Dr Che Lah Md Joonos

Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos (1903-1986)
Portrait from his 1963 Hajj passport

Residences

Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos had four houses on Penang island: 

1. Hala Pemancar
2. Solok Pemancar
3. Lengkok Pemancar and 
4. Minden Heights. 

Hala Pemancar, Penang

His first house when he returned to Penang after his retirement from the Government service in Pahang (he retired on 30 June 1958) was in Hala Pemancar (according to Azlan Ismail, whose family home is still in Solok Pemancar). It was a small single-storey bungalow (according to Aunty Hajah Aeeshah Daud and his son Kamaruddin bin Che Lah). The house is still there. Dr Che Lah then moved to a second house in Solok Pemancar.

213 Hala Pemancar, Glugor, Penang.

Solok Pemancar, Penang 

I re-visited Dr Che Lah's old double-storey bungalow at 219 Bukit Glugor (now 219 Solok Pemancar), Gelugor (or Glugor) in Penang. It was rundown and for sale when I visited it. The bungalow faces Glugor Road (now Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah). I recall the house from since I was 5 or 6 years old, before I went to school. I can recall it because its pastel pink walls and lattice brick walls attracted me from small. Dr Che Lah had sold this bungalow as he had another bungalow at Lengkok Pemancar (around the bend), near where Datuk Anwar Fazal's sister lives. According to Azlan Ismail, Raja Tun Uda then lived in Dr Che Lah's house at Solok Pemancar. Then S. M. Aidid bought the house and owns it till today. The house was put on sale in 2011* but was taken off from sale. 

*The bungalow at 219 Solok Pemancar was once managed by the real estate agent (Eddie, H/P 012-408 8390). It had looked dilapidated and uncared for in 2011. Nobody lived there when I visited the bungalow. Even the back-house was unoccupied. The gate was locked. Affandi called Eddie to enquire about the status of the bungalow. Eddie said the bungalow was up for sale for RM6.5 million (9 Oct 2011)!

Aidid repainted the house white (4 March 2013). Aidid's name is on the right gate post while the house number 219 is on the left gate post.

Driving along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah and approaching Solok Pemancar (road) on the left

We went up Solok Pemancar (dead end) and came back down. This was the view when going down. His house is the last one on the left.

Solok Pemancar and the characteristic lattice brick wall which I recalled from childhood and therefore was able to locate his house.

Main gate to then Dr Che Lah's bungalow in 2011, now Aidid's.

View of the rear of his bungalow and back-house from the main gate in 2011.

Dr Che Lah's former bungalow at 219 Solok Pemancar, Gelugor, Penang in 2011.

The bungalow is now whitewashed. 219 and 'Aidid' marked the 2 gate posts in March 2013.

Author (far right) with siblings and mother at 219 Solok Pemancar, 1962.  Mother is Dr Che Lah's eldest daughter (of 4 girls).

Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos having dinner at home, 219 Solok Pemancar. 1962.

Lengkok Pemancar, Gelugor, Penang
(old Bukit Gelugor, Penang)

Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos at home, 355-A Lengkok Pemancar (old 355A Bukit Glugor), Gelugor, Penang. 1962-63. From left: Kamaruddin (son), Mariah (second wife), Kamariah (adopted daughter), Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos.

Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos at home, 355-A Lengkok Pemancar, Gelugor, Penang. 1969

Cangkat Minden, Gelugor, Penang 

(Minden Heights)

Dr Che Lah's last residence, 460-H Jalan 7, Cangkat Minden (Minden Heights, Road 7), Gelugor, Penang. Demolished.

Dr Che Lah and wife Mariah @ Matron Chong Nyet Lin.
Celebrating his birthday at home, 460-H Jalan 7, Cangkat Minden, Gelugor, Penang. 1974.

Dr Che Lah and granddaughter Aminah bt Abdul Rashid.

Celebrating his birthday in 1978.

Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos at home in the 1980s.

External links

Senarai Agong, Portal Rasmi Parlimen Malaysia

YouTube video - Retrospektif: Seruan Suchi (1965) 

Produced by Lensa FINAS, 23 July 2021

This video covers the Hajj pilgrimage of the DYMM SPB YDP Agong ke-3 (Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail of Perlis) and his visit to the Malayan Hajj Mission Hospital in Makkah, which shows Dr Che Lah beside the Agong.

Pejabat Pesuruhjaya Malaysia dan Rombongan Kesihatannya.

Tuanku Syed Putra ibni Almarhum Syed Hassan Jamalullail of Perlis.
Senarai Agong, Portal Rasmi Parlimen Malaysia

YDP Agong melawat Malayan Medical Mission hospital di Makkah. Agong (kanan bersongkok) dan Doktor Haji Dr Hj Che Lah bin Md Joonos (kiri baju putih & tie). 1965.

YDP Agong (kanan) dan Dr Che Lah (kiri).

Dr Hj Che Lah bin Mohd Joonos.

Dr Hj Che Lah bin Mohd Joonos, Malayan Mission Hospital in Makkah, 1965.