I visited a few millionaire clubs in Chinatown with a few friends yesterday. The most famous of these clubs is the Ee Hoe Hean Club at Bukit Pasoh. This is the place where many political activities took place in the early 1900s and during the 2nd World War. Tan Kah Kee made this his centre for the anti Japanese movement and to raise fund for the Nationalist army fighting the Japanese in China. This was where he hid during the Japanese Occupation before escaping overseas.
In honour of Tan Kah Kee and the pioneers, the Club has converted the ground floor into a museum called the Pioneers' Memorial Hall. Tan Lark Sye, the founder of Nantah and who contributed a handsome sum of $5m at that time to the University, Lee Kong Chian and several others were mentioned with exhibits of their history in display. Below are some photos that I took during the brief visit.
The pics from top to bottom. The Club Building, Main Entrance used for the Pioneer's Memorial Hall, Side Entrance to the Ee Hoe Hean Club, Tan Kah Kee exhibits, Tan Lark Sye and Lee Kong Chian exhibits, Other Pioneers, Plague on the Pioneer's Memorial Hall. The last pic shows visitors taking photo with a wax figure of Tan Kah Kee in the Hall.
25 comments:
Why are these millionaire-pioneers so daft one?
Fighting the alien Japanese?
Shouldn't they be working for the Japanese Imperial Army and bully the Singaporeans instead?
Now wonder we never hear about such people.
They are not the Founders of Singapore.
Only LKY is the Founding Father of Singapore.
Agree with Anon 1:25 pm.
Fighting the Japanese was risky and unwise.
Working for the Japanese was safe, comfortable and maybe even glorious.
Namesake wise in term of posterity, definitely will last much longer. How many Sinkies know Tan Kah Kee, Lee Kong Chian and Tan Lark Sye today? Even Barisan Socialist, Chia Thye Poh and Company, Tan Wah Piao, Tang Liang Hong, JB Jeyaretnam are strangers and unknown to many Sinkies.But, those that worked as Japanese Imperial Army Staff will be remembered for many generations. These are the Smart Guys.
patriot
This is called 见风使舵.
I dare to bet that any problem happened on Sinkapore (e.g. war), all the billionaire minister will leave Sinkapore.
That is the reason why campaigns calling for unity, fighting for the nation, patriotism in doing NS and standing up for Singapore have so far fallen on deaf ears of the majority,
Those involved in the sacrifice always ask - what is in it for me and whose interest am I suppose to protect?
So is it a Club or a museum? Or both?
And I thought Singapore Island Country Club is the millionaire Club? RB, are u a member or have u been there?
And millionaire standard now is at least with $5M or more of investible funds. UOB set this minimum standard to qualify for their private banking. Some years back, it was $1M only.
Maybe now there are too many below $5M millionaires in Sinkieland. That's why UOB raise the standard.
Maybe now there are too many below $5M millionaires in Sinkieland.
Anon 3:50 pm
Possible, and maybe a lot of Sinkies too, especially among the 60% who voted PAP last election. And take note, Sinkies include new Sinkies.
Hi redbean
Can you please consider writing an article about the benefits of vaccination for our population ... both young and old.
We got all the money in Medisave which I think should be better spent on preventive medicine rather than on buying foreign bank shares.
Please see link of table on the effectiveness of vaccines in USA.
http://www.immunize.org/catg.d/p4037.pdf
Thank you.
RB,
Am surprised that your friends who invited you to Ee Hoe Hean Club did not tell you that Uncle Tan Lark Sye not only donated $5m to Nayang University building fund, he also on behalf of the Hokkien Huay Kwan donated 525 acres of land for its campus.
Uncle Tan was an activist and as Chairman of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce he fought for citizenship for Chinese people in Singapore, and for the Chinese language to be one of Singapore's official languages.
To the traitor Lee, Uncle Tan was a racist and as result in the 60's he was banished to Ipoh and only allowed to return to S'pore in 1974 just 1 year before he passed away.
Member of Ee Hoe Hean.
Hi Anon 8:01,
I am not a medical expert on vaccination. Let me see after reading your link I could write something about it.
The govt's top priority is about reserves and more reserves and more reserves. The reserves are like your CPF, to feel good not easy to touch.
Hi Member of Ee Hoe Hean.
Yes, the contribution of the piece of land to Nantah on behalf of Hokien Huay Kuan is on the scripts dedicated to Tan Lark Sye. His $5m then is easily worth several hundred millions in today's value.
He is a straight forward man with a very big heart. No pretension. He just gave to preserve the Chinese language, culture and also to educate our children to university level.
All Nantah graduates owed him a debt and are very grateful to him. And all the Chinese community then rallied behind him as their undisputed leader. Remember it was a time before we became independent, 1953. The Chinese then were either Chinese citizens or British subjects.
The govt should build a public monument erected in his honour and also in Tan Kah Kee's honour as well. George Yeo, you listening? You like to erect monuments right?
The piece of land that Hwa Chong Institution sits is so huge was donated by Tan Kah Kee. Take a walk inside the institution to have a feel of history.
President Ong Teng Cheong designed the new wings of institution, and the students are the beneficiary of his legacy.
"The piece of land that Hwa Chong Institution sits is so huge was donated by Tan Kah Kee."
RB 9:21 pm
Hahahahaha.
If the huge piece of land had not been donated, it would probably have been acquired by PAP govt later anyway, under the Land Acquisition Act(LAA).
Do u know some Sinkies who owned huge piece of land in the past had it acquired at a "good" price under the LAA?
So in Sinkieland, whether past or present, must have property and money, not land, OK?
/// The govt should build a public monument erected in his honour and also in Tan Kah Kee's honour as well. George Yeo, you listening? ///
Only monuments to honour aliens are allowed in Singapore.
- as for monuments honouring Singaporeans ... only one kind is allowed. No money for guessing what I mean.
/// OLDER adults are often advised to go for regular flu and pneumococcal shots.
Now, doctors are urging them to add another shot
- against chicken pox
- to their vaccination schedule, if
they have not been exposed to the vi
rus during their childhood days ///
Source: NUH, see below link
- Goh Chok Tong himself was infected with chicken pox in his senior years
- keep all the money in Medisave for what?
- see NUH's view below
SOURCE:
http://www.nuh.com.sg/wbn/slot/u1753/Patients%20and%20Visitors/Media%20Articles/May%2009/12th%20TODAY.pdf
Did Georgie want to build a bust or something like that for Indian General Bose who worked with the Japanese Imperial Army and likely involved in the killings of the local Chinese?
These were the early pioneering leaders of our community. They were there before Singapore was given independence. They deserved a place of honour in our history. We have a longer history than just 1965.
There was this friendly joke about Lark Sye during his days. Many went to listen to his speeches hoping to hear the phrase, 'Lin peh kong' or was it 'sio tee kong', translated literally, 'lin peh kong' is like your father said. 'sio tee kong' was a polite way of saying, little brother said.
Good day redbean,
Dr Sun Yat Sun used the Ee Hoe Hean premises on several occasions to hold meetings with Nanyang businessmen to raise funds to help China fight the Japanese.
As for Mr Tan Kah Kee, during the 3-4 four years before he passed on, he lived in the back room of the 3rd floor of Ee Hoe Hean Club because of business failure and most of his whole fortune was wiped out.
There is this famous saying by Mr Tan Kah Kee that he's not afraid to be poor because he can survive on porridge and chai-pou.
So to upkeep the Tan Kah Kee humble way of living, to these days, porridge is served at the club at 1.15pm everyday except on the 1st & 2nd day of CNY.
Were they supporting ROC or PRC? Most likely ROC and their own future pockets.
Thanks Anon 2:57 for the snippets. Tan Kah Kee was indeed a simple and honourable man. Can't imagine him saying money not enough I would not serve. He did not even remind people of the piece of land he donated to Chinese High when he was down.
Hi b, they will support ROC or PRC, who ever was fighting the Japanese. Tan Kah Kee eventually stayed on the side of the communists after witnessing the rampant corruption in the ROC camp. He remained in China rather than in Taiwan. He was a patriot.
Good day redbean,
You were right that before 1965, S'pore already had true patriots who served the nation so selflessly, unlike LKY in the 90's who became so greedy and he looked after self-interest only.
It irks me to read that there are so many ignorant S'poreans who often make calls that that we glorify LKY by naming stadium and buildings after him or construct statue of him.
For goodness sake, when the Japs occupied S'pore, LKY was quick to join their secret police, The Kempetei who was responsible for executing tens of thousands of Chinese S'poreans.
BTW, the current President of Ee Hoe Hean Club is Mr Lim Chin Joo, the brother of Patriot Lim Chin Siong.
Cheers,
Member of Ee Hoe Hean.
Hi member of Ee Hoe Hean. I read in the papers that Chin Joo has resigned.
Ah. The Great Fathers of Singaporean Entrepreneurship and Capitalism.
These were some of the fuckers who made Lee Kuan Yew very jealous. When he was a young lawyer, these admirable towkays used to flick off young Harry, and that pissed him off royally.
For the rest of the story, go hang out in Chinatown and have kopi with the few old-timers (the grand children of the original pioneers) who are still alive.
Ahh, you know about his too.
Those wise and humble folks did not need to suck up to anybody. As they were helping Sun Yat Sen as well as those fighting the Japanese Murderers of WWII, how would they ever be friendly with those that were working with Japanese Imperial Army? They knew mixing with traitors and xiaorens would tarnished their good names. It would also cast a shadow over successors for many generations.
The success, wealth and reputation of those Ee Hoe Hean members probably did make some Sinkies envious, jealous and become greedy. They could have tried to outdo those early entrepreneurs.
Truely selfless distinguished leaders would always have the community interests at heart
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