Tuesday 25 October 2011

Sir KM Ariff


(Dr Kamil Mohamed Ariff bin Kadir Mastan)


INTRODUCTION

George Town is the city centre in Penang. It was called Tanjong by the Penang Malays. Only one early Malay doctor operated a clinic in the city centre. He was Dr Kamil Ariff who practised privately at his own clinic, The Dispensary, in Hutton Lane.


Sir KM Ariff
Dr Kamil Mohamed Ariff commenced private practice in Penang in 1918 (Fisher 1925: 32). His clinic was The New Dispensary, located in No. 1a, Hutton Lane, Penang, Straits Settlement. Dr Kamil Mohamed Ariff retired from the government medical service in 1948, 3 years after the Japanese war ended. Sir Dr KM Ariff’s residence was in 180 Burmah Road, Penang. The place is now a high-density housing area (high-rise flats, apartments or condominium).

Hutton Lane (now Jalan Hutton)
Hutton Lane (now Jalan Hutton) is a historical lane with a restaurant, clinic, mosque and school, and each structure has its own unique history. It once had a restaurant where USM staff celebrated farewell lunch. It also once housed the private clinic of Sir KM Ariff (Dr Kamil Mohamed Ariff bin Kadir Mastan). It has a mosque - Masjid Jamek Jalan Hutton. It has a school - Sekolah Melayu Chowrasta, now renamed to Sekolah Kebangsaan Sri Tanjong, Jalan Hutton. The school building is still the old pre-war building.

PHOTO 1. KOMTAR (tower) is a more recent addition to Georgetown's landscape. It was opened in 1981. It did not exist during the time of Sir KM Ariff's private practice in Penang. If KOMTAR had existed way back then, it would have looked similar as in this photo. This photo was taken while standing close to Sir KM Ariff's old clinic in Hutton Lane, Georgetown, Penang; 10 Feb 2011.

PHOTO 2. Corner of Hutton Lane and Penang Road. Was The New Dispensary located in this shophouse?

PHOTO 3. Facade of the left row of shophouses in Hutton Lane. This is the beginning of Hutton Lane (Penang Road end)

PHOTO 4. Hutton Lane viewed from Penang Road. Was The New Dispensary located in the shophouse at right?

Masjid Jamek Jalan Hutton
Masjid Jamek Jalan Hutton is in Jalan Hutton (Hutton Lane), across the road from Sekolah Sri Tanjung, Jalan Hutton, Penang.

PHOTO 5. Masjid Jamek Jalan Hutton in Jalan Hutton (old name Hutton Lane), George Town, Penang




Map of George Town
KOMTAR is marked 'A'.
Sir Dr KM Ariff’s residence was in 180 Burmah Road, Penang (B)
The New Dispensary was located in No. 1a, Hutton Lane (C)
View Larger Map


Driving directions from USM side gate @ Minden Heights Jalan 7:
USM - Jalan Hutton is approx. 9 km.
[Key: S = straight; R = right; L = left]

S@ Minden Heights Jalan 7
R@ Minden Height Jalan 1
L@ Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah
S@ Jalan Gelugor

2 choices:
a. via Jalan Jelutong & Jalan Perak:
S@ Jalan Jelutong
L@ Jalan Perak

2 choices:
>> Jalan Dato' Keramat:
     S@ Jalan Dato' Keramat
     L@ Jalan Penang
     L@ Jalan Burma
     R@ Jalan Anson
     R@ Jalan Hutton
     Go right to the end of Jalan Hutton where it meets Jalan Penang
     No 1a is at the corner of Jalan Hutton and Jalan Penang (end of Jalan Hutton)

>> Jalan Anson:
     Jalan Anson
     Jalan Hutton

b. via Jalan Masjid Negeri
From Jalan Gelugor
L@ Jalan Masjid Negeri
Go past Penang Free School
R@ Jalan Air Hitam / Air Itam / Ayer Hitam
Go past Methodist Boys School (MBS)
S@ Jalan Dato' Keramat
Go S past Jalan Perak junction
Go past old Police Station
L@ Jalan Penang
L@ Jalan Burma
Go past Masjid Titi Papan
Jalan Anson
Jalan Hutton