The late Datuk Sim Mow Yu stood his ground when it came to championing Chinese education.
CHINESE educationist and accomplished calligrapher Datuk Sim Mow Yu (pic), who died at the age of 96 on Feb 5, was “a fighter to the end”. He was still alert and spirited until he breathed his last, says Sim Kay Keok, 61, his second daughter.
The retired bank officer adds that her father’s last written words were: “If you have the will, you’ll succeed. Fight unto the end. Do not retreat!”
Image: The Late Datuk Sim Mow Yu On Feb 5, when doctors told the family that there was “no hope” for Sim, they took him home.
“He nodded when asked if he wished to return home,” Kay Keok recalls. “We took him upstairs to his room, where he was surrounded by his books. At 9.10pm, he was still conscious when Buddhist monks chanted prayers for him, urging him to leave all his worries behind. Five minutes later, he breathed his last.
“My father’s last wish was to see his memorial museum, but unfortunately it is not ready. A building in Jalan Panjang (opposite Bukit Cina) in Malacca has been purchased for this purpose,” Kay Keok says.
Bek Bee, 64, Sim’s fourth son, describes his father as caring, loving and far-sighted. “He loved the Chinese ways, culture and language,” says the dentist.
At his father’s funeral on Tuesday, second son Beck Ghee, 70, a freelance journalist with a Chinese daily, read the eulogy:
“My father was born in the Year of the Ox. He likened his life to that of a hardworking ox. His struggle was not in vain as he helped Chinese education grow from strength to strength.
“As his children, we declare that he had been a great father, a loyal Malaysian citizen and a courageous fighter for the Chinese community. His sacrifice and dedication were immeasurable, and all his words and actions have made an impact on the Chinese community.”
Paying tribute to Sim, MCA party president and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat describes his passing as “a great loss to the nation and the Chinese community. His relentless efforts in spearheading Chinese throughout his life made him an icon in the development of mother tongue education.”
Country Heights Holdings Bhd’s founder and deputy chairman Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew says: “The demise of Datuk Sim is a loss to us all, but he left behind a lot of calligraphy works that remind us of Confucius’ teachings.
“People respect his views. What was most noble about him was that he led a very simple life. In his mind and heart, he thought of how he could contribute to society and disseminate good values.
“Sim’s family members want me to protect his collection of works by setting up a foundation to continue his legacy.”
Jiao Zong (the United Chinese Teachers Association) president Ong Chiaw Chuen says Sim contributed a great deal towards Chinese education and fought for it.
“He spent a lifetime championing this cause. As the longest-serving president of Jiao Zong, he was an active leader in Chinese education for 28 years, from the 1960s right up to the 1990s.”
Dong Zong (United Chinese School Committees Association of Malaysia) deputy president Chow Siew Hong adds: “Sim spent his whole life contributing towards Chinese education. Even when he was faced with difficulties, he stood firm in his cause. He was a loyal citizen even as he fought for the cause he believed in. He treated everyone very sincerely and equally.”
Chinese scholar and sinologist Lai Kuan Fook says: “Sim was a fierce fighter who championed Chinese education. He was a most respected leader in Chinese education. Firm in his beliefs, he kept on fighting for his cause until his last breath.”
Sim, whose name Mow Yu means “honouring Guan Yu” (a Chinese deity), was born in Malacca on July 20, 1913. His father and grandmother had come to Malaysia from Fukien, China. His grandfather was a Qing Dynasty scholar and his father, Sim Hong Paik, was one of Sun Yat-sen’s followers.
At the age of 21, Sim started teaching at Pay Fong Primary School in Malacca. Following that, he became headmaster of SRJK (C) Ping Ming, Malacca, where he served for 27 years.
In the 1930s, Sim founded the Seng Cheong Night School in Malacca, the country’s longest-standing private Chinese school. He became its headmaster in 1945 and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2002.
In 2003, he earned a place in the Malaysia Book of Records as the longest-serving school principal - 57 years. Over 20,000 pupils received their education during his tenure.
Sim was one of the founders of MCA Youth in 1955 and rose to the rank of deputy chief. But, in 1966, he was expelled for pushing for the Chinese language to be one of the official languages of the country.
In 1987, he was arrested under the Internal Security Act during Operation Lalang and detained for two years.
Education aside, Sim was known for his calligraphy, too, and had three books of calligraphy to his name. He also loved keeping a diary, something he did right until his final days.
The nonagenarian had six sons and three daughters. He lost his third child, a daughter, to illness in 1998.
He was buried at the Nirvana Memorial Park in Selangor, beside his wife Chan Guai Ai, who died in 2004.
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