27/08/2026
OPEN LETTER TO ALL ALUMNI OF SMK SULTAN ALAUDDIN RIAYAT SHAH 1, PAGOH
It has been a long time since my last post in this page. I admit that I have let the silence stretch longer than I intended, and for that, I owe you an apology. But today, I am breaking that silence not with a routine announcement, but with a heartfelt message from someone who still believes in what we can become together.
You may have scrolled past this page many times and wondered whether the alumni association is still functioning or whether it has faded into just another forgotten group. Let me assure you that we are very much alive, but I must also confess that being legally alive and being truly vibrant are two completely different realities. We have the certificate, we have the registration number, and we have the structure on paper, but what we lack is the living breath of active participation from the very people who give this association its reason to exist.
Our official registration under the Societies Act 1966 was finalised on 23 August 2022, and our registration number is PPM-005-01-23082022. That date is a milestone I carry with pride, because it marks the moment we became a recognised entity. Yet pride in a piece of paper does not fund a single scholarship, organise a single career talk, or extend a single hand of help to a fellow Alrisha in distress. Those things require real people, real commitment, and real voices, and that is precisely why I am writing to you today.
We are currently in the midst of a full restructuring of our organisation. This means we are revisiting our constitution, redesigning our committees, and charting a clear roadmap for the next five years. This is, without exaggeration, the most critical juncture in our short history as a registered body. The decisions we make now will determine whether this association becomes a lasting force for good or remains a dormant name on a register. And I want to be completely honest with you: the current committee cannot carry this weight alone. We need every generation of alumni to step forward, the seniors from the 1980s who witnessed the school's early days, the batches from the 1990s who built their careers during a transforming Malaysia, the graduates of the 2000s and 2010s who bring fresh energy and digital fluency, and the newest alumni who still have close ties with the school and its current students. Every era holds a piece of the puzzle, and every perspective is indispensable.
So what exactly are we building? We are establishing working committees focused on education and scholarships, so that we can support bright students from Pagoh who lack financial means. We are creating a career and alumni networking wing to connect job seekers with experienced mentors and potential employers. We are setting up a welfare and emergency support unit to stand by our members during times of hardship. And we are forming a school partnership team to ensure that our alma mater knows we have not forgotten our roots. These are noble goals, but they remain empty frameworks until you fill them with your ideas, your time, and your passion. Without your active involvement, these committees will never move beyond the planning stage.
Therefore, I am making a direct and personal appeal to every single one of you. Do not simply scroll past this post and move on with your day. Take a moment to comment below, send a private message to any committee member, or reach out to me directly. Tell us what you envision for SARS1/ALRISHA, which area you would like to contribute to, or even just let us know that you are still with us in spirit. We will be announcing a General Meeting in the coming weeks to vote on the new structure and elect our leadership, but that meeting must be preceded by your input. Your voice must be heard before we finalise any draft, because this association belongs to all of us, not to a select few.
I want to end this letter by reminding us of where we come from. Pagoh is not just a dot on the map; it is the soil that shaped our character, the place where we formed friendships that have outlasted distance and time. Many of us have moved to cities like Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, or even abroad, but the corridors of SMK Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah 1 remain etched in our memories. The teachers may have retired, the uniforms may have changed, and the school may look different today, but the Alrisha spirit endures in every one of us. Let us revive that spirit, not for nostalgia alone, but for a purpose that serves our community and our future generations.
I look forward to reading your responses, to shaking your hands at our upcoming meeting, and to building something that we can all be proud of. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter from beginning to end. You have already taken the first and most important step simply by being here. Please do not stay silent, because your presence matters more than you realise.
With hope, gratitude, and unwavering belief in our shared journey, I remain your faithful servant and fellow Alrisha.
Secretary
Pertubuhan Alumni SMK Sultan Alauddin Riayat Shah 1, Pagoh
Registration Number: PPM-005-01-23082022