Qualifying the term 'Malay' in The Early Malay Doctors

Definition of ‘Malay’ under the Federal Constitution

From a historical standpoint, the term ‘Malay’ adopted in this book refers to Muslim persons who was domiciled in Malaya and/ Singapore from 1856 onward. The geopolitical time frames are: Pre-war British Malaya and Singpore (1856-1941), the Japanese Occupation of Malaya and Singapore (1941-1945), post-war British Malaya and Singapore (1945-30 August 1957), the Federation of Malaya (31 August 1957-16 September 1963), early Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore from 16 September 1963 to 9 August 1965) and present day Malaysia (Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak from 9 August 1965-present day). Singapore was separated from Malaysia on 9 August 1965. From a political standpoint, the term ‘Malay’ adopted in this book is in line with the definition of ‘Malay’ under the Reid Commission that was presented at the London Conference of September 1956 (Stockwell 1995:306-307,314-315) which became the Federal Constitution for the Federation of Malaya. Since many of the doctors continued to live in peninsular Malaya and became Malayans after 1957 and  subsequently Malaysian citizens after 1963, the definition of ‘Malay’ is maintained and is in line with the most recent Malaysian Constitution of March 2010 as stated in Articles 14, 15, 16, 18 and 19. The person is ‘Malay’ under the Malaysian Constitution of March 2010 (Article 160).

The Federation of Malaya (1957-1963)

London Conference and Reid Commission, September 1956 - Articles 425 & 426: Definition of Malay

A person shall be deemed to be a Malay, if

1)      He practises the religion of Islam;

2)      He habitually practises Malay customs;

3)      He habitually speaks the Malay language; and

4)      He is a person, or the descendant of a person, who at the commencement of this Constitution

a)      was domiciled in the Federation of Malaya, or

b)      had been born in the territories comprised in the Federation of Malaya, or

c)      had been born of parents one of whom had been born in the territories comprised in the Federation of Malaya.

The Malaysian Constitution (1957-present day)

Malaysian Constitution (2010) - Articles 14, 15, 16, 18, and 19: Acquisition of Citizenship. Article 160: Definition of Malay

The article defines a Malay person as a Malaysian citizen born to a Malaysian citizen who professes to be a Muslim, habitually speaks the Malay language, adheres to Malay customs, and is domiciled in Malaysia or Singapore. As a result, Malay citizens who convert out of Islam are no longer considered Malay under the law. Hence, the Bumiputra privileges afforded to Malays under Article 153 of the Constitution, the New Economic Policy (NEP), etc. are forfeit for such converts.

Likewise, a non-Malay Malaysian who converts to Islam can lay claim to Bumiputra privileges, provided he meets the other conditions.

References

1.       Federal Constitution (as at 1^st March 2010), 2010. ISBN: 978-967-89-2023-0. Publisher: International Law Book Services. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Website: www.malaysialawbooks.com  E-mail: gbc@pc.jaring.my 

2.       Perlembagaan Persekutuan (hingga 20hb Januari 2010), 2010. ISBN: 978-967-89-2018-6. Publisher: International Law Book Services. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. Website: www.malaysialawbooks.com  E-mail: gbc@pc.jaring.my

Constitution of Malaysia

Constitution of Malaysia
Ratified	27 August 1957
Authors	Delegates of the Reid Commission and later of the Cobbold Commission
Purpose	Independence of Malaya in 1957 and formation of Malaysia in 1963

Article 8

Article 8 by clause (1) provides that all persons are equal before the law and entitled to its equal protection.
Clause 2 states: “Except as expressly authorised by this Constitution, there shall be no discrimination against citizens on the ground only of religion, race, descent, gender or place of birth in any law or in the appointment to any office or employment under a public authority or in the administration of any law relating to the acquisition, holding or disposition of property or the establishing or carrying on of any trade, business, profession, vocation or employment.”
The exception in clause 2 is used to justify the reservations and special provisions for the Malays and the Bumiputras of Sabah and Sarawak under Article 153.

Article 152

Article 152 states that the national language is the Malay language. However, the Constitution guarantees the freedom of learning and using of other languages, except on official purposes. Official purposes here means any purpose of the Government, whether Federal or State, and includes any purpose of a public authority. To this effect, all court proceedings and parliamentary documents and meetings are conducted in Malay.^{[citation needed]}
The official script for the Malay language is determined by Parliament. The current orthography is the Latin alphabet or Rumi; however, use of Jawi is not prohibited.

Source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_Malaysia

The Malays by Anthony Milner 2010

Contesting convention in Malay-world historiography

Link - Contesting convention in Malay-world historiography.

Contesting convention in Malay-world historiography.

Title Annotation:	The Malays
Author:	Kershaw, Roger
Article Type:	Book review
Date:	Jan 1, 2008
Words:	2930
Publication:	Borneo Research Bulletin
ISSN:	0006-7806

Anthony Milner. The Malays, 2008. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, Pp. xiv, 293. ISBN 978-0-631-17222-2.

Identities and Ethnicities

I have a difficult page to write - it is about ethnicity and identity, for my book, to clarify why I have included "mamak" doctors in my book, The Early Malay Doctors. I therefore need everyone's help re definitions of these terms.

Melayu (me-la-yu, mo-loe-yo, Malay)
What is the definition of the word "Malay" or "Melayu"?

The word Malay is very confusing because the names can be Arabic but the souls are Indian-, Mamak-, Mat Salleh-, Chinese, Japanese- or Malay-looking. When I first collected the names of these early doctors, I had trouble figuring out whether they were truly Malay or otherwise. There is one name which I don't know is Malay or not - Dr Yahya Cohen. Cohen is a Jewish name. Yahya is a Malay name. Mana boleh orang Islam kahwin Yahudi?

If I go by religion, not all Malays who are born Muslims die as Muslims; I think a few gyrated to other religions of their own wants.

Some Malay names also have English names, which makes me think either the person has 2 religions or no faith, and the more difficult for me to clarify the word "Malay".

British Census
Anyone has the British census for Malaya? How were the Malays classified?

Indians
Indian Muslim = Orang berketurunan India, berbahasa India dan/Melayu, beragama Islam, lahir dan/tinggal di Malaysia
mamak - used for indian muslim lelaki (origin from mama - means uncle)
mami - used for indian muslim perempuan (origin from mami - means aunty)
mamu - is also used for uncle (being changed after years using mama - glamour sikit panggil mamu)
tambi - its actually little/younger brother (pinjam dari perkataan tamil)
- by Dr Shaik Farid Abdul Wahab (shaikfarid@kb.usm.my)

Peranakan

Jawi Peranakan

Jawi Peranakan is an umbrella term while Jawi Peranakan of Penang is more specific to Penang. Jawi Peranakan refers to the ethnicity of the child of a mixed marriage between an Indian Muslim man and an indigenous Malay woman. These marriages are commonly found on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia which is in close proximity to the Indian subcontinent (about four hours by flight).

Jawi Pekan =
Melayu Peranakan =
Melayu-Pekan =

Chinese

Chinese Muslim (Cina-Muslim) = Orang berketurunan Cina berbahasa Cina dan/ Melayu, beragama Islam, lahir dan/tinggal di Malaysia
Baba = Orang lelaki Cina berbahasa Melayu, beragama Buddha, lahir dan/ tinggal di negeri Melaka
Nyonya = Orang wanita Cina berbahasa Melayu, beragama Buddha, lahir dan/ tinggal di negeri Melaka

Melayu Seantero

Melayu-Champa - Melayu berbahasa Champa
Melayu-Jawa - Melayu berbahasa Indonesia
Melayu-Siam = Indian, speak Urdu
Melayu-Kedah - Orang keturunan Arab/India/Siam
Melayu-Pattani = Orang Siam berbahasa Melayu Pattani
Melayu-Penang = definitely Mamak
Melayu-Sumatera

Bugis vs Melayu-Sumatera
Why do we consider Malays from Sulawesi as more Malay than the other not-so Malay looking people?

The Bugis are dark and look fierce but there is a group of Bugis who are fair.

The Sumateran Malays are also of many types, some are descended from the Indians, some from the Arabs, some from don't know where. If I go by religion, the Sumateran Malays are of stronger faith then the Bugis although they may look more Indian and not so Malay.

Malaysian Constitution

To me, everyone residing in Malaysia or born in Malaysia, with Muslim parents, is Malay unless they choose to be something else.

MyKad

MyKad does specify religion (under the photo, on the left).
MyKad does not specify ethnicity.

Bumiputra

Bumiputera or Bumiputra is a Malay term widely used in Malaysia , embracing indigenous people of the Malay Archipelago . The term comes from the Sanskrit word bhumiputra , which can be translated literally as "son of land" (bhumi = earth or land, putra =son).- Wikipedia

So putera , puteri , putra , putri in Malay names indicate Indian origin of the person or his ancestry.

Raja

Raja (also spelled rajah , from Sanskrit rājan- , nominative rājā , also written raj in many modern languages) is an Indian term for a monarch , or princely ruler of the Kshatriya varna . The female form, the word for "queen", mainly used for a raja's wife, is rani (sometimes spelled ranee ), from Sanskrit rājñī , or ratu in Southeast Asia . - Wikipedia

So Raja in Malay names indicates Indian origin of the person or his ancestry.

Just a note: Most of the east coast Malays with a Raja name have dark skin. Most of the west coast Malays with a Raja name are fair.

Tengku

Tengku adalah gelar kebangsawanan Melayu yang otomatis melekat pada seorang laki-laki keturunan dari Sultan -sultan dan para Raja-Raja di Kerajaan Melayu. Tulisan “Tengku” di awal nama setiap orang Melayu merupakan status yang menandakan kedudukannya dalam masyarakat adat.

Gelar Tengku ini hanya bisa didapat jikalau ayahnya juga bergelar Tengku. Sementara jika yang bergelar Tengku hanya ibunya tetapi ayahnya tidak, maka gelar Tengku ini tidak bisa disandang olehnya.

Beberapa daerah yang menggunakan gelar ini seperti di Riau , Malaysia , Sumatera Utara .
 - Wikipedia

Wan

Awalan nama Wan ialah gelaran yang digunakan untuk orang dari keturunan bangsawan Melayu. Nama ini digunakan oleh dua golongan:

    1. Keturunan Ahlul Bait , lihat Wan (Ahlul Bait) .
    2. Keturunan Raja Patani di Kelantan, di zaman Cik Siti Wan Kembang .
    3. Keturunan panglima-panglima Kedah.
- Wikipedia

Nik

Nik is when mum is tengku and dad is a commoner..then the sons will carry on the nik's name.

- by Dr Maya Mazuwin bt Yahya (mazuwin@kk.usm.my)
--

TEMD Revealed

I will be revealing all the names and faces of the early Malay doctors to local newspaper journalists during my professorial talk on 17 June 2010. The notes and manuscripts will be on display at my booth entitled, "The Early Malay Doctors." I have created a red backdrop for my booth. I will be giving away keychains (worth RM225) which say "The Early Malay Doctors by Prof Faridah." Please come.

Links to newspaper articles in Facebook:
http://bit.ly/a1yEV1
http://bit.ly/9MPJR8
http://bit.ly/98G8pt
http://bit.ly/a7cVFV
http://bit.ly/afAEhU
http://bit.ly/aYWKGy
http://bit.ly/afAEhU

MAHA Klinik

(Old) MAHA Klinik, Jalan Sultan Muhammad Jiwa

(New) MAHA Klinik, Jalan Tunku Ibrahim

Alor Star, Kedah

25-27 March 2010

There are two MAHA Klinik locations in Alor Star. The initial MAHA Klinik is painted dark blue and is in Pekan Cina and Pekan Melayu just after the bridge in Jalan Sultan Muhammad Jiwa. The signboard reads KEDAI UBAT ZAHER (MAHA LAMA). A more recent MAHA Klinik is near the UMNO building. The clinic near the UMNO building is mostly featured in websites and books.

Many of those I asked/interviewed never knew of the initial clinic nor its location. Only one ex-Sultanah Asma School graduate knew both clinic locations and she was my tour guide for my visit to Alor Star. She is Nordini bt Mohd Noor (Dini Noor), daughter of YB Datuk Rokiah Zainudin, ex-schoolteacher who resigned from teaching to become a senator and entered Wanita UMNO. Dini Noor works as a freelance market research consultant. Here are some photos of the two MAHA Klinik clinics previously operated by Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. More photos of MAHA Klinik can be found in my Facebook.

Old MAHA Klinik near the bridge in Pekan Cina and Pekan Melayu (above).

More recent MAHA Klinik near UMNO building.

Facebook MAHA Klinik
E-mail Dini Noor

Pekan Rabu

Kompleks Pekan Rabu
Jalan Tunku Ibrahim
Alor Star, Kedah Darul Aman

25-27 March 2010

The history of Pekan Rabu is detailed in the book Che Det & Pekan Rabu (Zainal, 2000) which also contains old photos of Pekan Rabu. Pekan Rabu today is located at Jalan Tunku Ibrahim. It is a shopping mall. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had engaged in business during the war - he sold drinks and fruits at a stall, and handicrafts at Pekan Rabu. Pekan Rabu is a big multi-storey complex. The older building is a 5-storey pink brick building. A more recent building is the one with Minangkabau-styled roof. Here are photos of Pekan Rabu. More photos of Pekan Rabu can be found in my Facebook.

 Older Pekan Rabu building.

More recent Pekan Rabu building.

Facebook Pekan Rabu
Book: Che Det Pekan Rabu by Zahidi Dato' Zainal Rashid, Pekan Rabu Holdings Sdn Bhd. 2000. Arkib Negara Catalogue Number 923.2595 MAH .Z

Rumah Kelahiran Mahathir Mohamad

Kompleks Rumah Kelahiran Mahathir Mohamad

Arkib Negara Malaysia

Alor Star, Kedah

25-27 March 2010

I visited Rumah Kelahiran Mahathir Mohamad in Alor Star, Kedah on 25-27 March 2010. The house is a white & black wooden house on stilts. It is adjacent to the ice factory (blue/zinc). I also talked to the officers in charge of the display home & grounds. They showed me the family tree of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad. The house, grounds and all info are under Arkib Negara Malaysia. No photography was allowed inside the house which contains marriage and family photos. There compartments in the house were labeled but still no photography was allowed, so I have no photos of the inside of the house - reading room, bridal chamber, photos inside the bridal chamber, his parents' room, guest room, sister's room, kitchen and visitors' area. I did not see any toilet inside the house. At the time of my visit, the entire house was in darkness as there was power failure in the house itself and the officers were awaiting repairmen to service the house.

Here are some snapshots of the house and ice factory. Other photos can be found in my Facebook.

Further info:

Puan Zaiton bt Zainal

Rumah Kelahiran Mahathir Mohamad

No. 18, Lorong Kilang Ais

Persiaran Sultan Abdul Hamid

05050 Alor Star, Kedah Darul Aman

Tel: 04-7722 319

H/P: 017-5658 563

Fax: 04-7725 597

Mohd Hidzir bin Omar

Mohd Nizwan bin Rusli

Tel: 04-7722 301

Facebook Rumah Mahathir Mohamad
Facebook Ice Factory

Informing MoHE/KPT

I attended the Majlis Pelancaran Majlis Profesor Negara (MPN) and Higher Institute Centre of Excellence (HICoE) at PICC, Putrajaya on 1 April 2010. I met Salmah of MoHE at the function. I informed Salmah re this book and its publication (June 2011). She said to keep her informed and asked where USM will launch this book and who will launch this book. Salmah recalls Tan Sri Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail as an orthopedic surgeon.

Salmah 019-267 9200
Ministry of Higher Education (MoHE)
Kementerian Pelajaran Tinggi (KPT)

Update 2013
Salmah informed that she has left KPT.

(1) References

Here are useful coffee-table books which have relevant photos:

1) Malaya 500 Early Postcards by Professor Cheah Jin Seng of National University of Singapore (NUS). 2008. [Category: Malaysian History] ISBN 9789814155984 Coloured photos, hand-painted photos, sepia photos, b/w photos. Soft brown cover. Price: RM99 - available from Borders, Queensbay Mall, Penang

Short Notes:-

Pudu is a small tree
Kinta is noted for its timber
Brickfields Road in KL was renamed Jalan Tun Sambanthan
Race courses were named after Sir William Maxwell, British resident of Selangor & patron circa 1890s
The KL race course now sites the Petronas Twin Towers
Ampang Road was an early mining site
Part of the Selangor Museum was bombed by an American plane (stray bomb) in 1945
The Selangor Museum is the forerunner of Muzium Negara
St Mary's Church is at Jalan Raja - 2 postcards published by a Japanese, MS Nakajima circa 1920
Station Hotel, FMS Railway in KL used rattan furniture in its lounge
Tung Shin Chinese Maternity Hospital was built by Kapitan China Yap Kwan Seng using personal $$ in 1892 (page 24)
The Institute for Medical Research (IMR) at Jalan Pahang in KL was founded by Sir Frank Athelston Swettenham in 1900  for malaria & beri-beri research (page 24)
The caption reads ... entrance to the Government Hospital but Pauper Hospital, Kuala Lumpur is printed at the bottom of the postcard (page 23)
The Vagrant Ward is likely a free ward at the Government General Hospital in KL (page 23)
The European Hospital, FMS is sited on a hilltop - 2 photos by MS Nakajima circa 1920 (page 22)
The Carcosa (Government House) in KL was formerly the residence of the British Resident-General of the FMS, Sir Frank A. Swettenham. Now renamed Carcosa Sri Negara (page 21)
Photograph of HH Sultan Sir Alaeddin Sulaiman Shah (1898-1938) Sultan of Selangor & suite shows both Malay and British menswear (page 18)
Sikh bodyguards were on horseback in KL (page 18)
A horse carriage awaits in front of the Rest House in Gopeng (page 132)
The Sultan Idris College Dining Hall in Telok Anson (now Tajung Malim)  looks like a church interior (page 132) circa 1940

2)  Raffles. The Story of Singapore by Raymond Flower. Hardcover. 2007. Marshall Cavendish Editions. First published 1984 by Times Book International. Reprinted 1988, 1991, 2002 and 2007. ISBN-13 9789812614438  ISBN-10 9812614435

Short Notes:-
Two gold bracelets of the Majapahit Empire of Java were unearthed at Fort Canning in July 1928. The Majapahit Empire was from 1360 onward (page 2) til the fall of the Majapahit Empire to Parameswara, an Indian prince
Origin of the word Singapura could be a fusion of 2 words - singgah (stop-over) and pura (city) - a stop-over city (page 6). Singa means lion in Malay - Singapura is therefore lion city.
Singapore kings (1299-1413):
Sri Tri Buana (1299-1347) - sri is an Indian salutation; buana means world in old Malay
Paduka Sri Pikrama Wira (1347-1362) - paduka is an Indian salutation; wira means warrior in Malay
Sri Rana Wikerma (1362-1375)
Paduka Sri Raja (1375-1388) - raja is an Indian salutation; raja means ruler
Sri Sultan Iskandar Shah @ Parameswara (1388-1391) in Singapore & (1393-1413) in Malacca - he was an Indian prince who converted to Islam. Sultan is a a title or salutation and indicates a ruler. Iskandar is Alexander in English. Shah is a suffix for Iskandar, means the great. So, Parameswara the King of Malacca was named after Alexander the Great when he converted to Islam?
While Malacca rose to fame under Sri Sultan Iskandar Shah, Singapore disintegrated into a wasteland for sea-gypsies or sea pirates (lanun laut) to slaughter their captives
Munshi Abdullah wrote the account of Singapore being used by sea-pirates to slaughter humans
Throughout the Middle Ages, spices were brought from India via the desert in the Middle East to Europe (including Venice) by caravans
The Indian spice trade & trade route were precious to the Portuguese
A Portuguese Vasco da Gama reached India in 1498
A Portuguese Diego Lopez de Sequeira sailed from Lisbon to Malacca
The Portuguese probably took so much spices and this angered the Sultan's people?
Disagreement arose and Sri Sultan Iskandar Shah imprisoned some Portuguese sailors
A Portuguese D'Albuquerque came to rescue the imprisoned Portuguese sailors in Malacca in 1511
Sri Sultan Iskandar Shah used elephants & poisoned arrows to mitigate the Portuguese attack
The Portuguese used gunpowder and Malacca fell to the Portuguese within a week
There is no news as to what happened to Sri Sultan Iskandar Shah when Malacca fell to the Portuguese
The Portuguese ruled Malacca for 130 years (1511-1641)
King Manuel I ruled Portugal in 1515 and Malacca was a Portuguese colony
The Dutch East India Company was set up in 1602
The Dutch competed with the Portuguese for spice trade
The Dutch attacked Portuguese Malacca. Malacca came under Dutch rule from 1641 to 1856
The British attacked Dutch Malacca. Malacca came under British rule from 1856 to 1957
The first British naval vessel that came to the Straits of Malacca was the Edward Bonaventure
Admiral Edward Lancaster was the Bonaventure captain; Bonaventure sank with its seized goods and never returned to Great Britain
St Francis Xavier started his Christian mission in Malacca in the Malay Archipelago (he was competing with the Arabs who were spreading Islam)

Additional notes:
There are no mosques in Malacca city centre til today; the nearest mosque is Masjid Banda Hilir (now renamed Masjid An Nur) built by the Arabs
At most 10 generations of mixed Arab descendants lived in the vicinity of Masjid Banda Hilir in Malacca
Masjid An Nur is sited at the end of the Chinese Baba Nyonya row, on the seaward side of the road from Ujong Pasir to Malacca town
Banda Hilir is the capital city of Malacca.
Banda Hilir means beach city, city at the river mouth, city at the bay or city downstream as opposed to Banda Ulu
Banda Hilir is sited at the mouth of the Malacca River (Sungai Melaka) that opens into the Straits of Malacca
Banda Hilir could have well been named Banda Selat (straits city)
Chinese junks (tongkang) used to anchor in the Bay of Malacca

3)  Singapore. A Pictorial History 1819-2000 by Gretchen Liu. Hardcover. First published by Archipelago Press in 1999. Printed many times - 1999, 2000 (3 times), 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008. ISBN-13 9789813018815  ISBN-10 981301881-X. Includes bromide sepia photos, b/w photos, coloured photos and carbon sketches.

Short Notes:-

Two pages of Munshi Abdullah's hand-writing in Jawi script (page 20)
The male labourers at the harbour had pointed hats and pigtails (pages 30-31)
Horse & hackney carriage of 1860s (page 42) - British transport?
An Indian boy grinding spices with a stone hand grinder (batu giling)(page 82)
The Babas & Nyonyas are different from the Chinese family
The manual fans had pleats instead of fan blades powered electrically (page 90)
The British people still wore their clothes their style in hot & humid Malaya
Cars looked like that used in Chitty-chitty Bang Bang (the movie)
The fire engine was a simple buggy
Offices were cluttered and full of books and files - open office concept
A jinrickshaw carrying a thin young man holding an umbrella (page 121)
An Indian man pulling a jinrickshaw carrying a British officer (page 122)
Features 3 British officers - MacKay, Makinson and Walker circa 1909 (page129)
Shows British officers in Malay clothes - kain sarong or kain basahan (page 131)
Indian labourers working to make roads (pages 134-135)
Coolies smoking opium (page 139)
Ward of old Tan Tock Seng Hospital with mosquito nets tucked neatly above each bed (page 167)
General Hospital ward in Singapore (page 185)
Floods in Singapore (pages 207 & 265))
Child labour in Singapore (page 217)
Singapore Malays (pages 232-234, 286, 300-301, 346, 382-383)
Postwar photos (pages 250-263)
Hospital scenes (pages 288-289)
Reading newspaper (page 292)
Maria Hertogh riots of 1 December 1950 (page 306)
Modern Singapore (1965-2000)
Phua Chu Kang (page 380)

Leprosy care

Leprosy patients and sufferers (lepers) were shunned by the populace and segregated by health authorities.

In China, lepers were segregated in leper villages or boat colonies.

In British Malaya, lepers were kept at different places:

1) Pulau Jerejak Leprosarium off Penang island (from 1860s onward)

2) Kuala Lumpur Leper Asylum or Setapak Camp in KL (1922 til 1929)

3) Sungai Buloh Settlement (1930 til today)


Sources:
In: Studies from the Institute for Medical Research, Federation of Malaya, Jubilee Volume No.25, The Institute for Medical Research 1900-1950, by various authors. Printed at the Government Press, Kuala Lumpur, 1951. Text on leprosy are mentioned on pages 252-257.

In: Doctors Extraordinaire by Ho Tak Ming. Published by the Perak Academy. 2nd edition, 2006. Chapter 15, Tuan Doctor, pages 197-206.

Personal communication with En Azman bin Abdul Majid, Unit Makmal, PKKN, Sungai Buloh. Friday, 6 July 2007

Ancient cure for leprosy?

Chaulmoogra oil & Chinese herbs

Leprosy is ta ma feng in Chinese, and kusta in Indian and Malay.

Leprosy had been known in China since the Chou Dynasty in 6th century BC. One of the disciples of Confucius died of leprosy.

The causative agent of leprosy is Mycobacterium leprae. It thrives in cool temperatures.  It is found in the Malayan tenggiling (armadillo) and damp soil - eg soil of shaded areas of villages which are surrounded by big trees.

[The causative agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is also found in cool and damp soil in the villages.]

It is interesting to note that there was an ancient cure for leprosy. This ancient recipe was used on lepers in the chaulmoogra 'clinical trial' at the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) in Kuala Lumpur (KL) in 1916. The chaulmoogra oil and sodium gynocardate were tested. From 1925 to 1928, a variety of chaulmoogra oils and derivatives were tested.

 

The Chaulmoogra tree at Pusat Kawalan Kusta Negara (PKKN)? 

The chaulmoogra nut is described to resemble chestnuts. The oils were for topical use only (rubbed in).

Up til 1928, the standard treatment for leprosy was swallowing Chinese ground fresh kernels of the Malayan tree, pokok Setumpol (Hydrocarpus anthelmintica), known to the Chinese as Tai Foong Chee (great maple tree seeds). [These seeds or their ethyl derivatives were experimented at IMR.]

In 1948, Dr BD Molesworth started leprosy treatment with 4,4'-diaminodiphenylsulphone on 2,000 lepers at Sungei Buloh Settlement. By 1949, there were 1,600 lepers who received injected sulphone or oral sulphetrone.

 

Sources:
In: Studies from the Institute for Medical Research, Federation of Malaya, Jubilee Volume No.25, The Institute for Medical Research 1900-1950, by various authors. Printed at the Government Press, Kuala Lumpur, 1951. Text on leprosy are mentioned on pages 252-257.

In: Doctors Extraordinaire by Ho Tak Ming. Published by the Perak Academy. 2nd edition, 2006. Chapter 15, Tuan Doctor, pages 197-206.

History of Leprosy. Standford University http://www.stanford.edu/group/parasites/ParaSites2005/Leprosy/history.htm 

Personal communication with En Azman bin Abdul Majid, Unit Makmal, PKKN, Sungai Buloh. Friday, 6 July 2007

Victoria Institution

VI in KL
I visited my sister's home in Penang earlier this year. I had completed my work on my laptop for the night when I noticed a white plastic box underneath the staircase.  I asked my sister what it contained and she replied "Gambar lama". I asked her if I could see them and she said, "You last sekali belum tengok gambar lama ni. Adik-beradik yang lain semua dah tengok. Yang ni je tinggal dia orang dah tengok tapi tak nak (ambil). You ambik lah bawak balik Kelantan". I told her I didn't want to bring all the old photos home but I would look at them that night. I stayed up til past 3 am to select photos which I wanted. I told my sister not to throw away the old photos.

I was going through some old b/w prints belonging to (most probably) my paternal grandfather when I noticed three photos which (I think) is the Victoria Institution (VI) in Kuala Lumpur (KL). What was striking was there were no trees near the rear of the VI building. The photos were probably taken from a hill, nearby tall building or a tower by (most probably) my paternal grandfather.

 

Rear view of VI in 1950s

My paternal grandfather had sent photos of the VI to my father who was attending the Malayan Teachers' Training College at Kirkby, near Liverpool, Great Britain in 1951-1952.

 

The envelope that contained photos of the VI in 1950s.

This was the envelope that my paternal grandfather used to send photos of the VI to my father. The hand-writing on the envelope was my grandfather's. His name is written in the left bottom corner of the envelope. The envelope is of thick waxy brown paper and the stamps have come off. I have never seen this envelope and its contents before. I have only opened this envelope this year (2010), approximately a year after my father died in March 2009. My father never spoke of the VI nor this envelope. He was probably using the photos for class projects at Kirkby.

Malayan Railway

The Malayan Railway Administration
The Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) (Malayan Railway Limited), is the main train which has operated in Malaya from before the war till today. It was formerly the Malayan Railway Administration and was used during the British colonial era for transporting tin for export to Great Britain. It was wholly government owned until it underwent corporatisation in 1992 and became KTMB.

The west coast line runs from Padang Besar in the north near the Thailand border via Butterworth on the mainland facing Penang, down south to Gemas train interchange, and finally ends in Singapore.

The east coast line runs from Gemas via Gua Musang to Kuala Krai in the interior to Wakaf Bharu and ends in the north in Tumpat, Kelantan.

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An early Malay doctor, Dr. Che’ Lah bin Mohd Joonos (Dr MJ Che Lah, 1904-1986), had worked at the Malayan Railway Administration as the Acting Health Officer on 21 June 1946. His salary ($5,820.00 per annum) was paid by the Medical Department. He drew an additional allowance of $7.50 per month under General Order (G.O.) 99iii(2) from 29 June 1946 onward.

 Dr Che Lah at the Malayan Railway Administration as the Acting Health Officer on 21 June 1946. Photograph from Dr Che Lah's collection.

Doctor is guest of honour.

Dr. M. J. Che Lah, (seated centre) Malayan Railway Health Officer pictured at the party given in his honour by the staff of the Health Department, Malayan Railway in Kuala Lumpur. Dr. Che Lah is promoted to Deputy State Medical Medical and Health Officer, Selangor. His successor is Dr. J. A. Leslie-Spinks (seated fourth from right). - Yong Peng Seong picture. Source of the newspaper article above is unknown but it could have been from The Straits Echo or The Star, Thursday, __ January 1947 or 1948? If you are Yong Peng Seong, please do contact me at faridahar@gmail.com. TQ

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It is unknown how long Dr Che Lah had served at the Malayan Railway Administration; he could have served for three years (21 June 1946-before 20 April 1949).

After he completed his service at the Malayan Railway Administration, Dr Che Lah served as the Deputy State Medical and Health Officer for Selangor (Dy SMHO Selangor). He was then involved with the Senior Asian Government Officers Association (SAGOA). He was elected Vice-President of SAGOA as reported in The Straits Times on 20 April 1949.

Mercantile Bank of India Limited 1912

Memorial Peperangan Dunia Kedua
Bank Kerapu (Kerapu Bank)
Kota Bharu, Kelantan
Memorial is open to public
Entrance fee: RM2

This strange looking building was painted white before it was painted yellow. It was a British bank which was used during WWII by the Japanese as its Kempetai HQ. It was converted into a museum and now houses some of the items used in WWII by both the British and Japanese armed forces.

The fact that it was a commercial bank means that the British officers were already trading in Kota Bharu, Kelantan and had control of banking and related transactions in the area.

There are a few money changers in Kota Bharu today but whether they are descendants of the early Indians of that early mercantile bank is something we can possibly research on. Here's a lead:

https://rarecoin.com.au/product/11636

In the history of this bank, it had 22 branches in 1926, and 24 branches in 1929. They were:

1. 1 in Thailand, 
2. 2 in Indonesia (Batavia and Sourabaya), 
3. 7 in India (Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Howrah (Calcutta), Karachi, Madras, Shimla)
4. 3 in Ceylon (Galle, Kandy, Colombo), 
5. 2 in China (Hong Kong and Shanghai), 
6. 5 in Malaya (Kota Bharu in Kelantan, KL in Selangor, Kuantan in Pahang, Penang and Ipoh* in Perak), 
7. 1 in Burma, 
8. 1 in Singapore*, 
9. 1 in New York and 
10. 1 in Mauritius. 

*The 2 branches at Ipoh and Singapore were listed after December 1926..

The numismatic website of Australia published info of a coin used by this bank - it was manufactured in England. Bank Kerapu is the same Anglo-Indian bank as the ones in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Both the branches in Shanghai and Hong Kong were later bought over by Citibank and finally Mitsubishi.

WWII Memorial in Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Tourism plaque of Bank Kerapu.

This building, built in 1912 was first used as a commercial bank, The Merchantile Bank of India Limited, and the locals called it Bank Kerapu. The word 'Kerapu' refers to the rough exterior walls of the building which resemble the rough exterior of the carp (fish)(dinding menggerutu).

In 1929, the bank manager in Singapore was R. Kennedy.

During the Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1945, this building was used as the headquarters of the Japanese secret police, the much feared Kempetai.

After the war, the building was reused as a commercial bank (there is no date of when it was reused as a bank nor who was managing the bank).

When I was growing up in Kelantan in 1969-1971, my mother would come to this bank for transactions. As a child, I never liked this building nor its interior. I never liked the feeling whenever I went near or inside this building.

In 1981, the first floor of the building was converted into an Art Gallery while the ground floor was used to display handicrafts.

In 1992, the building was turned into a memorial dedicated to WWII and was officially opened by the Sultan of Kelantan (Sultan Ismail Petra) in 1994. Items on exhibit include artifacts, photographs and other memorabilia of the war such as a lamp, masks, Japanese bicycle, and hand grenades. There is even the Japanese anthem written on one of the big display boards on the ground floor.

In 2009, I visited the building again. Outside the building, there is a red post box (pillar). There is also an attached outdoor display which houses larger exhibits such as a ship propeller, a British bunker and vehicles used in British Kelantan. Other non exhibits are Japanese boats, a black Morris car and a wooden carriage (which needs restoration work).

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Advertisements in The Straits Times 1926-1929:

The Straits Times 16Dec1926 p14
The Straits Times 17Dec1926 p14
The Straits Times 18Dec1926 p14
The Straits Times 20Dec1926 p14
The Straits Times 21Dec1926 p14 .... mentioned Singapore
The Straits Times 28Dec1926 p14
The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser 12Oct1929 p19 .... mentioned Ipoh

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Mercantile Bank of India, Ltd (December 1926)
(incorporated in England)

1. Capital           £3,000,000
2. Subscribed     £1,800,000
3. Paid-up          £1,050,000
4. Reserve Fund and Rest £1,512,884 ... increased in 1929

Board of Directors (December 1926)

1. J. M. Ryrie, Chairman
2. P. R. Chalmers, Esq.
3. J. O. Robinson, Esq.
4. Sir David Yule, Bart. ... no longer in 1929
5. Charles J. Hambro, Esq.
6. W. H. Shelford, Esq.
7. Chief Manager: James Stuart, Esq.

London Bankers:

1. Bank of England.
2. Midland Bank, Ltd.

Branches and Agents (December 1926)

1. Bangkok
2. Batavia
3. Bombay
4. Calcutta
5. Colombo
6. Delhi ... correct spelling
7. Galle
8. Hongkong ... one word
9. Howrah (Calcutta) ... with 'h'
10. Kandy
11. Karachi
12. Kota Bharu ........ before Ipoh and Singapore
13. Kuala Lumpur
14. Kuantan
15. Madras
16. Mauritius
17. New York
18. Penang
19. Rangoon
20. Shanghai
21. Simla
22. Sourabaya

TST 21Dec1926 p14

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Mercantile Bank of India, Ltd (October 1929)
(incorporated in England)

1. Capital          £3,000,000
2. Subscribed    £1,800,000
3. Paid-up         £1,050,000
4. Reserve Fund and Rest £1,612,046

Board of Directors (October 1929):

1. J. M. Ryrie, Esq., Chairman ...... he was also on the KL Sanitary Board, for KL markets
2. P. R. Chalmers, Esq.
3. Charles J. Hambro, Esq.
4. J. O. Robinson, Esq.
5. W. H. Shelford, Esq.
6. Sir Thomas Catto, Bart. ... replaced Sir David Yule, Bart. 

London Bankers:

1. Midland Bank, Ltd.
2. Bank of England.

Branches and Agencies:

1. Bangkok ... Thailand
2. Batavia ..... Indonesia
3. Bombay ... India
4. Calcutta ... India
5. Colombo .. Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
6. Delhi ... India
7. Galle ...... Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
8. Hong Kong ... now a part of China
9. Howrah (Calcutta) ... India .... add 'h' to Howra
10. Ipoh ... Malaya (now Malaysia)
11. Kandy ... Ceylon
12. Karachi ... Pakistan (could be undivided India then)
13. Kota Bharu ... Kelantan, Malaya (now Malaysia)
14. Kuala Lumpur ... Malaya (now Malaysia)
15. Kuantan ... Malaya (now Malaysia)
16. Madras .... India
17. Mauritius
18. New York ... USA
19. Penang ... Malaya (now Malaysia)
20. Rangoon ... Burma (now Myanmar)
21. Shanghai ... China
22. Shimla ... India (corrected spelling from Simla to Shimla)
23. Singapore
24. Sourabaya .... Indonesia

TSFPMA 12Oct1929 p19

A History of Kuala Lumpur 1856-1939

Malaysian Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (MBRAS)

MBRAS Monograph No. 29
A History of Kuala Lumpur 1856-1939
by J.M. Gullick
2000

http://www.mbras.org.my/monograph29.html


Monograph 25
Glimpses of Selangor 1860-1898
by J.M. Gullick

http://www.mbras.org.my/monograph25.html


YAM Tan Sri Dr Abdul Majid bin Ismail instructed me to read A History of Kuala Lumpur if I wanted to know the history of Kuala Lumpur. He reminded me to call him at home as he had the book at home and I had called his office.

The following day, I called Tan Sri at home and he gave me the title of the book and its author. I then requested USM Library to search for the book, for me.

This is a hardcover book with dark blue photo of the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad building.

I happened to watch TV when JM Gullick suddenly appeared on TV! I may still have a snapshot of him somewhere in my PC. I have never met him in person.

The Encyclopedia of Malaysia has his name for a write-up under architecture entitled "The British 'Raj' style". Here it mentioned that the Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad building was completed in 1897.

His name is John Michael Gullick and is written as JM Gullick. He is regarded as Sejarawan Negara (national historian) at the Sejarah Malaysia website.

There are 5 Sejarawan Negara listed at the Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (PNM) website. They are Buyung Adil, Dato' Khoo Kay Kim, JM Gullick, Joginder Singh Jessey, and Mubin Sheppard.

Sejarah Malaysia: JM Gullick, Sejarawan Negara
http://sejarahmalaysia.pnm.my/portalBM/sm10_all.htm
Accessed on 1 December 2012