The Early Malay Doctors

Sunday, 1 April 2012

Datuk Lokman Musa

I can vaguely remember Datuk Lokman Musa. I was between 9 and 11 years old when I met him in Sabah. He was in the Education dept as I recall. He is Mahadzir Lokman's father and a close friend of my late father. They were working on the Malaysian Education stuff (or similar) in 1967-1969. I was attending Tanjong Aru Primary School in Jesselton, Sabah. My father taught at Gaya College, a teachers' college, just before the township of Likas.

Lokman bin Musa in The Who's Who in Malaysia

Below is Datin Nina Khatijah, Datuk Lokman's wife, with Mahadzir (baby). When I met the family, they were living at Tanjong Aru Govt Qtrs, Jesselton, Sabah near the beach, by the South China Sea. Mahadzir was in my elder sister's class. My mother taught his sister (deceased). Another younger sister (Neil) was in my younger brother's class.

Entry by Mahadzir Lokman in The 1957 Album (the Star)

Taken on Merdeka Day 31st Aug 1957, four months after my birthday 9th April 1957 with my mother Datin Nina Khadijah Abdul Rahman. My late father Datuk Lokman Musa was elated that his first born son was also born in the year of Malaysia's independence from Great Britain....May God Bless our glorious nation Malaysia!! sincerely Dato' Mahadzir Lokman @ Dale Lokman.

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the1957album/797489958/

Dato' Mahadzir Lokman in Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dlokman

Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail

Tan Sri Dr Abdul Majid was the first Malay Queen's Scholar, first Eisenhower Fellow and second Director-General of Health Malaysia.

Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail in The Who's Who in Malaysia 1965

Tan Sri Dr Abdul Majid Ismail, the first Malaysian Fellow, talks about the lifelong impact of his fellowship experience at the Eisenhower Fellowship on 15 October 2008.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eisenhowerfellowships/3232318794/

He was Tunku Abdul Rahman's golf buddy.

http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/7/9/central/18215906

An old photo of the Victoria Institution I found in my father's collection in his home in Penang. This photo was taken by my grandfather (Walid). This could be an early photo of the Victoria Institution since there were no trees yet.

Std 6A Victoria Institution, Kuala Lumpur
Abdul Majid bin Ismail is seated 3rd from left.
Mohamed Noor bin Marahakim is seated 3rd from right.
Photo from Victoria Institute website by Chung Chee Min.

Photo from VI website by Chung Chee Min

US President Dwight Eisenhower

Book written by John Michael Gullick (JM Gullick) about Henry Syers and the Selangor Police. Syers ordered a group of Malacca Malays to move to Kampong Baru, Kuala Lumpur. Tan Sri's grandparents were among those who relocated to Kg Baru. His parents were from Kg Baru. Ujong Pasir in Kg Baru is named after the original village in Malacca (Ujong Pasir after Banda Hilir and before Umbai). JM Gullick was featured on Malaysian TV.

A History of Kuala Lumpur 1856-1939 by JM Gullick (MBRAS). Tan Sri recommended me to read this book to understand Kuala Lumpur. I borrowed the book via Inter-library Loan at USM.

Jebak as mentioned in Tan Sri's book. He loved the story where he caught birds

Tan Sri mentioned The Coliseum (1920), where he used to hang out as a young man.
Dr Mohd Bakri Musa informed me that Tan Sri often hangs out here.
I didn't see this building in KL.

The Coliseum Cinemas of 1920 viewed in 2012.

Photo from Kuala Lumpur Old Photos at www.skyscrapercity.com.

The Jungle Princess is an American movie which Tan Sri watched as a medical student and later acted in a play when he returned to the hostel. He played the part of Coco the chimpanzee. The name has stuck since that time.

Dorothy Lamour who was the heroine in The Jungle Princess movie. Back at the hostel, the medical student who played the part of Dorothy was killed when a bomb struck him during the bombing at the King Edward VII College of Medicine in the Battle of Singapore in February 1942.

The Carcosa was Frank Swettenham's residence. Tan Sri was a young waiter at some of the celebrations here.

Bangsar Hospital was formerly the European Hospital in Bangsar. Tan Sri's younger daughter Ellina was born here in 1959

District Hospital Kuala Lumpur (later General Hospital Kuala Lumpur). This photo of the old hospital in Kuala Lumpur was confirmed by Tan Sri who said the old buildings were wooden and on stilts. This photo was provided by the Malaysian Orthopaedic Association (MOA) where Tan Sri was the Founder-President. Dr Saw Aik gave permission and mentioned the original photo could have been taken by Prof Sengupta, a pediatrician who has returned to Singapore. I tried to call him, but I didn't manage to get in touch.

Tan Sri related the story of "Huxley's ruins", the unfinished building-development of the hospital that looked like ruins, which embarrassed the British person in charge of the construction whose name was Huxley. The expenses incurred by the Government and Major Huxley for the planned hospital buildings are explained in the book, Records and Recollections. Here are extracts of The Huxley Contracts on pages 83-86 of the book:

Link

The Eurasian Club at Jalan Pudu in Kuala Lumpur. Photo from Kuala Lumpur Old Photos at www.skyscrapercity.com.

Sultan Abdul Samad building, Jalan Raja in Kuala Lumpur

Masjid Jamek Kuala Lumpur is near where Tan Sri's mother was born. He wrote in his book about the location of the house where his mother was born.

Sg Klang and Sg Gombak confluence and the Benteng on the right.

Confluence of 2 rivers from my hotel room

Tan Sri and his memoir An Old Man Remembers (2006). Everything you need to know about him is in his book. He gave me a free copy. Photo from the Star.

Dato Harun bin Haji Idris was a close friend and they went for Hajj together, with 2 others

FAMILY

Federated Malay States Railway (FMSR). Photo from Walid's collection. Walid is Tan Sri's cousin and my paternal grandfather Mohd Yusope bin Hj Mohd Sharif.

Railway workshop office at Sentul. Tan Sri Abdul Majid's father worked in the repair section of the FMSR. Photo from Kuala Lumpur Old Photos at www.skyscrapercity.com.

Tan Sri Abdul Majid's mother, Enjah bt Muhammad Ariff, a Quran teacher.

I remember calling her Nenek Enjah when it should have been Moyang Enjah.

Tan Sri & Toh Puan Khairany have 3 children - Aljafri, Ellisha and Ellina.

Prof Aljafri's book

Fundamentals of Surgical Practice

Ellisha Majid's book

A Sausage Went for a Walk by Ellisha Majid and Peter Kendall

Tan Sri is seated at left. His younger daughter Ellina is standing at 2nd right. Her husband Azizuddin is beside her. Photo from Yayasan Tun Abdul Hamid (YTAH). Azizuddin is Chairman YTAH. YTAH does a lot of charity work in Selangor. Tan Sri and daughter are Directors of YTAH. The other 2 children are Prof Aljafri and Dr Ellisha (not shown). Prof Aljafri appeared on TV briefly when the TV reported there was a landslide at the Selesa Hillhomes Resort, maybe last year (2011). I have never met Prof Aljafri, Ellisha and Ellina in person.

Ellina's family. Captured from YTAH.

External links:

Travel in Style - Edinburgh & Geneva
http://www.moa-home.com/history.html
www.skyscrapercity.com

Saturday, 31 March 2012

En Abdul Rahman bin Haji Talib (1916-1968) [3], Minister of Education 1960-62

Rahman Talib was a name I heard as a child. I also heard of the Rahman Talib Report as a child. I didn't know who he was. Even when my mother was nearing pension age, she was still speaking about Rahman Talib Scheme. He is En Abdul Rahman bin Haji Talib. He was the Minister of Education Malaysia 1960-62 and Minister of Health Malaysia 1962-64. I wasn't even in school yet! I was 6 years old!

There is conflicting evidence of his post between 1962 and 1964. One evidence says he was Minister of Education in 1964 and another states he was Minister of Health 1962-64. Which is correct? This type of conflicting evidence in published matter makes writing for TEMD very difficult as I have to take time off to find out what is the correct information. Verification takes time as I don't know people in the first Cabinet. Checking facts takes a lot of time.

En Abdul Rahman bin Haji Talib
Minister of Education Malaysia 1960-62
Minister of Health Malaysia 1962-64

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METHODIST BOYS' SCHOOL KUALA LUMPUR
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

Copyright (C) 2010 Methodist Boys' School Kuala Lumpur Alumni Association.
Source: Eminent Alumni, Methodist Boys' School, Kuala Lumpur Alumni Association
Accessed on 12 May 2011. Here he is Minister of Health in 1964, the year he resigned.

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RAHMAN TALIB RESIGNS

7 December 1964, Kuala Lumpur

Chronicle of Malaysia 1957-2007

Rahman Talib resigns. Here the date cited is 7 December 1964 and it states him as Minister of Education. This was at the time of Tunku Abdul Rahman, who was PM. Both were in the first Cabinet. The lady is his wife (provides a positive ID for her in the photo below).
Source: Chronicle of Malaysia 1957-2007, page 88.
My comment: The info above may be incorrect as he was the Minister of Health in 1964, according to the article above and below.

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MINISTER OF HEALTH

ABDUL RAHMAN BIN HAJI TALIB

Who's Who in Malaysia 1963

En Abdul Rahman bin Haji Talib in Who's Who in Malaysia 1963.
In his entry here he is the Minister of Health in 1963. Since information must be submitted a year before, he was Minister of Health since 1962, at the time of submission of this entry.

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OPENING OF A NEW DENTAL CLINIC, PAHANG circa 1962-1964

These photos below were received from the family of Dr Mohamed bin Taib (Pahang).
Please help me to identify the people in the photos. (I was in Standard 1 in 1965.)