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THE launch of “The Last Colonial Officer of North Borneo: The Enduring Legacy of Anthony Lamb” also saw a heartfelt tribute from Anthony Lamb’s son, Alex Lamb, who thanked those who helped bring the biography to fruition and reflected on his father’s enduring gift for storytelling.

The following is the speech delivered by Alex at the book launch, reproduced verbatim with only minor editorial adjustments:

Speech by Alex Lamb:

Dear ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, friends and family,

It fills me with immense joy to see so many of you here and to know how many lives my father, Tony, was able to touch.

My father loved to tell stories, and I can think of no better way to pay tribute to him than by helping him share one last story.

To everyone who has helped bring this book to its launch, thank you. Words are hardly enough to express my gratitude.

I must especially thank Datuk CL Chan, one of Tony’s oldest and dearest friends. Without his tireless work and dedication, this book would not have been possible.

My sincere thanks also go to Mr John Tan for his continued support of Tony’s endeavours and for helping make this wonderful launch possible.

However you knew Tony, I can guarantee that this book will bring a tear to your eye, a smile to your face and, at times, make you laugh out loud.

Whichever the case, I hope you will discover even more about Tony than you ever thought you knew.

Thank you once again, and I hope you enjoy the book.

A daughter’s tribute to an extraordinary dad 

THE book launch also featured an emotional tribute by Anthony Lamb’s daughter, Serena Lamb, who reflected on her father’s gift for storytelling, his lifelong passion for Borneo’s natural heritage and the profound impact he had on those who knew and loved him.

The following is the speech delivered by Serena at the launch, reproduced verbatim with only minor editorial adjustments:

Speech by Serena Lamb:

Good morning, and welcome everyone. Datuks, Datins, ladies and gentlemen, dear friends,

Thank you so much for being here today to celebrate the launch of this very special book.

It is deeply meaningful to me and to my family to know that so many people felt a connection to my father and to his work, and that so many of you are here to celebrate the preservation of his story and legacy through this wonderful book.

I must begin by thanking those without whom this book, and this event, would not have been possible.

First, of course, Datuk CL Chan, the author, who poured so much care and hard work into this project and whose friendship and collaboration with my father spanned more than 50 years.

Thank you, Datuk. I know my father treasured your friendship, and he would have been deeply touched – and perhaps just a little incredulous – by this extraordinary tribute to his contributions to Sabah and to the study and preservation of its natural history. We truly cannot thank you enough for immortalising his legacy in this way.

To Mr John Tan, our Guest of Honour and another of my father’s dearest friends, thank you. Your friendship, interest in and support of his work over so many years were things I know he deeply appreciated. Thank you for helping bring his knowledge and love of Borneo’s incredible flora to a wider audience.

To the staff and team at Opus Publications and Natural History Publications, congratulations on a phenomenal job, and thank you for everything you did to bring both my father’s earlier publications and this book to life. We are deeply grateful.

To the editors of the book, Mr Wong Khoon Meng and Mrs Gina Hamilton, thank you for your hard work and care, and for your friendship and support of my father. We are so grateful.

To everyone who contributed stories, photographs and support throughout this project, thank you. If I tried to name you all, I’d be here well beyond my allotted time, so please accept our heartfelt appreciation. This book would not have been possible without you.

Last, but certainly not least, to my family.

To my mother, Datin Anthea Phillipps, who not only worked tirelessly on this book but was instrumental in bringing so much of my father’s work to life, and who is a phenomenal botanist in her own right. Alex and I are incredibly fortunate to have had not just one, but two brilliant parents.

To my aunt, Dad’s sister, Jane Barrett Payton, who supplied many of the photographs and stories and has been such a wonderful support. We are sorry you could not be here today, but we are deeply grateful for all your love and hard work.

To my brother, Alexander – I think you’ve made Dad very proud.

To my husband, Aaron Harrison, who has been an unwavering source of strength for our entire family, not only throughout this project but always, thank you.

And once again, to all of you here today, and to everyone who knew and loved Dad, thank you.

Dad was, as many of you know, a very modest man. I think he would have been more than a little overwhelmed by the response to this book and to his life’s work, but I also know he would have been deeply moved and profoundly grateful.

My father loved stories, and he was a wonderful storyteller.

Some of my happiest memories are of listening to him recount one of his incredible adventures or some wonderfully funny mishap. From tales of the practical jokes he and his brother James played as young boys in Sri Lanka, to stories about the treasures he discovered in the jungles of Sabah, he had a remarkable gift for making almost anything fascinating.

How fitting, then, that so many of the stories he told are preserved in this book as part of the story of him – and that they will, I hope, continue to be shared by future generations, just as the best stories always are.

It is also beautiful to think that, even though he is no longer with us, we all continue to be part of his legacy by sharing our memories of him, remembering the ways he touched our lives and carrying those moments with us as we continue our own journeys.

He – and his work – live on in everyone who loved him. To have that legacy captured in this book is truly a gift.

One of my favourite stories about Dad involves hockey, a rather possessive hornbill and several people having to dive headfirst into the grass... but I won’t spoil it. You’ll have to read the book to find out what happened.

Not a day goes by that I don’t miss my father – his sense of humour, his advice, his wonder at the beauty of the world and his kindness.

But there is also not a day when I am not profoundly grateful, and immensely proud, to be his daughter, to have known him as I did and to have shared so much of his life and his stories.

All that remains for me to say is that this book is a truly phenomenal work, and I believe it is a beautiful representation of my father’s life – which really was the most incredible adventure.

I hope you enjoy reading it, and I hope you enjoy today’s launch. Thank you, everyone.