We have had many Parent Alumni since the school opened in 1951, and many of them have played an important role in our school’s development. In order to help recognise their special contributions to our school, we are introducing a new spotlight series for our parent alumni – just a small gesture to recognise and thank parents for their impact on our GIS community.
We are fortunate to have been connected with Mr and Mrs Loh, parents of alumni Dr Lawrence Loh (Class ‘98) and Dr. Crystal Loh (Class’99). Mrs Loh was an Assistant Teacher at GIS, supporting the nursery classes, and Mr Loh is a Structural Engineer, working at Facca Incorporated, Canada.
Mr and Mrs Loh, what drew you to GIS?
Our two children were born abroad, and so on our return to Malaysia in 1996, we looked for an international school to allow them to continue their education. Having both been brought up in the British system ourselves, we favoured the IGCSE curriculum presented by Garden – plus at the time in the mid-1990s, Sri Hartamas was much greener – though we understand that has changed now. We were impressed by the focus on academics, but also the opportunities for extra-curricular activities that would broaden our children’s horizons.
What are some of your favourite memories as a GIS parent?
Our son Lawrence had a penchant for public speaking and performance and acted in a number of school plays, including playing Benedict in Much Ado About Nothing. Our daughter enjoyed her time at Outward Bound School and both our children were heavily involved in debate, writing, and music. I also always remember their excitement when they would take the bus to and from the school- during the journey, their Malaysian friends in class would help them to acculturate! The bus driver used to stop to allow them to all buy some pisang goreng on the way home; it seemed like a good way for them to get to know the crowd, and they were all good kids that became good friends!
How have you stayed connected to GIS over the years?
When Lawrence and Crystal returned to Canada to continue their university education, many of their friends from Malaysia also turned up as well in nearby cities. It was a good chance for our family to return the favour of hospitality; we had many of their friends from GIS visit our home in Canada over the various holidays and it was nice to help out the odd hungry university student! Of course, back in Malaysia, Mrs. Loh was one of the assistant teachers in kindergarten as well, which meant that all of us went to school around the same time, and she always enjoyed helping out with events like Mufti Day and graduation.
How did the GIS experience impact your children, and what are they doing now?
Our daughter is now a veterinary dental specialist in New Zealand. She is very good with her hands and meticulous in taking care of the oral health of all manners of animals. Before that, she served for years as a large animal veterinarian.
Our son, Lawerence, is the Medical Officer of Health for Peel Region, which is the health department which serves the large suburban municipality just to the west of the City of Toronto (kind of like the Petaling Jaya of Toronto.) He took over the role three days before issuing his first closure orders for the COVID-19 pandemic and it has been a marathon ever since; he has taken a lot of difficult decisions like the Canadian equivalent of closures and movement control orders, but we believe it has really helped to prevent the healthcare system from becoming overwhelmed and has saved lives. And we have enjoyed getting to “see” him during his weekly COVID-19 press conferences on TV!
Both our kids are now parents themselves. They have both studied in Canada, the United States, and worked abroad. In every instance we have noticed that they make international friends very easily; both of them were involved in global health endeavours throughout their career and we think that the exposure at GIS to different cultures and mindsets really fostered an openness to travel and new experiences that they’ve since engaged with. Our son, for example, conducted research in the Dominican Republic for over a decade and also helped to found the first international body representing young physicians within the World Medical Association – all while completing his residency – and the intercultural skills were a big part of that, having spent time growing up in Malaysia and going to GIS.
Are you in touch with the parents, teachers or anyone from your time at GIS?
That was such a long time ago – we’ve sadly been out of touch for many years, as there aren’t many Malaysians in our corner of the globe, but we always enjoyed the fun get-togethers and dropping off the kids at various homes around KL and malls so that our kids could have some fun (within limits of course.)
Any advice or words that you want to share with our GIS Alumni Community?
GIS really provides a nurturing environment that allows children to expand their horizons and take on new challenges. Together with a rigorous program and the cultural exchange of so many students from every corner of the earth, the environment is uniquely suited to produce lifelong learners with a global mindset and a willingness to take risks, which is ultimately required in today’s globalised world. Like many parents, our kids started out naturally curious, and GIS fed that curiosity in a way that equipped them to pursue their ambitions and dreams.
We at GIS Alumni Office would like to thank Mr & Mrs Loh for sharing their GIS journey with us and wish everyone in the family all the best in their future endeavors. If you, as Parent Alumni, would like to share your journey after GIS, please get in touch! Email: alumni@gardenschool.edu.my. Because every story matters. Connect with us on social media via Facebook / LinkedIn or if you would like to read another article via the Global Alumni Website. If you haven’t become our registered member yet, please do so via this link.