Hospital Reko (1912-1915)

• 1906-11-05: The Bangi Rubber and Tin Properties
• 1915-06-30: Kindersley Brothers @ Ladang Balgownie
• Rekoh: 1912-07-08: Hospital Reko

• 1912-07-08: Syarikat “The Reko Hospital Association Ltd” didaftarkan. Pemegang sahamnya adalah beberapa syarikat perladangan, antaranya Kajang, Glenshiel (Sungei Tangkas), dan Cheras Rubber Estates. Antara pengarahnya ialah R.C.M. Kindersley: “THE REKO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION LTD - Company Registration Number: 191201000010 (110-D) - Company Registration Date: 08/07/1912” (Malaysia Data: "THE REKO HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION LTD").

• 1913-05-14: Bangunan Hospital Reko, dengan dilengkapi kakitangan serta ubat-ubatan, telah pun mula beroperasi. Ia diuruskan oleh seorang pegawai perubatan Eropah (3/6: Dr Nicholl), dengan dibantu oleh sepasukan dresser dan lain-lain. Mereka membuat lawatan kerap ke kawasan petempatan pekerja di ladang-ladang. “Health on The Estates. If we are to have good labour results we must look to the health of our employees, and the directors have done so by joining with other companies and forming the Reko Hospitals Association, in which we hold 560 shares. This hospital was erected to meet all Government requirements and is up-to-date in every respect. It is controlled by a European medical officer, who is assisted by a staff of dressers and others. We are glad to say that we have not required to use the hospital to any great extent, as we have had little sickness on our estates. The medical officer and his assistants are constantly going round our estates and visit the coolie lines and the coolies, so that their welfare as far as health is concerned is well looked after. The charges for the hospital and medical services, including medicines, will, the managers estimate, not exceed $200 per annum.” (The Straits Times, 14 May 1913, Page 10: |"Kajang Rubber Estates"). “The health of the labour force was good. The estate was regularly visited by Dr. Nicholl, the medical officer of the Reko Hospitals Association, of which the company is a shareholder. In his official report Dr. Nicholl reports the estate as a healthy one, and the average daily attendance of coolies as been high.” (The Straits Times, 3 June 1913, Page 11: |"Cheras Rubber Estates").
  
  Kemungkinan bangunan hospital Reko adalah sebagaimana dalam gambar contoh ini: “Typical coolie lines and estate hospital” (Arnold Wright, 1908: "Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources", m.s.354).

• 1915-06-30: Hospital Kajang telah dibuka kepada estet-estet di sekitarnya (Bangunan barunya telah pun siap dibina pada tahun 1910 (Hospital Kajang, 2016: |"Sejarah")). Oleh kerana itu, pihak pengurusan memutuskan untuk menutup Hospital Reko, walaupun baru 2-3 tahun beroperasi. Bangunannya masih elok, namun oleh kerana nilai jualannya rendah, pihak pengurusan mengambil keputusan untuk merobohkannya: “You will notice that we propose that half the value should be written off the shares in the Reko Hospitals Association. The buildings &c. are all in good order, but as we are now permitted to use the Government Hospital the wards of our own hospital have been closed. We are placed in a sound position by having the hospital in case we should be called on by Government to provide hospital quarters again, but the buildings are of no use for any other purpose and if sold would only fetch what they would be worth as material if pulled down.” (Malaya Tribune., 30 June 1915, Page 4: |"Balgownie Rubber Estates Ltd.").

Menurut laporan terakhir di atas, pihak pengurusan mengambil keputusan untuk merobohkan bangunan hospital tersebut. Kemungkinan besar ianya telah dirobohkan tidak lama selepas itu, dan tiada kesannya lagi kini. Lokasinya juga tidak dapat dipastikan: kemungkinan tidak jauh dari pejabat R.C.M. Kindersley di Reko Hill Estate (sekitar Pusat Hentian Kajang kini).

Gambar hiasan: Sungei Krudda Estate Hospital, Sungai Siput, Perak (Arnold Wright, 1908: "Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources", m.s. 402). Kemungkinan rekabentuk Hospital Reko juga sebegini, namun tidak dapat dipastikan.

Selain petikan dan sumber yang dinyatakan, rencana ini telah diusahakan oleh TMK Pulasan, di bawah kelolaan Syahrul Sazli Shaharir <sazli@pulasan.my>. Pengakuan penting: Kami bukan ahli sejarah! Sila klik di sini untuk penjelasan lanjut.