James Ritchie — My populist, enigmatic, free-spirited friend

Borneo Post

09-05-2025

This photo, taken in 1968 at the St Thomas' School football field, shows (from left) Dato Affandi Anuar, James and columnist – all at age 18.
JAMES Alexander Ritchie and his brother George had landed in Kuching by ship, via Singapore, from Penang in December 1967.
Their father Datuk Seri John Ritchie had been appointed as the new Police Commissioner of Sarawak in 1968, having transferred from Alor Star, Kedah.
I had met James (nicknamed Sandy by family and friends) in January 1968 when he joined us in Lower 6 Arts at St Thomas' Secondary School; Georgie entered Form 4 at the same school.
For a few months before his folks took up permanent residence at the official police quarters, James had stayed with me.
James passed away suddenly, of a suspected heart attack, at a private clinic in Kuching at 11.45am on Saturday, May 3 this year – just seven weeks short of his 75th birthday on June 26.
His final years had been ridden with minor health issues involving mobility as his legs were beginning to take their toll after years of traversing and wandering the length and breadth of Sarawak and Sabah.
Since my career in the international film production services trade started in 1987, James had been one of my handful of 'co-conspirators' (loosely-termed comrades-in-arms) together with Eric Thein, Adrian Cornelius, Hairul Askor, and my daughter Dyan.
He was the expert go-to for all things 'native', be it to source archival materials or historical research and personal anecdotes, to look up contacts and those who could assist us in our productions, as well as oft-times to work as part of my film crew.
In my other endeavours like the Rainforest World Music Festival (which I had founded in 1997 with Randy Raine-Reusch, Edric Ong and Robert Basuik) and in my writing and journalistic career, James was always there, either in the background as a reference point, or as an enabler who knew or could locate the 'missing links and gaps' and the stories behind the bylines and the headlines.
He could be relied upon and I had entrusted him with following through on many research projects, as well as introductions to sources who could be as remotely distanced as Long Banga or at the other side of the border into Kalimantan Borneo.
We were both 17 when we had first met in school. We clicked and became part of a small group of other cohorts – I remember Abang Affandi Anuar (now Dato), John Najod, Edward Chai, Wilfred Gomez, Paul Chan, Peter Salang, Shamsuddin Ahmad, Hakim Ibrahim and a couple of others.
We would spend afternoons at the Police Commissioner's Residence (Petra Jaya) – at one stage, a couple of us had even swam across the crocodile-infested Sarawak River to the Main Bazaar side from the banks of the Fort Margherita!
In school, we were both senior prefects. James had excelled at sports and other outdoor extracurricular activities; I was more the 'nerdy' one at the debates and stuff like the school magazines, photography and science clubs, etc.
With his boyish good Eurasian looks and charming demeanour, James was very popular among the students regardless of class and age.
At the time, we had just started co-education classes with the St Mary's girls coming over from across the MacDougall Road to join us for many sessions. It was obvious that the girls were all swooning over him – and I bet a few ladies too!
During school time, he was more interested in sports – he had excelled in rugby and field events.
I remember that he was a good track runner and javelin thrower.
During the evenings, he would also moonlight as a guest singer and had indeed joined a couple of local pop bands, one of which was called 'The Guests'.
(From left) James and members of his first band, 'The Guests', in 1969: Jimmy Drahman, Sajali Julai @ Jalek, Ahmad Sulaiman and Sarbini Reduan, with their singer Rokayah Julai (seated).
James had a strong and rich baritone crooner's voice, which found its natural home in popular songs of the day like 'Green Green Grass of Home', 'Help Me Make It Through The Night', and 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again'.
His rendition of 'Widuri', especially at weddings, was always a show-stopper, and the audience would applaud in loud appreciation after he had finished.
He could sing at ease among friends at casual meets, as well as at formal occasions in the presence of royalty and statesmen.
He played the piano well and had an incredible repertoire of songs in his memory bank of melodies.
It didn't take much persuasion for him to break into a song, any song, and anyplace was a stage – he would always attract an appreciative audience.
James started his journalism career at age 21, as a cadet reporter at the New Straits Times in Kuala Lumpur in 1971. He made his name very early on with his exclusive reports on crime, major political events and high profile cases.
These had included the Japanese Red Army raid on the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur in 1975, and the arrest of criminal Wong Swee Chin, more infamously known as 'Botak Chin'.
In 1981, James was posted back to set up the New Straits Times office in Kuching. Later he became executive director at Eastern Times in 2006 and the same position at the New Sarawak Tribune in 2010.
James had also served as a public relations officer in the Chief Minister's Office in 1998; as media consultant for Sarawak Digest in 2022; and editorial advisor at Sarawak Tribune in that same year. He made many friends in high places.
Aside from his lifelong passion for writing (he was always in search of the next big story), James' other passions in life were rugby, bodybuilding and singing.
He had once played rugby for Selangor, and also the Malaysian national team.
James was personally involved in many of my film production shoots in Sarawak and Sabah.
I recalled that for my first Hollywood feature in 1987, called 'Farewell to the King', he had assisted in my casting call and had suggested our mutual friend and former classmate Wilfred Gomez Malong for the main role as the local Iban chief.
It was a very good call!
In 2000 for 'The Sleeping Dictionary', James had also helped suggest certain locations for our filming. After that I had recruited him as my 'Native Guide' for my IMAX/Disney shoot called 'Sacred Planet', which took us to Mulu and parts of Sabah.
He was my liaison between the wandering Penan tribesmen and was also instrumental in introducing me to Petrus Raja Bilong, among others.
James with his beloved Penan friends, in this photo taken in the 1990s, in the Mulu region.
In the years since then I had James work with me on documentary shoots for the BBC, Discovery Channel, ABC, CBC and Travel Channel, which had often taken us off the well-trodden trails into very remote and inaccessible places like Long Banga, Ulu Lemanak, Ulu Limbang, the highlands beyond Long Napir, and many other places within Sarawak.
His personal contacts and his love and passion for the people he met throughout his life – be they from the hallowed halls and corridors of power, the common man on the street to the 'kampong' (village) kid or maiden – were unsurpassed.
He spoke their language most of the time, and was able to 'sweet-talk' the most hard-headed village chief to either open doors, or tell us stories of long forgotten secrets.
I have many fond memories of James etched in my mind: the sight of him holding up an umbrella to shed against the sun as he sat inside a longboat going up the river at Mulu; his need for hot water every time he needed to take a bath; his prodigious drinking habits – he could and would drink anything offered to him. I seldom see him totally blind drunk, but he did get intoxicated.
James seldom lost his temper, neither had he ever spoken badly of anyone.
At many Chinese New Year open houses of mine and other friends' homes, he would bring a big entourage of his friends to accompany him – there would be women and children too!
His love for animals was well documented; stray dogs were his forte.
At one stage, he had even offered to gift me a pony that someone had given to him!
During his life, James had published 45 books on all kinds of subjects.
His first book was completed at age 37.
He wrote about the lives of royalties; national and state leaders; distinguished personalities and famous or infamous people; as well as on subjects ranging from man-eating crocodiles to remote places and events.
His subject matters had been as varied and versatile as the man himself.
In 2012, Regina Fabiny of Leisure Guides KL had brought James and I together, with others like Edric Ong and Dona Drury-Wee to contribute to The Guide to Sarawak, a publication commissioned by the Sarawak Government.
It was the only time we had collaborated on a book, which was published in 2015.
Photo, taken in 2012, shows (from left) James, Drury-Wee, Regina Fabiny and the columnist during the collaboration on 'The Guide to Sarawak' book.
James' last and most recent book was launched on May 21, 2024, titled 'Bujang Berani – Patriots, Warriors and Unsung Heroes', which highlights the sacrifices of soldiers and police officers in defending and honouring the sovereignty of Sarawak.
His Excellency Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Sarawak Tun Pehin Sri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar, a close personal friend since the days when James' father was the state's police commissioner, had graced the occasion in launching the book.
James, in a photo taken at one of his book launches in 2023.
Over the years, James had won more than 20 state and national awards.
In 2023, he was given the Special Jury Award at the annual Malaysian Journalism Awards by his peers in the media.
Last year, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim presented him with the 'Tokoh Hawana' (Journalism Icon) Award at the National Journalists Day, culminating a lifetime body of work.
Upon hearing of his demise last Saturday, I was inundated with texts, calls and emails from family, friends and even people I did not know (but who had either seen or read my posts on social media or in my WhatsApp groups).
(From left) James, at a 2024 book launch with Wan Junaidi and wife Toh Puan Datuk Patinggi Fauziah Mohd Sanusi.
From London, I had received a text from the Earl of Cranbrook, a personal friend of James, which said: 'My condolences to the family and friends of James Ritchie who was an amazing historian of modern times. From Lord Cranbrook.'
From Jason Brooke in England, an email had arrived: 'I am afraid I don't have a contact for James' family, but if you get a chance, I would be grateful if you would pass on my sincere condolences.
'James was almost the first person I met in Sarawak way back in 2008 and was always a kind and welcoming host and an enthusiastic teller of colourful Sarawak stories.
'He felt very much part of the fabric of Kuching society and will be sorely missed.
'My sympathies, Jason.'
From Dato Lim Kian Hock, away visiting family overseas, I had received this: 'I recalled having known James since 1975 when I was at my DO's Wan Ali Ibrahim's office. When I was the DUN secretary from 1980 to 1999, he had written the book called 'A Gentleman's Victory for Taib Mahmud' on the Ming Court political crisis of 1987.
'In 2000, James had helped the Australian Z Unit Commando Jack Tredea with his Bario trip and much later wrote about it in an interview with Tredea, and published it.
'For his exploration, journeying and stories on heritage sites and his many profound literary achievements and most of all his friendship James' passing is a great loss to the local community and I will miss him very much.'
James' remains were cremated on Tuesday, May 6, and entombed at the Nirvana Memorial Hall at Jalan Batu Kitang near Kuching.
He is survived by wife Helen Tan; daughter Rebekah Dawn Ba'o Ritchie, son-in-law Darren Chang and grand-daughter Hela Rae Ritchie-Chang.
(From left) The columnist with the widow Helen, James' brother George and his wife Susan Wong during the funeral wake on May 5, 2025.
Jason also had four siblings: Richard, Cynthia, Audrey and George.
The best tribute I can think of for my dear departed friend, 'Sandy', is that he had lived a life that he would never would have thought possible in his wildest dream, and he had lived it to the brim, and to such a respectably advanced age of 75!
Yes, he had done it 'his way'!
Because at 17, so very many years ago, we had spoken aloud to each other then, that we'd both probably be among the ones who would go 'before our time' because we had felt we had 'such a lotta livin' to do' (to quote Elvis).
I know that Sandy would have added if you'd asked him: 'No, I have no regrets…none at all!'
We didn't get a chance to say our goodbyes; James had missed our last class reunion on March 29 due to bad weather.
But at our age, every day is one more bonus day of 'God giving' living for us.
We always had this unspoken 'brotherhood' closeness between us, so despite no proper goodbyes – Sandy, we'll be meeting again soon on that bright and shining shore, risen in glory!
Rest ye well, my dear friend. And it's just 'adieu' for now, not goodbye.
* The opinions expressed in this article are the columnist's own and do not reflect the view of the newspaper.