AUSTRALIAN PARK NAMED AFTER MALAYSIAN DOCTOR

By Neville DCruz

MELBOURNE, Aug 18 (Bernama) - The city of Ipswich, about 40km from Brisbane,
has dedicated a new 18-hectare park in Redbank Plains to a much-loved Malaysian
doctor who has served the local community for more than 35 years.

Mayor of Ipswich Paul Pisasale said the park was named after Dr Kamalakaran
'Harry' Ratnam "to celebrate his professionalism, dedication, loyalty and
compassion to the Ipswich community".

"Dr Ratnam, who arrived in Australia, and in Ipswich in 1981 with his wife
Raji after an invitation from the Agent General of Queensland in England, has
served the community ever since, and I believe it is fitting for this
magnificent park to be named after him," he said.

In 2007, Dr Ratnam, who is the younger brother of Malaysian former judge R.
K. Nathan and a first cousin of billionaire Tan Sri T. Ananda Krishnan, was
awarded the prestigious Order of Australia Medal on the Queen's birthday honours
list for service to medicine in Ipswich.

"I never dreamed in my life that I would get an Order of Australia and then
a park named after me," he said. "I never expected to be rewarded in this
way."

Dr Ratnam, who had his early education at St John's Institution, Bukit
Nanas, Kuala Lumpur completed his schooling in Dublin, Ireland. He then entered
the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians in Dublin, graduating in 1977.

Since coming to Ipswich, Dr Ratnam has served on many health and welfare
committees, especially with the elderly.

It even prompted Jo-Ann Miller, Queensland State parliamentary secretary to
the minister of health, to refer Dr Ratnam as "an absolute hero" in Queensland
State Parliament in April 29, 2004.

Ipswich city coucillor Victor Attwood, who proposed the park be named after
Dr Ratnam, said he did it "in celebration of the work done in this area by Dr
Harry Ratnam".

Queensland multi-millionaire Maha Sinnathamby, formerly of Rembau, Negeri
Sembilan said Dr Ratnam should be "very proud of his achievements".

"The whole community of Ipswich loves this man. He has done a lot for them,"
said Sinnathamby, who has a boulevard named after him.

Most of the 200 people who attended the launch of the park at the weekend
were Dr Ratnam's patients.
-- BERNAMA