Vandals damage tomb of late community leader Leong Sin Nam

IPOH: The tomb of the late community leader and philanthropist, Leong Sin Nam, located in a cemetery near the Sultan Azlan Shah Airport here, has been vandalised.

Two statues were beheaded and torn down while a structure used to place joss sticks was also believed to have been forcefully brought down.

Dr Leong Oon Keong, Sin Nam's grandson, said the family noticed the damage on Thursday (Jan 6) when they went there to clean up the tomb to prepare for the former tin mine owner's death anniversary memorial on Jan 19.

"The family feels disappointed and disrespected.

"It would have taken immense force to bring down the statues and the structure, which were cemented down," the 55-year-old said when contacted.

"The Perak Kaying Association has helped us to lodge a police report on the matter," he said, adding that the Perak Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Chinese Assembly Hall have also offered their assistance to try and get information from nearby locals.

Sin Nam was an active community leader and philanthropist, who had made numerous donations to Chinese schools in the state.

He was also a former member of the Perak state council and was appointed Justice of Peace for Perak by the British Government in 1920.

In 1937, he was conferred the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) by King George VI.

He passed away in 1940 at the age of 59.

Oon Keong said people should be more civic-minded and be respectful to others.

"Those who saw the perpetrators commiting the act should have told them off.

"It is all about respect and I hope there can be greater awareness when it comes to acts of vandalism," he said.

Ipoh City Councillor Prof Richard Ng, who had visited the tomb to check on the damage with Oon Keong, said he would recommend to the authorities to ensure more protection to be given to structures that contain prominent historical heritage.

"We are saddened by this uncivilised act. We hope there could be greater protection to some of the sites or structures with heritage value for the reference of our future generation," he said.