Song.
Wong, recipient of the ‘Pingat Keberanian’ bravery award and former Sri Aman Assemblyman Michael Pilo and Dato Mohammad Medan Abdullah, Group CEO of
Bintulu Port Holdings Bhd after the launch of his 36th book titled ‘API-THE TIGER OF KANOWIT’ at Hilton Hotel Kuching on Wednesday.
KUCHING: Veteran journalist and well-known local author James Ritchie has written two books on Lim’s family. The first book, on Thomas Lim Eng Guan, was launched by Miri Resident Antonio Khatigalis in Miri earlier this year.
The second, on Thomas’s elder brother the late ACP Dato Lawrence Lim Eng Liong, titled ‘Api-The Tiger of Kanowit’ was launched by Sarawak Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari on Wednesday at Hilton Hotel here.
The Hilton function was also attended by James Ritchie, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Jemut Masing, Minister in the Chief Minister ’s Office Datuk Talib Zulpilip, Deputy State Secretary Datu Ismawi Ismuni, Lawrence’s oldest son Robert and other family members and members of the Sarawak Police and Armed Forces including recipients of Malaysian bravery awards and other distinguished guests.
James Ritchie, a New Sarawak Tribune journalist, started compiling Lawrence’s book before his demise in 2006. Failing to find a sponsor for the book after writing to several Sarawak government agencies, the project was put on hold. In 2009 the Chief Minister of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud commissioned the Sarawak Police Veterans Association to write about the history of the Sarawak Police leading to the publication “Crimson Tide Over Borneo–Untold Police Stor ies and Cessation of the Sarawak Communist Insurgency (1952-1990)”.
Two years ago the Managing Director of Trac-Wheels (M) Sdn. Bhd. Richard Song approached James Ritchie and agreed to publish ‘Api-The Tiger of Kanowit.’ Excerpts from “Api-The Tiger of Kanowit” and 50 of the photographs in the book are from James Ritchie’s 2011 book “Crimson Tide Over Borneo” which he wrote with Special Branch Assistant Commissioner Thoo Kim Nyian and Federal Minister Datuk Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar. Richard Song designed the impressive cover of “Api” and spent at least RM100,000 for printing of the books and launch.
A descendant of Kuching’s famous philantropist Song Kheng Hai who donated a rugby pitch at Padungan named after him, Richard first published “The Legacy of Song Kheng Hai” which was recently released.
His next book project is the story of Malaysia’s oldest rugby club, Kuching Rugby Football Club (KRFC), which will be celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2019.
Richard is the current president of the Sarawak Rugby Union (SRU) which was established 50 years ago in 1967 by Dato Sri John George Ritchie, the first Malaysian Commissioner of Police of the Sarawak Constabulary.
