This particular document is a certificate of Registration which declares that from the 22nd of August 1958 onwards, Madam Ong would be a citizen of the Federation of Malaya under Article 17. The officer which signed this certificate on behalf of the registration authority was H. Perera as stated in the document. (more details here)
The month of August is usually known as “bulan Merdeka” (Merdeka/Independence Month). But did you also know that the earliest cinematograph first came to Ipoh in August 1906?
Initially the cinematograph market was monopolized by one company, the Matsuo Japanese Cinematograph Company, who used to hold nightly shows in a tent for 7-weeks running, moving from city to city. The following year however, he had competition in the form of 3 other cinematograph companies, each employing different novelties to attract crowds. (read more here)
Here’s a comparison of F&N bottles over the years. If I’m not mistaken, the first bottle is from the 1940s. The one in the centre may have come out a few years later. The last one of course is today’s modern creation.
The photograph actually shows the ‘First Battalion Perak Sikhs’, the armed military arm of the Perak Police Force.
The Battalion had its roots in the ‘Perak Armed Force’ which was a mix of races (Sikhs, Punjabi, Malays and Chinese), first commanded by Captain Swinburne and from 1879 by Major R S F Walker CMG. The ‘Armed Force’ was disbanded in early 1884 and ‘The First Battalion Perak Sikhs’, was established on 15 May 1884 to replace them. (read more here)
This was what the Japanese Garden (sponsored by the Perak Turf Club) once looked like. Of course, this picture was taken back in the 1980s. Sadly, this lovely tourist spot fell under poor maintenance and neglect over the years. It even fell prey to vandals 🙁
I don’t know what has become of this place today.
However, there was another Japanese Garden built at D R Seenivasagam Park (formerly known as Coronation Park). This garden seems to have survived over the years, and has also been given a ‘facelift’ of sorts. (read more about it here)
Did your sharp eyes see that famous symbol on the hill? Look again carefully, if you missed it 🙂
We thank Edwin Seibel for sharing this photo with us.
Have you heard of Ahmad Noor? Perhaps you knew him as Halaloedin Hamzah?
He was a Mandailing from the Dutch East Indies who free-lanced for Kompas in the early days of his career. He fled and sought refuge in Malaya, when the Dutch authorities cracked down on railway strikers in 1929, in which he was involved, and staged a mass arrest. He later changed his name to Ahmad Noor Abdul Shukor, and had a short stint with Saudara in Penang. (read more here)
The picture (taken from the Kinta Valley book) isn’t that clear…but I believe Ahmad Noor is probably the gentleman standing in the middle.
