associations, sizeable contributions from Raja Musa the then Raja Muda of Perak, and the Malay Gurus Association for special class-rooms to be named after them. W.E Perera was the first in Malaya to initiate a housing society for teachers of his school at Teluk Anson from 1953 to 1955. He sought loans, land, got the houses built and created the housing estate named Kampung Guru (Teacher's Village) after refusing to have it named after him. This estate was opened by Governor Mc Gillivray of Teluk Anson. Not one to rest on his laurels, W. E. Perera refused to accept any offers of honours or awards from the Sultan of Perak for his community service during the war. He also refused the recommendation for an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) award made by the then governor Sir Edward Gent. However, when General Sir Gerald Templer offered it again with the statement "the people have requested that it be bestowed upon you", W. E. Perera could not turn down the honour. Retirement Keeping to his desire to retire in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor so that his children could have better work and social opportunities, W. E Perera accepted the position of Principal of the Kishan Dial School, Petaling Jaya from the late Swami Satayanda. He eventually settled in Petaling Jaya, Kuala Lumpur in 1965. Here he delved into the study of Asian philosophy and was involved in the establishment of the Brickfields Buddhist Temple among other social endeavours like volunteering in the schools for the underprivileged. He taught Buddhist philosophy at the local university and regularly had discussions with visiting and resident Theravada Buddhist monks like the Revs. K. Sri Dhammananda, Ananda Mangala and Henepola Gunaratana whom he mentored. W. E. Perera died at the university hospital, Petaling Jaya from a massive heart attack before he was due to receive a pacemaker. Having been the first voluntary worker with the blind to have pledged his eyes earlier, his corneas were donated to the eye bank and successfully transplanted into two recipients. Following a funeral, his body was cremated and ashes dispersed in the Straits of Malacca off Klang. Notes References 1898 births 1982 deaths Malaysian people of Sri Lankan descent 20th-century Malaysian businesspeople Scouting and Guiding in Malaysia Malayan people of World War II People from Perak People of the Malayan Emergency History of Perak People of British Malaya