First Malaysian mayor of town in West Yorkshire was always hardworking and helpful, says brother

Chris Pillai, who made Malaysia proud by becoming the first Malaysian-born mayor of Calderdale, West Yorkshire in England, with his wife Beverly Pillai. — Picture courtesy of Nadarajah Krishnapillai.

SEREMBAN: Nadarajah Krishnapillai vividly remembers the call he got over a year ago from his brother Chris when the latter was appointed the first Malaysian-born mayor of a town in West Yorkshire, England.

The retired teacher and his wife had just finished lunch at their home in Taman Labu Jaya here when the phone rang around 2pm in the afternoon in May last year.