Leslie Clifford Bateman
Encyclopedia
Tan Sri
Leslie Clifford Bateman (March 12, 1915 – October 26, 2005) was the last non-citizen of Malaysia to be appointed to any establishment connected to the government of Malaysia, as the Controller of Rubber Research in 1962. Bateman was a strong proponent of grading rubber
, and pushed for the introduction of the process into the Malaysian rubber industry as the Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) scheme. He believed this was the only way natural rubber could survive against the synthetic rubber
products introduced during World War II
.
Bateman received his early education from Bishopshalt School
, Uxbridge, and went on to the University College London
, where he received a First class Honours degree in chemistry
in 1935. He went on to earn a PhD
and win the Ramsay Memorial Prize for best student of the year. During his life, Bateman wrote a total of 70 papers on natural rubber, mostly dealing with oxidation and sulphuration reactions.
During World War II Bateman devised rubber hoses that could handle petroleum
, and later joined the British Rubber Producers Research Association
as a physical chemist. He became the association's director of research in 1954. In 1962, he was appointed as the Controller of Rubber Research and the chairman of the Malayan Rubber Fund Board. Batesman left these postings in 1974 and became the secretary-general of the International Rubber Study Group in 1975. In Mar, 1968 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
He retired in 1983, and suffered a stroke
in 2002. He died on October 26, 2005, and was eulogised in an obituary
placed in the New Straits Times
by the director-general and staff of the Malaysian Rubber Board.
Malay titles
The Malay language has a complex system of titles and honorifics, which are still used extensively in Malaysia and Brunei. Singapore, whose Malay royalty was abolished by the British colonial government in 1891, has adopted civic titles for its leaders....
Leslie Clifford Bateman (March 12, 1915 – October 26, 2005) was the last non-citizen of Malaysia to be appointed to any establishment connected to the government of Malaysia, as the Controller of Rubber Research in 1962. Bateman was a strong proponent of grading rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
, and pushed for the introduction of the process into the Malaysian rubber industry as the Standard Malaysian Rubber (SMR) scheme. He believed this was the only way natural rubber could survive against the synthetic rubber
Synthetic rubber
Synthetic rubber is is any type of artificial elastomer, invariably a polymer. An elastomer is a material with the mechanical property that it can undergo much more elastic deformation under stress than most materials and still return to its previous size without permanent deformation...
products introduced during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Bateman received his early education from Bishopshalt School
Bishopshalt School
Bishopshalt School is a comprehensive secondary school based in the London Borough of Hillingdon. It has been awarded Arts College status.-History:...
, Uxbridge, and went on to the University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
, where he received a First class Honours degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
in 1935. He went on to earn a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
and win the Ramsay Memorial Prize for best student of the year. During his life, Bateman wrote a total of 70 papers on natural rubber, mostly dealing with oxidation and sulphuration reactions.
During World War II Bateman devised rubber hoses that could handle petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
, and later joined the British Rubber Producers Research Association
British Rubber Producers Research Association
The Tun Abdul Razak Research Centre, originally known as the British Rubber Producers' Research Association, carries out research into rubber and is funded by the Malaysian government....
as a physical chemist. He became the association's director of research in 1954. In 1962, he was appointed as the Controller of Rubber Research and the chairman of the Malayan Rubber Fund Board. Batesman left these postings in 1974 and became the secretary-general of the International Rubber Study Group in 1975. In Mar, 1968 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society
He retired in 1983, and suffered a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
in 2002. He died on October 26, 2005, and was eulogised in an obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
placed in the New Straits Times
New Straits Times
The New Straits Times is an English-language newspaper published in Malaysia. It is Malaysia's oldest newspaper still in print , having been founded as The Straits Times in 1845, and was reestablished as the "New Straits Times" in 1965. The paper served as Malaysia's only broadsheet format English...
by the director-general and staff of the Malaysian Rubber Board.