Kota Kinabalu: Members of the Rotary Club of Kota Kinabalu recently celebrated the 90th birthday of one of its most senior members, Past President (PP) Datuk Aaron Liew.
Aaron was the RCKK President in 1974-75. He was then the Director of Lands and Surveys Department, Sabah. During his year as the President, he formed/launched the Sabah Mental Health Association.
He also established the St. Francis Convent Interact Club. An elocution contest in Bahasa Malaysia was held to promote the use of BM among the schools in Kota Kinabalu. Sabah College emerged the winner.
Aaron also raised funds for the Society for the Deaf with a violin concert by two famous artists from the Japan Foundation Tokyo, which raised RM5,000.
Some members who paid tribute to Aaron were PP Datuk John Lo, PP Datuk Rowland Chin and PP Patrick Chin.
“I first met Aaron when I was a young banker in our Rotary Club. He was already a Past President. PP Aaron was a soft-spoken gentleman, friendly, always approachable and welcoming as a senior Rotarian towards the new members.
“At that time, he was already the Director of the Lands and Surveys Department, I can say that PP Aaron has been an exemplary senior government official, helpful and fair to all. PP Aaron is the epitome of Rotary’s 4-way tests.”
John recounted how Tan Sri Harris, who was then the Chief Minister also had the highest regard for him. To Tan Sri Harris, PP Aaron ‘is a good, true and trustworthy man’.
According to Rowland, “Aaron is the most senior continuous member of RCKK, having joined in 1967 He was the first Sabahan to hold the post of Director of Lands & Surveys Department. A graduate of Queensland University, he did his early education at All Saints School, KK.
“Aaron and Siew Shen have three children, two sons and a daughter. The eldest, Martin, is a surveyor like his father. Their younger son, Mathew, is a pharmacist. The only daughter, June, is a doctor”.
Patrick shared Aaron’s contribution in setting up the Society for the Deaf (he approved the land for the Society in 1976/7).
