New Straits Times
Sunday, Dec 16, 2012
MALAYSIA - DATUK Dr T. Penny still recalls the laid back atmosphere in which he found himself when he first set up a private clinic in Pekan in 1979.
Born and bred in Ipoh, Perak, the 66-year old used to work as a medical officer in Hospital Besar Kuantan (now Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital) from 1976 to 1979.
In late 1979, Dr Penny, who has a Masters in Occupational Health from Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia, decided to quit his position at the hospital and set up shop in what was then known as Pekan Lama.
"There were only single-storey wooden buildings in what was essentially a calm and peaceful rural area.
"Looking out the window every morning, you would see school children walking by while the more affluent residents would be ferried on beca (trishaws).
"As the small town comes to life in the morning, the sight of the villagers carrying vegetables and chicken on rattan baskets held above their heads was a common sight.
"One of the most memorable sights was peddlers on bicycles selling cotton candy," he said smiling, adding the locals were as friendly now as they were back then.
The doctor said he decided on Pekan Lama as it seemed like a good opportunity to treat patients.
"Many from Pekan made the trip because the district did not have a single private clinic.
"It only had a single district hospital staffed by two doctors.
"The single-storey structure was made out of wood, the two doctors were always busy, and it lacked so many basic medical facilities that many of the locals would rather travel to Kuantan for treatment than at the hospital.
"The town itself had few business establishments with only a bicycle shop, a small grocery shop, a barber, a tailor and a laundrette."
With a twinkle in his eye, he reminisced about the humble nature of his practice at Jalan Masjid, Pekan.
"The clinic was was a single-storey old building surrounded by wooden houses and other buildings.
"It's three rooms were turned into a dispensary where the nurses were stationed, a consultation room where I would meet patients and a treatment room where I would conduct minor medical operations like stitching."
Dr Penny spoke on the poor socio-economic condition of the district, which was reflected in the patients who walked into his clinic back then.
"In those days, nearly everyone was either a fisherman or a farmer. They did not have much money to spend on healthcare.
"Sometimes, my patients offered bananas, eggs or fish as payment for the medical treatment and I accepted these things."
He said this extended even to house calls he would make to poor patients in Pekan.
"A few of these patients were extremely sick and unable to move due to severe medical conditions like a stroke, and for these special cases, I would waive payment," said the father of three grown children who is happily married to Datin Stella Thomas, 56, the principal of SMK Datuk Mahmud Mat, Pekan.
His acts of kindness and patience was rewarded when the number of patients soon surged via word of mouth.
"When I first started out, only five to 10 people visited the clinic daily. However, the numbers increased over time and I now receive at least 50 to 60 patients a day."
He remarked that the people, regardless of religion and ethnicity, got on so well that even the Chinese residents had Malay nicknames.
"I remember a shop owner across the road from my clinic who was nicknamed 'Wahab' and a Chinese lady tailor who was called 'Minah'.
"It was common to see the various races eating together and visiting each other's homes for weddings and other festivities," he said, adding even the royal family there knew the names of every resident.
Dr Penny said that in 1979, Pekan was relatively untouched by development and the area was a verdant lush of greenery filled with all kinds of wildlife.
"During my first year here, I remember treating an old villager who was bitten on his rear by a crocodile while bathing in Sungai Pekan.
"It was a common sight to see pythons swimming in the river from the many islets to the mainland."
After moving his clinic to its present location at Jalan Raja Abdullah 20 years ago, he said the pace of development started picking up and the town got its first set of traffic lights.
As for him, Dr Penny said he was happy to share the town with four other private clinics in Bandar Baru Pekan.
"The people of Pekan are thankful to the government for the positive socio-economic changes, especially to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak."
