The Beginning
The idea of establishing a body to promote and to preserve the Lasallian traditions in education originated some two decades ago by a number of illustrious alumni of the Brothers' schools. Somehow, for unknown reasons, the idea did not take off the ground and the idea thus remained an elusive dream.
A renewed effort was made in August 1999 by the Malaysian Federation of Lasallian Associations (MFOLSA). A Permanent Working Committee was set up. This core group was headed by Tan Sri Dato' Chan Choong Tak and comprised of Brother Peter Foo (Brother Visitor, Penang District), Brother Michael Jacques, Dr. Goh Cheng Teik, Wilfred Vias, Vincent Fernandez (then President and Honorary Secretary of MFOLSA respectively) and Ng Soon Hong. The membership of this Committee grew larger as more illustrious sons of La Salle came on board. The Permanent Working Committee was later renamed:The La Salle Advisory Board.
Seven members of the Advisory Board, namely Tan Sri Dato' Chan Choong Tak, Tan Sri Dato’ Dr. Syed Jalaluddin bin Syed Salim, Dato’ Fong Weng Phak, Dr. Goh Cheng Teik, Cyril Pinso, Ng Soon Hong and Vincent Fernandez met with the De La Salle Brothers’ Penang Sub-District Council on 1 April, 2000 to seek the Brothers’ blessing to set up a privatized tertiary education college and a De La Salle Foundation to help fund various Lasallian projects as well as to provide assistance, financial or otherwise, to needy students to enable them to pursue undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate courses which would otherwise elude them due to financial constraints. The response of the Brothers at the meeting was positive. As a procedure, they would have to refer to the Main Council i.e. the Penang District Council for a final decision. Soon after the Brothers' Main Council gave its blessings, the La Salle Advisory Board went about its task, setting up various sub-committees to upgrade the De La Salle Language Institute, Kuala Lumpur, an institution of learning wholly owned by the Brothers, to a tertiary college; and also to incorporate a Foundation later known officially as Yayasan De La Salle. Bro. Michael Jacques with guests Guests upstanding for the National Anthem Yayasan De La Salle is incorporated under the Companies’ Act, 1965. It was launched on 7th December, 2001 at a dinner in Kuala Lumpur, attended by no less than 800 comprising La Salle Brothers, alumni, associates and well-wishers. The Foundation's key function is to receive and administer funds for educational, scientific and charitable purposes and to provide scholarships for graduate, undergraduate and post graduate studies to young Malaysians irrespective of race, religion and creed. Yayasan De La Salle is managed by a 12-member Council comprising four Brothers and eight alumni with Brother Peter Foo FSC as the Chairman. Committees with distinct functions have been formed to look after the various areas of work of the Foundation. Yayasan obtained its tax-exempt status with effect from 1st February, 2005 (reference: Inland Revenue Board’s letter - LHDN. 01/35/42/51/179-6.5350 and gazetted on 12 May, 2005 vide government gazette no. 7230)
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