18. Dr Megat Khas bin Megat Omar (1908-1979)

Dr Megat Khas bin Megat Omar (1908-1979)
LMS 1931 KEVII

Date of birth: 1 April 1908
Place of birth: Istana Tallang, Kampung Tallang, Kuala Kangsar, Perak
Date of death: 21 June 1979
Place of death: Ipoh General Hospital, Ipoh, Perak
Place of burial: Muslim Cemetery at Gurap, along Jalan Kuala Kangsar, Ipoh, Perak


Education

(1914-1918)? - Sekolah Melayu at 3 places: 1. Batu Gajah, 2. Chemor, 3. Kuala Kangsar
1919 - Malay College Kuala Kangsar
1924 - passed Senior Cambridge Examination with honours
1925 - attended Straits and Federated Malay States Government Medical School in Singapore (later renamed King Edward VII College of Medicine).
1931 - graduated with LMS in August 1931
LMS = Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery

Government Service

1932 - Assistant Medical Officer (AMO) Taiping March 1932
AMO Kuala Kangsar
AMO Teluk Anson
AMO Ipoh

1941-1945 - WW2 and Japanese occupation in Malaya
AMO Kuantan (1 year)
Medical Officer Kuala Kangsar and Department of Health (remaining years)

1945 - (post-war) - Teluk Anson (now Teluk Intan)

Postgraduate Studies

August 1947-50 - Queen's Scholar to pursue studies in England
1) Rotunda Maternity Hospital, Dublin (6 months). Obtained Licentiate of Midwifery, Rotunda (LM(ROT)) (in February 1948)?
2) Medical Faculty, Great Ormond Street, London; he was attached to the Children's Hospital. Obtained Diploma of Child Health (DCH)
3) Edinburgh University (6 months)
4) University Hospital, Gower Street. Obtained Diploma of O&G (DRCOG)
5) Health Department. Obtained Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTMH)
6) Pall Mall, near Lord Nelson Column in Trafalgar Square (2 months). Obtained MRCP in 1950. First Malay Doctor with M.R.C.P. (Member of the Royal College of Physicians based in London)

Resumed Work in Malaya

1950-57 - State Physician of Perak, stationed at Ipoh General Hospital

He retired in 1957.

Private Practice

Shifa Medical Hall, Ipoh at 2 locations: 1. Cockman Street, 2. Jalan Foo Yet Kai

Political Involvement

1946 - Founding Member of UMNO Perak
1950 - joined UMNO while in Teluk Anson
1950 - 55 - member of Perak State Executive Council
Founding fathers of Perikatan Melayu Perak, to oppose the Malayan Union and to establish a united front. He led Telok Anson Division.

Contributions to Society

Commissioner of St John Ambulance Brigade of West Malaysia
Supreme Commander of St John Ambulance, Asia Region
President Persatuan Islam Perak
Hajj Doctor; headed the Malayan Medical Mission to Makkah in 1949

Family

4 wives: 1. Puteri Hawa, 2. Hajah Jamnah, 3. Salmah, 4. Zaiton
Son - Tan Sri Dato' Seri Haji Megat Najmuddin bin Megat Khas
Daughter - Putri Rafidah bt Megat Khas

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Please refer to my book for more details - Biography of the Early Malay Doctors 1900-1957 Malaya and Singapore (Xlibris 2012)

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Newspaper articles on Dr Megat Khas

Pilgrims To Have Full Medical Care
The Straits Times, 24 August 1949, Page 9
From Our Staff Correspondent
KUALA LUMPUR, Tues.
Dr. Megat Khas of Perak has arrived in the Middle East
to lead the Malayan Medical Mission to Mecca, which will
look after the health of the pilgrims from Malaya.
The last pilgrim ship for Jeddah this year left Penang yesterday.
Assisting Dr. Megat Khas in the Mission are a grade II
hospital assistant, Che Ibrahim bin Abdul Aziz of the
General Hospital Johore, and the hospital attendant,
Che Mohamed Noor bin Samat of the District Hospital, Ipoh.
Che Ibrahim and Che Mohamed Noor left Malaya early this month
with a load of medical supplies for the needs of the pilgrims.