St John Ambulance Malaysia, Pictures From The Past

The Following Paragraph Was Extracted From The St John Ambulance of Malaysia Web Site.

The St. John Ambulance Association (SJAA) was the first Foundation of the Order of St. John to be established in the then Malaya in 1908 at Kuala Lumpur. At that time, the SJAA Committee and members consisted of the British Civil servants and medical officers from the British Army stationed in Malaya and Singapore. In 1938, Lady Ursula Copland-Griffiths, Superintendent-in-Chief of the St. John Ambulance Brigade came to Malaya on an assignment to organise the formation of the St. John Ambulance Brigade (SJAB) in the States of Malaya. Following this initiative in the same year, St. John Ambulance Brigade Divisions were formed in the major towns in Perak, Penang as well as in Kuala Lumpur and Johore Bahru. From 1938 to 1940, the British Administrations in each Malay State established the St. John Ambulance Brigade Divisions in schools, government establishments and in the Federated Malay States Railways.

Click on this link for a full Organisation History in Malaysia

The following are 'yesteryear' pictures from the St John Ambulance Hulu Langat, Kajang Branch. Most of the photographs were taken in the field (now Stadium Kajang) and in the background is the old Town Hall and RTM Kajang.

The Great Kajang Flood 70's

On the morning of the Great Floods that happen in Kajang. Morgan Soo who reside in Kajang Town started taking photos of various places in Kajang Town. See if you can identify the various places.

Picture 1
Beside TNB Kajang

Picture 2
Jalan Mendaling - the Last Shop on left is "Sea Yea" Temple

Picture 3

This is the Jalan Sungai Chua outside the shop houses from Kajang Garden which has changed to Desa Bunga Raya. The new flyover is standing over this location.

Picture 4
Kg. Jambu, next to the Langat River is the first to be flooded.

Picture 5
"Sea Yea" Temple side view

Picture 6
Kg. Jambu, Sikh Temple beside the railway gate.

Picture 7

The railway bridge over Kajang river, those days its made of iron structure but now replace with concrete. Its location just behind Aked Mara building and TNB Kajang Jalan Reko.

Picture 8

The roundabout between Main Street and Suleiman Street, the old bazaar is on the right. Metro Plaza building is occupying this location.

Picture 9

LLN Kajang now TNB Kajang same location beside Aked Mara building

Picture 10

Railway bridge over Kajang River. Notice the bended railway line cause by the floods.

Picture 11
Kg. Jambu

Picture 12
Railway track towards Kuala Lumpur direction, Kg. Jambu should be on the right and Sg. Chua on the left.

Picture 13
Photo taken from the railway bridge, River View Garden opposite of the "Sea Yea" Temple (back of Jalan Mendaling).

Picture 14


Kajang Roundabout with the National Cinema at the rear. On the left is Chiam Kee Chicken Rice Shop which has moved to Medan Selera (beside Kajang Market). If you are turning from the back of Bank Islam as you approach the Kajang Market there is a bridge on the right and the right has an eatery shop is now the present Chiam Kee Chicken Rice Shop.

Picture 15

The old Kajang Market I believe the present location is the Aked Mara building.

Picture 16

Shell Station just in front of Foh Hup Bus Station (ceased operations) now occupy by Metro Plaza Kajang. This Shell Station has moved to Jalan Semenyih just in front Kajang High School (KHS school field)

Picture 17
Side view of Sin Swee Kee Motor Shop and on the right is MCA office (undergoing construction now)

Picture 18
Side view of "Sea Yea" Temple, the flooded front portion is now the Hockkien Temple.

Picture 19
The former IC department office location.

Picture 20


I believe the railway line between Sungai Chua and the Railway bridge.

The above photos is courtesy of Morgan Soo. If you have any idea on the above (Pictures 1-20) locations please post your comment. Meanwhile Morgan Soo will be providing the actual details and location. Well if you can remember the exact location please let us know.

Low Ti Kok

LOW TI KOK (1877 -1942)

Low Ti Kok was born in a village called Kuimei, Anxi District of Fujian Province, China. It was then under the government of Manchu Dynasty, i.e. Guangxu 3^rd Year according to the Chinese calendar. He arrive in Klang at his youthful age of 20 and later moved inland to Serendah, Selangor where he helped his uncle in his business. Three years later he moved to Kuala Lumpur to seek better opportunities. He managed to make his living and with some savings, he went back to his homeland and married a village lady of surname Lee.

Low Ti Kok arrived in Kajang at the age of 28 and started his venture into alcohol and sundries business. Later, he found tin mining and rubber planting a good business which proof him successful and made him a rich man in town. Mr. Low was a philanthropist and had been very generous in contributing to Anti-Japanese invasion of China during the late 1930s. He was elected as Chairman of the Hulu Langat District Nanyang Homeland Aid Committee ( Nanyang Huaqiao Chouzhenhui). Besides his commitment in providing aid to war victims in his homeland, he was the main contributor to the reconstruction of Yu Hua School which was completed in 1918. Today, Yu Hua School Hall is named in his honor. He was also perceived as aides to the British colonialist government in settling dispute within local community and assisted the authority in local development. He was honored Justice of Peace by the Queen besides naming the road in front of Yu Hua School as Low Ti Kok Road or Jalan Low Ti Kok.

Mr. Low passed away in 1942 at his house in Hong Bee Estate in Sungai Jelok. A Grand Funeral procession was carried out after the Japanese surrendered in 1945. His body was buried in the Hokkien Cemetery just behind Kajang High School. Today, the Hulu Langat Hokkien Association building standing along Jalan Timur was formerly the mansion of the late Low Ti Kok, JP.

This article was contributed by
Mr. Lee Kim Sin
email : leekimsin@myjaring.net

Big Fire in Kajang Town, 7 shophouses burn to the ground in the 60's

I remember one evening, pitch dark, there was a power cut at our house in Kajang Garden (Desa Bunga Raya). Everyone came out of their house and look up towards the sky, it was red with color and it was filled with smoke. Everyone was wandering what was happening, then came shouts that the town was on fire. Those days there weren't hand phones available and fixed line phones was only available to the rich. My mother was worried because our great grand father's shop was in town, she hurriedly took the bicycle and I sat on the back (common mode of transport in those days). It took her 15 minutes to reach the shop and what a sigh of relief when she saw the shop house intact. It was the opposite row of shop houses that was on fire, people were running here and there and fire engines with their siren howling were approaching. We just stood there like anyone else the fire was burning intensely and I could feel the heat radiating from the fire. People were shouting, and there were still people trapped in the building and some people tried to rush into the burning shop house but were held back by others. It was a tragic sight, the sound of fire crackers, fireworks were shooting dangerously close to other shop houses and shop dwellers were getting worried. Most of the shop houses were made of wood and were considered fire hazards. People were shouting to the firemen "over here the fire is spreading!!!". The fire was brought under control and all in all 7 shop houses was razed to the ground with hot smothering burning wood. They said 3 burn bodies was found the next morning.

How many of you remember that fateful day, many of you may have not been born, you probably could ask around for more details. If you found more stories, post your stories so that many others will read about the history of Kajang.