Dr Zhong Nanshan in Penang

Quite frankly, I didn't know who Dr Zhong Nanshan was until about three months before the 146th anniversary of Dr Wu Lien-Teh's birth. Dr Wu Lien-Teh was, of course, one of Penang's most well-known personalities of the 20th century. Fresh from winning the Queen's Scholarship as a pupil of Penang Free School, he went on to study medicine at the University of Cambridge in England. After returning, he had a short stint in private practice in Penang before being unfairly persecuted by the British colonial authorities, forcing him to accept an invitation to work in Imperial China. There, he gained worldwide fame as the plague fighter, eradicating the dreaded plague that had claimed around 60,000 lives in 1911. When his home in Shanghai was destroyed by Japanese bombing, he moved his family back to Malaya, where he resumed private practice in Ipoh. He retired to Penang in January 1960 but died suddenly a week later of a brain attack. That, in short, was the life of Dr Wu Lien-Teh.

The Dr Wu Lien-Teh Society was set up in 2012 by a group of Old Frees determined to revive his legacy. Since then, the Society has worked tirelessly to promote his name, including awarding gold medals to outstanding university students. Over the past decade, the Society has also organised annual public lectures where prominent figures from the medical field have been invited to speak—not just to doctors, but to the wider public. Then, in 2022, as the Covid-19 pandemic raged on, a pivotal decision was made to introduce the Dr Wu Lien-Teh Award for Leadership in Public Health. The first recipient was Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah, then Malaysia’s Director-General of Health. Day in and day out, as Malaysians struggled through the pandemic, Noor Hisham became a familiar face on television and social media, providing daily updates on infections, deaths, government measures, vaccinations and the need for face masks. It was no surprise that he was chosen as the award’s inaugural recipient.

A few thousand kilometres away in China, another medical man was doing more or less the same for his fellow citizens. Dr Zhong Nanshan, having already battled SARS and MERS, was the public face of China’s fight against Covid-19. I’m told that many Malaysians who knew Mandarin also tuned in to his briefings. But for me, well, I knew hardly anything about him. When our Society meetings rolled around and our Secretary-General spoke excitedly about Zhong Nanshan this and Zhong Nanshan that, I found myself wondering—who was this person commanding so much attention?

Now I know. Dr Zhong is a renowned public health expert from China, director of the Guangzhou National Laboratory and the National Clinical Research Centre for Respiratory Disease. He doesn’t travel much these days due to his advanced age—he’ll be 90 later this year—but, to everyone’s surprise, he agreed to travel to Penang to accept his award in person. When word spread that such a distinguished doctor was coming to deliver a public lecture on 08 March 2025, invitations were snapped up quickly. The conference hall at the Penang Institute was packed with registered guests, while those who arrived after registration closed were ushered into an adjoining room to watch via video feed.

In his acceptance speech, Dr Zhong said the award would further motivate him to build bridges, nurture trust and champion health for all. He expressed profound gratitude and humility, saying the honour was not just a personal achievement but a testament to the enduring spirit of collaboration between nations and a shared commitment to global health. “I am deeply moved to stand in the footsteps of Dr Wu Lien-Teh, a son of Penang whose pioneering work bridged nations and saved countless lives. By honouring leaders who embody Dr Wu’s courage and compassion, you ignite a beacon for future generations to follow. This award reaffirms my resolve to uphold his ethos of service, science and solidarity,” he said.

Adding a personal touch to the occasion, Dr Zhong was delighted to meet Pauline Barr, 78, who had taught him English when he studied in England 45 years ago. Pauline and her husband, Joe, now residing in Langkawi, made the journey to Penang just to see him again.

Among those present at the event were Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, State Assembly Speaker Law Choo Kiang, State Exco members Daniel Gooi and Wong Hon Wai, and former Chief Minister Dr Koh Tsu Koon. Also in attendance was Ding Qiao, the vice-consul general of China in Penang. During the event, it was also announced that Loke Gim Tay had been made an adviser to the Dr Wu Lien-Teh Society, the second such appointment after Cheah Cheng Hye five years ago.

In his speech, the Chief Minister praised Dr Zhong’s dedication to scientific excellence, his courage in challenging prevailing narratives and his ability to communicate crucial public health information. “Like Dr Wu, he has demonstrated the power of scientific innovation and an unwavering commitment to public service. His work has not only transformed public health in China but has also provided invaluable lessons for Malaysia and the rest of the world. Dr Zhong embodies the very values that Dr Wu championed, making him a most deserving recipient of this award,” he said. Chow also took a moment to honour Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah for his steadfast leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Later, after the public lecture, Dr Noor Hisham was invited to join Dr Zhong on stage, where the two past and present Dr Wu Lien-Teh award recipients participated in a health forum moderated by the Society's secretary-general, Dr Hor Chee Peng. The audience listened intently as Noor Hisham shared his experiences managing the Covid-19 crisis in the country. Today, he continues to contribute to healthcare as chairman of the National Heart Institute. 

Kudos to our tireless Secretary-General for a job well done!

With Loke Gim Tay. Although he is the newly appointed second adviser to the Dr Wu Lien-Teh Society, his association with the Society dated back to May 2012 when a group of Old Frees organised a Penang Story lecture on Wu Lien-Teh at the Wawasan Open University in Penang. The Society came into being a few months later primarily because of that event.

Remembering Wu Lien-Teh

 

ASEAN+ age group chess

From informal gatherings like this, ambitious projects sometimes emerge. The Penang Chess Association recently held a casual mid-morning breakfast at a local timsum outlet in George Town to discuss a potential project. We were later joined by two notable old friends, Ignatius Leong from Singapore and Hamid Majid from Kuala Lumpur.

It may still be early days, but I can confidently say that the association will organise the 23rd ASEAN+ Age Group Chess Championship here in Penang on 1-11 July this year. Invitations will soon be extended to the national chess federations of the ASEAN member countries—Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Timor-Leste—as well as its dialogue partners: Australia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States. As host, the association will also duly inform the Malaysian Chess Federation and extend invitations to the various state chess associations in the country.

This event comes at a particularly fitting time, as Malaysia assumes the ASEAN chairmanship for 2025. It will not only highlight the Penang Chess Association’s experience in organising international-level competitions but also showcase Penang’s famed tourist attractions and vibrant street food scene. So watch this space for further announcements down the road!

Free School tour

A group of 26 visitors, all descendants of the parents of one of Penang’s most distinguished sons, Dr Wu Lien-Teh, visited Penang Free School and were given a tour of the school premises. Their visit included stops at the Archives and Pinhorn Hall, where they viewed artefacts related to Wu Lien-Teh. A group of students, the Free School Guiders, were on hand to show them around.

 

Grave destruction

In just four days, on 10 March 2025, it will be the 146th anniversary of the birth of one of Penang’s most distinguished sons, Dr Wu Lien-Teh. He undoubtedly ranks among the most famous figures from the state—not as a politician, entertainer or businessman, but as a medical pioneer whose contributions had a lasting impact on global public health.

Two days from now, his legacy will once again be honoured with an annual public talk and an international award for leadership in public health. This year’s recipient is a most deserving figure—none other than China’s medical academician, Prof Dr Zhong Nanshan, who played a pivotal role in combating both the SARS and Covid-19 outbreaks in his country.

But today, I hear a cry of frustration and indignation from the relatives and descendants of Wu Lien-Teh, who have issued a press statement condemning the destruction of his parents’ graves at Mt Erskine Cemetery.

The graves of Ng Khee Hock and Lam Choy Fan, Wu Lien-Teh's parents, were found damaged in an incident that deeply saddened their descendants. These graves have stood for over a century, and could be considered historical and cultural landmarks. On 13 February 2025, it was discovered that Ng Khee Hock’s tombstone had been completely shattered, while Lam Choy Fan’s was severely damaged—leaning dangerously and at risk of collapse. Heavy machinery might have been involved, raising troubling questions about the circumstances behind the damage.

The Wu family members filed a police report on the next day and on that evening, a police inspector visited the cemetery to document the destruction. Inquiries with caretakers revealed that plans were underway to construct a columbarium in the area, with piling work scheduled to begin in May 2025. This revelation has deepened concerns about how the cemetery land is being managed and the potential threat to other historical graves.

In response, the family is appealing to the authorities for assistance in restoring the graves and is also seeking UNESCO protection to ensure that historic sites like these are preserved for future generations. These graves are not just part of one family’s history; they are a reflection of Penang’s rich heritage. By bringing attention to this issue, perhaps there would be greater efforts to protect and respect historical burial grounds, ensuring they remain an integral part of Penang’s unique cultural landscape.

PIKOM

I remember the mid-1990s, when the Internet was just starting to take off in Malaysia, and computer fairs were all the rage. Every year, there’d be at least two major ones: one organised by The Star newspaper and the other by PIKOM, the association representing the computer industry. Back then, my friends and I, already well immersed in the online world, had loosely formed the NOMIS group. We were eager to show people how to get onto the Internet and explore what could be done online. For two or three years, we participated in every computer fair in Penang, giving talks and live demonstrations.

Fast forward about 30 years, and everything has changed. Computer fairs are a thing of the past, our NOMIS group has long since run its course, and The Star no longer has its computer pull-out section—let alone organises fairs. But PIKOM is still around, organising talks! Just last month, I attended a half-day PIKOM event in Penang. Today, with artificial intelligence being all the rage, the speakers were talking about AI, ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and the like—how businesses that don’t embrace this new technology risk being left behind.

Three decades ago, our “toys” were dial-up modems, 64kbps speeds, mailing lists, bulletin boards, FTP, Telnet, Gopher, IRC and the World Wide Web. Now, it’s AI and machine learning. As I sat there listening to the speakers, I couldn’t help but think—every generation has its new toys.