IN celebration of its 50th anniversary, Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Penang is on a mission to reconnect with the first 50 couples who got married at the hotel from 1973 (the year it was established) to 1980.
Hotel communications director Suleiman Tunku Abdul Rahman announced plans for a grand dinner at the end of the year to honour and appreciate these couples for making Rasa Sayang their preferred wedding destination.
He also said the couples will be entitled to enjoy a free holiday at the hotel.
“We have so far confirmed the attendance of 18 couples, and I have got a long way to go to reach our target of 50 couples.
“As we all know, at the time when the hotel was opened in the 1970s, there wasn’t any digital filing that allowed us to keep track of past events.
“Everything was on paper, and unfortunately, we lost all the details.
“So, we’ve to turn social media and a local newspaper to locate these couples.
“After doing that, we have managed to locate 18 couples, including the first ever to get married here, Mr & Mrs Chan.
“The wife, 73, is from Ipoh, while the husband, 75, is a Penangite.
“They got married just two days before Christmas on Dec 23, 1973. It was a month after the grand opening of the hotel.
“They currently reside in Australia, and they have confirmed their attendance for the dinner,” Suleiman told Buletin Mutiara during an exclusive interview at the hotel on Sept 4.
Meanwhile, Suleiman also said that the marriage celebrant, who officiated several wedding ceremonies at the hotel in the past, will also be attending the dinner.
“He asked me if the returning couples would be interested in renewing their wedding vows during the dinner as he was willing to do it for them, once again.
“It will be really special if this can happen, pending their consent,” he added.
During the dinner, the couples will be invited on stage to say a few words, specifically to share unforgettable memories during their big day in the past.
Suleiman also said that the hotel is currently trying to contact as many pioneer staff as possible to join the dinner at the end of the year.
“We are looking at staff members, who worked from 1973 to1976, and we have so far contacted 117. They will all be attending.
“Also, the hotel’s first general manager, Michael Chiu, 77, will also be joining us during the dinner. He joined us in 1972.
“While he was our first, he was also the youngest general manager we have ever had. The hotel has so far had 17 general managers since its inception,” Suleiman added.
According to Suleiman, this grand dinner celebration is part of a series of events planned throughout the year.
A photo gallery showcasing important moments in the hotel’s history will be launched on Nov 9, featuring 32 exhibition panels with each panel exhibiting five to eight photos.
“We have written to a Penang-born personality, which I will not reveal the name yet, to come and officiate this gallery.
“I am also working with a vintage car association to arrange for a convoy of 50 cars from George Town to Batu Feringghi, where they will then park their cars at our parking lots in the hotel’s premises.
“The public will be invited to participate in selecting the most popular car, then the hotel to choose the most beautiful car, and lastly, the association to pick the most well-maintained car, with prizes to be announced later.
Shangri-La Rasa Sayang, as a public-listed company, is committed to giving back to the community through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.
“For instance, for the past 15 years, 0.2 per cent of our total revenue in a year has been put aside to benefit underprivileged children.
“The programme is called ‘Embrace Gift of Life’, and it is aimed at assisting newly born babies suffering from the blue baby syndrome.
“In the past few years, the programme has benefitted 36 children, and they will all be joining us for the dinner.
“This is to show that apart from being a hospitality giant, we aim to also give back to the community in the most meaningful way possible,” Suleiman added.
Story by Kevin Vimal and Ammar Mikhail Aamer
Pix by M. Vekenesvaran and Shangri-La Rasa Sayang Penang