Heart and Soul: Community hall is grandpa’s legacy

Dewan SK Ampalavanar, in Raub, Pahang, stands enduringly and continues to be a place where the Indian community congregates for social and religious functions. — Rubini Sivapathasundram

April 22,1979, saw the inauguration of a new community hall for the people of Raub, Pahang.

Standing majestically between the Siva Subramaniar Hindu temple and the Kuan Yin temple in Jalan Lipis, this community hall was built at a cost of RM150,000.

The man who constructed and gifted this building to the people of his beloved town was my paternal grandfather, S.K. Ampalavanar. The reason behind his benevolence was to pay back the society that propelled him from rags to riches.

I vividly remember the opening ceremony of the hall. It was a lavish affair filled with traditional dances, mellifluous songs and much fanfare. The hall was named after him – Dewan SK Ampalavanar.

Born in 1910, Karainagar, Sri Lanka, my grandpa (or Appu as we fondly called him) migrated to Malaya at the age of 18 in search of greener pastures.

Appu started his humble life as a general worker for the Public Works Department (JKR). Life was tedious for him as work was laborious and the wages, low.

Wanting to improve his existence, Appu diligently saved money and opened a sundry shop named the Ampalavanar Store at 108, Jalan Bibby (now Jalan Tun Razak). That glorious year was 1932.

In those days, Raub was a flourishing town due to gold-mining operations in Bukit Koman. The gold mine was operated by Raub Australian Gold Mine (RAGM) and created much-needed jobs for the folks around town.

With sheer tenacity and grit, Appu grew and diversified his business. He was a progressive man. Hard work, determination and discipline were his life principles.

Life was not always kind to Appu. The Japanese occupation brought unprecedented challenges to his growing business and personal life. However, Appu hustled on with resolution and courage.

In 1945, tragedy struck again. This time, his beloved wife Ponnamah died upon giving birth to their fourth child. Ponnamah was the driving force behind appu’s thirst for success. Appu was saddled with immense grief so he entrusted his sister Packiavathy to raise his baby as her own. He then soldiered on and continued being resourceful and innovative in cultivating his financial empire and family.

His young children needed milk, so Appu started a dairy farm to accommodate their needs. Life was difficult during the Japanese era as food supplies were limited. Appu also provided many families with provisions.

Years later, Appu remarried and his wife Annamah bore him two more sons. My father, A. Sivapathasundram, is the eldest of the six siblings.

In 1958, Appu became one of the directors of Lin Seong Bus Company which provided services from Raub to Kuala Lipis, Kuala Kubu Baru and Kuala Lumpur. He held this position for many years.

Appu the entrepreneur also purchased many rubber estates, the prominent ones being the Batu Talam Estate in Jalan Cheroh and Tras Estate at the 2nd Mile. These endeavours provided many job opportunities to the Indian community.

Appu also built a small Hindu temple for the benefit of the Indian workers and donated funds to the Tamil schools around town.

Grandpa had a heart of gold and he was a mentor to many aspiring young people. A man of few words, he was soft-spoken and succinct. Fluent in Bahasa Malaysia, Appu was well-liked by his Chinese and Malay friends. A pious man, Appu prayed at the Subramaniam Temple every day before starting his long hours at the grocery store.

One will find Raub town particularly alluring because of the fact that four places of worship are located side by side at Jalan Lipis. They are the Kuan Yin temple, Subramaniam temple, the Chinese Methodist church and the Gurdwara Sahib Sikh temple. These places are a sight to behold and are an epitome of a multireligious, multicultural and a tolerant society – the backbone of Malaysia.

Despite his wealth and popularity, Appu endured many personal tragedies, disappointments and emotional stress.

I was five years old when Appu passed away from a heart ailment in 1980. I saw my dad and his siblings weeping and mourning the death of a remarkable man. A man who lived his life with determination and conscientiousness. Appu was a father, an entrepreneur, a philantropist, a loving grandpa and an inspiration to many.

Today, Dewan SK Ampalavanar stands enduringly and continues to be a place where the Indian community congregates for social and religious functions. Appu’s legacy will continue in the hearts and minds of many who benefited from his generosity, brilliance and vision.