The Early Malay Doctors: 8 Mar 2013

Friday, 8 March 2013

Taiping Landmarks (2)

Jalan Masjid-Jalan Kota intersection
This is a big 4-junction.

4-junction, Jalan Masjid and Jalan Kota

Jalan Masjid - Jalan Kota junction. Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping at left. Hospital Taiping straight ahead.

Jalan Masjid
Jalan Masjid is a long broad road from Taiping bus station, Jalan Convent turnoff, Hotel Seri Warisan, 4-junction, Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping and ends at Hospital Taiping.

Jalan Masjid in front of Hotel Seri Warisan parking lot

Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping (right foreground) with Hotel Seri Warisan (bkgr at left). The road is Jalan Masjid

Hospital Taiping at the end of Jalan Masjid. Dr Ismail Mohd Ghows's father-in-law, Shaik Nannameah Sahib, came to Malaya in 1895 from Hyderabad, Deccan, in India. He worked as a Hospital Assistant (HA) at Hospital Taiping. In 1909, he opened Lochman Medical Store in a double-storey shophouse at 44 Jalan Besar, Taiping. This was the first Muslim medical store in Taiping. His only daughter, Zohara Bee, married to Dr Ismail Mohd Ghows. After Dr Ismail Mohd Ghows graduated from the King Edward VII Medical School in Singapore with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery (LMS) in August 1917, he registered with the General Medical Council of Great Britain in 1918 and commenced private medical practice at his father-in-law's shophouse in Taiping. He was the Managing Proprietor of Lochman Medical Store in No. 44 Jalan Besar, Taiping. He was the first Indian Muslim and Malay doctor to start a medical practice in Taiping in 1918. The clinic was demolished in 2005, after existing for 96 years (1909-2005) (refer page 483 in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors). Jalan Besar is now renamed to Jalan Taming Sari.

Old buildings of Hospital Taiping

Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping
This oldest mosque in Taiping was built in 1893 by the Ngah Ibrahim family. It replaced the original wooden Madrasah that was on site. The architect (unnamed) who designed this mosque was inspired and influenced by Dutch architecture.

Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping

Facade of Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping

Tourism plaque of Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping

Tanah Perkuburan Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping
There is quite a large cemetery with early graves outside Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping. They include the grave of Ngah Ibrahim's wife, Toh Puan Halimah bt Laksamana Mohd Amin (d.12 December 1899); the grave of Tengku Menteri Wan Mohd Isa bin Ngah Ibrahim (d.12 November 1923); Long Jaafar's relatives, Sheikh Makhbuli (a Taiping ulama), etc. Doctors and relatives who are buried here include Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy and wife, Nawab Din, Dato Seri Mohamed Razak, Dr Ismail Ghows and his daughter Dr Latifah Ghows.

Pusara Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy in the adjacent cemetery of Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping

Signboard above Pusara Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy. It reads: Al-Fatihah. Allahyarham Dr Burhanuddin Al-Helmy bin Mohd Noor, Tokoh Perjuangan Kemerdekaan Tanah Melayu, Yang di Pertua Agung PAS Ke-3, Telah Kembali Ke Rahmatullah Pada 14 Sya'ban 1385 H (Hijrah) Bersamaan 25 Oktober 1969 M (Masihi). He is written as Dr Amir Burhanuddin bin Ungku Muhammad Noor (1911-1969) on page 338 in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors. A homeopathy doctor, a good Muslim, and regarded as the most intelligent and visionary Malay politician, he was a detainee under the ISA (Internal Security Act) and was released in 1966. He succumbed to chronic asthma and passed away in Taiping on Saturday, 25 October 1969.

View of Pusara Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy with the Qiblat side of Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping in the bkgr (captured with back to Jalan Masjid)

(KIV. I have no ID on this grave yet. Could be) Pusara wife of Dr Burhanuddin al-Helmy. Her name is Che Suri bt Haji Yahya.

Headstone of Dr Latifah Bee bt Ismail Ghows. She graduated with MBBS from the University of Hong Kong on 23 January 1942. She was Taiping's first female doctor. She was the first Indian Muslim and Malay female doctor in British Malaya and the Federation of Malaya. The headstone reads: Al-Fatihah. (In Jawi script) Doktor Latifah binti Ghows. Dr. Latifah bt. Ghows kembali ke Rahmatullah pada 8 Ramadhan 1426 (Hijrah) bersamaan 11.10.2005, umur 92 tahun. Amin. Her age should be 94 on the headstone. She is written as Dr Latifah Bee Ghows (1911-2005) on page 516 in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors. She was hospitalised at Hospital Taiping since 5 October 2005 and passed away of old age at 2 a.m. on Tuesday, 11 October 2005, aged 94. She was interred here after Zohor prayer (refer page 520 in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors).

Pusara Dr Latifah Bee bt Ismail Ghows, Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping. Her nephew is Dato' Abdul Mutalib bin Razak. Dr Latifah's demise was published in the local newspaper - New Straits Times, Wednesday, 12 October 2005. The obituary was written by Mr D. M. Ponnusamy. During my visit to First Galleria, I was informed by the Senior Curator, Anuar Isa, that Mr D. M. Ponnusamy had also passed away, aged early 70s; his wife is still around. I have never met Mr D. M. Ponnusamy who contributed many photos and articles for Dr Latifah's biography in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors.

Pusara Dato Seri Mohamed Razak bin Mohamed Akram (1921-2004), Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping. The headstone reads: (Jawi script) Al-Fatihah. Dato Seri Haji Muhammad Razak bin Muhammad Akram. Dato Seri Hj. Mohamed Razak bin Mohd Akram. Lahir 07-08-1921. Kembali ke Rahmatullah pada 13 Safar 1425 bersamaan 03-04-2004. Amin. He was Nawab Din's eldest grandson and the father of Dato' Abdul Mutalib Razak. He was also the nephew of Dr Abdul Karim bin Nawab Din. Dato Seri Mohamed Razak Akram married Datin Sharifah Bee Ghows (younger sister of Dr Latifah Ghows) in 1941 and they had four children - Dato' Abdul Mutalib, Siti Mariam, Siti Fauziah, and Siti Zainab (refer page 230 in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors).

Placement of the graves of Dato Seri Mohamed Razak, Dr Latifah Bee, Nawab Din and Dr Ismail Ghows in the front yard (Qiblat direction) of Masjid Lama Bandar Taiping

Pusara Dr Ismail Ghows - the one with overgrown red bush in the foreground

Pusara Dr Ismail Ghows, father of Dr Latifah Bee. He was also the maternal grandfather of Dato' Abdul Mutalib bin Razak (lawyer; former Chairman of Media Prima Bhd who retired on 30 April 2009).

Headstone of Dr Ismail Ghows. The headstone reads: Al-Fatihah. Mohamed Ismail bin Mohd Ghows kembali ke Rahmatullah pada 29.7.1996 bersamaan 13 Rabiul Awal 1417. Amin. 1996 is incorrect and should be 1964. He is written as Dr Ismail Mohamad Ghows (1878-1964) on page 482 in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors. Dr Ismail Mohamad Ghows passed away in Taiping at 6.45 p.m. on Tuesday, 30 June 1964, aged 86 years. He was one of the oldest residents in Taiping and the oldest surviving JP until his demise. All the Indian Muslim shops closed for the day when he passed away as a sign of respect for the great man of Taiping. Even the King Edward VII School and the St George School had flown their school flags at half mast and sent their respective Scouts contingents to attend his funeral. The Red Cross, the St John Ambulance, and people of all races attended the funeral. He was interred here at 4.30 p.m. on Wednesday, 1 July 1964 (refer page 499 in Biography of the Early Malay Doctors).

Headstone of Nawab Din (1858-1943). Nawab Din migrated from Lahore, Punjab in undivided India as part of the British Army. He arrived in Taiping in 1886. He was a general merchant and supplier of army goods. He entered into the textile business after he retired from the police force. He had a tailor shop in Taiping, built in 1892. He was entrusted and made clothes for the British officers and then the Perak royal household. His business prospered and was active till the Japanese invasion in 1941. He married Raj Bee and had six children - Zainab Bee, Dr Abdul Karim, Ramzan Bee, Halimah Bee, Mohd Latiff, and Mohamad Toffil. Zainab Bee married to Akram and their son is Dato' Seri Mohd Razak. Zainab was also Dato' Abdul Mutalib's paternal grandmother. Dr Abdul Karim bin Nawab Din was a dentist renowned for dental crowns, the first and foremost Indian Muslim and Malay dentist noted for maxillo-facial surgery in British Malaya and the Federation of Malaya. Nawab Din passed away in September 1943, aged 85.

Pusara Nawab Din

Headstone of the wife of Ngah Ibrahim. Ngah Ibrahim owned the land here. Ngah Ibrahim's wife is Toh Puan Halimah bt Laksamana Mohd Amin (d.12 December 1899). Her grave is the earliest one recorded at this cemetery.