Renganathan a/l Letchumanan (10/3/1946 – 31/8/2016)

The Johore Bar is once again distressed to record the passing of yet another one of its senior members the late Mr Renganathan a/l Letchumanan (“Renga”) who passed away in Johor Bahru on the 31st day of August 2016. The funeral took place according to Hindu rites on the 1st day of September 2016.

Born in Taiping, Perak, Renga grew up in the quaint little town of Kuala Kubu Bahru in the foothills of Frazer Hill. He had his early education in Tamil Schools in Kuala Kubu Baru and in Rawang and later on in the Methodist Boys School, Kuala Lumpur.

That Renga was to a large extent a self made successful lawyer is plain from his antecedents. On completing secondary schooling Renga joined the Rubber Research Institute(“RRI”) as a Research Assistant. Whilst working and yearning to uplift and upgrade his status in life, he attended evening  classes and passed the Higher School Certificate Examination and then read law as an external student.

At the age of 42, he had obtained his Bachelor of Laws (London)(External) and then  passed the threshold for the CLP, read in chambers of Matthew Varughese of Varughese & Co, Johor Bahru and was called to the Malaysian Bar on 4.12.1988

He worked as a Legal Assistant in m/s John Ang & Jega, m/s Nijar Kumar Netto & Partners  and finally in Vincent Lai & Co before embarking on in a partnership with Loh Song Chuan (who passed away on 4.11.2014). They formed  the firm of Loh & Renga which firm has 2 branches with the late Mr Loh’s nephew Low Shu Peng running the same presently.

Renga was an ardent sportsman and contributed his talents to the Johor Bench & Bar vs Police games and other Bar games. He was a footballer and an athlete. As a youth he played for the “Under 23 – Burnley Cup” for the State of Selangor. He played for the State of Negeri Sembilan (whilst attached to RRI, Port Dickson) for the Malaysia Cup. He was active as a registered Malaysian football referee and was also a qualified official of the Malaysian Amateur Athletic Federation.

At the Bar in Johor Renga was a rather quiet unassuming personality who did not court trouble. Renga could well be described as a plain speaking provincial personality. Rather private in his ways he took on the position of “speak when spoken to”. He carried on a quiet practice mainly as a litigator whereas his late partner Loh was a conveyancer.

Renga attended most Bar functions connected with sports. And when wear and tear because of sports injury took a toll on his knees he switched onto golf which he leisurely enjoyed.

Renga leaves behind his beloved wife Madam S. Thevanayaki a/p A Selladurai a  retired Nursing sister of Sultanah Aminah Hospital’s, Paediatric Ward and his only child a son Agilan a/l Renganathan, an Engineer.

The Bar expresses its deepest condolences to the loved ones of the football and sports loving lawyer. One is mindful that love remembrance and memories do not end at the tomb but are embedded in our hearts and minds till time shall be no more. These are our treasures.

One cannot resist quoting a fitting Rubaiyat from Omar Khayam as Renga, born in Taiping Perak grew up in Kuala Kubu Baru and Rawang worked in Kuala Lumpur and finally established his nest in Johor Bahru to practice law and live out his last days.

The Khayam penned:

The Ball no question makes of Ayes and Noes,
But Here or There, as strikes the Player, goes;
And He that tossed you down into the Field,
He knows about it all – He knows – He Knows!   –  OMAR KHAYYAM

May God grant Renga the peaceful and everlasting rest he deserves.

 

S. Balarajah
Johore Bar
(26.10.2016)

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