Song’s book aims to preserve the legacy of the late Sarawakian educationist and civil servant Polycarp Sim.
THE late Sarawakian educationist Datuk Polycarp Sim was more than just a teacher, he was also a mentor and positive influence on countless students at St Joseph’s Secondary School in Kuching.
In his later roles with the state Public Services Commission and Yayasan Sarawak, he quietly helped many deserving scholarship and job candidates, especially those from poor or rural families.
Now his contributions have been put on record in a book written by former student Richard Song.
“I owe a lot to this man, as do a lot of former Josephians from the 1960s and 1970s,” Song said.
“To me, he saved me. I was a naughty boy and he transformed me. He became my mentor, my teacher, and gave me spiritual guidance.”
In particular, Song recalled how Sim encouraged him to complete his Senior Cambridge examination during a difficult time.
“I had completed my third paper when my father suffered a serious stroke and was rushed to hospital. When I came home, my uncle came to our house to announce the bad news.
“I cycled to the hospital to see my father. I lost my whole mood for the exam because I thought my father could die at any time.
“The next morning I went to school and told Master Sim that my father was seriously ill and I didn’t feel like sitting for the next paper.
“He looked at me sternly and said I should complete the exam because it was very important. He told me to make sure I passed and got my certificate and he would get me a job afterwards.
“He was so worried about me and my family.
“If he had not encouraged me, I would not have completed my secondary school education and I don’t know what I would have become.
“I’m forever indebted to him.”
With similar stories from Sim’s former students, Song decided to write a book to preserve his legacy.
He said Sim was a humble man who didn’t like publicity but served others generously and unselfishly.
“I decided that a record has to be compiled because I want future generations to learn from and be inspired by him and to share his values to serve humanity.
“To me, he is a reference of wonderful values that we must promote and inculcate in the younger generation so that society will benefit,” he said.
However, Song faced various challenges along the way and it took him about seven years to complete the book after starting it in 2015.
About halfway through the project, he suffered a heart attack in 2017 and underwent bypass surgery in 2019. Then Covid-19 struck in 2020.
“During that time I was wondering if maybe Datuk Polycarp didn’t want me to publish the book. But Covid was a good time for me to reflect and I decided to continue.”
The book, titled The Life of Polycarp Sim Cheng Mong, was launched last December by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg, who also happened to be one of his former students.
Song said all proceeds from the sale of the book would be donated to the Datuk Polycarp Sim Memorial Fund to help urban poor students at St Joseph’s School.
Sim, who died in 1993, taught at St Joseph’s School from 1933 to 1969. After retiring, he served as principal of St Patrick’s School in Kuching from 1970 to 1971.
In 1972, he was appointed deputy chairman of the Sarawak Public Services Commission and a director of Yayasan Sarawak.
He received the Tokoh Guru award in 1983, which was presented by then education minister Datuk Dr Sulaiman Daud, one of his former students.
