Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos (Datuk Penang), Kamaruddin Che Lah (Uncle Din), Kamariah (step-aunt) and Mariah @ Chong Nyet Lin (Nenek Penang). Before going for studies overseas. Photographed at 355-A Lengkok Pemancar house. circa 1967
Uncle Din is a civil engineer. He had worked with Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai till he retired in February 2015. The planning and development of the USM Institut Perubatan dan Pergigian Termaju (IPPT) Bertam Campus comes under the jurisdiction of Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai.
Dr Che Lah is at left. His wife Mariah is standing next to my mother, Tulip, and her sisters Esther and June, and step-sister Kamariah (standing at rear). Uncle Din is at right. Photographed at 460-H Minden Heights, Road 7 house. circa 1978
Uncle Din married Fauziah bt Shaik Emam (Intan) at the E&O Hotel in George Town, Penang.
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| Aunty Intan when she married at 24 |
They have a son, Kamarul Faisal, a computer engineer and graduate from the University of Southern Queensland. Faisal is married.
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| Uncle Din, son Kamarul Faisal and Aunty Intan |
Kamaruddin is my mother's youngest half-brother, and my Uncle Din. Uncle Din is special because he taught me and advised me to learn Malay and to be very prepared for the Malay Government
Exams which are compulsory for all Malaysian government servants, even today. As much as I hated to learn something 100% in Malay, I was lucky that Uncle Din actually mentally told me what to expect on such government exams and to read up (I could laugh at this suggestion; he knew I wouldn't read anything in Malay) but he was serious, despite teaching me while he was driving.
It was good that I paid attention to Uncle Din's advice and passed my Malay government exam at second attempt (hahaha....). It was freaking mad at home when my dad found out I had failed my Malay government exams (well, I can tell you I didn't even understand the questions in Malay).
Can never learn anything right in Malay, can I? Well, I really have to thank Uncle Din for the worry, advice and care he accorded in looking after me and making sure that I could make it in this dog-eat-dog world.
The Chinese would be very happy if they knew that I was born in the year of the dog! But I'm no dog!
I visited Aunty Intan at 27 Lorong Tenggiri, Seberang Prai on 5 March 2013. Uncle Din was away to get his wounds cleaned by a traditional healer. He had just left home when we arrived at their home. Aunty Intan and her maid were at home. We stayed for an hour before we left to return to Kelantan.
External links:
This is from Uncle Din:
Kamaruddin Che Lah I was at wellesley primary frm 1962 till 1966. Can get his name
Seberang Prai Municipal Council engineering director Kamaruddin Che Lah
Read more at https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2012/05/03/project-driving-em-round-the-bend/#LbMQV4wI3cPkTT8C.99
Urban Planning, 2005
Mr. Kamaruddin Che Lah, Director of Engineering Dept. Seberang Perai Municipal Council, Majlis Perbandaran Seberang Perai, Jalan Datuk Hj Ahmad Said, 12000 Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia; tel: (60) 4 – 3105600
http://www.durban.gov.za/Documents/City_Government/Cifal/Sustainable%20Urban%20Transport%20in%20Asia%20and%20the%20Pacific%20Region,%20June%2012-19%202005.pdf?Mobile=1
i wonder whether he studied at wellesly primary school Penang in 1962 as i have a classmate by this name.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, but you can contact him in Facebook.
DeleteMy Uncle Kamaruddin said he was at Wellesley from 1962 to 1966. He said that the classmate you mentioned is most probably him. He asked for your name. He asked whether you remember Allen Gan, now living in Malacca? Another classmate identified you as Randy Teh of Std 5 and Std 6 WPS. They have a WPS chat group.
ReplyDelete