HWA Chong Institution (HCI) and its students past and present have welcomed a decision to name an MRT station to be sited outside the school after their founder, the late philanthropist Tan Kah Kee.

Principal Ang Wee Hiong said the school was 'very happy and proud' at the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) decision, calling it a tribute to the pioneering spirit of its founder.

Names for the 14 stations THE Land Transport Authority yesterday announced the approved names for 14 stations: CIRCLE LINE Final name (working name) ... more

A Facebook group celebrating the move, called Kah Kee Station, has attracted more than 800 fans on the popular networking site.

Alumna Lee Shi Min, 19, who is waiting to attend university, said: 'It's definitely something to be proud of.'

The LTA had sought suggestions for the names of nine stations on the 16.6km Downtown Line 2, which will open in 2015.

The LTA received more than 3,000 suggestions from the public. Almost 9,000 people participated in a polling exercise on the shortlisted names.

The LTA had said the names chosen should identify the station readily and also have a link to the heritage of the neighbourhood.

It added that stations should not be named after public structures, or commercial and residential developments.

But HCI canvassed students and alumni to take part in the exercise, in hopes that the station would be named Hwa Chong.

Following the public consultation exercise, three names were shortlisted: Duchess (the station's working name), Watten and Kah Kee.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Straits Times.