SXI Chapter VIII

TheXaverian
Journey

Chapter

VIII

90 The Xaverian Journey

VIII

Roll of Honour
Outstanding
Xaverians

Pre-Independence – Queen’s Scholars

• Dunstan A Aeria 1888 Engineering.

• J C J da Silva 1895 Medicine.
• Robert E Smith 1899 Arts.
• Michael Foley 1900 graduated BA LLB Cambridge, joined the Forces

in 1914, rose to rank of Captain and was killed in action in Gallipoli
in 1916.
• Tan Seng Suan 1902 admitted to study Medicine in Cambridge but
returned to Penang where he died in 1902.
• J R Aeria 1906 studied Medicine in Edinburgh and became a very
successful doctor.
• KhawOwKek1907studiedMedicineinEdinburgh.BecameProfessor
of Parasitology in Peking Union Medical College; Captain in Royal
Army Medical Corps during First World War in Mesopotamia; then

Roll of Honour 91

His Excellency Leong Yew Koh. joined the Army Medical College in Shanghai. During WWII, he served
Mr Oliver Lyons Phipps. as a Major in Yunnan, Burma and India
• Leong Yew Koh 1910 studied Political Science and qualified in Law,
University of London. Practised as a lawyer in British Malaya (1920-32)
and then served in various capacities in China. Joined the military during
the War (1941-45). He was appointed the First Governor of Malacca
(1957-1959).
• Ooi Khye Tuan 1925 Studied Law at Oxford.
• Tan Ah Bok @ Tan Teow Bok 1926 Studied Law at Oxford.
• Cheah Soon Hock 1928 Studied Law in Cambridge.
• Keong Siew Tong 1933 Studied Medicine in Cambridge.
• Lau Fook Khean 1934 Studied Medicine in Cambridge and Guys Hospital,
London. Joined the Royal Army Medical Corps during WWII, returned to
Penang during the British Military Administration and became a private
practitioner.
• Oliver Lyons Phipps 1939 Studied Law in Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He
obtained an MA LLB (Hons) and became a barrister-at-law until he
was appointed Judge. Appointed Member of the Penang State Council.
President of Penang Eurasians Association, 1965 and 1969-70.
• Francis Morsingh 1951 After graduating with a 1st Class Honours in
Chemistry, and then winning a Shell scholarship to pursue a Masters in
the University of Malaya, he won the Queen’s Scholarship to pursue a
PhD in Oxford University.

Mr Charles Stewart. Pre-Independence –
Other Outstanding Xaverians
Dr Sir Kamil Mohamad Ariff.
92 The Xaverian Journey • Charles Stewart (1880-1958) He joined the government service after
completing his studies in St Xavier’s. He was appointed the first local
Currency Officer in the Currency Department, and later the first local
Office Assistant in the Resident Commissioner’s Office. He was appointed
Municipal Commissioner in 1925 and was president of the Penang
Eurasians’ Association for 10 years. Stewart Lane, close to SXI, where he
lived for many years, is named after him.

• Dr Sir Kamil Mohamad Ariff (1893-1960) Born in Butterworth, studied in
King Edward VII College of Medicine Singapore after leaving St Xavier’s.
He graduated with a Licentiate in Medicine and Surgery in 1917 and
has the distinction of being the first Malay doctor in Penang. He went
into private practice (1918-60) but also served as Assistant Surgeon in
the General and District Hospitals. He was a Municipal Commissioner
for 14 years, Penang Settlement Councillor (1948-56) and a Member
of the Federal Legislative Council (1948-54). He served as Chairman of
the Penang Consultative Committee on Muslim Affairs as well as of the
Penang Muslim Orphanage. He was a member of the Board of Governors,
St Xavier’s. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1956.

• Ambrose C Reutens (1904-66) taught in St Xavier’s after he had completed Dr Edwin W De Cruz.
his studies there. He was nominated (1946-50) and later elected as a
Member of the Municipal Council (1951-52). He lived in Kampong Mr Eric Balhatchet.
Serani in Pulau Tikus and was vice president of the Penang Eurasians’
Association. Lorong Reutens in Pulau Tikus is named after him. Mr Leslie Hoffman.
Roll of Honour
• Datuk Polycarp Sim was born in Kuching, completed Senior School
Certificate in SXI in 1933 and returned to serve in St Joseph’s School,
Kuching from 1933 to 1970. After retiring from St Joseph’s, he became
Headmaster of St Patrick’s (Private) School, Kuching. For his long service
to the La Salle Mission, he was appointed an Affiliate Member of the
Christian Brothers.

• Frank A Reutens. As a young man of 17, he joined the SXI staff in
1915. He qualified to be a Normal Trained Teacher after two years and
continued teaching for the next 37 years (except for the WWII years). He
specialised in preparing Standard VII students for the School Certificate
Examination.

• Dr Edwin W De Cruz (1888-1974). He was a member of the pioneer group
of seven doctors who graduated in 1910 from King Edward VII College
of Medicine in Singapore. He was in the Malayan Medical Service from
1910 to 1947 and served in Singapore, Malacca and Penang. In Penang,
he became known as the “poor man’s doctor” while he served in the
Government Clinic in Buckingham Street (1935-47) and at the General
Hospital (1947-53). He was also president of the Penang Eurasians’
Association.

• Eric Balhatchet (1907-1968) Editor Straits Echo and Times of Malaya,
Penang Settlement Councillor (1954-55) and Municipal Councillor
(1956), President of Penang Eurasians’ Association 1950-52; and Vice
President Old Xaverians’ Association.

• Teoh Thye Moh was Managing Director Straits Echo Press, President
Rotary Club; Chairman George Town Road Safety Committee, Hon
Treasurer, Penang State Welfare Committee; Executive Committee
Member of the Penang Youth Centre.

• Choong Kok Swee (K.S. Choong) was Editor of Pinang Gazette and Sunday
Gazette.

• Khoo Boon Choo was the Penang correspondent for Singapore Standard.
• Leslie Hoffman was the first Asian editor-in-chief of Straits Times

(Singapore) in 1957.
• Wilson de Souza, editor of Sunday Gazette 1958-65; editor of Straits Echo

1965-75; editor in chief of The Echo (1975) and thereafter Editorial Advisor
to the same.
• Joseph C Pasqual (1865-1937) After St Xavier’s, Pasqual furthered his
studies in agriculture and tin mining in Singapore and Hong Kong. He
was responsible for the “opening up” of Paya Terubong and parts of
Province Wellesley. A keen writer, he wrote “Prince of Wales Island – an
Historical Memoir”, “Penang in the Past”, “Rice Cultivation”, “Sugar-Cane
Growing in Malaya”, and other works.
• Dr Lee Tiang Keng was appointed the “Member for Health” in the
Federation of Malaya government during the transition period leading to
Independence. Unfortunately he died before 1957.

93

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Wong Pow Nee

Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Wong Pow Nee (1911-2002) was the first Chief Minister
of Penang (1957-69). He was also a Member of the Five-Person Cobbold
Commission of Inquiry (1962) which was set up to ascertain the views
of North Borneo and Sarawak on the formation of Malaysia. Wong was
born in Bukit Mertajam (BM) where he attended primary school before
continuing his secondary school education in SXI. In the late 1920s, it was
not easy to travel from his home in BM to St Xavier’s on the Island everyday.
He had to catch the first train at 5.30 am into Prai, and then take a ferry to
Penang. After school he would return by the 4.45 pm train, reaching home
late after 6.00 pm. After six years of this routine he completed his Senior
School Certificate in 1932.

Between 1937 to 1941, Wong taught English at the St Mary’s Primary
School in Permatang Tinggi and in Kim Sen Primary School. He began
Teacher’s Training classes but war soon broke out whereupon his schools
were closed. So Wong turned to farming and petty trading, partly in
cooperation with the Catholic priest in the St Anne’s Church in Bukit
Mertajam, in order to raise funds not only for his family but to support the
orphans living in the church.

When the War ended, Wong returned to teaching in Kim Sen and
resumed his Teacher’s Training classes. However, this return to teaching
proved short-lived again. For Wong joined the Malayan Chinese Association
(MCA) when the Emergency was declared in 1948. Soon, he was drawn
into the resettlement of approximately 20,000 Chinese into five “New
Villages” throughout Province Wellesley in the early 1950s. For Wong, his
participation in the MCA and work in the New Villages was a continuation

of the welfare work he was
involved in during the Japanese
Occupation and in his charitable
work as a Christian. In 1955, as
Independence approached, he was
nominated to contest for a seat in
the Bukit Mertajam Town Council,
and later for the Penang State
Legislature, winning both, which
ultimately led to his appointment
as the first Chief Minister of
Penang. He was especially proud to
proclaim “Merdeka” on 31 August
1957 in the Penang Esplanade.
As a member of the Cobbold
Commission, he also played a
major role in the formation of
Malaysia, too.

94 The Xaverian Journey

One of his classmates while at St Xavier’s was Michael Copyright WPN Collection
Jacques, who became a Brother and later, the Brother
Director of St Xavier’s. The two forged a life-long friendship Wong Pow Nee’s School Leaving
which also saw Tan Sri Wong maintaining a very close Certificate
relationship with his Alma Mater throughout his life. After
he retired from politics he was appointed Ambassador to
Italy (1970-1975).

On 4 November 1970, the Superior General appointed
Wong as an Affiliate of the La Salle Christian Brothers, a
rare honour in appreciation of his service to the La Salle
Mission and to society at large.

isVenerable Institution

by Tan Sri Datuk Wong Pow Nee

On the occasion of Merdeka Day 1957, he commented to
Xaverians:

…Whatever I am today, I owe it to those happy days I spent in
school, when the foundation of my future life was laid. I ask each
and every student in this school to make the fullest use of his
school career in order that he might become a useful citizen of this
country…You who are in school today will be required to shoulder
the tasks of tomorrow…

On the occasion of his Official Visit to SXI, 15 October 1958, the
Chief Minister shared:

You are indeed fortunate to be pupils of this venerable Institution
with a long and distinguished history stretching back over one
hundred years. It is for you to uphold the traditions which have
been established in this School, always remembering that they
are in your hands to preserve and, it may be to improve, or allow
decay. It is to you that we look for our future leaders, and we look
for leaders who are educated in the best sense of the word, not
only weighed down with a vast amount of academic knowledge of
no value to themselves or to others, but also capable of bringing a
clear-sighted approach to life’s problems, of making just decisions
based on the available data, of approaching people sympathetically
and in a friendly fashion, of integrity, honesty and uprightness in
their personal lives.

Sources: The Xaverian 1957 and
Unsung Patriot (2014), pp. 292-93.

Roll of Honour 95

Datuk James F Augustine. • Datuk James F Augustine (1898-1985), taught briefly in SXI before
teaching and becoming Headmaster of Government English School
Mr Maurice Pestana. in Alor Setar and Ibrahim School in Sungai Petani. He was appointed
Assistant Superintendent of Education, Kedah and Perlis (1953 to
Senator Cheah Seng Khim. 1958). He was awarded Kedah Toko Guru Award in 1979 and the
Malaysian Toko Guru Award 1980. He was nominated to the Federal
Dr N K Menon. Legislative Council 1958 and founder Member, President and Patron
96 The Xaverian Journey of the Kedah Eurasians’ Association (1936-1985).

• Maurice Pestana (1919-2012) was a gutsy scrum half who captained
the Penang and Malayan rugby teams in the 1930s. He was known
as “Mr Rugger” in Malaya, and played an instrumental role in
popularising the game in schools in the post-War years. He was
elected President of the Malaysian Rugby Union prior to his
migration to Australia in 1967. He was also a member of the Board
of Governors, SXI.

• Chee Wor Lok (1883-1941). Born in China he attended school in
SXI at the age of 16. He was prominent in social and public life in
the 1920s and 1930s. He was appointed a Municipal Councillor and
also served as President of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Lam
Wah Ee Hospital, Kwangtung and Tengchew Association, and as
Vice President of the Penang Chinese Town Hall.

At Independence 1957 –
Xaverians in Public Office

• Tun Leong Yew Koh (1888-1963) was the first Governor of Malacca,
1957-59. Thereafter he served as the Minister of Justice until his
untimely death. He was a Queen’s Scholar (1910) who graduated with
an LLB from the University of London. He was born in Salak South,
Perak and first attended school in Ipoh. He became a boarder and
started studying in St Xavier’s until he won the Queen’s Scholarship
which took him to London. Upon graduation, he served in China as
the District Officer of Foo Hai in Yunnan. When War broke out, he
joined the army achieving the rank of Major-General. He entered
Burma with the China Expeditionary Forces. He returned to Malaya
after the War, joined the Malayan Chinese Association serving as
secretary-general.

• Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Wong Pow Nee (1911-2002) was the first Chief
Minister of Penang (1957-69).

• Senator Cheah Seng Khim was a Penang State Executive Councillor
1956-57. He was the first Chairman of the SXI Board of Governors, a
former Chairman of the OXA, and president of the Malayan Chinese
Association, Penang.

• Dr N K Menon was a Penang State Executive Councilor 1956-57. He
also sat in the SXI Board of Governors.

Other Members of Penang State Council in 1956-57: Mr Wee Tiong Ghee.

• Dr Sir Kamil Mohd Ariff. Mr Ooi Thiam Siew.
• Wee Tiong Ghee.
• O L Phipps. He also sat on the SXI Board of Governors. Mr Gunn Lay Teik.
• Wong Loh Hun.
Mr Hon Sui Sen.
Members of Federal Council in 1956-57 : Roll of Honour

• Mr Chee Swee Ee.
• Mr Y C Kang.

Member of Perak State Council in 1956-57:

• Mr Yap Yin Fah.

Member of George Town City Council in 1956-57:

• Mr Khoo Yat See.
• Ooi Thiam Siew, from the Labour Party was the only mayor of George

Town to be elected twice, 1960-1963 and 1966. He was also a Member of
the Board of Governors, St Xavier’s.

Other Distinguished Public Service

• T S Sambanthanmurthi, Senior Inspector, Federal Police. He was awarded
the George Medal for his courage in 1955, during the Emergency.

• Gunn Lay Teik was High Commisioner for Malaya to Australia, 1956-57.

In Singapore:

• Hon Sui Sen was Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government,
Lands and Housing, Republic Singapore in 1956/57. Later he was
appointed Minister of Finance, Republic of Singapore (1970-1983). He
topped the 1932 list of Senior Cambridge candidates for the whole of
Malaya and narrowly missed winning the coveted Queen’s Scholarship
in 1933. He is widely regarded as “the brains” behind Singapore’s rapid
economic development. Before his appointment as Minister of Finance, he
had served as Permanent Secretary to the Finance Ministry and Chairman
of both the Economic Development Board and the Development Bank of
Singapore.

• E Hoffman, Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Republic of Singapore,
1956-57.

• K M Byrne, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Commerce and Industry,
Republic of Singapore 1956-57.

• Stanley T Stewart, Deputy Chief Secretary, Republic of Singapore
1956-57.

97

Mr Heah Joo Seang

St Xavier’s – a Stately Tree

The St Xavier’s Institution may be compared to a stately tree which
stands majestically amongst the panorama of Penang which has
flowed in all its fragrance and grandeur.

One of its outstanding features is its adaptability and whilst its
roots are firmly established in Penang, it has preserved its noble
character and inspiring individuality and its influence has spread far
and wide.

The school, I am sure will continue to play an important role in
ennobling the minds of its students and in preparing them to be the
leaders of tomorrow.

The school is embarking on an expansion programme and
for this added responsibility and magnificent gesture and the
tremendous spirit of self-sacrifice, Penang has reason to feel
grateful indeed.

The St Xavier’s Institution is indeed an Institution of Penang and
a landmark of Malaysia.

Message by Heah Joo Seang
in The Xaverian 1959/1960

Mr Heah Joo Seang (1899 - 1962) was Penang’s well-known rubber magnate,
sports patron and philantrothropist in the 1950s and 1960s. As chairman
of the SXI Building Fund, he played a critical role in raising funds for the
rebuilding of the school. He also served as President of Old Xaverians’
Association, Hu Yew Seah and Li Tek Seah. He was also President of
both the Penang Rubber Trade Association and the Federation of Malaya
Rubber Trade Association. A sports enthusiast, he became President
of the Badminton Association of Malaya (1952-59). He was a Municipal
Councillor in the pre-War years, a member of the Federal Legislative
Council (1954-55), Treasurer of the Malayan Chinese Association, as well
as President of its Penang’s branch.

98 The Xaverian Journey

Post- Independence Mayor C Y Choy
(Choy Chee Yew).
Malaya’s Boy Hero for 1963

Master Foo Boon Yong, a pupil of St Xavier’s Private School in Std VI,
received from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the highest award for bravery,
the Gold Medal of Hang Tuah, on 5 October 1963 at the Merdeka Stadium,
Kuala Lumpur, before an estimated crowd of 36,000 children and adults.

The story of his bravery: On the evening of 21 November 1962, returning
to his home in the Runnymede Hotel, Northam Road, where his father is
the chief cook, he noticed a crowd of excited people on the beach. He was
told by them that two boys aged 7 and 8, sons of one of the cooks, were
drowning, Boon Yong, without hesitation, immediately plunged into the sea
fully dressed in his school uniform, and rescued the younger boy first. In the
meantime, the other lad had disappeared. Boon Yong dived in but failed to
get him. The onlookers shouted to him to give up the attempt, but no – he
made several dives and his brave efforts were rewarded. He managed to get
the second boy out who was brought ashore unconscious. Assisted by an
Australian doctor, this boy came to. Both boys were rushed to the hospital for
observation and treatment. Today the two boys are hale and hearty thanks to
the bravery of Master Foo Boon Yong.

Source: The Xaverian 1963

Politicians and People in Public Office

• C Y Choy (Choy Chee Yew) aka “Father of hawkers” was the 3rd Socialist
Front Mayor of George Town, 1964-66. He was later Penang State
Assemblyman for Pengkalan Kota for several terms first contesting as
a member of the Labour Party, later as an Independent. After leaving
SXI, he worked as a telegraph clerk with Cable and Wireless in Northam
Road. He was a founder member of the Fabian Society of Malaya and the
Penang Labour Party. In recognition of his contribution to the welfare
of the people in his constitutency, Bridge Street was renamed Jalan C Y
Choy, in his honour.

• N Patkunan finished his studies in St Xavier’s in 1948 and started teaching
in his Alma Mater in 1950. In 1958, he went into politics and was elected
as a City Councillor under the Labour Party. He was next elected as
deputy mayor (1960-63) until he resigned from politics to further his
studies in Law. He represented the Malayan workers at the International
Workers’ Conference in Geneva in 1962 and was appointed by the federal
Minister of Labour and Social Welfare to sit in the Wages Council for
Penang Stevedores, Cargohandlers and Lightermen.

• Karpal Singh 1958/60 was a human rights lawyer, long-term Member of
Parliament for Jelutong and later, Bukit Gelugor and the Chairman of the
Democratic Action Party.

• Ramkarpal Singh (MP Bukit Gelugor 2014- )

Mr N Patkunan. 99
Roll of Honour

YB Karpal Singh s/o
Ram Singh
A Xaverian always on the Side
of Justice and Truth

by Cecilia Ng and Anthony Rogers FSC

The Honourable Mr Karpal Singh s/o Ram Singh, affectionately known as
“The Tiger of Jelutong”, was born from a very humble background on 28
June 1940 in George Town, Penang. He then attended St Xavier’s Primary
and Secondary Schools in Penang, finishing his Form 6 in 1960.

Karpal went on to read law at the University of Singapore in 1961 and
was called to the Bar on 15 January 1969. His subsequent career in the
legal profession can only be described as “legendary”.

After being called to the Bar, he spent the following 45 years serving the
people, dedicating his life to defending the weak, working for justice and
ensuring that human and constitutional rights are never trampled upon.

His commitment to justice, freedom and, above all, the rule of law,
remained unabated, and his passion for the law and the wellbeing of his
fellow citizens has inspired, and will continue to be a shining torch to light
the way.

His voice was loud and clear in the courts, and he spoke with conviction
about what has always been close to his heart and the interest of all
Malaysians.

Apart from his successful legal career, he was also an outstanding
politician and member of the State and Federal Legislatures, representing
the Democratic Action Party (DAP) beginning in the 1970s.

His fight did not go down well with the authorities and he was detained
without trial in 1987 and 1988 under the now repealed Internal Security
Act. Typical of Karpal, even in Kamunting while enduring severe back
pains, he would have his law books in his hands to help other detainees
prepare their legal cases. Despite suffering a horrific accident in 2005 which
rendered him wheelchair-bound, Karpal’s fighting spirit never wavered and
he continued to remain “standing tall” in the law Courts and in Parliament.

Despite juggling his various commitments, both in his active legal practice
and looking into the needs of his constituents, Karpal Singh was a devoted
husband to Madam Gurmit Kaur and a loving father to his five children who
have become outstanding citizens in their own right. Till today the family of
Karpal continues to keep SXI as part of their memories of a true Xaverian
and the Lasallian Family close to their hearts.

When he was asked about his philosophy of life, he quipped “I think we
just have to soldier on, no matter what adversities come our way, because
these are to be expected along the journey. So we have to get up and get
on.” Indeed the Tiger’s roar will never be silenced!

100 The Xaverian Journey

It is with deep sorrow that the La Salle Brothers and the thousands
of members of the Lasallian Family in Malaysia received the tragic news
of Karpal’s accident and death on 17 April 2014. Karpal has been a very
important part of the history and memory in St Xavier’s Institution Penang
right from the days of his early education here where he continued to live
fearlessly our common Lasallian values and ethos. The day of his funeral
was a sad but proud day for Xaverians and for thousands of people in
his beloved Penang who gathered in the streets to bid him farewell. On
that occasion, Br Anthony Rogers, then Director of the La Salle Brothers
Malaysia, stated:

“The La Salle Brothers, believe that ‘Those who educate many
unto justice and goodness shall shine as stars for all eternity.’ Our
dear Karpal, a friend and faithful collaborator, although missed,
will continue to be our guiding light in our endeavours to make
education in integrity and formation in unity the core of our way
forward as Lasallians and Malaysians”.

Earlier in 1990, Br T Michael Jacques, who was Brother Director of
St Xavier’s when Karpal Singh was then a student said:

“A loyal and faithful Xaverian with its interest at heart and whose
well-being he always upheld. He was outstanding and quick and
unassuming, well behaved and out to prove his sojourn in SXI with
deep sense of justice and fairplay”.

In response, Karpal had this to say: “The Christian missionary Brothers
were fantastic and very dedicated educationists. I learnt a lot there, about the
importance of abiding to principles and values”. He recalled the names of
Brothers and teachers who laid the foundation for life and career. “These
lessons were inculcated by the Brothers and I owe them a lot for that,
actually”.

The Karpal Singh Hall located on the ground floor of the SXI Heritage Centre was completed in 2019. This new wing was 101
constructed along Love Lane.

Roll of Honour

Datuk Dr Goh Cheng Teik
An honest and hardworking
politician

By Francis Loh

It is with much sadness and a heavy the newly-minted multi-ethnic
heart that we in the St Xavier’s Parti Gerakan Malaysia.
Institution family – comprising
our Director Brother Anthony He was a five-term Nibong
Rogers, the Principal Dr Sim Hock Tebal MP (1974-90, 1995-1999)
Keat, the teachers, staff, students, and a one-term Sungai Bakap
old Xaverians and the Board of assemblyperson (1990-1995). He
Governors and Managers – learn was appointed Deputy Minister
of the passing of Datuk Dr Goh to various ministries, and held the
Cheng Teik. Local Government portfolio as a
State Executive Councillor.
He was one of our most
illustrious sons who was Head He challenged then Gerakan
Prefect of his Alma Mater. He was president Lim Keng Yaik for the
an excellent student and won a party presidency in 1987, and
scholarship to Harvard University lost. A decade later, he challenged
in the U.S. After Harvard, Cheng Koh Tsu Koon for the leadership
Teik went to Oxford where he of the Penang Gerakan, which he
obtained a Masters. He returned also lost. Thereafter, Cheng Teik
to Malaysia and became a lecturer retired from politics.
in the University of Malaya.
Subsequently, he completed his Unfortunately, soon after,
PhD at Leiden University, Holland. Parkinson’s disease set in and
So Cheng Teik studied in St Cheng Teik began battling with the
Xavier’s Institution and in three disease for some 15 years. It slowed
of the oldest and most prestigious him down considerably but did
universities in the world! not prevent him from continuing
to attend events he considered
Perhaps his most important important and meaningful.
publication is The May 13 Incident
and Democracy in Malaysia, a slim I sat next to him on the occasion
monograph published by Oxford of Lim Kit Siang’s 70th Birthday
University Press where he analysed Anniversary in February 2011 in
that tragic event and warned us the Equatorial Hotel, Penang. He
of the dangers of extremism, had to excuse himself halfway
and advocated for consensus and through the dinner because he
moderation had grown tired and was losing his
focus.
Shortly thereafter, he quit the
university and went into politics. He was also present at the
A strong believer in multiracialism, funeral of Br Charles Levin, a
and in working for reforms from former Bro Director of St Xavier’s
within, Cheng Teik shunned the and a former teacher of his. The
ethnic-based parties and joined funeral was in October 2012 and
was held in the school chapel.
Cheng Teik was spotting a dark

102 The Xaverian Journey

sweater to keep himself warm. from within. He also believed that to nurse any wounded racial
He must have made a very special moderation came from his Lasallian pride or to glorify the mythical
effort to be present. background and education. Listen greatness of any race.
to him on the occasion of this
The last time I saw Cheng “Double Celebration” in 1977: Each day at school, he has
Teik was at the funeral of Br a chance to practice this
Felix Donohue held in June 2017. Within the time span of one philosophy. He studies and plays
That funeral was in the St Francis week, we are commemorating with youngsters of every ethnic
Xavier’s Church in Jalan Gasing, two memorable events: the origin. By the time he leaves
Petaling Jaya, where Cheng Teik’s foundation of St Xavier’s one school, he has learnt what it
own funeral was held. hundred and twenty five ago is to live together in one big
and the birth of Malaysia twenty Malaysian family!
Incidentally, the first time that years ago. I speak for every
I met him was when I interviewed Xaverian and Lasallian present Since the war, over ¾ million
him in his Deputy Minister’s in this hall when I say that we students have passed through
office in 1981. My colleague Dr celebrate both anniversaries La Salle schools in both East
Johan Saravanamuttu and I were with equal spontaneity and and West Malaysia.…So far
conducting research on ‘Political enthusiasm. however, this enormous potential
Leadership in Malaysia’ and we force for moderation has not yet
were keen to interview Cheng Teik. I can speak so confidently been harnessed…At this critical
because I know from direct juncture of Malaysia’s evolution
All three of us were Penang personal experience that a as a nation, the Lasallian alumni
boys, had been Head Prefects in Lasallian education makes its cannot afford to be bystanders.
St Xavier’s, and yes, all three had recipient a good citizen not only The racial extremists and
studied Political Science too! Johan of Malaysia but also the world chauvinists have committed
and I were still teaching Politics in at large. themselves towards their
Universiti Sains Malaysia then. So sectarian goals.We as moderate
we had lots to talk about although, On the day he enrolls, he learns nationalists must also commit
as I recall, we did not talk too much that God made him. He also ourselves to our Malaysian
about the research topic at all! learns that God made others ideals.We must stand up and
too.All men are children of God, be counted in the battle for a
Goh Cheng Bee, a former banker whatever their skin colour, racial United Malaysia and a Fair and
and industrialist, also my classmate origin or speech may be. Just Society for all.
in St Xavier’s, intimates that “My (Source: The Xaverian 1977, p. 27)
brother is best remembered as an In other words, a Lasallian
honest and hardworking politician”. school is a nursery for Malaysian 21 March 2019
And indeed, Cheng Teik was one citizenship. No Lasallian is taught
such politician.
Datuk Dr Goh Cheng Teik was a valedictorian at Harvard.
He was also someone who Roll of Honour 103
detested the extremists and
religious bigots but believed in
working towards this moderation
from within the system. In a
way this was the original Parti
Gerakan goal which was to fight
for multiracialism from within BN;
a noble goal but one fraught with
frustrations, no doubt. And recent
history has shown that regime
change had to be ushered in from
outside the BN.

In the aftermath of May 13,
Cheng Teik believed in working

Major General Dato’ Ansar Ali (rtd). • Datuk Dr Goh Cheng Teik was Deputy Minister of Land and
Cooperative Development and MP Nibong Tebal. He was an
Tan Sri Sir Peter Lim Leong Seng. outstanding student, academic and former President of OXA.

Tan Sri Datuk Michael Chang Min Tat. • Tan Sri Khoo Kay Por was a former Penang State Executive
104 The Xaverian Journey Councillor, a former Senator and Leader of the Parti Gerakan Rakyat
Malaysia. He was also president of the Khoo Kongsi, Penang.

• Datuk Wong Kam Hoong was the MP for Bayan Baru. A leader in
the Penang Malaysian Chinese Association, he was former Deputy
Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage MCA under prime minister
Abdullah Badawi.

• Datuk Sam Ah Chow, a chartered accountant, was leader of the
Penang MCA in the 1960s. He also sat on the SXI Board of Governors.

• Tan Sri Karnail Singh Nijhar, a head prefect, won a Colombo Plan
Scholarship to study Economics in Canada. He was Vice President of
the Malaysian Indian Congress, was appointed Senator (1985-1988)
and elected Member of Parliament for Subang (1999-2008).

• Wee Choo Keong trained as a lawyer and was involved in politics. He
was elected MP for Bukit Bintang (1990-95) and again for Wangsa
Maju (2008-13).

• Matthias Chang, with his brothers were boarders in St Xavier’s. He
trained as a lawyer and was recruited to be political secretary to
then Prime Minister Dr Mahathir. He is well known as an ardent
supporter of Dr Mahathir.

• Major General Dato’ Ansar Ali (rtd) was a fighter pilot who rose
the ranks of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. He was Commander
of various air operations and was also a qualified flying instructor,
fighter weapons instructor and photo recce instructior. He studied in
the Malaysian and Indian Defence Colleges and the Indonesian Air
Force Defence College. He has an MBA (Charles Sturt University)
and an MPhil in Defence and Strategic Studies (Madras University).

• Senator Dr Ariffin Omar studied History in the University of Singapore
and obtained his PhD from the Australian National University. He
taught in Universiti Sains Malaysia and later in Universiti Utara
Malaysia. He was appointed Senator by the Pakatan government in
Penang. He also served on the Board of Governors, SXI.

• Tan Sri Sir Peter Lim Leong Seng (1906-2017) was the first Malaysian
Director-General of Inland Revenue (1967-71). After his retirement
he was an honorary Financial Administrator for the Catholic
Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur for 26 years. The Vatican awarded
him the Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great
which carries the honorific “Sir”. After leaving SXI in 1933, he first
taught in St Michael’s School, Alor Star in 1934 and 1935, before
returning to Penang to enrol for commercial studies.

• Tan Sri Datuk Michael Chang Min Tat (1916-2007) was a Malaysian
Federal Court Judge. He studied in St Michael, Ipoh, then in Raffles
College before becoming a teacher in the St Xavier’s Branch School.
He next went to Oxford where he qualified as a barrister. After more
than 10 years of practice he became a High Court judge in 1966 and
later Federal Court Judge.

• Brig Gen Dato Richard Robless (rtd) left SXI after Form 3 to study in Brig Gen Dato Richard Robless.
the Royal Military College. He joined the Royal Malaysian Air Force Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop.
and ended his career as a Brig General in the RMAF. He is a Council Tan Sri Kamaruzzaman Shariff.
member of Hospis Malaysia and the Yayasan Lasalle Board of
Trustees, and Chairman of the Yayasan Tan Sri Dominic Vendargon Roll of Honour 105
and Stella Maris Schools Board.

• K Balasundaram studied for his LLB in Singapore. He practised in
Penang and went into politics. As a member of Parti Gerakan he
was appointed to the George Town Municipal Council. As a DAP
member, he won the Datuk Keramat State Assembly seat in Penang
(1990-95).

• Zairil Khir Johari is a member of the Central Executive Council of
the Democratic Action Party. He is Penang State Assemblyman for
Tg Bungah 2018 and a member of Penang State Executive Council;
previously MP for Bukit Bendera (2013-2018).

• Chris Lee Chun Kit was elected the Penang State Assemblymen for
Pulau Tikus in 2018. He was previously a George Town Municipal
Councillor.

• Professor Tan Sri Dato’ Syed Jalaludin Syed Salim was the former
Vice Chancellor Universiti Putra Malaysia and former Chairman
Bank Rakyat.

• Tan Sri Nor Mohamed Yakcop was former Minister in the Prime
Minister’s Department. He was also the Second Minister of Finance
(2009-2013)

• Tan Sri Kamaruzzaman Shariff was Penang State Secretary, later
Datuk Bandar Kuala Lumpur. He has been active in the Xaverian
Club Kuala Lumpur and was guest of honour SXI Prize Giving Day
1988, and again in 2002.

• Tan Sri Ani Arope, Chairman Tenaga Nasional Berhad (1990-96),
Director Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia (1974-85), Chairman
of Bank Simpanan Nasional, Group Chief Executive Kumpulan
Guhrie Berhad, and Pro-Chancellor USM.

• Dato’ Mohamed Sopiee Syeikh Ibrahim (1924-2003) studied in St
Xavier’s prior to the War. After his Senior Camdridge, he taught in
SXI from 1946-49. He received a scholarship to study in the London
School of Economics. Upon his return to the country he helped to
establish the community development department in Malaya. He
was a High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Philippines and India, the
deputy permanent representative of Malaysia in the United Nations,
and later head of Bernama, the national news agency. He was also
the MP for Kepala Batas (1974-79) and made then prime minister
Tun Razak extremely cross when he voted against amendments to
the Universities and Universities Colleges Act 1974. Earlier, he had
been a founder of the Pan Malaya Labour Party).

• Tun Abdul Hamid Mohamad joined SXI for his 6th Form (1964-
65) after studying in St Mark’s Primary and Secondary schools in
Butterworth. He studied Law in Singapore and joined the Judicial
and Legal Service in 1969, rising the ranks until his appointment as
the 5th Chief Justice of Malaysia (2007-2008).

Academician Emeritus Professor
Tan Sri Dato Dr Syed Jalaludin

by Cecilia Ng

2019 will mark 50 years of Director, and later Chairman of the Prof Syed was appointed Chairman
Professor Syed Jalaludin Syed Board of University Malaysia Perlis. of Bank Rakyat and was founding
Salim’s journey in the academic Today Prof Syed is the Chancellor Chairman of the Halal Industry
world. He is perhaps one of the of Taylor’s University, Chairman of Development Cooperation, a
most accomplished and decorated the Board of Governors University body that pioneered the growth
scientist and university professor College Fairview, member of of the Halal Industry in Malaysia.
in Malaysia. After completing his the Executive Committee of the
undergraduate study in Veterinary International Center of Education Yet despite all these accolades,
Science from the University of the in Islamic Finance (INCEIF) and Prof Syed remains a most
Punjab in 1967, Prof Syed (as he is Chairman of the Board, Asia e delightfully charming and humble
known to the academic staff under University. person. As Br Anthony Rogers
his charge) continued his studies comments, Prof. Syed is “a most
at the University of London, The distinguished academic gentle and caring man”. On
where he received a Master of career of Prof Syed has been June 17th, 2019, I sat down with
Philosophy degree in 1969. He recognised many times over. He Prof. Syed to discuss his work, a
became a lecturer at the Faculty was the founding member of the conversation that inevitably drew
of Agriculture in the University Academy of Sciences Malaysia. us back to his early schooldays in
of Malaya. After a year of service, His Academy membership St. Xavier’s:
Prof Syed was elected Deputy was elevated to Senior Fellow,
Dean. Upon resuming his studies honouring him with the title of “I attended St Xavier’s
at the University of London as Academician. Prof Syed is also a Institution from 1958 to 1961
an external student, he acquired recipient of the National Science together with my uncle Dato Dr.
his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Laureate, as well as the National Syed Mohd Noori Syed Hussein,
degree in 1977. Thereafter, he Academic Laureate. Furthermore, who is a year my senior. We
joined the newly formed Universiti he received, among others, the both hailed from Arau, Perlis,
Pertanian Malaysia, an institution following accolades: Hon Doctor where we had completed our
formed through the merging of of Science, University of Hull; primary education at Stella Maris
the University of Malaya’s Faculty Hon Doctorate, Soka University School, Kangar. Stella Maris School
of Agriculture and the College and Hon Doctor of Science, consisted of four classrooms with
of Agriculture in Serdang. The Open University Malaysia. Prof a zinc roof and no windows. Due
institution has since been renamed Syed was also bestowed with to the shortage of space, teaching
University Putra Malaya (UPM), a Emeritus Professorships from during my last year there was
change that took place during Prof University Malaysia Terengganu conducted in the school chapel.
Syed’s tenure as Vice Chancellor. and University Putra Malaysia. His Half of the class were Malay
Prof Syed retired as Vice Chancellor distinction in the academic sphere students and none of us or our
in 2001 and is currently its Pro culminated in him being decorated parents ever objected or raised any
Chancellor. with the D.S.S.A., D.P.M.P, J.S.M. issues concerning the chapel being
and P.S.M (signified by the Tan Sri used as classroom. In retrospect,
Prof Syed’s contribution to title).
higher education in Malaysia
extends beyond his focus on UPM. Prof Syed is a rare academic,
He also served as the founding in that he excels in the corporate
world as well. Upon retirement,

106 The Xaverian Journey

the older generations were more Br Michael was my school and I attained at only 27 years of age,
pragmatic and tolerant. hostel supervisor. He was our a feat I attribute to the role St
“father” in the hostel and ruled us Xavier’s played in cultivating my
St Xavier’s was our home and literally with iron hands. He would leadership skills, and instilling values
Brother Michael Blais was our punish anyone who dared to such as generosity and a willingness
guardian and “father”. break the rules. Although strict, Br for hard work”.
Michael was also fair and unbiased.
The hostel where we stayed, Let me recount an example. We Indeed, SXI’s DNA appears
adjoining the school, at 7 Leith were having tea in the dining room inextricably embedded in Prof.
Street, became our home. on the first Monday of the first Syed, evident in his commitment
We felt welcome although the term and suddenly Br Michael to the school despite an intense
environment was more of a called out to my uncle and me. schedule at UPM. He was a
Chinese and Catholic home. There We rushed to his one man high founding member and the third
was never a single moment we felt table and said “Yes, Brother”. He President of the Xaverian Club
out of place. 7 Leith Street was looked at us and said, “Which Kuala Lumpur, crucial in its growth
a great institution as it taught us one of you should be the Head from its fledgling development
discipline and the value of growing Prefect of the hostel?” By tradition to what it is today. His “Lasallian
up in a large family. The values the Head Prefect was also the values” are also reflected in his
we gained from both the school school prefect. My uncle wasn’t a recent address as Pro Chancellor
and the hostel shaped us into school prefect but I was. Without at the 5th session of the 42nd
world citizens who appreciated all hesitation, I said to Br Michael, “My UPM Convocation Ceremony.
colours and creeds. uncle, of course”. Immediately Br Below is an excerpt:
Michael declared, “Noori you are
There were three important the Head Prefect”. I was so happy “As an internationally renowned
persons who had a tremendous for my uncle. university, UPM cannot afford
influence on my life at St Xavier’s, to be left behind from taking
namely Mr Khoo Eng Cheang, Mr Learning ABC and scoring grades part in the rapid development
Robby Robless and Br Michael Blais. is not as important as the values we of technology, particularly the
Mr Khoo was my Form Four Class acquire to become world citizens. It digital technology. No matter
Master and was responsible for my isn’t so much about the grades we how good a technology is, it
appointment as a school prefect. score but about the preparation will not be able to replace the
As a school prefect, I was given we make to survive in this very role of a person or a lecturer,
duties and responsibilities which complex global society. Charity particularly in instilling good
helped to shape my character and empathy are two values worth values and shaping students’
and personality. Mr Robless was instilling in our youths in order to personality. Universities must
my Form Five Class Master and diminish the suffering we see in our be able to bring about changes
was also in charge of the Corp of world. Combine such emotional to the society and solve the
Drums of which I was a member. intelligence and connection with problems faced by the people
He was very particular about the desire to strive, and individuals and the nation. Universities must
punctuality but the bass drummer have an extraordinary capability also play a role in safeguarding
was usually late for the practices. to overcome personal and shared the welfare of the people”.
Mr Robless was upset with him and struggles in life. School education is
asked me to take over his place as fundamental in providing the basic Well said Prof Syed. May you
I was never late. I had to give up foundation for our survival in this continue to inspire many more
the wind instruments so that the challenging environment. St Xavier’s generations to come!
practices could start on time. Mr has equipped me with a holistic
Robless also gave me additional education vital to the success of my
duties as Sergeant Quartermaster, endeavours, including the Deanship
the highest rank any student could
earn.

Roll of Honour 107

Tan Sri Ani Arope
Memories of being Lasallian
in Malaysia

by Br Anthony Rogers and Francis Loh

Not many people in St. Xavier’s today would associate the name Tan Sri
Ani Arope with SXI, perhaps because his studies in St Xavier’s started in
1940, and was then interrupted by the Second World War. In fact, Tan Sri
Ani proudly proclaims that he studied in St Xavier’s, a Mission School, for
11 years.

Born in 1932 in Sg Bakap in Province Wellesley, his family moved to
Pulau Tikus in Penang. His family was of humble origins and he mixed widely
with his neighbours of all ethnic and religious backgrounds. He spoke not
only his native Malay and English, but Hokkien and Tamil as well. Later he
would master French too!

Much has been written about him and he has been interviewed time and
again. This is not surprising for he was an illustrious and much respected
Malaysian. Tan Sri Ani was Chairman of Tenaga Nasional Berhad (1990-
96), Group Chief Executive Kumpulan Guthrie Berhad (1982-90), Director
of the Rubber Research Institute of Malaysia (1974-82), Chairman of Bank
Simpanan Nasional and had served in the Malaysian Agricultural Research
and Development Institute (MARDI) too.

After St Xavier’s, he enrolled in the Agricultural College in Serdang
and then in Lincoln University in New Zealand. He next won a Fulbright
Scholarship, the first Malaysian to receive one, to complete a Master of
Agricultural Economics at the University of Vermont (1966). In 1974, he
obtained a Doctor of Science from the University of Ghent, Belgium. A
respected researcher and scientist, he has received numerous honorary
degrees from foreign and local universities, including from Universiti
Sains Malaysia where he also served as Pro-Chancellor for more than a
decade. Later, he helped in the development of Universiti Tenaga Nasional
(UNITEN), which aspired to become a leading technical and engineering
university.

In spite of all these commitments, Tan Sri Ani always found time for his
Alma Mater and the Lasallian family. He served as one of the first members
of the Yayasan La Salle Malaysia, an educational foundation which offers
scholarships to our students and support for our Lasallian Schools. It is also
well known that he personally rendered financial support to youths of all
backgrounds to continue their education.

Many have noted his sense of humour and humility and how he easily
engaged in conversations with the gardener or the housekeeper, as he also
did with the university president or a prominent politician. His Memoirs also
makes reference to his early days in Penang when he developed respect for
people of other faiths. Significantly, in the early days of UNITEN, Tan Sri
Ani insisted that the Indian student room with the Chinese, and the Chinese

108 The Xaverian Journey

live with the Malay, and so on. He benefited from mixing with others and
believed others would also gain from interacting with one another.

It is also important to highlight his integrity. One of the dictums that
guided his life was: “If it is legal and not fair, I will not do it. If it is fair and
illegal, I still won’t do it. It has to be legal and fair.” A person of integrity like
Tan Sri Ani stood out in the crowd. But it also led him to come into conflict
with others!

In the early days of his tenure as executive chairman of Tenaga Nasional
Berhad, Tan Sri Ani made some structural and administrative changes
that were resisted by a considerable number of technicians and other
employees. He stood firm and ultimately convinced his colleagues of the
need to adopt new ways. As is now well known, he resigned as Tenaga
chief in 1996 rather suddenly, after he clashed with then prime minister Dr
Mahathir over the Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) which Tenaga was
required to sign with the so-called Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
For him, the PPAs were lop-sided and benefitted the IPPs rather than
Tenaga, which he considered answerable to the rakyat. So he left.

It is obvious that Tan Sri Ani was an affable and multi-talented man who
used his success in education as a gateway to service for others. Although
he began with the science of agriculture, he developed great interest in the
other disciplines – history, the arts, humanities, current events, religions,
and the social sciences. The story of his life reminds us of the virtues of
humility, simplicity and generosity; of the importance to be open-minded
and to mix and learn from people who are different from us; and of
upholding integrity.

He was a widely admired figure in Malaysian public
life and in the educational arena. It might be said that
he had the deep Lasallian spirit of faith founded on his
own Islamic religious beliefs, and strengthened with
the openness to others in service. Conceivably, he had
imbibed these Lasallian traits as a result of his interactions
with the Brothers, the teachers and his fellow students
during his 11 years in St Xavier’s. Although he passed away
in December 2014 all Xaverians, Lasallians and Malaysians
want to keep his memories alive, and pass it on to the
future generations. No doubt, he was a true Lasallian!

A Xaverian performing the Haj in Mecca.

Roll of Honour 109

Tun Daim Zainuddin. • Tun Daim Zainuddin completed his Senior Cambridge in SXI in 1955. A
Dato’ Judy Cheng. successful businessman and banker, he was appointed Minister of Finance
by Dr Mahathir who then headed the Barisan Nasional government. In
Mr Jimmy Boyle. 2018, after Dr Mahathir returned as prime minister for the second time,
110 The Xaverian Journey this time under a Pakatan Harapan coalition, he appointed Tun Daim to
head the Council of Eminent Persons which advises the new government
on economic and financial matters.

• Sonni Pillai was past Secretary of the George Town City Council
(1956-70).

• Dato’ Judy Cheng completed her Form Six in St Xavier’s in 1971. She
attended college in the US including in Columbia University where
she obtained a Masters. She joined the United Nations and ultimately
was appointed an Assistant Secretary-General, She is now an Adjunct
Professor of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University.

Musicians and Artists

• Jimmy Boyle (1922-71) studied and also taught in St Xavier’s. His studies
in Raffles College was interrupted by the War. He was a popular teacher as
well as sports master, but his first love was music and he was a composer
and jazz pianist par excellence. He composed Penang’s state anthem
Untuk Negeri Kita and many other songs, including Putera Puteri,
Rayuan Mesra, Jauh-Jauh, Kemegahan Negaraku, Sungai Pahang. His
compositions have been arranged and re-arranged by conductors all over
Malaysia, sung and recorded by hundreds of school choirs, and recorded
and performed over Radio Television Malaysia. These pieces of his were
also played over radio broadcasts overseas, the first time any Malaysian
composer had been so honoured. For those who were in St Xavier’s when
Jimmy Boyle taught there, they might recall that during his free period,
or after teaching for the day was over, Master Jimmy Boyle would go
into the school hall to play softly on the school piano. The music would
drift out of the hall to fill the corridors. Some students might pause by to
listen, and he would acknowledge and nod to them sometimes. It was in
this manner that he composed many of his pieces, including the famous
“Putera Puteri”. How privileged this bunch of Xaverians were!

• Dr Khoo Lock Sain belonged to the first batch of students who had the
privilege of moving into the new building in 1954. Upon obtaining his
School Certificate, he trained as a teacher and was posted back to St
Xavier’s. Lock Sain’s art incorporated traditional batik printing into his
creative work, a method that was still then in a stage of development.
Subsequently, Lock Sain pursued further studies in Art. Having achieved
a PhD, he opened his own Arts Academy in Penang which he was still
heading at the time of his sudden death in July 2000. Lock Sain was also
involved in the Corps of Pipes and Drums. He specialised in and taught
others to play the bagpipes. He was the SXI Drum Major and enjoyed
hurling the mace into the air, catching it deftly, then saluting smartly the
audience, who would break into thunderous applause! No doubt, he gave
sparkle and style to the Corps.

• John Lee Joo For (1929-2017) was one of Malaysia’s foremost artists. Mr John Lee Joo For.
He studied in St Xavier’s in the pre-War years and was recruited to
be Junior Art Teacher in St Xavier’s, under the guidance of Br Joseph
McNally, in 1948. His perceptive sketches of the new school in 1955 are
reproduced in this book. He also painted a mural “Labour” which used
to adorn the wall outside the school chapel. Soon, he won scholarships
to study Art in Brighton and Camberwell, UK. In 1957 he enrolled for
post-graduate studies at the prestigious Royal College of Art. Upon
his return he taught at the Specialist Teachers’ Training Institute,
Cheras and in the Malayan Teachers College, Johor Bahru. Apart from
being a prolific and controversial artist, he was also named Malaysia’s
Playwright of the year for three years running – 1969/1970/1971. And
he acted, too, on stage and in films. Joo For left Malaysia to teach Art
in Melbourne in 1973 where he also continued to paint, to exhibit, and
to act and direct performances.

• Saw Teong Hin who left SXI in 1981 is the film director of Puteri
Gunung Ledang (2004), which won Best Director and Best Screenplay in
the 18th Malaysia Film Festivel (2005) and Hai Ki Xin Lor: You mean the
world to me (2017), the first ever full-length Hokkien movie filmed in
Malaysia, which won best Screenplay in the 29th Malaysia Film Festivel
(2017). With two others, he co-directed Rise: Ini Kalilah (2018).

Other Musicians

• Joe Emaung, renowned piano teacher, who established the Penang Mr Saw Teong Hin.
Music Academy and guided numerous young Penangites the finer Mr Leonard Selva Gurunathan.
points of piano playing in Penang in the 1960s and 1970s. As an SXI Mr Alfred Ho.
student, he also performed in Br Michael’s SXI Orchestra.

• Leonard Selva Gurunathan is the resident organist of the Assumption
Church, Penang, whose pipe organ he helped to restore. He runs the
young organist programme at St George’s Church. Trained as a school
teacher he holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music from
Universiti Sains Malaysia. He is now conducting research for his PhD
on the development of the pipe organs in Malaysia in USM.

• Christina Gurunathan graduated in Mass Communications from
Universiti Sains Malaysia. She was also trained in playing the organ
and is the church organist and leader of the parish choir in the Church
of the Immaculate Conception, Pulau Tikus.

• Datuk Leonard Tan, is a popular and well-known singer based in Kuala
Lumpur. He was named by the hospitality and entertainment industry
“Entertainer Extraordinaire of the year 2017”.

• Alfred Ho left SXI in 1968. He never allowed his visual disability to
handicap him. He played the guitar with aplomb and sang with a lovely
deep voice in different languages. He became well known after he made
the semi-final of Bakat TV, a popular programme in the 1970s. Now
a full-time entertainer in Kuala Lumpur, he is one of the city’s few
licensed buskers.

• Ignatius James and his brother Adrian, both left SXI in 1968. They led
the popular band “Sweet September” based in Penang in the 1970s and

Roll of Honour 111

Mr Joe Rozells playing the Hawaiian early 1980s. After Adrian’s death, Ignatius, a keyboardist, performed
guitar. solo. He also coordinates the Music ministry in the Church of
Immaculate Conception, Pulau Tikus.
Mr Larry Rodrigues. • Jerry (Jek) Loh studied the piano and organ and was the keyboardist
for the band “Brownwood” in Penang in the 1970s. Subsequently,
Dr Lim Cheok Peng. he left for Australia. Based in Sydney, he plays the keyboard for the
112 The Xaverian Journey Rock n Soul Choir, which he also directs with his wife and Sydney
Conservatory trained daughter. Jek also composes songs, prepares
advertising jingles, and writes music for television programmes.
• Paul Augustine is the Founder and Director of the Penang House
of Music. For ten years he also organised and presented the Penang
International Jazz Festival held in Batu Feringghi.
• Joe Rozells, aka the “King of Hawaiian Guitar”, was leader of the
band The Hawaiian Palm Beach Boys. Colleen Read, and later
Kathleen Rodrigues, often shared the stage with them. Penangites
will remember that his band was the first Penang Group to appear
on TV in 1965.
• Larry Rodrigues, one of Penang’s pre-eminent guitarists in the 1950s
and 1960s, played with Jimmy Boyle. He was a mentor to many of
Penang’s guitarists in the 1970s.
• Dr Adil Johan studied Music in Sydney and then obtained a PhD
from the University of London. He is a saxophonist who performs
with AJQ, Nadir, Azmyl Yunor & Orkes Padu in Kuala Lumpur. He is
an ethnomusicologist attached to Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
• Khoo Hooi Lay was choral conductor of the Penang State Symphony
Orchestra and Chorus (PESSOC). She first won a scholarship to
study Voice and Pianoforte in South Australia where she won a
second scholarship to continue further music studies in Detmold
Musikhochschule, Germany.

Outstanding Professionals

• Manicam Saravanamuthu, 1960/62 was head prefect, top student
and athlete of his year. He won a Shell Scholarship to study in
Oxford University where he graduated with an Engineering degree.
He worked for Shell for 33 years in Malaysia, Singapore and Britain,
and ended his career as a Director of Shell Singapore.

• Dr Lim Cheok Peng graduated MBBS (Singapore) and trained as a
cardiologist in the UK and San Francisco. He was the founder and
CEO of Parkway Holdings and the Gleneagles Hospitals Group.
He is widely credited for Gleneagles’ phenomenal transformation
from a small single hospital to the health empire it now is. He was
Managing Director of IHH Healthcare Berhad after Khazanah
acquired Parkway Holdings. He has been Professorial Lecturer of
Health Services Management & Leadership, The George Washington
University School of Public Health and Health Services from August
2011 to June 2012. Dr Lim was presented with the Singapore Medical
Association Merit Award in 2013 for his significant contributions
to the medical profession and social service to the community. He
also sits in the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) International Directory

Group looking into the medical and financial needs of the JRS and Ho Chee Kit.
its work with refugees globally.
• Jimmy Lim Cheok Seang completed his schooling and architectural Dato’ Tan Leh Sah.
studies in Australia. He has won numerous awards for his designs and
buildings which incorporate the use of Malaysian timber. He has been Dato’ Ho Mooi Ching.
appointed Professor of Architecture in a local private university.
• Ho Chee Kit has been in legal practice since 1979. She is a past Dato Dr Patrick Tan Seow Koon.
President of the Xaverian Alumni Club Kuala Lumpur, as well as of Roll of Honour 113
the Malaysian Federation of Lasallian Alumni Associations. She is
also a Council Member of the Yayasan De La Salle Foundation and of
Hospis Malaysia.
• Dato’ Tan Leh Sah was called to the English and Malaysian Bar. She
practised as a lawyer for over 20 years before joining her family's
companies, The Phoenix Press and Georgetown Printers which
she now heads. She also serves as the Chairperson of the Board
of Governors of the Convent Light Street Secondary and Primary
School and as Vice-President of the Penang Girl Guides Association.
• Dato’ Ho Mooi Ching studied law and joined the judicial service.
Her last post was as Judicial Commissioner, High Court Alor Setar.
Nowadays she researches and writes on legal affairs.
• Lim Phaik Kim aka Lillian Too, is the “world’s most popular writer
on fengshui”.
• Dato’ John Loh Soong Chew is a property surveyor. He is an alumnus
of the National University Singapore, Wolfson College Cambridge
University and the University of Hull. He is a Fellow RISM, CIDB and
has been active in the Lions Clubs International. He has served as
OXA president (1975-82) and was founder-president of the Malaysian
Federation of Lasallian Alumni Associations (MFOLSA).
• Nicholas Jerome Boudville attended school in the attap sheds. He left
SXI in 1952, studied in the Technical College in KL and served in the
George Town Municipal Council. He qualified as a valuer and was an
Associate of the Chartered Auctioneers and Estate Agents Institute,
UK. He retired as the Director of Valuation. He was president of the
Penang Eurasians’ Association during the 1970s.
• Dato’ Prof Dr Patrick Tan Seow Koon graduated MBBS from the
Royal London Hospital, University of London. He was Professor
of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, University of Malaya Medical
Centre (1990-2014). Apart from his consultancy work, he serves as
Hon Director Mount Miriam Cancer Hospital, Penang and as Hon
Canonical Steward, Catholic Health Care Asia.
• Datuk N Sivananthan Visvanathan, a former headboy of the school
in 1985, is a leading criminal lawyer practising in Kuala Lumpur. He
was guest of honour at the 2016 SXI Speech Day.
• Dr Chiu Sheng Yang attended Harvard University for his Bachelors’
and then MIT for his PhD in Computer Science. He worked in several
start-ups in California’s Silicon Valley and then in China for 7 years.
He is now CEO of the Institute for the Advancement of Counselling
Excellence, helping to train mental health counsellors in China in
partnership with Biola University.

Datuk Dr Basheer Ahamed • Datuk Dr Basheer Ahamed Abdul Karim heads the cardiothoracic
Abdul Karim. unit in the Penang General Hospital. He became the first non-Briton
to win the prestigious McCormack medal from the Royal College of
Dr Francis Tan. Surgeons in October 2018.

Eustace Nonis. • Chiu Sheng Bin graduated from Harvard University. He is an
agricultural consultant in oil palm and a Board Member of the
Jeffrey Chew Gim Eam. Agricultural Crop Trust that promotes research in Malaysian
114 The Xaverian Journey agriculture. Sheng Bin is also a qigong and meditation master.

• Dr Francis Tan, MA MB Bchir, (Cambridge), FRCP (London). After
working in the UK and serving in the Ministry of Health (1984-
88), he joined Lam Wah Ee, Penang, as a Consultant Physician and
Specialist in Gastroenterology.

• Dato’ Danny Goon Siew Cheang, an accountant, is the former
Managing Director of Kennedy Burkill & Co, and director of several
listed companies. He is chairman of the Board of St Christopher’s
International School and a Board member of the Penang
Philharmonic Orchestra and Penang Global Tourism Sdn Bhd.

• Dato’ Fong Weng Phak served as deputy Governor of Bank Negara,
1995-98.

• Dato’ Dr Ooi Kee Beng (PhD, Stockholm) is Executive Director,
Penang Institute since 2017. He was previously deputy Director
Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore.

• Eustace Nonis was Director, Agriculture & Social Sectors, Asia
Development Bank, Manila. He was also Penang Eurasians’
Association President (2009-2015). He has been involved in church
organisations including the St Vincent de Paul Society (Penang
Council chairman); Penang Office for Human Development
(chairman) and the St Joseph’s Home (chairman). He is the author of
The Eurasians: a Founding Community of Penang.

• Hamdan Abdul Majeed is Executive Director of Think City and a
Director at the Khazanah Nasional Berhad.

• Dato’ Dr Peter Chee Khay Huat, President and CEO Institute of
Training and Development, Penang and former President ARTDO
International dedicated to human resources development and
training.

• Datuk Hamzah Bakar studied Economics in Ireland. He worked in
Petronas where he retired as Senior Vice President of this major
government linked company.

• Dato’ Seri Ben Yeoh Choon San, an automotive engineer is CEO
and Executive Chairman of Bermaz Auto Bhd. Having successfully
held senior managing positions in automotive companies including
Proton, Hyundai and now Mazda, he has been regarded as one of the
most important driving forces in the automotive industry since the
mid-1970s. He was awarded “Automotive Man of the Year 2013”.

• Jeffrey Chew Gim Eam studied for his Bachelors degree and MBA
in the US. He served as Special Officer to the Penang Chief Minister
Lim Guan Eng (2008-2015). He was Deputy General Manager of the
Penang Development Corp and was appointed Chairman, Penang
Port Commission in 2019.

• Saw Soon Kooi studied in Singapore University after his studies in Mr Saw Soon Kooi.
SXI. He is a Fellow, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (FRICS),
the Royal Institute of Surveyors Malaysia (FRISM), and the Chartered Datuk Wong Chun Wai.
Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb). He is the founder of KUANTIBINA Dr Tan Boon Kean.
Sdn Bhd, a firm of Quantity Surveyors. He has served as Committee
Member of the Silver Jubilee Home for the Aged (2008-2019) and Roll of Honour 115
was Chairman (2016-2017), responsible for the overall operation of
the Home which caters for 170 inmates comprising destitute senior
citizens free of charge. He is also Deputy Chairman of the United
Hokkien Cemeteries which manages five cemeteries in Penang.

• Lim Hock Thiam left SXI in 1977 after Form 5 to study overseas.
He is a Fellow of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England
and Wales, a Fellow of The Malaysian Institute of Accountants, and
a Certified Public Accountant, Australia. He is currently the South
East Asian CFO of a Fortune 500 Hundred Company. He headed
the Xaverian Club Kuala Lumpur in 2009-2013. He is the Honorary
Treasurer of MFOLSA.

• Dr Teoh Guan Hoe MBBS (UM), FRCSEdin, FRCOphth. (UK),
AMM taught in the Eye Department in the University of Malaya
(1978-1982) before going into practice full-time as a consultant
eye surgeon (1982-2015). He is an active member of the Xaverian
Baden Powell Guild and its former chairman (1997-2007). The
Guild brings together former scouts and renders support to current
scouts in St Xavier’s.

People in Journalism and Publishing

• Datuk Khor Cheang Kee was the long-serving Chairman of the
Board of Governors, SXI. He was made an Associate of the Christian
Brothers. He was Penang editor and branch manager of Straits
Times; later managing editor of Straits Echo; and Editorial Advisor to
The Star.

• Also serving in The Star initially were: K S Choong (founding editor)
Datuk Ng Poh Tip (former group chief editor), Datuk Wong Chun
Wai, (who became CEO Star Media Group), Datuk Wong Su Long
(former group chief editor), Michael Aeria (former group chief
editor), H’ng Hung Yong (former editor-in-chief; also Hon Senator),
and Joceline Tan (columnist).

• Dr Tan Boon Kean graduated from Columbia University (BA and
MA), Harvard (MTS) and University of Malaya (PhD). He was
Regional Managing Director for The Edge newspaper in Malaysia and
Singapore for nearly two decades before retiring in 2012. Since then
he has invested in digital publishing, hipster coffee and book cafés
and restoration of heritage houses.

• K Sugumaran was editor of National Echo.
• Tan Ban Cheng has been a journalist with the Straits Echo, Straits Times

and The Star where he ended as Associate Editor. After graduating
with degrees in Politics and Law at the University of Canterbury, he
practises as a lawyer in Penang.

Remembering Datuk
Khor Cheang Kee

by Martin Khor Kok Peng

It is indeed a great privilege and Day. And it was always a highlight to announce that my brothers
pleasure for me to be invited as because of the many jokes he and sister and I have decided to
Guest of Honour and to speak told, in between the good advice establish a new prize, called the
today. I don’t feel like a guest of he would give. I would feel proud Khor Cheang Kee prize for the
honour. Instead I feel like a person of my Dad on those Speech days. best creative writing in English, to
who is honoured and privileged But he did more than give great be given every year….
to be with you at this 2018 prize speeches. He loved the school, as
giving day. he was educated here as well, and In one of his speeches, my
he was very close to the Brothers, father would tell SXI students this
…I very much remember who made him an honorary saying:
the many prize giving days I Brother. He helped to build up the
attended when I was a student in school. Today Dr Francis Loh and There are many types of
SXI. I was educated in this very the Board is keeping up the good people.
school building for 11 years from work, and Dr Sim our principal is
Standard 1 to Form 5. Then I did keeping up the tradition and spirit There is the man or woman
my Form 6 in Singapore. With two that the Brothers brought to the who knows not, but knows not
other Xaverians we were in the school. that he knows not. He is a fool.
first batch of students in National Do not mix too much with him.
Junior College…. My father loved SXI and he
loved creative writing in English. Then there is the person who
Our Board Chairman Mr He later became a journalist at knows not, and knows that he
Francis Loh was my classmate for Straits Echo, then the Editor of knows not. He is a good student.
most of my 11 years. We were the Straits Times and The Star. His Teach him.
very good friends, even when he best friend, Hon Sui Sen, was very
joined the Science class in Form good in Maths. He later became There is another person who
4 and 5, while I joined the Arts Finance Minister of Singapore. My knows, but he does not know
class. We had many good debates father would visit his best friend’s that he knows. He is a person
in those days, and great concerts house every day after school. with talents that are still to be
too. The Science students came up Actually he was interested in Hon discovered. Encourage him and
with a class annual, The Laser. We Sui Sen’s sister, named Margaret. see him bloom.
in the Arts class came up with our So Khor Cheang Kee married
annual too, called The Siren, which Margaret, who became a teacher Then there is the person
I edited. Of course The Laser was in Convent Light Street. And that who knows, and who knows that
interesting with all the scientific marriage between two students of he knows. He is a wise man or
information. But The Siren was SXI and Convent Light Street was woman. Follow him.
exciting as it was more about life. the reason I and my brothers and
sisters came into this world. Finally there is the person
I also remember the prize giving who knows, who knows he
days in SXI because of my father, Today, in memory of the knows, and teaches what he
Mr Khor Cheang Kee. For many contributions made by my father knows to those who do not know.
years he was Chairman of the to SXI, and in remembrance of
Board of SXI. In that capacity he his love for writing, I would like
made the main speech on Speech

116 The Xaverian Journey

He or she is a Xavierian teacher. whole societies, and do nothing can spend it on a luxury yacht,
Learn from them.And one day about it. A motivation to join with expensive handbags and shoes,
hopefully you too will be the wise others to take action, however and diamond necklaces, while a
man or woman who knows and small or insignificant it may seem large proportion of the population
knows that s/he knows. at first. We had a motto then in do not have a proper roof over
I have repeated this story to one of the clubs in SXI: See, Judge their heads, there is no clean
give you a flavour of the kind of and Act. The process of doing water or a toilet, not enough
speeches my father would make. this when I was a student became food and no medicines when
But also for the lessons of the the foundation on which I based their children or grandparents fall
story itself. Do enjoy and cherish subsequent activities and choice sick. And meanwhile, the world’s
your school days at SXI, as they of jobs in my later life. environment is suffering from
are the foundation that builds your over consumption of resources,
knowledge and character. It also My student days, first in SXI, pollution, logging of forests and
teaches you how to form human then in other institutions, taught hills, and floods. We in Penang
relationships based on friendship, me a few things. Firstly, that the suffer from floods caused by
kindness, solidarity and idealism. secret of happiness or fulfilment logging and landslides from over
You will find later in life that in life comprises the quest development especially in the
youth and student days are the for knowledge and truth, the hills. So it is really important to
best times of your life, for you are cultivation of fulfilling and loving live simply, so that the Earth and
able to express your ideals in a free human relations, fighting for social environment can be sustained, so
space with school friends who are justice, and living in harmony with that others in this country and in
equally searching for the truth. your fellow human beings, with the this world can simply live.
Later on, when you join the adult environment, with your spiritual
world, you will find temptations God, and with yourself. Thank you for your patience
and pressures to take part in the in listening to me….Enjoy your
rat race where the values are Secondly, that there are two school days for they will never be
different, where the main criteria types of wealth: material wealth there again. And enjoy your life,
of success will be how much your and inner wealth. Material well- with the values and lessons that St
salary is, how powerful your car is, being is important: that we have Xavier’s has given you. And may
and how big your house is. In my enough food, water, shelter, the Saints always go marching in!!
own experience in St Xavier’s, the clothing, health care. But basing the
teachers and fellow students, the motivation of our life on acquiring Martin Khor delivered this speech
activities we were engaged in, the more and more things that we do as the Guest-of-Honour at SXI’s
many talks we had in the school not need but are only there as Prize Giving and Speech Day,
canteen, and under the trees, and status symbols, will not give you 27 September 2018
in the coffee shops, all these taught fulfilment. It may even distort your
me that there are more important personality and lead you away Roll of Honour 117
things in life than materialism and from the secret of happiness.
the chase for money. For fulfilment, we need to build
The values and passionate our inner wealth: knowledge,
idealism that were infused into us friendships, love, a sense of social
as students gave us a knowledge justice.
of what is right and wrong, and a
sense of duty of fighting against Thirdly, as students we
what is wrong and for what is collected many good sayings. One
right. Later on we called this of my favourite ones is this quote
“social justice”. This includes from Gandhi: Live simply so that
feeling that we cannot bear to see others may simply live. It is such a
the wrongs done to others or to simple saying, but it is so profound.
Our world is so unequal, where
a few percent of the population
have so much wealth that they

Mr Anil Noel Netto. • Henry Chang was Business Times editor.
• Anil Noel Netto is the Aliran webmaster www.aliran.com; he also manages
Dato’ Abdul Shukor Salleh.
Datuk Yew Cheng Hoe. his own blog anilnetto.com and writes a column for the Catholic Herald
Mr Jeffrey Ong. weekly. Before turning to online journalism, Anil studied in London and
118 The Xaverian Journey qualified as a Chartered Accountant.
• Jacqueline Ann Surin, previously a journalist of The Star. Launched an on-
line web-site Nutgraph.
• Chin Saik Yoon is the founder and publisher of Southbound, a scholarly
press based in Penang. His publishing house specializes in monographs
about the role of participatory communication processes and media in
supporting social change. Its titles by senior scholars, researchers and
leaders of the private and public sectors enjoy global distribution through
Southbound’s copublishing programmes with the principal development
agencies of the United Nations and independent, international, scientific
and research networks. Southbound is the publisher of this book.

Sportsmen and Sportswomen

• Dato’ Abdul Shukor Salleh was a member, later captain, of the Malaysian
football team 1971-81, and Penang Football team 1967-84. He won the
Malaysian National Sportsman Award 1978. He was guest of honour in
the 2019 Sports Day, SXI.

• Datuk Yew Cheng Hoe was a member of the Malaysian badminton
team which won the Thomas Cup in 1967. He won a gold medal in the
Commonwealth Games.

• Saw Swee Leong represented Malaysia in the Thomas Cup tournaments
held in 1976 and 1982, and in the Commonwealth Games too.

• Ho Kim Soon represented Malaysia in the Thomas Cup 1976 team. He
also competed in the All England’s championship.

• Ms Ng Mei Ling taught in St Xavier’s. She represented Malaysia in the
Uber Cup squad and was an Asian Games winner.

• Michael Barbosa, 1954 served as sports master in SXI for 24 years. In 1990,
he was recruited as full-time coach for the Badminton Association of
Malaysia where he helped to prepare the Malaysian Thomas Cup squads.
Under his charge were Misbun Sidek and his brothers, among others.

• Jeffrey Ong, who left SXI after Form 3 is probably Malaysia’s most
outstanding swimmer. He represented his country in the 1988 Seoul and
the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1991 World Swimming Championships
in Perth, and the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. He won a
gold medal at the World Championships in Perth, silver medals at the
1990 Asian Games in Beijing, the 1991 World Student Games in Sheffield,
and the 1988 Asian Swimming Championships in Guangzhou, as well as
eight gold medals in the Southeast Asia (SEA) Games from 1987-1993.
He was the Asian record holder in the 1500m Freestyle and was named
the 1988 Malaysian Sportsman of the Year.

• Saw Yi Khy represented Malaysia in the 2003 Southeast Asia Games in
Hanoi for the 1,500 metres. He trained with the Bolles School Sharks in
Florida and represented Malaysia in the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

• Danapal Naidu, national discus champion won gold medals for Malaya/
sia in the Southeast Asian Games in 1961 and 1967.

• Moh Keen Hoo excelled in snooker. He was Asian Junior Champion in Mr Adrian Ang.
2007 and struck gold at the SEA Games in Korat. He was Australian Open
Snooker Champion in 2018. Dr Francis Morsingh.
Dr Michael Quah Cheng Guan.
• Adrian Ang Hsien Loong won gold in the Doubles event in the 2018
World Bowling Championship. He also won gold in the Malaysian Roll of Honour 119
Championships in 2010 and in the Singapore Championship in 2013. As
a member of the Malaysian team he has won medals in the Southeast
Asia Games and the Asian Games.

• Khambeswaran won a gold medal for archery in the SEA Games 2018 and
represented Malaysia in the World Games in Poland in 2017 .

• Fong Chun Wei, 2014 represented Malaysia in 13th World Chin Woo
Wushu Competition, Shanghai, August 2014. Won one gold, one silver
and a bronze. He was ranked No 3 in the world for under-18. He was
awarded SXI’s Full Colours in 2014.

• Thomas Teh Cheang Hock has particpated in the Deaflympics since 1993
and has won a total of six silver medals. In 2007, he shared the men’s
doubles Gold in the 2nd World Deaf Badminton Championship held in
Germany. In 2015 he won silver in the badminton doubles in the 8th Asia-
Pacific Deaf Games held in Taiwan. Thomas is trained by Teh Kew San,
his father and former captain of the Malaysian badminton team which
won the Thomas Cup.

Academicians and Researchers

• Dr Francis Morsingh (M Sc Malaya, D Phil Oxon) graduated with 1st
Class Honours in Chemistry at the University of Malaya where he won a
Shell Scholarship to study for his MSc. He was then awarded a Queen’s
Scholarship in 1951 to study in Oxford University under Sir Robert
Robinson. He first taught in the University of Malaya in Singapore and
transferred to Kuala Lumpur when the new University of Malaya was
opened. He was appointed Foundation Dean and Professor of Chemistry,
Universiti Sains Malaysia, when the university was established in 1970.

• Dr Lee Hoong Phun is the Sir John Latham Chair of Law, Monash
University, Melbourne, Australia. He is a distinguished scholar of
Malaysian and Australian Constitutional Law, and of judicial institutions
and their independence.

• Dr Tarcisius Chin Nyet Leong studied Economics in the University of
Malaya and then Commerce in the University of British Columbia,
Vancouver on a Colombo Plan and Commercial Scholarship. He taught in
the University of Malaya for more than a decade before setting up HELP
University with other colleagues. Subsequently he headed the Malaysian
Institute of Management and was Professor of its MBA programme.

• Dr Michael Quah Cheng Guan won a scholarship to study liberal arts in
Harvard University and then Chemical Engineering for his PhD in Yale
University. Thereafter, he worked in the US for almost 30 years, especially
with non-profit agencies concerned with developing sustainable energy.
He joined the Institute of Energy Studies, National University of Singapore,
several years ago where he suddenly died in June 2016.

Dr Mary Jane Cardosa, • Dato’ Ng Seik Weng was Ulung Professor of Chemistry, University of
Dr Arokia Nathan, Malaya. Born in Butterworth, he first studied in Assumption School and
Dato’ Dr Anthony Sibert, in St Xavier’s. He completed his tertiary education at the Universities
120 The Xaverian Journey of Singapore, Malaya and Oklahoma. He is an expert in chemical
crystallography and is a Fellow of the Academy of Sciences.

• Dr Ong Ai Hwa (BA and PhD Columbia) is Professor of Anthropology,
University of California, Berkeley.

• Dr Mary Jane Cardosa, (BA Princeton, D Phil Oxford) is a globally
respected virologist. She taught in Universiti Sains Malaysia and then in
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak where she was also founder and Director
of the Institute of Health and Community Medicine. She was appointed
Member of the National Science and Research Council and WHO
Advisory Group on dengue and other flavivirus vaccines. In 2009 she
delivered the Tanner Lecture on emerging infectious diseases at Oxford
University, and in 2017 she delivered the Commemorative Fund Lecture
at the American Society for Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. In 2018
she presented the Distinguished Dr Wu Lian Teh Lecture at the Penang
Institute.

• Dr Arokia Nathan was the Professor and Chair of the Photonic Systems
and Displays in the Department of Engineering, Cambridge University,
until 2018. He received his PhD in Electrical Engineering from the
University of Alberta.

• Dr Chan Eng Heng (BSc and MSc Universiti Sains Malaysia, PhD
Kagoshima) was Professor of Marine Biology and co-founded the Sea
Turtle Research Unit (SEATRU) in Universiti Terengganu Malaysia. She
also co-founded the Turtle Conservation Society of Malaysia. She was a
UNEP Global 500 laureate winner in 2001 and 2006. She is listed in the
UNEP’s Who’s Who of Women and the Environment.

• Dr Lim Lin Lean is a labour economist and was attached to the
International Labour Office in Geneva. She was been a Senior Fellow in
Khazanah Research Centre more recently.

• Dato’ Dr Anthony Sibert, 1956, was a trainee-teacher in St Joseph’s
Teachers Training College. He taught in St Michael’s Alor Star. He obtained
a PhD from the School of Education, Universiti Sains Malaysia where he
served until his retirement. He is a past president of the Penang Eurasians’
Association and is a well-known local historian of the Penang Eurasians
and of Pulau Tikus. He was also a member of the Board of Governors St
Xavier’s.

• Dr Goh Beng Lan is an anthropologist and was head of the Centre for
Southeast Asian Studies in the National University of Singapore from
1999-2018. She is currenly adjunct professor with the Department of Area
Studies, University of Indonesia. She studied for her Bachelors degree in
Universiti Sains Malaysia, her Masters in Japan, and her PhD in Monash
University, Melbourne.

• Dr Luke Moissinac is a Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the Master of
Arts in Psychology programme at Wawasan Open University. His research
focuses on identity construction and defence in social interaction. Before
returning to Malaysia he taught at Texas A and M University-Corpus
Christie and Pacific University, Oregon, USA. He holds a PhD from Clark

University, USA, an MSc from Strathclyde University, UK, and a BA (Hons) Dr Tham Siew Yean.
from Brandeis University, USA.
• Dr Joseph K Charles won a Colombo Plan Scholarship to study for Mr Cecil Rajendra.
his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in India, and a Commonwealth Dr Cecilia Ng Choon Sim.
scholarship to study Biology for his PhD in the University of Aberdeen. He
is a conservation scientist who previously taught in the School of Biology Roll of Honour 121
USM Penang, and in the University of Brunei Darussalam.
• Dr Ong Nai Phuan (Columbia A.B, U.C Berkeley PhD) is the distinguished
Eugene Higgins Professor of Physics, Princeton University.
• Dr Niloufer Harben was Professor of English, University of Malaya.
• Dr Tham Siew Yean (BEcons, Malaya) and PhD (Rochester) was formerly
Professor of International Trade and Director at the Institute of Malaysian
and International Studies (IKMAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. She
is currently Senior Fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore and a
Board member of Global Development Network, representing East Asia.
• Dr Shaik Md Noor Alam S M Hussain was Professor of Law in Universiti
Putra Malaysia.
• Dr Tan Sooi Ling is the academic dean of Asia Graduates School of Theology
(AGST) Alliance. She sits on the Board of Asia Theological Association. She
also teaches adjunct at Malaysia Baptist Theological Seminary, Penang, and
at Fuller Theological Seminary, California. She obtained her BA(Honors)
in English Literature from the University of Malaya, MA and PhD in
Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary.
• Dr Leong Choon Heng studied in Bates College and in Harvard University
where he was awarded a PhD in Sociology. He is President of the
Malaysian University of Science and Technology (MUST), an innovative
private university.
• Dr Ong Jin Teong was head of Electronic Engineering in the Nanyang
Technological University, Singapore. He is also the well-known author of
two popular books on Nyonya cuisine and cooking.
• Dr Yuen Kah Hay graduated B Pharmacy (1st Class) from USM and
was also awarded the Vice Chancellor’s medal for being the best all-
round student of his cohort group. He is now Professor in the School of
Pharmacy, USM.

Scholar Activists, NGO-Activists, Social Workers

• Cecil Rajendra, a London-trained lawyer turned poet, founded the
Penang Legal Advisory Clinic in 1980 to assist farmers, fishermen and
factory workers. His effort inspired the Bar Council to set up free Legal
Aid Bureaux in various parts of the country. For his efforts, Cecil received
the Malaysian Bar Council’s “Lifetime Achievement Award” in March
2019. Cecil has also published 20 books of his hard-hitting poems, of
which perhaps “The Animal and Insect Act” is the best known. The
Penang Heritage Trust named him a Penang “Living Heritage Treasure”
in 2015.

• Dr Cecilia Ng Choon Sim (Swarthmore AB, Harvard M Ed, Malaya PhD).
Professor of Gender Studies and founder member of the All Women’s
Action Society (AWAM) and the Women’s Development Collective.

Martin Khor Kok Peng • Godfrey Ooi a former teacher was Deputy Executive Director of the
Malaysian Association of the Blind.
Dr Francis Loh Kok Wah
• Martin Khor Kok Peng won a scholarship to attend the National Junior
Dr Johan Saravanamuttu College in Singapore when it was first opened. He next won a Singapore
Khoo Khay Jin government scholarship to read Economics in Cambridge University. He
taught Economics in Universiti Sains Malaysia but left to work full-time
P Ramakrishnan in the Third World Network in Penang. He was Executive Director of the
122 The Xaverian Journey South Centre, Geneva until 2019 and a Member of the UN Secretary-
General’s Task Force on Environment and Human Settlements.

• Dr Francis Loh Kok Wah was Professor of Politics in Universiti Sains
Malaysia. He was also Secretary for 20 plus years and then President of
Aliran (2012-2017). He is a Fellow of the Asian Regional Exchange for
New Alternatives; Senior Adviser, Forum of Federations (Ottawa); and a
Founding Member of the on-line Global University of Sustainability.

• Dr Johan Saravanamuttu (B Soc Science Singapore PhD, UBC), is
Professor and Dean of Social Sciences, USM; Senior Visiting Fellow,
ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute; former chair of Asian Regional Exchange
for New Alternatives; and Aliran Trust chairperson.

• Khoo Khay Jin completed his education in Mahattan College and
Columbia University, NYC. He taught Anthropology in Universiti Sains
Malaysia and then relocated to Sarawak. He authored important articles
on the indigenous peoples, especially the Penans, of Sarawak with whom
he collaborated in the struggle for the protection and preservation of
their land, culture and traditions, and their dignity.

• P Ramakrishnan was President of Aliran for 18 years. He was also active
in the National Union of Teachers, the National Union of Teachers
Co-operative, and the National Union of the Teaching Profession. He
was also a member of the Penang State Pardon’s Board and a specialist
teacher of visually disabled students.

• Freddie Ooi Chuan Tatt comes from a family of three generations of
Lasallian-educated boys. He is part of a team that forms the 3rd “arm” of
Lasallian outreach – Direct Educational Services to the Poor (DESP). He
chairs the La Salle Learning Centre, a Penang-based team that offers an
alternative learning methodology to children with learning difficulties, a
position he has held since 1984.

• Lim Lin Lee graduated from the London School of Economics (BSc, M
Phil). She left Universiti Sains Malaysia where she taught Psychology for
7 years to focus her attention on the restoration of the famed Cheong Fatt
Tze Mansion. Since then she has been involved in conservation projects
and research. She is a senior council member and a former president
of the Penang Heritage Trust and worked successfully with the Penang
State Government for the listing of George Town as a UNESCO World
Heritage Site.

• Kevin Hiew Wai Pang, a marine biodiversity conservationist, was one-
time head of marine parks under the Department of Fisheries, and senior
advisor to World Wildlife Foundation, Malaysia. Hiew was honoured by
the US-based Society for Conservation Biology in 2019 for his pioneering
marine biodiversity conservation efforts in Malaysia, particularly in the

establishment of marine parks and championing the Coral Triangle Mr Laurence Loh.
Initiative. Dr Andrew Aeria.
• Laurence Loh, an architect by profession, has spent the past decades
protecting, conserving, managing and sustaining the cultural heritage of Tan Sri Ong Gim Huat.
Malaysia. Laurence is best known for the restoration of the Cheong Fatt
Tze Mansion in Penang that won the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Dato Seri Kenny Ong.
Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation 2000 as the “Most Excellent Roll of Honour 123
Project”. This was followed by UNESCO Heritage “Award of Merit” for the
restoration of the Cheng Hoon Teng in Malacca. In 2008, his restoration of
Stadium Merdeka won the UNESCO “Award of Excellence”, whilst Suffolk
House in Penang, the only surviving Anglo-Indian Georgian mansion
in South-East Asia, was accorded the UNESCO “Award of Distinction”.
His Lunas Rubber Smokehouse project, a community cum conservation
project with schoolchildren was shortlisted for the 2010 Aga Khan Awards.
Laurence is also the President of Badan Warisan Malaysia, the Heritage
of Malaysia Trust. He is presently a director of ThinkCity Sdn Bhd. He
currently teaches at the University of Hong Kong and at the ICOMOS
International Centre for the Study of Preservation Restoration of Cultural
Property in Rome.
• Dr Andrew Aeria (B Soc Sc, USM; MA Development Studies ISS;
PhD London School of Economics). He was Associate Professor in
Development Studies in Universiti Malaysia Sarawak and was involved
in the indigenous people’s rights advocacy (especially Penans) and
Civil Society empowerment in Sarawak. He is a former Aliran Exco
member and a Board member of the Asian Regional Exchange for New
Alternatives.
• Dr Chan Lean Heng, a feminist, has worked with young women workers.
She was Associate Professor, Universiti Sains Malaysia, and has published
on the plight of women in Malaysia and beyond.

Businessmen Benefactors

• Heah Joo Seang (1899-1962), was a rubber magnate and philanthropist,
and the chairman of the SXI Building Fund in the 1950s and 1960s.

• Dato Loh Hoot Yeang, philanthropist, Board of Governor, SXI. He was
the Guest of Honour at St Xavier’s Speech Day 2003.

• Tan Sri Ong Gim Huat, 1969 is a businessman, a Director of Kwong
Wah Yit Poh Press Bhd, President of Lam Wah Ee Hospital (2019/21
Term), Chairman of St. Xavier’s Redevelopment Committee (2016-19)
and Member of the Board of Governors, SXI, Vice Chairman of Board of
Governors of Union School and Penang Chinese Girls’ School.

• Dato Seri Kenny Ong, 1974/76 is the Group Executive Chairman of the
MTT Group of Companies which is involved in property development,
shipping and education. One of its major development projects is the
development of Botanica.CT Township, Balik Pulau where the Prince
of Wales Island International School campus is located. Kenny Ong is
a member of the St Xavier’s Board of Governors and Managers and a
Trustee of the Dr Sun Yat-Sen Museum Foundation.