Malaysia’s ‘father of valuation’ passes away

PETALING JAYA (June 3): Datuk Ravindra Dass, widely regarded as Malaysia’s “father of valuation” for raising the standards of the nation’s real estate valuations and services field, has passed away at the age of 81.

Ravindra – who was the first Malaysian director-general of the Valuation and Property Services Department (JPPH) – breathed his last on June 2, just a day after the department’s 59th anniversary celebrations.

His illustrious 32-year career – which started when he became a trainee valuer in the valuation division of the federal treasury in 1958 and ended with his retirement as director-general in 1990 – saw him raising the standards of the real estate valuations and services sector in Malaysia and internationally.

During his 21-year tenure as director-general, the first annual Property Market Report was published in 1978, the Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents Act 1981 was passed by Parliament, and the National Institute of Valuation (INSPEN) was formed in 1985.

He was also the first president of the Board of Valuers, Appraisers and Estate Agents (Bovaea) of Malaysia.

In addition, he was also the president of the Institution of Surveyors Malaysia (1974-1983), the International Real Estate Federation Malaysia chapter (1986-1992) and the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy (1990-1995).

He was made the first president of the Asean Valuers Association in 1981, organising chairman of the First Heads of Commonwealth Valuation Departments in 1997, and chairman of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Commission 9 (Valuation) 1990/1994.

Khong & Jaafar Sdn Bhd managing director Elvin Fernandez, who had worked with Ravindra for over 10 years, called him “extraordinary” and his legacy “enormous”.

“He brought this profession from its infancy into a highly-regarded profession internationally. He grew the valuations department from a small unit in the Federal Treasury into a mammoth department spread all over the country.”

“He was a very nice person. He was helpful, encouraging, warm … he related to all the people around him. He was not just a boss,” said Fernandez.

According to him, Ravindra also encouraged sports, so the Department would have a big sports meet every year. “It felt like we were family,” he recalled fondly.

Current PEPS president Foo Gee Jen said Ravindra was an instrumental figure in Malaysia’s valuations field.

“His biggest contribution was setting up Bovaea and he initiated the Malaysian valuations standard, setting a benchmark for this region. The standards were even more advanced than those of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors,” he said.

Ravindra is survived by his widow, three children and six grandchildren.