family history and family trees, places and faces, the bonds that unite us

A Chance Meeting With An Engineer

I was at dinner organised by the Penang Heritage Trust (PHT) at Hai Nan Town, George Town in Penang on 16 August 2013. It was a pre-conference dinner for the Penang Story Lecture, "Penang and the Hajj 2013". I sat at the main table with Dato' Anwar Fazal (ex-UNDP) and wife, Prof Eric Tagliacozzo (Cornell University, keynote speaker), Khoo Salma Nasution (President of PHT), and Lim Gaik Siang (PHT treasurer, who is a qualified engineer, working with Penang Council).

Dato' Anwar Fazal, his sister Rashidah (formerly with USM library) and the family were my grandfather's rear neighbour, on the kitchen side. His sister Rashidah Begum is the aunt of my colleague, Yasmin Begum Mokhtar Ahmad (Chico State University 1976-1980).

As we were talking, the female Chinese engineer asked about myself. She said I looked like someone she knew. I said my parents are Abdul Rashid at RECSAM and my mother Puan Tulip had taught at the PCGHS (Penang Chinese Girls' High School), a historical Chinese girls' school in Pulau Tikus, Penang.

The Chinese engineer became interested. She had been to my parent's house at Minden Heights in Penang. She knew a lot of stories from my talkative father. She remembered my mother very well. What a small world!

I am amazed that my mother's student would remember her in 2013; she had passed away in June 2004. That's more than 8 years ago.

Salma's father and my father worked together as Mathematics lecturers at the RECSAM/Maktab Perguruan Pulau Pinang. Salma's father retired earlier. My father retired in 1986, on his 55th birthday.

Badariah Baba Ahmad's father and Prof Rabindarjeet Singh's father had also worked and taught at the RECSAM/Maktab. I can't recall what Prof Rabindarjeet Singh's father taught.

Badariah Baba Ahmad lives in Puchong. Badariah's father is Baba Ahmad bin Hamid Don. He had worked at Maktab Perguruan Persekutuan Pulau Pinang (MPPPP) from 1979 to 1992 (retired). He was an English Language lecturer. He taught English Literature. Arwah Baba Ahmad might have known arwah Bapak when they both worked at MPPPP. Baba Ahmad is Bapak's relative from Jelutong.


Dato' Anwar Fazal and wife Dato' Mahmoodah, and myself.

Mak's ex-PCGHS student, Penang engineer Lim Gaik Siang (left) and her friend Salma Khoo.

Lim Gaik Siang
Hon. Treasurer, Penang Heritage Trust (PHT)
Persatuan Warisan Pulau Pinang
26, Church Street, City of George Town
10200 Penang
MALAYSIA
Tel: +6 04 264 2631
Fax: +6 04 262 8421
Website: www.pht.org.my
---
Lim Gaik Siang
2-25-3A, Sri Pangkor, Pangkor Road
10050 George Town, Penang
Tel: +6 04 2299 028
Fax: +6 04 2299 901
Email: limgspc@gmail.com
Hp: +6 019 471 8523

- dia anak murid Mak at Penang Chinese Girls' High School
- dia selalu datang rumah Penang, jumpa Mak and Bapak










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The Kew Gardens in London


I visited the Kew Gardens with my parents in 1980. I can't recall much of the plants I saw at the Kew Gardens, but there were rubber trees - maybe of that first clone that was brought to Malaysia.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, popularly known as the Kew Gardens, is a botanical garden much like that in Penang. It was opened in 1759, and covers 300 acres (151 hectares). It is located in London.

The Kew Gardens was my mother's favourite place. She always spoke about plants at the Kew Gardens. She knew about most of the plants there.

I remember the Kew Garden was an expansive place, and with a lot of trees and a few buildings. There was a glass building. It was well-looked after.

We walked all over Kew Gardens.



External links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Botanic_Gardens,_Kew
http://www.kew.org/




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Favourite Flowers of the Families


There were some flowers which the various families grew. The ones I have seen are roses, orchids, hydrangea, some magnolia variety night flower that rarely bloomed, bleeding hearts, etc.

Small yard filled with plants. 1976
Photo was taken by Dr Che Lah.

I'm holding his orchid planted in the ground. 1976
Photo was taken by Dr Che Lah.

Orchid with purple flowers. 2017 (after 40+ years)

Blue hydrangea - Datuk's (Dr Che Lah) favourite flower
White rose - Datuk loved roses
Unnamed - Mak liked this plant with little purple flowers
My children (his grandchildren) visited his garden in Minden Heights. 1995
Nuraishah carrying Mira.
Ibrahim is behind Nuraishah.
Farah is in front of Nuraishah.
Muhammad is at far right.

His grandchildren. 1995
Ibrahim at rear.
Girls from left: Alia, Farah and Nisa.

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Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos - Newspapers in Singapore Archives



Dr MJ Che Lah (1903-1986)

There are a number of newspaper articles which mentioned Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos (Dr MJ Che Lah)  They can be found by searching his name "Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos" or "Dr M.J. Che Lah".

Newspapers at Singapore Archives:
http://newspapers.nl.sg (digitised articles)


The Straits Times, 29 July 1930, Page 19
CHINESE RUNS AMOK.
- Hong Fatt mine at Sungei Besi
- Chinese mining coolies
- Dr. Che Lah, assistant surgeon attached to the District Hospital
- a Chinese mining coolie, Chan San suffered from malaria, ran amok, and died from shock and hemorrhage due to rupture of spleen


The Straits Times, 24 July 1933, Page 17
KLANG CONCERT.


The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 19 October 1933, Page 7
MALAY WEDDING
- Towkay Goh Hock Huat, JP
- Mr. and Mrs. Lopez
- Dr. and Mrs. Che Lah


The Straits Times, 22 January 1934, Page 13
KLANG FAREWELL.
- Chinese Rubber Growers' Association Hall, Klang
- Mr. and Mrs. C. J. H. Lowe
- Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel
- Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Lopez
- Mr. and Mrs. F. W. O. Stephens, Miss A. Stephens
- Mr. and Mrs. Hesse
- Mr. and Mrs. Lafountain
- Raja Nong, Dato Kaya, Klang
- Mr. B. Geoarge
- Mr. G. LaBrooy
- Dr. and Mrs. Che Lah


The Straits Times, 30 January 1934, Page 12
CAPITAL CHARGE.


The Straits Times, 12 July 1934, Page 12
TAMIL SENTENCED TO DEATH.
- Bukit Kriong Estate, Kapar
- Tamil men and women
- tapping rubber
- Dr. Che Lah


The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 25 July 1935, Page 15
All-Malay Open Tennis Championships
- Dr. Mohd. Said
- Dr. Che Lah
- Dr. Abd. Ghani


The Straits Times, 9 February 1936, Page 26
Untitled
- with pic


The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 20 March 1936, Page 11
Untitled


The Straits Times, 29 September 1936, Page 10
Social and personal
Dr. S. V. Chellam, Deputy Health Officer, Port Swettenham
Dr. Che Lah, Acting Deputy Health Officer, Port Swettenham; returned to KL


The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 29 September 1937, Page 6
- Dr. Hussein, Assistant Medical Officer, Malay Regiment, Port Dickson, will be going to KL on transfer early next month (August 1937)
- Dr. Che Lah from KL will replace him at the Malay Regiment in Port Dickson (28 September 1937)


The Straits Times, 2 October 1938, Page 31
PORT DICKSON


The Straits Times, 26 May 1940, Page 7
Youth Stabs His Brother


The Straits Times, 4 April 1949, Page 5
Senior Asian Officers Meet In K.L.


The Straits Times, 20 April 1949, Page 7
Senior Asian Govt Officers Form Assn.


The Straits Times, 26 April 1949, Page 7
DOCTOR GETS DECREE NISI
Kuala Lumpur, Mon. - A decree nisi, to be made absolute in three months, was granted to Dr Augustine Mohamed Junus Che Lah in the Kuala Lumpur Supreme Court today following an application for a divorce from his wife Daisy d' Courcy Che Lah (Nee Bulner). Dr Che Lah, a medical officer attached to the Malayan Railways, alleged adultery on the part of his wife. The suit was not contested.

The Straits Times, 2 July 1949, Page 7
GRADUATES APPOINTED
- Representatives of the Guild of Graduates to the Court and Council of the University of Malaya
-- Dr. M. J. Che Lah
-- Dr. I. S. Ibrahim


The Straits Times, 17 April 1950, Page 5
REPRESENTATION IN FED. COUNCIL IS SOUGHT
- Federal Legislative Council
- Senior Asian Government Officers Association (SAGOA)
-- Mr. Gunn Lay Teik, president
-- Dr. M. J. Che Lah, vice-president
-- Committee:
--- Messrs. S. Thambiah
--- P. Kanagasabal
--- S. Manuel Pillay
--- N. A. K. Nair
--- Chang Yoong Hin
--- K. Arianayagam
--- Dr. D. S. Manikkar, secretary
--- Dr. S. Parampalam
--- Mr. T. Abraham, treasurer


The Straits Times, 11 May 1950, Page 5
$50,000 Loan To Fight Japs


The Singapore Free Press, 4 June 1951, Page 5
GRADUATE REPRESENTATION FOR VARSITY COUNCIL


The Singapore Free Press, 2 August 1951, Page 5
Varsity Council & Court


The Straits Times, 2 August 1951, Page 4
NOMINEES NAMED
Results of election of nominees of the Guild of Graduates to the Council and Court of the University of Malaya were announced by the Registrar, W.D. Craig. The 8 men nominated would serve the UM Court from 8 Oct 1951- 7 Oct 1955.

The Straits Times, 22 May 1956, Page 10
Page 10 Advertisements Column 3
- Medical Dept, Pahang


The Straits Times, 11 February 1957, Page 8
Page 8 Advertisements Column 1
- Vacancies for Probationer Health Inspectors
- Ag. State Medical & Health Officer, Pahang
  Dr MJ Che Lah
  Kuantan
  4 Feb 1957


The Straits Times, 4 June 1957, Page 4
flu flared at jubilee


The Straits Times, 5 June 1957, Page 9
Flu hits Pahang: Four schools close


The Straits Times, 3 January 1958, Page 5
Pahang plan for a floating dispensary


The Straits Times, 8 January 1958, Page 5
$4 million health plan for peasants


The Straits Times, 28 May 1958, Page 12
Page 12 Advertisements Column 4
- Tenders. Medical Department, Pahang

The Straits Times, 30 June 1958, Page 7
Medical officer retires


The Straits Times, 7 September 1959, Page 5
MYSTERIOUS ILLNESS KILLS SIX CHILDREN IN PENANG
- mysterious sickness killed 6 children less than age 4, at Gertak Sanggul fishing village
- 14 miles from G.T.
- vomitting, purging, and convulsions
- Mr. Ooi Thiam Siew
- Tuan Haji H. A. Azyze, chairman of the rural district council
- Dr. M. J. Che Lah, rural health officer


The Straits Times, 6 October 1961, Page 5
Government declares 'war' on caterpillars of Penang Hill
- Penang State Medical Department
- Dr. M. Che Lah, Medical Officer of Health (Rural)
- caterpillars invaded Penang Hill
- sprayed D.D.T.
- felled trees at Bel Retiro, State Govt's hill bungalow
- Penang Hill Govt dispensary


The Straits Times, 8 July 1964, Page 5
1,800 more pilgrims back this month


The Straits Times, 16 July 1965, Page 9
Pilgrims who left it till too late...


The Straits Times, 20 January 1966, Page 4
Biggest medical mission for Mecca
- Total: 2,000 Malaysian pilgrims
- Leaving Penang on 29 January 1966
- Ship: Kuala Lumpur
- Medical Mission: 27 people + 5 = 32 people
This was the biggest medical mission sent to Makkah
Team:
3 doctors - Dr Che Lah (leader), Dr Haji Ahmad (Kedah), Dr M. I. Hussain (Terengganu)
10 hospital assistants
1 matron (Mariah, wife of Dr Che Lah)
3 nurses
10 attendants
-
In addition:
2 welfare officers
1 religious teacher
2 cooks
--
Dr. Haji M. J. Che Lah (Penang), leader of the mission
- flew to Makkah a week after Kuala Lumpur left Penang
- arrived in Jeddah a week ahead of the pilgrims, to finalise all medical arrangements
---
Dato Haji Ali Rouse, Controller of Pilgrimage
- said # of "flying pilgrims" had increased in 1966
- a chartered plane will carry 90 pilgrims to Makkah:
-- they will tour the Middle East
-- Was this the pilgrimage of Dr Omar bin Din, who accompanied the Sultan or Agong?
--
first batch pilgrims - 700 Singapore, 700 Penang, 300 Port Swettenham (total 1,700)
Leaving Penang on 29 Jan 1966:
30 crates of drugs and medicines
15 new beds for sick bays in Jeddah & Makkah
---
Haji Abdul Kader bin Haji Tamin, pilgrim commissioner, will sail on Kuala Lumpur
---
Inche Osman bin Fakir, officer from Penang pilgrimage office
- leave for Borneo on Friday
- to make arrangements for the departure of pilgrims from Borneo
- they will board the second ship, Anshun


The Straits Times, 4 January 1968, Page 7
ALL SET FOR FIRST BATCH OF PILGRIMS OFF TO MECCA

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Slide 1

Slide 1
355-A Glugor house

Slide 5

Slide 5
The author's den

Slide 4

Slide 4
Tulip leaving for England 1952

Slide 3

Slide 3
Dr Che Lah bin Md Joonos

Slide 2

Slide 2
Bird's eyeview of Tanjung Penaga

Slide 6

Slide 6
British officers in Penang

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