Simon C. Yew
Encyclopedia
Datuk Simon Chong Yew MBE
(1898-1983) was an important figure in the development of Scouting in the Malaysian state
of Sabah
in Borneo. He was also an accomplished artist.
(present-day Sabah) in 1923. Yew was appointed an MBE in 1955 for services to Scouting.
in Fuzhou
from 1919-1923. In 1923 he received his warrant (formal appointment) and after moving to North Borneo he joined the 1st Sandakan
Scout Troop as a Scout leader under Reverend Thomas Cecil Alexander
, who had founded Scouting in North Borneo in 1913.
In 1930 Yew formed the first Wolf Cub Pack in 1930 at St. Michael’s Church, Sandakan.. North Borneo’s first official camping ground for Scouts was opened at Lok Kawi
Scout Camping Ground in 1935, and the next year Yew brought 30 Sandakan Scouts there - a significant journey at the time - to camp. After the disruption to Scouting caused by the Japanese invasion of Borneo
during the Second World War, Yew revitalised the Troop at All Saint's Church, Jesselton. He was appointed as West Coast District Commissioner in 1950 and travelled extensively visiting troops across this large and predominantly jungle district. He published a district magazine Scouting in Picture and introduced the Scouting Job Week, similar to the British Scouts’ “Bob-a-job Week”.
In recognition of his services to Scouting in North Borneo, in 1953 Yew was awarded a Silver Acorn by the then-Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth and Empire
, Lord Rowallan
, and two years later he was appointed a MBE by Queen Elizabeth
. He was also appointed Datuk, a title roughly equivalent to a knighthood, after the independence of Sabah.
Yew retired from Scouting in 1959, but continued to serve on the Local Association, West Coast Council as a Lay member, and was made Honorary Commissioner.
.
Yew’s watercolours were used to illustrate the front covers of Maxwell Hall’s books Kinabalu Guerillas and Labuan Story.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1898-1983) was an important figure in the development of Scouting in the Malaysian state
Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia
Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia is an organisation for boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 17, based in Malaysia. Persekutuan Pengakap Malaysia is part of the global Scouting movement and national member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement...
of Sabah
Sabah
Sabah is one of 13 member states of Malaysia. It is located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. It is the second largest state in the country after Sarawak, which it borders on its southwest. It also shares a border with the province of East Kalimantan of Indonesia in the south...
in Borneo. He was also an accomplished artist.
Life
Yew was born in China in 1898, and emigrated to North BorneoNorth Borneo
North Borneo was a British protectorate under the sovereign North Borneo Chartered Company from 1882 to 1946. After the war it became a crown colony of Great Britain from 1946 to 1963, known in this time as British North Borneo. It is located on the northeastern end of the island of Borneo. It is...
(present-day Sabah) in 1923. Yew was appointed an MBE in 1955 for services to Scouting.
Scouting
Yew was a Scout leaderScout Leader
A Scout Leader or Scouter generally refers to the trained adult leader of a Scout unit. The terms used vary from country to country, over time, and with the type of unit.-Roles:...
in Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
from 1919-1923. In 1923 he received his warrant (formal appointment) and after moving to North Borneo he joined the 1st Sandakan
Sandakan
Sandakan is the second-largest city in Sabah, East Malaysia, on the north-eastern coast of Borneo. It is located on the east coast of the island and it is the administrative centre of Sandakan Division and was the former capital of British North Borneo...
Scout Troop as a Scout leader under Reverend Thomas Cecil Alexander
Thomas Cecil Alexander
Reverend Thomas Cecil Alexander was the founder of the Scouting movement in the Malaysian state of Sabah, in Sandakan in 1913, and in the state of Sarawak, in Kuching in 1915. The Sarawak movement was later active only from 1930 onwards.-External links:**...
, who had founded Scouting in North Borneo in 1913.
In 1930 Yew formed the first Wolf Cub Pack in 1930 at St. Michael’s Church, Sandakan.. North Borneo’s first official camping ground for Scouts was opened at Lok Kawi
Lok Kawi
Lok Kawi is a township in the West Coast Division of Sabah, Malaysia.Located around the border of the districts of Penampang and Papar, and about 15 kilometres south of the state capital Kota Kinabalu, it has become part of the urban expanse of Kota Kinabalu. It also features one of the few Hindu...
Scout Camping Ground in 1935, and the next year Yew brought 30 Sandakan Scouts there - a significant journey at the time - to camp. After the disruption to Scouting caused by the Japanese invasion of Borneo
Japanese occupation of Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak
Throughout much of World War II, British Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak were under Japanese occupation.The Japanese Empire commenced the Pacific War with the invasion of Kota Bahru in Kelantan on 8 December 1941 at 00:25, about 90 minutes before the Attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii at 07:48 on 7...
during the Second World War, Yew revitalised the Troop at All Saint's Church, Jesselton. He was appointed as West Coast District Commissioner in 1950 and travelled extensively visiting troops across this large and predominantly jungle district. He published a district magazine Scouting in Picture and introduced the Scouting Job Week, similar to the British Scouts’ “Bob-a-job Week”.
In recognition of his services to Scouting in North Borneo, in 1953 Yew was awarded a Silver Acorn by the then-Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth and Empire
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
, Lord Rowallan
Thomas Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan
Thomas Godfrey Polson Corbett, 2nd Baron Rowallan, KT, KBE, MC, TD , had a distinguished military career, was Chief Scout of the British Commonwealth and Empire and Governor of Tasmania.-Early life:...
, and two years later he was appointed a MBE by Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. He was also appointed Datuk, a title roughly equivalent to a knighthood, after the independence of Sabah.
Yew retired from Scouting in 1959, but continued to serve on the Local Association, West Coast Council as a Lay member, and was made Honorary Commissioner.
Paintings
Yew was an accomplished artist, and painted many local scenes of North Borneo life, in watercolours and from 1957 he used oils as well. He signed his paintings “Simon C. Yew”, and some of his works are in the collection of the Sabah Art Gallery, the national art collection of Sabah, housed in Sabah MuseumSabah Museum
The Sabah Museum is the state Museum of Sabah, Malaysia. It is sited on 17 ha of land at Bukit Istana Lama in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital. The complex contains not only the museum proper, but also an ethnobotanic garden, a zoo and a heritage village. The main building also houses the Sabah...
.
Yew’s watercolours were used to illustrate the front covers of Maxwell Hall’s books Kinabalu Guerillas and Labuan Story.