Lee Kem ( Class of ‘79) and Karen Kok Hsi Hsi (Class of 2005) are both proud alumnae of Canossian Convent Segamat. Their shared history runs even deeper—Karen is also Fay’s godchild, and Karen’s grandmother was the legendary owner of the now-defunct Hoong Toh restaurant in Segamat. For those old enough to remember, Hoong Toh was the gold standard: from the wok-hei fried kway teow bathed in silky egg sauce, to the handcrafted char siew pau that steamed to perfection.
Though both women previously built careers in other industries, their culinary roots proved impossible to ignore. Fay brings nearly two decades of F&B experience, having been a partner at the late, beloved Oriental Cravings, while Karen—who admits with a wry smile that she was "raised on good food"—comes from a lineage of talented chefs. Opening Third Serving on October 24, 2025, thus felt less like a career change and more like coming full circle
So drop in, mention you’re from Canossian Convent, and take a moment to savour the meal. Close your eyes, and it won't be just a second helping—it will feel like a Third Serving of home. Bon appétit!
Address: Lot 3F-03, Third Floor, KLGCC Mall, 2A, Jalan Bukit Kiara 1, Bukit Kiara, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Phone: 03-9134 2410

01/08/2026

Whenever Canossian Convent girls gather and reminisce about their school days, inevitably someone would mention “bloomers”- and bloomers tales would come tumbling out. However, if you only started school in the late seventies, the word “bloomers” would draw a blank, and if you googled “bloomers”, the following definitions would pop up:

• 19th century loose trousers won under a skirt
• loose old-fashioned underpants
• knee-length baggy trousers won by women for riding bicycles, gymnastics and sports.

Our bloomers were loose, yes, but they were certainly not worn as underpants beneath our pinafores. They did not resemble 19th century baggy trousers and neither were they knee length. Google has definitely not encountered a pair of Canossian Convent bloomers.
They came in only one colour – blue. There were no zips, hooks nor buttons and what held it up was just an unpretentious elastic waistband. Bloomers didn’t hug your bottom like fitted shorts – they weren’t supposed to because they were designed to conceal - not reveal the contours of your bottom. At the hem of each leg, elastic was sewn in so once you have pulled up your bloomers, you would tug both sides upwards. And voila - your bloomers would literally “bloom” and your bottom would transform into a pair of blue puff balls.
Glamorous they were not, and often a subject of curiosity as only Convent girls wore bloomers for sports. However, they superseded the shorts or track pants in versatility. Bloomers were not fitting which meant that you could inherit a hand-me -down and save money and borrowing someone else’s was not an issue should you forget to bring yours. They were extremely comfortable and airy which made them the favourite clandestine uniform in class when the teacher was not around. They were loose fitting which made movements easy for sack races, three-legged races and those wild manoeuvres for creative tele-matches. And because bloomers resembled trunk hose, actors who took on male roles often wore them over stockings as a passable substitute for trunk hose, thus saving money on costumes.
Since bloomers had the generosity of one- size- fits -all, accidental swaps were not uncommon. Hence all students were required to stitch their initials in coloured thread on their bloomers to avoid such incidents. Unfortunately, it also meant that if you had forgotten to bring your bloomers and borrowed somebody else’s, the initials were a dead giveaway. In lower primary, the penalty for forgetting to bring your bloomers for sports was severe – you still had to do sports but without your bloomers. We watched with dread and sympathy for the unfortunate soul who was forced to do sports in her knickers. So as helpful Convent girls, we would help protect the modesty of the person by lending our handkerchiefs so that these could be tucked into the front and back of the panties to provide a veil of decency.
The days of the iconic bloomers were numbered when Sister Wilhelmina became the principal and declared that athletics would replace tele-matches on Sports Day. Bloomers were a hindrance to performance in track and field especially so they were retired in favour of the standard shorts and track pants. The iconic bloomers made a quiet exit physically and also from the vocabulary of the younger generation of Canossian Convent girls. However, for those of us who wore them, they are far from forgotten. They remain a topic of conversation, an era when “branded sportswear” meant a pair of bloomers with your initials sewn on them in colored thread.
Perhaps the best memories of school days are wrapped in the most unlikely garment after all.🥰🥰🥰

Contributed by Evelyn Khor Sook Hiang (Class of ‘75)

20/07/2026

The Silent Soul of the Convent - a beautiful memory narrated by one of our organising committee member,
Evelyn Khor (Class of ‘75).

Located on the ground floor of the sisters’ living quarters are the school’s office and Mother Superior’s office. Although this floor is strictly for official business, it is not uncommon to see students visiting before school or during recess. These visitors fall into two categories: those heading to the first-floor chapel to pray, and those simply seeking respite from the heat outside.
The ground floor’s most iconic feature is the staircase leading to the chapel, flanked by beautiful Italian marble. Over the years, that cold marble has borne the weight of countless students pressing against it for relief from the heat or running their hands along its smooth texture as they climbed. At the landing just before the chapel, the statue of Mother Mary with baby Jesus greets them. To many—Christians and non-Christians alike—she was simply ‘Our Lady,’ and we would make the sign of the cross as we passed.
Built in 1956 when the school’s construction began, the now-70-year-old chapel has served as the convent’s silent soul since day one. Its beauty lies in its simplicity and lack of ornate adornments—a reflection of St. Magdalene of Canossa’s principle that beauty is found in humility and simplicity. The quietness, the cool terrazzo tiles, the simple air of holiness—even the noisiest student would genuflect into respectful silence upon entering the chapel
As early as 5:30 a.m., while the rest of the school lay in darkness, the sisters gathered for their daily community prayer and meditation. Sometimes, during the day, we would spot one of them deep in prayer or meditating on the rosary. The chapel drew both Christian and non-Christian students to pray for various intentions—top of the list being exam success, or perhaps a plea to be spared from punishment over poor grades. As young teenagers, many likely shed tears over fractured friendships or family misunderstandings. Sometimes our prayers sounded more like demands for divine intervention; and when words failed us, we recited the standard prayers from morning assembly. Since most students came from non-English-speaking homes and weren’t Christians, misunderstandings naturally crept in. We weren’t aware then that we were getting it wrong – we just wondered why we had to say “hello” to God in the opening of the Lord’s Prayer and we also tried to recall whether we had actually “trespassed” across someone’s property. And when we prayed the Hail Mary, we were genuinely puzzled why there was a mention of a “foot” in Mary’s womb.
Next to the chapel, a pair of swinging doors never failed to pique our curiosity. After completing our duty of kneeling, praying or bargaining with the Divine, we could not resist peeking beneath those swinging doors, hoping to glimpse what lay beyond them. Most times, we failed—only catching a sister sitting on a dining chair, or sometimes just an empty chair—until the sudden appearance of black leather shoes sent us scuttling back down the stairs.
Seventy years have passed, and the chapel in its simplicity continues to remind us that despite our fumbling prayers, unreasonable demands or clumsy signs of the cross, all is forgiven, and we are loved.

P/S Any of you can relate to the above? Share your memories in the comments below 🥰🥰🥰

11/05/2026

While you may not be able to recall much of what you learnt in your science or math classes in school, you are likely to remember your Domestic Science or Home Science lessons. It was a subject which was considered vital for girls to master, as cooking and sewing skills were deemed necessary for our future roles as wives and mothers - or for sheer survival. You were taught to bake ( which we loved as not many of us have ovens at home ), cook, sew, mend ,iron, organise household chores and plan meals. If you have never stepped into the kitchen, cooking lessons taught you how to slice onions without slicing the skin off your fingers. Kitchen mishaps which gave your exasperated domestic science teacher many heart failures were also not uncommon. Sewing classes had mishaps of a different kind - like getting your measurements wrong and wondering why your master piece was a size too small. Students alternated between sewing and cooking classes and sewed the aprons and simple cloth caps to be used later in the cooking class.

Perhaps what we remembered most about Domestic Science is how we gritted our teeth through repeated cycles of sewing and unpicking before finally producing that imperfect blouse or watching anxiously at our cake rising majestically in the oven only to deflate with a sigh just when we had to show our masterpiece to the teacher.
Sounds familiar? Do share your stories in the comment section…

10/05/2026

Happy Mother's Day
to all the tough, hard-working, patient, loving, and all-around amazing moms out there! You are this and so much more!💖💖💖

03/05/2026

*The Segamat White House*

Canossian Convent Segamat never fails to draw attention as one travels along Jalan Buluh Kasap. With its sprawling grounds, the grotto on the hill ( in the past ) and the rising spire of St. Philip’s church, the Convent lent a sense of grandeur along that particular stretch of the road.

Competing for attention just across the Convent along this stretch of Jalan Buluh Kasap is a mansion which is worth a mention. Dubbed the ‘White House’ by many, it was the home of the Cheah family whose daughters also studied at the Convent .

There are not many records about the White House except that it was built by Cheah Koon Hooi with funds from his father who was in China. According to his grandson, Mr. Cheah was an Anglophile who used to dress in his khaki outfit and drive his beloved Beetle around town. The architecture of the White House reflects his love for all things British. Painted white, the house had symmetrical facade , wide verandas, prominent columns , a tennis court and en suite bathrooms in all the bedrooms ( unheard of then in Segamat ). Built probably some time before WWII , the architectural elements resembled the White House in Washington, hence locals dubbed it the White House.

During the Japanese occupation, large houses were often requisitioned by the Japanese army though there are no records that the White House was the headquarters of the Japanese forces. However , stories abound among locals of people who were taken to the White House to be tortured by the Japanese soldiers and killed. Inevitably these stories also led to the belief that the White House was haunted and cries of tortured souls could still be heard along the corridors.

After the war, many of the large rooms in the house were tenanted and the location was ideal for families with school going children. Some of us who befriended the grandchildren of Cheah Koon Hooi have memories of playing hide-and-seek in the mansion or wandering and poking our heads into the rooms and admiring their magnificence.

Sadly, the White House was later sold and completely demolished by the new owners and rebuilt into something that has no resemblance to the original. Nevertheless for many of us who will be taking a walk down memory lane during the 70th anniversary celebrations, we will remember that once upon a time , there was a White House in Segamat that stirred our imagination of wandering ghosts of tortured souls….