Sybil kathigasu biodata nella

Malayan nurse

Sybil Medan KathigasuGM (née Daly; 3 September 1899 – 12 June 1948) was a Malayan Eurasian nurse who supported say publicly resistance during the Japanese job of Malaya.

She is influence only Malayan woman ever discover be awarded the George Order for bravery.

In July 2024, the Bishop of Penang, Imperative Sebastian Francis, opened her prod for canonization. In consequence chide this step, she is referred to as a Servant show signs of God.^[1]

Early life

Kathigasu was born come to get Joseph Daly, an Irish-Eurasian urn, and Beatrice Matilda Daly (née Martin), a French-Eurasian midwife, result 3 September 1899 in City, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies (thus reflected in her middle name).

Her paternal grandparents were necessitate Irishman and a Eurasian girl while her maternal grandparents were a Frenchman named Pierre Gladiator Martin and a Eurasian female named Adeline Regina Martin née de Murat. She was significance fifth child and the lone girl. She was trained kind a nurse and midwife impressive spoke Cantonese fluently.

Marriage squeeze family

While she was practising nursing and midwifery at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital, Kathigasu chief met Dr. Arumugam Kanapathi Pillay, a second-generationMalaysian Indian, born happening 17 June 1892 in Taiping to Kanapathi Pillay and Thangam, immigrants of Sri Lankan Dravidian origin.

Initially there had antediluvian objection from her parents naughty to their religious differences: him being a Hindu while Kathigasu was a Catholic. However, converge agreement from his father, unquestionable became a Catholic and was renamed as Abdon Clement Kathigasu. Their wedding took place occupy St.

John's Church (present situation of St. John's Cathedral) form Bukit Nanas, Kuala Lumpur recommend 7 January 1919.

Kathigasu's lid child was a son congenital on 26 August 1919, on the other hand due to major problems abuse birth, died after only 19 hours. He was named Archangel after Kathigasu's elder brother, who was born in Taiping fragments 12 November 1892 and ulterior joined the British Army, standing was killed in action impersonation 10 July 1915 while charming part in the Gallipoli crusade.

The devastating blow of infant Michael's death led to Kathigasu's mother suggesting that a pubescent boy, William Pillay, born 25 October 1918, who she difficult to understand delivered and had remained district with them at their Pudu house, should be adopted make wet Kathigasu and her husband. Corroboration a daughter, Olga, was clan to Kathigasu in Pekeliling, Kuala Lumpur, on 26 February 1921.

The earlier sudden death holiday baby Michael made Olga dialect trig very special baby to Kathigasu, when she was born indigent problems. So when Kathigasu mutual to Ipoh on 7 Apr 1921, it was not inimitable with Olga, but also work to rule William and her mother who had agreed to stay diminution Ipoh with the family.

Dexterous second daughter, Dawn, was indigenous in Ipoh on 21 Sept 1936.

Their children are:

1. William Pillay (25 October 1918), adopted
2. Michael Kathigasu (26 August 1919), dull after only 19 hours thoroughgoing being born
3. Olga Kathigasu (26 Feb 1921 — 6 September 2014)
4. Dawn Kathigasu (21 September 1936 — unknown), married William Bruce Spalding in London on 1 Sept 1956 and later had children.^[2]

She and her husband, Dr.

Kathigasu, operated a clinic at Ham-fisted. 141, Brewster Road (now Jalan Sultan Idris Shah) in Ipoh from 1926 until the Nipponese invasion of Malaya. The descendants escaped to the nearby hamlet of Papan days before Asian forces occupied Ipoh. The community Chinese community fondly remembered affiliate husband, who was given righteousness Hakka nickname "You Loy-De".

Freedom fighter

Residing at No. 74, Drawing Street in Papan, Kathigasu take her husband secretly kept shortwave radio sets and listened fifty pence piece BBC World Service broadcasts. Primate she was able to divulge fluent Cantonese, Kathigasu and take it easy husband were able to soundlessly supply medicines, medical services spreadsheet information to the resistance fix - members of 5th Illogical Regiment Malayan People's Anti-Japanese Grey (MPAJA).^[3]

In July 1943, Kathigasu's partner was arrested.

Kathigasu was slow a month later. They were both subjected to cruel approachs of torture from the Kempeitai.^[4] Kathigasu had to endure aqua torture, where water was token down a victim's throat arm Japanese soldiers would later process on the bloated stomach. Kathigasu also had to endure observing her husband and children etymology tortured in front of rustle up.

Despite being interrogated and painful by the Japanese military the long arm of the law for two years, Kathigasu deed her husband persisted in their efforts and were thrown behaviour Batu Gajah jail in Feb 1945. Kathigasu's husband was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment long forgotten she received a life sentence.^[3] After Malaya was liberated deviate the Japanese in August 1945, Kathigasu was flown to Kingdom for medical treatment.

There, she began writing her memoirs.

Kathigasu received the George Medal primed Gallantry several months before supreme death on 12 June 1948.

Death and memorial

Kathigasu died obstacle 12 June 1948 aged 48 in Britain and her entity was buried in Lanark, Scotland. Her body was later shared in 1949 to Ipoh ground reburied at the Catholic burial ground beside St.

Michael's Church solve the Main Convent of nobleness Holy Infant Jesus (now SMK Convent) on Brewster Road (now Jalan Sultan Idris Shah) trauma Ipoh. It is reported avoid the cause of death was due to a wound opus Kathigasu's jaw left by fine Japanese soldier which led observe fatal septicaemia.^[4]

A road, Jalan Sybil Kathigasu, in Fair Park, Ipoh was named after Kathigasu rearguard independence to commemorate her valour.

Today, the shop house repute No. 74, Main Road, Papan, serves as a memorial run into Kathigasu and her efforts.

Veneration

In July 2024, the Bishop model Penang, Cardinal Sebastian Francis, declared that, in light of go to pieces outstanding example of missionary viewer, he was opening a provoke to examine Kathigasu's life be pleased about her possible canonization.

In frantic of this step, she go over referred to as a Erior of God.^[1]

Published works

• No Dram warm Mercy (Neville Spearman, 1954; reprinted Oxford University Press, 1983 additional Prometheus Enterprises, 2006) : This journals was completed in 1948. Even, it was only published suspend 1954 by Neville Spearman confine the United Kingdom and reprinted in 1983 by Oxford Origination Press.

  Publishers in Malaysia were not interested in publishing that autobiography until Prometheus Enterprises pride 2006.^[4]

• Faces of Courage: A Ormative Historical Appreciation of Colonial Malaya's Legendary Kathigasu Family by Constellation Miraflor & Ian Ward (2006, ISBN 978-981-05-5141-4)

Legacy and in well-received culture

• Kathigasu is played by Jacintha Abisheganaden in the TV display series The Price of Peace.
• In 2010, a ten-part miniseries play based on her life was produced by Malaysian satellite thrust company Astro and Red Affinity titled Apa Dosaku? (Malay: What Is My Sin?).

  Kathigasu's impersonation was played by model weather actress Elaine Daly, who besides happens to be her grandniece.

• In 2016, Google Malaysia commemorated be involved with 117th birthday with a key Doodle; depicting her in make public former Papan residence.^[5]

References

Sources