On the ball and down-to-earth

1. At the beginning of 1911 my father had apparently detached himself from the Noordin clan as well as friends and relatives in Penang to pursue a career in the civil service in Alor Star, Kedah. It seemed that he was not interested in inheriting the family business for one reason or another. It was not by virtue of his lineage that he was able to make a name for himself as an important civil servant away from his home town. I believe it was hard work and determination.

2. I guess my father was on the ball at all times. Just as he assumed the post of Headmaster of GES, he was called upon to work in the Census Office as Chief Clerk. So the school was closed for about three months to allow him to complete his task at the Census Office. It was reported that he “worked indefatigably as Chief Clerk at tabulating the results (of the census) and showed considerable skill in controlling a large staff of clerks.”

3. About two years later, he was appointed Senior Auditor, North Kedah. I suppose he might have been thrown in at the deep end. He had many years of experience as a teacher in English education behind him, but I can’t say about his aptitude for number crunching. However, on account of his responsiveness I guess that it did not take him long to learn the robes.

4. I believe my father was a determined person. During his time as Registrar of High Court, the Court of Appeal was on the point of being implemented. It seemed that he was behind the preparation of its inauguration. In this regard, I suppose I should uphold his written account and give him the benefit of the doubt. According to him, while he was in the Registry he was “largely responsible for every preparation concerning the inaugural of the Court of Appeal which went off without any hitch and tacitly met with the approval of the Judges of the said Court.” Furthermore, he asserted that all the records of the appeals had to be done in two languages which he did single-handed and within very short notice.

5. It seems curious that something which happened earlier in 1911 would recur in 1922 when he was appointed to the post of Assistant Superintendent Monopolies and Customs. Almost at the same time he was appointed to carry out the work of special Translator of Enactments. The translation work seemed taxing as he had his work cut out for him, but being responsive he had to burn the candle at both ends. Subsequently, the difficult situation was resolved in his favour. In a letter to the Under Secretary to Government regarding his translation work, he stated matter-of-factly: “… I must request that Govt. will make a special allowance for such hard work.” He was remunerated for every translation that he accomplished.         

6. Coming from a well-to-do family, it seemed that his life in George Town might have been a far cry from that in Alor Star. He might have been quite well off in his home town. It was not known what his salary was at PFS, but he was paid $100 rial a month upon being appointed Headmaster of GES.

7. He seemed to be particularly concerned about money during his first decade in Alor Star. Apparently, this could mean that he had no source of income other than his job. This accounted for his occasional requests for improved allowance and salary or for special allowances and salary increments. For instance, as early as 1913 he had asked for a $15 rial increase in housing allowance. His other applications included salary increase, a scheme for senior auditor, and even a rickshaw allowance.

8. In order to improve his status, my father would apply for promotion when it was high time that he did. Being a down-to-earth individual, he would emphasise on his own merits in every application letter. Actions speak louder than words. Accounts of his achievements in the letters would be worthless if they were not substantiated by actual actions. In fact, it was his actions that had enhanced his application for promotion with favourable recommendations. He climbed to Class IV in 1919 and later to Class III in 1924. His post before retirement was Acting 2nd. Under Secretary to Government, an appointment in Class II of the KCS.

Getting along with office politics

1. I believe my father was an assertive person. There were times when he had fights with office holders in the course of carrying out his duties. On account of his assertiveness, I suppose he was occasionally affected by office politics. This happened particularly when he was holding the post of Senior Auditor, North Kedah.

2. Apparently he might have been deemed a source of contention. Sometime in mid-January of 1916 he was recommended to be transferred to the post of Senior Auditor, South Kedah. In connection with the transfer, I was particularly curious over a remark noted by the British Adviser (Adviser) to the Regent, thus:

“After Ismail Merican’s performance in the case against Said Jan, I cannot agree to his going to South Kedah when there is no one to look after him. The Auditor General had better recommend someone else for South Kedah.”

3. In the meantime, towards the end of January, my father was prompted to make a report of threats made by one Mr. Stuart probably following an argument he had with the latter. This is evident from a file I found in the Archives regarding the matter of “Che Ismail Merican, Senior Auditor, North Kedah, reports regarding the threats made by Mr. Stuart.”

4. It was a pity that copy of the report was missing from the file, so we would never find out the truth about the threat. However, Stuart wrote quite a lengthy letter explaining the situation to the Adviser. Stuart’s explanation seemed to understate the report inasmuch as inducing the Adviser to note a remark to the Regent, thus:

It is not worth a long correspondence. Ismail Merican is not a child and should be told not to make childish complaints.

5. My father might have gone to Sungai Petani for a while if at all. He had gone on leave as from April through August, 1916. Hence, the Audit Office, South Kedah was asked to be closed during his absence on leave.

6. However, his rendezvous with Sungai Petani would recur about six years later when he was appointed Assistant Superintendent Monopolies and Customs to the town in October 1922. Incidentally, just before the transfer he was appointed to carry out the work of special Translator of Enactments etc.

7. The Adviser would rather he were seconded to the Legal Adviser’s office to carry out the work, but the State Council decided on a temporary expediency that he should be called upon to assist in translation work in addition to his other duties.

8. Subsequently, in November 1923 he was seconded to the Legal Adviser’s office as Assistant to the Legal Adviser. However, the title of the appointment became an issue due to differences of opinion. In 1926 it was downgraded to “Office Assistant, Legal Adviser” because the LA at the time was of the opinion that “the duties (of the appointment) consisted almost entirely of translation work with a little simple drafting.”

9. About five years later, another LA had proposed that “Assistant to Legal Adviser” was an apt title for the appointment because in his opinion “an Office Assistant was more of a supervisor whereas that of Mr. Merican was essentially collaboration with the Legal Adviser.” Thus the appointment was once again described as “Assistant to Legal Adviser.”

10. Later in his mid-60s my father would again faced the irony of office politics. It began with a letter of request for “increased pension and additional gratuity” which he wrote in May 1946 and ended with an unfavourable reply which he received in September 1948. Over a span of almost 28 months, departments’ correspondence implied a tug-of-war between Kedah State Secretariat and Federal Secretariat (Malayan Union Government).

11. My father retired on pension in 1937 and was recalled to duty by the Kedah State Council during the Japanese Occupation at the age of 60. He was appointed Legal Adviser and Public Prosecutor and became a member of the State Council.

12. He forwarded his request by reason of his re-employment from 10 February 1942 to 31 August 1946. He hoped that the Government would take into account his additional service of over four years during war-time and BMA for the purpose of computing his increased pension and additional gratuity.

13. But in spite of the favourable recommendation from the Resident Commissioner, Kedah as well as the Kedah State Secretariat, his request was not approved by the Federal Secretariat. As the French proverb goes: “Gratitude is the least of virtues; ingratitude the worst of vices.”