A translator

I think my father’s strong point was his good command of English. I believe that he studied at Penang Free School (PFS) in late 1800s, and later became a teacher there in early 1900s. On my visit to the school recently, I discovered a congratulatory note in an old PFS magazine dating back to 1911 which read as follows:

“Congratulations to Mr. M. I. Merican on his appointment as Headmaster of the Kedah English School. Mr. Merican lent his hand in several issues of the Magazine, for which he has our thanks.”

- The Free School Magazine, Penang, July 1911

I’m very indebted to the principal, Encik Jalil bin Saad, and Puan Sakinah, the teacher in charge of the school archives, for allowing me to have access to relevant documents in the archives.

   I believe that my father started the work of translating enactments (“menterjemah undang-undang”) in 1923 when he was working as office assistant at the Office of Legal Adviser, and the activity went on for several years. This is indicated by several documents relating to the matter.