Search 56

SEARCH 56

7 November 2005

Monday, 7 November 2005, 8.03 am - 10.40 am.

I ran a search using Google on 24 August 2005 to find my uncle's e-mail address. I wanted to write to him to ask concerning the whereabouts of my maternal grandfather's workplace. I wrote 'kamaruddin che lah' in the search box. To my surprise Google returned 363 results for kamaruddin che lah within 0.22 seconds. I did not know which result to click next as there were 3 links which seemed interesting.

First link

I tried the first link of the search results which was http://www.rootsweb.com/~lkawgw/gen1088.html. The title of the web page read Sri Lankan Burgher Family Geneology. This page had all the names that my late mother had mentioned to me even though I had never met most of them. However, it did not contain the e-mail I needed but contained many names which are relevant for this writing. This page listed Dr Che Lah bin Joonoos (Family #1088). He had two wives.

First, Dr. Che Lah bin Joonoos married Daisy Katherine Decoursey Bulner (deceased). They had 4 girls - Jumabee Tulip (4 November 1931 - 5 June 2004), Jaleha Esther (1933), Jamaliah June (deceased), and Daisy Yvette. They also adopted a son, Philip @ Mohd Noor (deceased).

Jumabee Tulip (Puan Hajah) married Abdul Rashid Mohd. Yusope (Tuan Haji; 28 November 1931). They had 7 children - Mohd. Sharif (1956), Sharifah (24 October 1957), Faridah (15 October 1958), Rabi'ah (5 November 1959), Mohd. Farid (1961), Mohd. Amin (1962) and Aminah (1970).

Mohd. Sharif married Fatimah. They have 4 children - Aishah, Hafiz, Husna and Daniel.

Aishah is married and has 2 children.

Faridah (Puan Hajah) married Affandi Hussien (Tuan Haji; 20 January 1958). They have 6 children - Nuraishah Bazilah (26 April 1984), Muhammad Azfar Hakim (13 July 1985), Muhammad Ibrahim Adzim (22 August 1988), Nurfarahiyah Nasuha (21 May 1991), Nuramira Suraiya (29 August 1994) and Yusrina Faqihah (29 May 1999).

                    Nuraishah married to M Nizam Omar in November 2009.

Rabi'ah (Puan Hajah) married Ramli Hamid (1958, Tuan Haji). They have 5 children -  Mohd. Naim, Azizah, Mohsin, Aliah Farhana, and Mohd. Hanif.

Mohd. Farid married Kamariah Bujang. They have 5 children - Mohd. Afiq, Adibah Huda, Hanisah Huda, Safiah Aqila Huda and Mohd. Bazil Aiman.

Mohd. Amin married Zainah. They have 4 children - Mohd. Kusyairi, Mohd. Ashraf, Nuramira Bazilah, and Mohd. Hilman. Kusyairi is an engineer with Sapura.

Aminah (Puan Hajah) married Shahrul Nizam bin Ar. Hj. Abdullah Satar b. Hj. Teh. They have 4 children - Zulfakar, Sakinah, Nabilah and Nabihah.

Esther married Aelian Cantlay Schokman (1932). Esther had worked in the accounts department of the Malayan Railway till she retired. They have 2 children - Muhamed Al-Jeffrey Schokman (1961) and Veronica Alison Christobel Schokman (1964).

Muhamed Al-Jeffrey Schokman married Siti Noor Azar binti Majid (1961). They have 4 children - Muhamed Armin Schokman (1987), Nurlisa Sharmin Schokman (1990), Muhamed Aiman Schokman (1993), and Nur Hanis Schokman (1996).

Veronica Alison Christobel Schokman married William Conrado Duarete (1965).

Jamaliah June married Devdass Kingsley Nathaniel. They had 5 children - Stephanie Druscilla Nathaniel, Gerald Kingsley Nathaniel, Rex Allan Nathaniel, Vanessa Gloria Nathaniel and Amanda Zoe Nathaniel. (June is deceased.)

Rex Allan Nathaniel married Susan. They have 2 children - Claris Nathaniel and Kevin Nathaniel. (Rex is deceased)

Vanessa Gloria Nathaniel married Peter Yang. They have 3 children - Ian Timothy Yang, Melody Grace Yang, and Tabita Hope Yang.

Daisy Yvette married Robert Jansz (deceased). The family previously lived in Balga, north of Perth, Western Australia. She moved to Mandurah in November 2011 (years after Robert died before Christmas 1988). They had 7 children - Jennifer, Christopher, Robby, Vicky, Francis, Mildred and Andrew.

Philip @ Mohd Noor (deceased) married Harisah (Terengganu). They had no children. Harisah remarried after Mohd Noor's death.

Second, Dr. Che Lah bin Joonoos married Chong Nyet Lin @ Mariah (deceased). They had a son, Kamaruddin. They adopted a girl, Kamariah (1959).

Kamaruddin married Fauziah Shaikh Emam. They have a son, Kamarul Faisal (computer engineering student in Queensland, final year in 2006).

Kamariah married Syed Zain Syed Baharom. They have 3 sons - Syed Khairuddin, Syed Khairuzman and Syed Khairizwan.

Second link

I tried the second link of the search results which was http://thestar.com.my/news/list.asp?file=/_2003/7/12/nation/20030712142317  Penang Yang di-Pertua Negri's birthday honours list. It listed Kamaruddin Che Lah on the honour list but there was still no e-mail address.

Third link

I tried the third link of the search results which was http://www.mpsp.gov.my/pertanyaan/index.html . This was the Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai homepage. This page listed his details - En. Kamaruddin b. Che Lah, Pengarah Kejuruteraan, e-mail: kamaruddin@mpsp.gov.my, tel: 04-310 5600.

I called my elder sister (Sharifah) to ask for Kamaruddin Che Lah's home telephone number. She sent an SMS with his home telephone number.

I called my uncle's house in Seberang Perai to ask details of my maternal grandfather's siblings. His wife asked to contact her elder sister, Aishah Shaikh Emam ("Chom") in Minden Heights, Penang. I do not have her telephone number off-hand at the time of this writing.

I called my younger brother (Farid) in Bandar Baru Selayang to ask him if he knew Muhamed Al-Jeffrey Schokman's e-mail. He e-mailed.

I then contacted my aunt (Kamariah) in Kuala Lumpur to ask if she could help provide the details of my maternal grandfather's workplace and nature of work. She promised to help out as much as she could but she needed time as the documents are currently not with her in Kuala Lumpur where she lives and works. I am still waiting for more details from her at the time of this writing. I also asked her for Muhamed Al-Jeffrey Schokman's handphone number.

I then sent an e-mail and SMS to Muhamed Al-Jeffrey Schokman prior to Ramadan 2005.

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Acknowledgement

Some of the names which appear above may not have been spelled correctly. But this is all there is to go by at the time of this writing.

Kamaruddin bin Che Lah

(Dr. Che Lah Mohd. Joonoos's son)

Pengarah Kejuruteraan (Engineering Director)

Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai

E-mail: kamaruddin@mpsp.gov.my

Kamariah bt. Che Lah

Petronas HQ, Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur (now retired)

Sharifah bt. Abdul Rashid

Consumer Association of Penang (CAP)

Muhammad Farid bin Abdul Rashid

Forest Mensuration and Engineering Unit

Forest Management and Ecology Program

Division of Forestry and Conservation

Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM)

52109 Kepong, Selangor, Malaysia.

Tel: +603 6279 7523

E-mail: farid@frim.gov.my

Muhamed Al-Jeffrey Schokman

(Esther's son)

Taman Permata, Kuala Lumpur

E-mail: jeffct@tm.net.my

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Telehealth Research Grouphttp://www.medic.usm.my/~telehealth/
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Search 57

SEARCH 57

7 November 2005

Monday, 7 November 2005, 11.03 am - 1.02 pm.

I e-mailed Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lee Lik Meng, School of Housing, Building and Planning, USM on 24 August 2005. I was surfing his e-learning website and came across his profile. I wanted to obtain information concerning my maternal grandfather, Dato' Dr. Che Lah bin Mohd. Joonos.

I wanted to know if he knew my grandfather who used to work with Penang Town Council after his retirement. I wanted to obtain some background of his work with Penang Town Council.

I also needed photographs of buildings such as health clinics and hospitals in Malaysia, including Hospital Kuala Lumpur.

I needed to know more about the Leper Settlement, Sungai Buloh where my grandfather once worked during the Japanese Occupation.

My grandfather had also designed the layout for Minden Heights housing area, Penang (adjacent to USM, Penang main campus) in the early 1970s where his house still stands today.

He was also Penang's Health Inspector but at that time the rivers in Penang were not smelly as they are today. At the time he was Penang's Health Inspector, he made sure that the rivers in Penang were clean and none of the rivers smelled as bad as they do today.

He made sure that the restaurants and all eating outlets on Penang island kept to strict cleanliness and standards fit for human consumption. He would check out every restaurant where he ate. He would call the restaurants first to make a booking for a table of three (himself, his wife and me). As I recall, he was fond of Dawood Restaurant (we dined upstairs) and another one near the Keramat police HQ, Penang. We also dined (Sunday brunch) at Palm Beach Hotel, Ferringhi, Penang.

He made sure the markets, especially Jelutong market, were kept clean. As I recall, almost everyone selling in Jelutong wet market greeted both his wife and him when we went marketing with his Chinese amah, Che Che (sister).

Che Che was a female refugee fleeing mainland China. Che Che was married with 2 daughters but they died due to starvation (her breastmilk dried up) during the tortuous journey to Malaya. Che Che worked for Dr. Che Lah's household most of her lifetime. Che Che adopted a girl, Ah Fah. Che Che went to live with a kongsi in Penang in her old age and later died at the kongsi. I was upset when Che Che died as I had fond memories of Che Che. At the time I came to know Che Che, I was five and she was 52 years old but was strong. She had good teeth and build. Che Che actually taught me some Chinese, Chinese ladies internal (tie string type) and outer garments (light blue top and loose black pants), and how to prepare Chinese dishes. We enjoyed listening to Chinese stories on radio and fed the dogs nasi anjing. Che Che was fun and a very loving Chinese woman.

Dr. Lee Lik Meng replied and thanked me. He did not have information concerning my grandfather. However, after we met in USM Health Campus in Kubang Kerian Kelantan, while on his return flight from Kota Bharu to Penang, he suddenly realised that there is one man who might be of help to me. This man used to work in the Penang City Council in the 1960s but is now active in NGOs. Dr. Lee Lik Meng gave me Dato' Anwar Fazal's name. Dr. Lee Lik Meng believes that Dato' Anwar Fazal is a walking library and would know about my grandfather.

Dr. Lee Lik Meng e-mailed me again on 3 September 2005 to inform me that luck was with me this time. He asked that I contact Dato' Anwar Fazal for some more insights about my grandfather.

Dato' Anwar Fazal had replied to Dr. Lee Lik Meng's e-mail on 2 September 2005 with 'Penang Town Council' as the subject. Dato' Anwar Fazal e-mail contained a line that read "he was an icon ...was with the rural district council ... my father nearly bought his home in jalan pemanchar ... more later ... anwar."

I was amazed by Dato' Anwar Fazal's instant recall of my grandfather! I do not even know when they last met. I have not met Dato' Anwar Fazal at the time of this writing.

I can still recall my grandfather's house in Jalan Pemanchar. I met an American archaeologist from the University of California, Berkeley at my grandfather's house in Jalan Pemanchar. Prof. Collin had just returned from an teaching archaeology in Indonesia and had put up in my grandfather's house before returning to Berkeley. I met and consulted Prof. Collin concerning my upcoming studies in California in 1976 and he provided me some advice. He told me to look for him in Berkeley when I arrive in California (I did but could not locate him somehow - lost the information he wrote for me).

I am not too sure about rural district council. Which district council was this?

As I recall there was a woman who knew my grandfather very well. She worked at one of the district clinics in Penang. She is Prof. Asma Ismail's mother. I don't know her mother's name but I met the mother once at the clinic where she worked in 1982-1983. I have never met the mother before but her mother instantly recognised me and asked "Ni cucu Dr. Che Lah ke?" when I first met her at the clinic where she worked. We were on our Community and Family Case Studies (CFCS) visitation to health clinics in Penang under Prof. Rusli Nordin's supervision. We chanced to stop by her workplace. I met her again when Prof. Asma Ismail got married. I met her a third time near a staircase when she came to visit USM Kubang Kerian. The last time I met her was while she was recuperating from a car accident in Hospital USM, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan. It would be good to interview Prof. Asma Ismail's mother as she would know alot about my grandfather.

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Acknowledgement

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lee Lik Meng (now Prof. Lee Lik Meng in 2012)

School of Housing, Building and Planning (HBP)

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia

E-mail: likmeng@gmail.com

Dato' Anwar Fazal

Worked with Penang Town Council in 1960s

Retired from UNDP

Works for World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)

Url: http://www.waba.org.my

Prof. Asma Ismail

Director

Institute for Research on Molecular Medicine (INFORMM)

Universiti Sains Malaysia

16150 Kubang kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

E-mail: asma@kb.usm.my

Prof. Rusli Nordin

Deputy Dean

School of Dental Sciences

Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus

16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

E-mail: rusli@kb.usm.my

Prof. Collin Edwards

Archaeologist

University of California, Berkeley

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Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Search 58

SEARCH 58

7 November 2005

Monday, 7 November 2005, 1.52 pm - 2.46 pm.

I e-mailed Dato' Anwar Fazal to ask about my grandfather who worked with Penang Town Council after his retirement. I used the e-mail given to me by Dr. Lee Lik Meng.

From my communication with Dr. Lee Lik Meng on 6 September 2005, Dato' Anwar Fazal is retired. He was with UNDP.

I received an e-mail back from Dato' Anwar Fazal. The subject read "dato dr che lah ... a penang icon" I was really surprised! I never knew nor expected that my grandfather was indeed a Penang icon. Thus, more questions arise - what did he do that earned him this tag? What were his contributions to Penang? Malays? Malaysia? What did he do that has benefited all of us? There must be alot more that is missing from all my writing thus far. I must continue to search and document all evidence that remains. It is not an easy task and it takes time to write everything orderly. I still do not have documents of his work and workplaces so it is still difficult to arrange the information about him chronologically.

Dato' Anwar Fazal indicated that he will certainly help with this research. He remembers Dato' Dr. Che Lah bin Mohd. Joonos having worked for the Rural District Council, Penang island. I confirmed with Dato' Anwar Fazal that Dato' Dr. Che Lah indeed had a bungalow in Jalan Pemanchar, Gelugor. His bungalow was the last house on top of the hill, just around the sharp corner before the road levels towards Stesyen Pemancar and turns downhill towards Prof. Asma Ismail's parents' house. He also had another previous house along Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Penang. Dato' Anwar Fazal's father almost purchased Dato' Dr. Che Lah's bungalow. Dato' Anwar Fazal's sisters stay opposite that place now.

Dato' Anwar Fazal informed that one of his sisters just retired as the Chief Librarian of USM.

Dato' Anwar Fazal asked if I have seen the book by Dr. Ong Heng Tee on the history of medicine in Penang. I replied to him no.

Dato' Anwar Fazal asked if I have seen the book on IMR's 50th anniversary book on the history of medicine in Malaya. I replied to him no.

At the time Dato' Anwar e-mailed me, he was away at a conference. He promised to send some stuff to Kota Bharu. According to him, a friend, Dr. Felicity Savage, will be coming to USM to give a lecture organised by Assoc. Prof. Zalina Ismail during the Brain Awareness Week.

Dato' Anwar Fazal asked who are the other doctors I was looking at in Penang. I was not sure whether there were other doctors in Penang.

Dato' Anwar Fazal asked whether I had looked at the Straits Echo, the old Penang newspaper. He said there may be something there. I have not looked at the Straits Echo to search about my grandfather but I have heard about it.

Dato' Anwar Fazal wanted me to keep in touch and sends his regards.

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Acknowledgement

Dato' Dr. Che Lah bin Mohd. Joonos (KE VII Class of 1930; December 1903 - 26 January 1986)

A Penang icon. Malay. Second of 4 siblings.

Worked with the Rural District Council, Penang island

Previous houses - 1 house facing Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah (sold), 1 bungalow (demolished) in Jalan Pemanchar, last house still stands at Jalan 7, Minden Heights, Gelugor, Penang.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lee Lik Meng (now Prof. Lee Lik Meng in 2012)

School of Housing, Building and Planning (HBP)

Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

11800 USM, Penang, Malaysia

E-mail: likmeng@gmail.com

Dato' Anwar Fazal

Worked with Penang Town Council in 1960s

Retired from UNDP

Works for World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)

Url: http://www.waba.org.my

E-mail: anwarfazal2004@yahoo.com

Dato' Anwar Fazal's sister

Retired as Chief Librarian, USM

The Straits Echo

Old Penang newspaper

Associate Prof. Zalina Ismail

Brain Awareness Week, USM Health Campus

Dr. Felicity Savage

Brain Awareness Week, invited speaker from UK

Dr. Ong Heng Tee

History of Medicine in Penang

IMR 50th Anniversary

History of Medicine in Malaya

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Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Search 59

SEARCH 59

7 November 2005

Monday, 7 November 2005, 3.11 pm - 4.10 pm.

I received an e-mail from En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani dated 11 September 2005. En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani asked when the intended book will be published. I replied to him it will be a while. En. Fadli Ghani has further information about the Malay doctors and included a list of old Malay books on medicine (see Search 60).

En. Fadli Ghani was reading a book about Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir, ex-VC, USM. He happened to read the father's note about his birth. Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin noted at the end that Tun Dr. Hamdan was received by Dr. Ariff. So this means when Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir was born on 26 April 1921, there was a Malay doctor named Dr. Ariff.

En. Fadli Ghani provided more names of the early medical students from Kedah. According to him, the file SUK Kedah/K3467/1355 dated 1936 recorded the names of 7 medical students from Kedah in Singapore. They were Che Salma Ismail, Omar Din, Abu Bakar (Datuk Dr.), Hamid Ismail, Hussein Ahmad, Sutan Zaian and a non-Malay, NP Surathee.

A separate file SUK Kedah 3080/57 dated 16 November 1938 recorded another Malay doctor's name, Dr. Mustafa Osman, a government pathologist. Dr. Mustafa is the sibling of Mohd. Shariff Osman (mantan Menteri Besar Kedah), Datuk Shuib Awang Osman (mantan SUK Kedah) and Tan Sri Khalid Awang (Malaysia's Ambassador to Egypt).

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Acknowledgement

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

Pengarah Akademi Kajian Kota, Kuala Lumpur

E-mail: fadliayman@yahoo.com

Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin

Father of Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir

Wrote about Tun Dr. Hamdan's birth

Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir (1922)

Ex-VC

Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang

Dr. Ariff

Attended to Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir's birth in 1922

SUK Kedah for these files:

SUK Kedah/K3467/1355 dated 1936

SUK Kedah 3080/57 dated 16 November 1938

It cannot be ascertained when these doctors graduated:

Che Salma Ismail

Omar Din

Datuk Dr. Abu Bakar (from Search 9)

Hamid Ismail

Hussein Ahmad

Sutan Zaian

NP Surathee

Dr. Mustafa Osman

Dr. Mustafa Osman

Government pathologist

Sibling of Mohd. Shariff Osman (mantan Menteri Besar Kedah), Datuk Shuib Awang Osman (mantan SUK Kedah) and Tan Sri Khalid Awang (Malaysia's Ambassador to Egypt).

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Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Search 60

SEARCH 60

7 November 2005

Monday, 7 November 2005, 4.10 pm - 4.49 pm; 8.30 pm - 9.12 pm.

I received an e-mail from En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani dated 11 September 2005. En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani included a list of old Malay books on medicine.

(a)  List of old Malay books on medicine in En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani's possession:

(b) List of old Malay books on medicine in Pusat Dokumentasi Melayu, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka:

(c) List of old Malay books on medicine in Pusat Dokumentasi Melayu, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka:

According to En. Fadli Ghani, a medical institution was opened before 1900 in Riau. This is Rumah Obat Raja (Engku) Daud Raja Hassan Pulau Penyengat, Tanjung Pinang. It was also known as Gedung Tabib Kerajaan Riau.

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Acknowledgement

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

Pengarah Akademi Kajian Kota, Kuala Lumpur

E-mail: fadliayman@yahoo.com

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Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Search 61

SEARCH 61

7 November 2005

Monday, 7 November 2005, 9.21 pm - 9.46 pm.

I bought two books from Dato' Anwar Fazal for RM100.00. I wrote to En. Fadli Ghani to inform him of the two books.

The first book is "Studies from the Institute of Medical Research, Federation of Malaya, Jubilee vol. 25, 1900-1950" which was written by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Kuala Lumpur. It is filled with information.

The second book is about the history of medicine in Penang "To Heal the Sick, the story of healthcare and doctors in Penang, 1786-2004", published in 2004, Dr. Ong Hean Teik, editor. The book was written by a group of Chinese doctors in Penang along with two Malay doctors. One was an early Malay doctor and the other Malay doctor happened to be my ex-student, Dr. Hanifah Abdul Gafoor. However, the book did not contain my grandfather's name even though he was a Penang doctor and a Penang icon. My guess is the new generation of doctors are not aware of the existence of earlier doctors in Penang or the records of the early doctors were not easily available or documented for easy reference.

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Acknowledgement

Dato' Anwar Fazal

Worked with Penang Town Council in 1960s

Retired from UNDP

Works for World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)

Url: http://www.waba.org.my

E-mail: anwarfazal2004@yahoo.com

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

Pengarah Akademi Kajian Kota, Kuala Lumpur

E-mail: fadliayman@yahoo.com

Book "Studies from the Institute for Medical Research, Federation of Malaya, Jubilee vol. 25, 1990-1950"

Written by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Kuala Lumpur.

Book "To Heal the Sick, the story of healthcare and doctors in Penang, 1786-2004"

Published in 2004, Dr. Ong Hean Teik, editor.

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Search 62

SEARCH 62

7 November 2005

Monday, 7 November 2005, 9.46 pm - 11.23 pm.

I received an e-mail from En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani dated 18 September 2005. I am after photographs of our early Malay doctors and also of KE VII Medical College. En. Fadli Ghani's e-mail provides hope of likely places to look for these old photographs. It is quite likely that many precious photographs have gone missing following a big flood that occurred circa 1926 (known as "Bah merah" in Kelantan), the Japanese Occupation of Malaya in 1941-1945/WW2, and fires which razed houses and villages. It would be wonderful if many of the old photographs have been saved from disasters.

En. Fadli Ghani had just read a book "Islam Embeded" written by Dr. Farish A. Noor (year?). It contained a photograph of Dr. Burhanuddin (probably in his 50s) along with another Malay doctor, claimed to be the grandfather of Dr. Farish. If Dr. Farish's grandfather was not a homeopathy doctor, then his grandfather could qualify as one of the early Malay doctors.

En. Fadli Ghani provided more information about Dr. Ariff whose name was noted by Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin, Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir's father. Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir's birth date was 26 April 1921. Dr. Ariff's son was Datuk Mushriff Ariff. Both En. Fadli Ghani and I have not met Datuk Mushriff Ariff nor know him at the time of this writing.

En. Fadli Ghani further informed that if he recalled correctly, the Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Kuala Lumpur celebrated its 100th anniversary last year in 2004. It would probably contain old photographs of KE VII Medical College.

He further informed that the journal article written by Dr. Cheah, NUS, Singapore also contained old photographs of KEVII Medical College.

He added that Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur produced an autobiography with photographs of Dr. Hasmah Mohd Ali. It too contained many old photographs of KE VII Medical College of 1940s.

TV3 also featured many old photographs of KEVII Medical College and young Tun Mahathir Mohamad in conjunction with his retirement as Malaysia's 4th Prime Minister in October 2003.

En. Fadli Ghani asked if I have referred to Arkib Negara, Kuala Lumpur. I replied I had not. He said the photographs at Arkib Negara are expensive (approximately RM120 per piece). He has a photograph of Dr. Haji Abbas Alias (1948) besides some other photographs of him in old age. He asked me to refer to Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Majid (better known as "Coco Majid") for photographs, if any.

En. Fadli Ghani is not sure whether the original building of Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) still exists today. According to him, among the complex, the oldest building would still be the IMR building.

He referred me to the New Straits Time Press Archive (Arkib NSTP). According to him, the NSTP Archive existed in Singapore since 1845. He gave me a contact person in NSTP, Puan Ramjan Hamzah, Assistant Manager, Reference & Customer Services, NSTP. Tel: 03-2056 9318/9388. E-mail: ramjan@nstp.com.my

I e-mailed to En. Fadli Ghani on 20 September 2005 to thank him.

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Acknowledgement

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

Pengarah Akademi Kajian Kota, Kuala Lumpur

E-mail: fadliayman@yahoo.com

Has a photograph of Dr. Haji Abbas Alias (1948) and latter photographs

The Star online

Has a photograph of Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Majid ("Coco Majid")

Tan Sri Dr. Abdul Majid ("Coco Majid")

Uncertain if Dato' Prof. Dr. Roslani Abdul Majid is his son

Dato' Prof. Dr. Roslani Abdul Majid

Founder of USM School of Medical Sciences in 1979 along with 3 others - Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohd. Saidi Sheikh Tahir (deceased), Prof. Syed Mohsin Syed Sahil Jamalullail, and Prof. Dr. Ong Kok Hai. Dato' Prof. Dr. Roslani Abdul Majid is the cousin of Dr. Mohd. Bakri Musa (California; Malaysiakini).

Dr. Farish A. Noor

Author of "Islam Embedded" (year?).

Contains a photograph of Dr. Burhanuddin (probably in his 50s) with (most likely) the grandfather of Dr. Farish.

Tun Dr. Hamdan Sheikh Tahir (born 26 April 1921)

He was received by Dr. Ariff at birth.

Dr. Ariff

His son was Datuk Mushriff Ariff

Datuk Mushriff Ariff

He was Dr. Ariff's son

Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Kuala Lumpur

It celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2004

Probably is the oldest building

IMR ground faces the Grand Seasons Hotel, KL

I have its publication up to 1950

Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL)

Uncertain if the original building still exists today

Uncertain if it is the oldest hospital in Malaya previously or Malaysia today

Other old hospitals/establishments to note are Hospital Kandang Kerbau (Singapore), Assunta Hospital, Tanglin Hospital, Sungai Buloh Leper Camp and Penang General Hospital.

Old photographs of KEVII Medical School can probably be found with the following:

IMR, KL 100th anniversary celebration, 2004

Journal article written by Dr. Cheah, NUS, Singapore

Autobiography of Dr. Hasmah Mohd Ali produced by DBP, Kuala Lumpur (year?)

TV3 featured Tun Mahathir Mohamad at KEVII Medical College in October 2003

Prof. JS Cheah (see Search 20)

NUS, Singapore

E-mail: mdccjs@nus.edu.sg

Fax: 02-6779 4112

He wrote "Approaching 100 years of Medical and University in Singapore" in Singapore Med J. 2003. Vol. 44(1):1-3. Download article from http://www.sma.org.sg/smj/4401/4401e1.pdf

Probably the same person who co-authored the book "To Heal the Sick, the story of healthcare and doctors in Penang, 1786-2004", 2004, editor Dr. Ong Hean Teik.

Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP), Kuala Lumpur

Produced an autobiography of Dr. Hasmah Mohd Ali (year?)

TV3

Featured a special program about Tun Mahathir Mohamad at KE VII Medical College in October 2003

Arkib Negara

May have photographs of the early Malay doctors

Photographs are ~RM120 per piece

When was Arkib Negara set up?

Utusan Malaysia

Archive?

Need proper contact details

New Straits Time Press Archive (Arkib NSTP)

NSTP Archive existed in Singapore since 1845

Puan Ramjan Hamzah

Assistant Manager

Reference & Customer Services

New Straits Time Press (NSTP)

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2056 9318/9388

E-mail: ramjan@nstp.com.my

---

Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Search 63

SEARCH 63

7-8 November 2005

Monday, 7 November 2005, 11.24 pm - Tuesday, 8 November 2005, 12.46 am.

I received an e-mail from Dato' Anwar Fazal dated 23 September 2005. The subject read "Dr che lah ... and the others in the medical fraternity".

He asked how my research was going on. I replied alright.

He said at least two persons have clear memories of my grandfather, Dato' Dr. Che Lah bin Mohd. Joonos. He was known as 'Jelutong boy'.

He asked if my grandmother was a matron at the Penang General Hospital. I replied yes.

According to Dato' Anwar Fazal, Dato' Seri Mushir Ariff has great memory of happenings. His father was Dr. Ariff, an eminent doctor.

According to Dato' Anwar Fazal, there is a book which tells the story of Dr. Ariff. Dato' Anwar Fazal urged me to see Dato' Seri Mushir Ariff in Penang. He can arrange for me to meet him. According to Dato' Anwar Fazal, Dato' Seri Mushir Ariff is 89 years and a terrific story teller.

En. Fadli Ghani has also mentioned about Dr. Ariff and his son. But his son's name differs slightly here.

The other person is Dato' Lakbir Singh Chall (lakhbir@tm.net.my) who was Secretary of the Rural District Council where he worked.

The other doctors were:

1. Dr. Mohamed Baboo who joined the medical department in 1917;
2. Dr. Mustapha bin Osman (1900?) who was Professor of Pathology in Hong Kong, state surgeon in Kedah and settled in Penang. The University of Hong Kong will have more information about him;
3. Dr. Haji Abdullah Ghani bin Mohammed (1906?), Senior medical officer, Penang. His daughter settled in Australia. Her house in Babington Avenue was sold to Temple of Fine Arts.

Dato' Anwar Fazal asked if I had checked the earliest WHO's WHO books on Malaya/Malaysia. I replied I had not.

Dato' Anwar Fazal suggested to check the Malay language newspapers, Warta Negara of Penang. He said it will be alot of hard work unless someone has indexed them all. He said NST has the best resource centre. He said medical departments annual reports from day one will be a must. He suggested National Archive (Arkib Negara) and Singapore (Archives of National Board or National Heritage Board of Singapore - see Search 20).

He wished me the best and hoped that the two books were useful as background. Thanks, they are indeed. He will continue to send more stuff as they come.

---

Acknowledgement

Dato' Anwar Fazal

Worked with Penang Town Council in 1960s

Retired from UNDP

Works for World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)

Url: http://www.waba.org.my

E-mail: anwarfazal2004@yahoo.com

Dato' Dr. Haji Che Lah bin Mohd. Joonos (Class of 1930; December 1902-26 January 1986)

He was known as 'Jelutong boy'

He was a Penang icon

Worked with the Rural District Council, Penang

Second marriage was to Chong Nyet Lin @ Maria

Chong Nyet Lin @ Datin Hajah Maria

Worked as a matron at the Penang General Hospital

Second wife of Dato' Dr. Haji Che Lah bin Mohd. Joonos

Her son was Kamaruddin bin Che Lah

Dato' Seri Mushir Ariff

Has great memory of happenings

He is 89 years old

He is the son of Dr. Ariff

Dr. Ariff

He was an eminent doctor

There is a book written about him (author? year?) Could this be the book written by Sheikh Tahir Jalaluddin, Tun Dr. Hamdan's father?

His son was Dato' Seri Mushir Ariff

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

Pengarah Akademi Kajian Kota, Kuala Lumpur

E-mail: fadliayman@yahoo.com

Dato' Lakbir Singh Chall

Secretary of the Rural District Council, Penang

E-mail: lakhbir@tm.net.my

Dr. Mohamed Baboo (Class of March 1917)

Graduated from KE VII Medical School

Dr. Mustapha bin Osman (1900?)

Professor of Pathology in Hong Kong

State surgeon in Kedah

Settled in Penang

The University of Hong Kong will hove more information about him

The University of Hong Kong

Will have more information about Dr. Mustapha bin Osman (1900?)

He was a Professor of Pathology in U. of Hong Kong

Dr. Haji Abdullah Ghani bin Mohammed (1906?)

Senior medical officer, Penang

His daughter settled in Australia

House in Babington Avenue was sold to Temple of Fine Arts

New Straits Time Press Archive (Arkib NSTP)

NSTP Archive existed in Singapore since 1845

Puan Ramjan Hamzah

Assistant Manager

Reference & Customer Services

New Straits Time Press (NSTP)

Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2056 9318/9388

E-mail: ramjan@nstp.com.my

Medical departments annual reports:

MOH

IMR

Hospitals

Clinics

Arkib Negara

May have photographs of the early Malay doctors

Photographs are ~RM120 per piece

When was Arkib Negara set up?

Archives in Singapore (see Search 20)

NST Archives existed in Singapore since 1845

Archives of National Board, Singapore

National Heritage Board of Singapore 

Malay language newspapers

Warta Negara of Penang

Utusan

Books:

WHO's WHO

Check the earliest on Malaya/Malaysia

"Studies from the Institute of Medical Research, Federation of Malaya, Jubilee vol. 25, 1990-1950"

Written by the Institute of Medical Research (IMR), Kuala Lumpur.

"To Heal the Sick, the story of healthcare and doctors in Penang, 1786-2004"

Published in 2004, Dr. Ong Hean Teik, editor.

---

Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Search 64

SEARCH 64

8 November 2005

Tuesday, 8 November 2005, 7.40 am - 9.30 am.

I received a reply e-mail from Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norsidah A. Manap, UKM dated 25 September 2005. I had responded to her previous e-mail concerning her computer not functioning. I still feel it is wonderful nowadays to be writing using computers versus typewriters, corresponding using e-mail, and searching the Internet using Google and be able to visit useful databases and websites for this writing. I am currently using a Toshiba Portege laptop. I have not met Dr. Norsidah yet at the time of this writing.

I had asked Dr. Norsidah whether she managed to obtain specific details concerning her grandfather, Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak, and his family. Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak was the first Malay doctor to graduate in 1911 from the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School (later named the King Edward VII (KE VII) College, Singapore in 1912). I also wanted to know more about Dr. Norsidah and her family.

Dr. Norsidah had been very busy and she was exhausted. She had conducted PBL facilitation, Year 1 Clinical Strand, attended the ICU Conference on 9-11 September 2005, and facilitated the Advanced Cardiac Life Support Course in HUKM. This was atop her daily work anaesthetizing in the operating theatres. She is married and a mother of 3 boys aged 14, 12 and 10 years. I gather she has all the qualities of a good Malay woman.

Dr. Norsidah is glad that the intended book for this writing has progressed. She has readied a photograph of Dr. Abdul Latiff which she can contribute for this book.

According to Dr. Norsidah, the Medical Library at UKM, Jalan Pahang (near HKL) will be named after Dr. Abdul Latiff on 25 November 2005. She had just attended a meeting with UKM staff to confirm the date. Initially the UKM staff had a hard time looking for Dr. Abdul Latiff's family. She was also not called to the first meeting as nobody knew that she was indeed the granddaughter of Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak. Her family is in the midst of trying to collect his memoirs. According to her, sadly most of the memorabilia were destroyed during ransacks masa Jepun (during the Japanese occupation). However, the upcoming event on 25 November 2005 is making her family work hard to dig whatever information they can get about him.

Dr. Norsidah has invited and welcome me to attend the official ceremony on Friday, 25 November 2005 at 3 pm at the UKM campus in Jalan Pahang. She has also extended the invitation to anyone involved in this project on the early Malay doctors. She said it is a recognition for the early Malay doctors who are mostly unknown and unremembered.

It is comforting for me to know that Dr. Norsidah's status as the granddaughter of Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak has come to light. I wish her all the best with digging for more information about her grandfather. We will certainly need more people like her to shed light on our history of medicine for our future generation to know what went on and should duly cherish.

---

Acknowledgement

Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak (1885?-1958; retired 1953; Class of August 1911)(see Search 1)

First Malay doctor to graduate from the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School (later named the King Edward VII (KEVII) College, Singapore in 1912).

Eldest son of a territorial chief

He had 9 children

He was an ex-VI student. His classmate at VI was Cikgu Tuan Syed Syaidali (see Searcch 17).

His son is Tan Sri Yaacob bin Latiff, Mayor of KL 1972-1983

His granddaughter is Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norsidah A. Manap, HUKM

A road in Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL) has been named after him as Jalan Dr. Latiff. This road links Jalan Masjid and Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz.

A hostel block in Universiti Industri Selangor (UNISEL) has been named after him as Blok Dr. Latiff.

En. Fadli has provided photographs of both the road and hostel block (see Searches 16 and 17).

The book "Bingkisan Merdeka" published in 1957 to commemorate our Independence celebration, also recorded the address of one of its contributors as "Asrama Dr. Latiff" (see Search 17).

En. Fadli has provided a photograph of students in Asrama Dr. Latiff (ADL) 1985-1989. The ADL was a hostel for full-time students. It was located in Jalan Gurney, KL and was under the administration of Yayasan Selangor, which also administered Kolej Industri Selangor (Inspen). Inspen was upgraded to become UNISEL. The ADL was demolished to make way for the construction of the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) (see Searches 18 and 21).

Tuan Syed Shaidali (1891-1967) (see Search 19)

He attended VI between May 1989 - December 1908 about the same time Dr. Abdul Latiff attended VI.

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

Pengarah Akademi Kajian Kota, Kuala Lumpur

E-mail: fadliayman@yahoo.com

Associate Professor Dr. Norsidah Abdul Manap

(granddaughter of Dr. Abdul Latiff Abdul Razak)

Dept of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hospital UKM (HUKM)

E-mail: nmanap@mail.hukm.ukm.my

She is the granddaughter of Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak, the first Malay doctor to graduate from the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School.

Contributor

Japanese occupation (1941-1945)

Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL)

Uncertain if the original building still exists today

Uncertain if it is the oldest hospital in Malaya previously or Malaysia today

Other old hospitals/establishments to note are Hospital Kandang Kerbau (Singapore), Assunta Hospital, Tanglin Hospital, Sungai Buloh Leper Camp and Penang General Hospital.

---

Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Search 65

SEARCH 65

8 November 2005

Tuesday, 8 November 2005, 9.31 am - 9.57 am.

I received an e-mail from En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani dated 28 September 2005. He asked who Dato' Anwar Fazal is, and whether he was the PBB (UNDP) officer. I replied yes. He thanked me for informing him about the ceremony on Friday, 25 November 2005 at 3 pm, UKM campus, Jalan Pahang to officially rename the Medical Library at UKM campus, Jalan Pahang to Dr. Abdul Latiff. He will try to attend if he has time.

He will try to send a photograph of Dr. Burhanuddin with another Malay doctor, probably Dr. Farish Noor's grandfather (see Search 62).

He has attached 3 photographs of Dr. Haji Abbas Alias:

Photograph 1 (Dr Abbas Bola) - Dr. Haji Abbas photographed in front of Kelab Sultan Sulaiman, KL following the establishment of the Persatuan Bola Sepak Melayu Malaya (PBMM). Dr. Haji Abbas (middle) was elected as the first Presiden PBMM, 1948.

Photograph 2 (Dr Abbas 5) - Dr. Haji Abbas after retirement.

Photograph 3 - ?

---

Acknowledgement

En. Mohd. Fadli Ghani

Pengarah Akademi Kajian Kota, Kuala Lumpur

E-mail: fadliayman@yahoo.com

Dato' Anwar Fazal

Worked with Penang Town Council in 1960s

Retired from UNDP

Works for World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA)

Url: http://www.waba.org.my

E-mail: anwarfazal2004@yahoo.com

Medical Library at UKM campus, Jalan Pahang (near HKL) (see Search 64)

It will be named after Dr. Latiff on Friday, 25 November 2005 at 3 pm, UKM campus, Jalan Pahang.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norsidah bt. A. Manap has extended the invitation to anyone involved in this project on the early Malay doctors. She said it is a recognition for the early Malay doctors who are mostly unknown and unremembered.

Associate Professor Dr. Norsidah Abdul Manap

(granddaughter of Dr. Abdul Latiff Abdul Razak)

Dept of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Hospital UKM (HUKM)

E-mail: nmanap@mail.hukm.ukm.my

She is the granddaughter of Dr. Abdul Latiff bin Abdul Razak, the first Malay doctor to graduate from the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School.

Dr. Farish A. Noor (see Search 62)

Author of "Islam Embedded" (year?).

Contains a photograph of Dr. Burhanuddin (probably in his 50s) with (most likely) the grandfather of Dr. Farish A. Noor.

Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL)

Uncertain if the original building still exists today

Uncertain if it is the oldest hospital in Malaya previously or Malaysia today

Other old hospitals/establishments to note are Hospital Kandang Kerbau (Singapore), Assunta Hospital, Tanglin Hospital, Sungai Buloh Leper Camp and Penang General Hospital.

---

Telehealth Research Group
http://www.medic.usm.my/rnd/~telehealth
School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia