Appendix 7: A Summary of Ong Seok Kim’s Significant Lifetime Events in Chronological Order

18841884 Born in Fuchengtang House, Gehou, Jindou, Yongchun sundry shop, Ban Loong, with a few partners. The business County, on November 21. failed.

18911891 Started school at a private primary school. The Confucian 19081908 Established another shop, also named Ban Loong with a few education lasted seven years. friends, but this time in Kampung . The shop dealt with food supplies, cloth and in tailoring. In two years, it made 18981898 Started working as an apprentice cook and clerk in Shengquan a $5,000 profit. shop in Wulijae, Yongchun County. 19091909 Visited Jindou in February for the second time to visit his mother, 19021902 Married Lin Yue on March 4; he was 19 years old and she was Zhang Zhu, who was sick. He stayed for four months during which 18. he planned for the construction of a new house, Jinxingtang.

19031903 Travelled to Penghu (from Jindou), then from Shengquan shop 19101910 Visited Jindou in April for the third time. During his stay he to Malaya with other six persons, including Lin Liangbao. completed the construction of the family home at a cost of When he arrived in Teluk Anson (now known as ) $4,000.

he worked for Wang Thian Hock fruit store. Set up Chop Eng Joo Shop and Hock (Fu) Yong Ann in Sitiawan with his godbrother Lim Shu An. Set up Ban Seng 19041904 Worked as a clerk and secretary in early January 1904; opted to and Loong San to trade in rubber. Established a string of shops work as a shop assistant cum clerk in a sundry shop called Ban which included Chop Eng Joo, Chop Hock (Fu) Yong Ann, Aik in Lahat, near . Ban Seng Hoe, Ban Loong, Kim An; and 15 companies such as

Hua Seong Company, Ban Lee Company, Hoon Fatt Company 19051905 Left Ban Aik and started his own business, peddling goods. He and Eng Joo Company. Over the years of partnership they moved to , near Ipoh, . made a profit of more than $410,000.

19071907 Returned to hometown Jindou for the first time in February, He started to purchase rubber land in Segari and Kampung staying for four months. On his return to Malaya, he set up a Koh, in .

A-14 Biography of Ong Seok Kim 王 叔 金 19111911 Visited Jindou in August for the fourth time, visiting his mother Helped establish Hwachiao Chung Cheng and donated $1,000 who was sick. He stayed for less than a month. He took his to the school. (He served on the School Board for more than 30 wife Lin Yue and his eldest daughter, Qingbian, to Sitiawan. years of which 20 years as Chairman - 1927-1934; 1936-1939 They lived in Hock Yong Ann. and 1945-1955. He edited and published five magazines for the school.) Joined the United League of China led by Sun Yat-sen.

1921 Bought a motorcycle to facilitate his movements within the 19121912 In November, he took his wife and daughter back to Jindou, 1921 community and the surrounding areas. his fifth visit, staying for seven days.

1922 Established a shop trading in rubber. Elected Vice-Chairman, 19131913 Established, with Quah Cheau Hui, Aik Tee Soo Poh Seah (Aik 1922 Sitiawan Rubber Traders Association. Appointed Chairman, Tee Recreation Association) in Sitiawan. Sitiawan Division of Kuomintang (KMT), a Chinese Nationalist Party. 19141914 Visited Jindou in April for the sixth time, to see his sick mother; stayed for one month. 19231923 Took his father and eldest daughter back to Jindou in January. This was his ninth visit. He stayed for four days. 19161916 Visited Jindou in February for the seventh time, to see his sick mother. He stayed for two months. Married Khoo Saw Kee on Appointed Director, Party and Publicity Affairs, Sitiawan December 26. Division of KMT. 19171917 Bought a rubber estate which contained a house. It cost $7,000. 1924 Took charge of collecting donations for a Chinese cemetery 1924 and to repair a wooden bridge. 19201920 Visited Jindou in January for the eighth time, following the death of his mother, remaining there for three months. His father, 1925 Bought an Italian car. (It was sold five years later to help his Chunchi, and his eldest daughter, Qingbian, accompanied him 1925 brother-in-law, Khoo Toon Suan, to buy a car.) back to Sitiawan.

Served as Director of the Sitiawan Disaster Relief Committee 19281928 Bought a seven-acre rubber estate along Kampung Koh Road, which was collecting donations for the North China provinces Sitiawan, and built a family home on the land. It cost $20,000. of Henan, Shandong, Shaanxi and Hebei which were The family moved into the house on January, 1929. experiencing severe drought, followed by famine.

王 叔 金 Appendices A-15 1928-50 Served as Committee Member, local government hospital. 19361936 Launched the construction of Sitiawan Chinese Cemetery, located along Lumut Road, Pundut. 19291929 Wrote an article in Kwong Wah Daily, detailing the progress Bought six acres of land to establish the Sitiawan Chinese and development of Hwachiao Chung Cheng and appealed Maternity Hospital. (The hospital’s construction was to landowners to donate a piece of land for the school. He completed and opened in 1938. He was Chairman and trustee successfully appealed to Lim Nya (alias Hup Choon Ma) to of the Hospital for over 20 years, till mid-1950s.) donate the land. Donated $100 for the upgrade, maintenance and purchase of equipment for Khuen Hean Primary School, Changkat Keruing. 19311931 Initiated the establishment of a high school section for Chung (The donation started the ball rolling, leading others in the local Cheng. community to follow his example. He was installed an honorary Served as Chairman of the Fundraising and Disaster Relief committee member.) Committee in the Sitiawan area, raising money and other form of relief for victims of drought and flooding in China. 1936-371936-37 Served as Chairman of Sitiawan Fundraising and Disaster Assumed the role of Chairman of a committee to raise fund to Relief Committee, raising money for victims of widespread support China in the Sino-Japanese War. flooding in Central China caused by the Yangtze and Huai Rivers bursting their banks. 19341934 Raised funds in Singapore and Malaya for the building of Made personal donations and raised funds for Kuok Min Choong Heng Private School in Yongchun. He also donated Primary School (now known as S.R.J.K. Kuok Min) in $100. Kampung Koh, Sitiawan, to expand and repair the school, and to buy equipment. 1935-361935-36 Promoted the idea to merge the high school sections of four Chinese schools in the Manjung District, including Chung 19371937 Appointed Chairman of the Sitiawan Resident Boycott Cheng, to establish Nan Hwa High School. He was elected its Japanese Goods Association, following the Mukden Incident. first Chairman. Donated $3,000 to buy a piece of land for Nan Organised activities to raise funds and other forms of relief for Hwa, as well as the construction of three classrooms in the China, personally contributed $1,000 through the purchase of names of his father, Chunchi, his mother-in-law, Teoh Chai the “Save China Bond”. Yean, and his wife, Khoo Saw Kee. Edited and published three Served as Chairman of the Sitiawan Retail Shop Traders school magazines for Nan Hwa. Association.

A-16 Biography of Ong Seok Kim 王 叔 金 1937-411937-41 Served as Chairman, Perak Chinese Disadvantaged Persons 19441944 Invited by the Japanese on June 29 to work for them, but he Association, Sitiawan Branch. politely refused.

19391939 Solicited funds from Haw Par Brothers to build a hall for Nan 19451945 Re-elected Chairman of Chung Cheng’s School Board, Hwa High School. He was in charge of the construction of following the surrender of the Japanese and the resumption of Haw Par Assembly Hall and 10 classrooms. schools. Led the reconstruction and expansion of the school. (He remained as Chairman for the next 10 years.) 19301930s Financed the building of a road linking hometown Jindou to - early Yintow. Pledged an annual donation to finance the training of 19461946 Established a Chinese primary school in Betong. 1940s three teachers in Jindou. Elected Honorary Chairman of Pei Min Primary School in Segari, and Eng Ling Primary School in Lumut. 19401940 Visited Chongqing on March 12, under the “Malayan Comfort Mission” led by Tan Kah Kee, to disburse funds and other form Became a member of the Perak Hokkien Association. of relief to war refugees and wounded Chinese soldiers and Re-elected Chairman of the School Board of Nan Hwa High their families. School; Chairman of Building Fundraising Committee and Elected Chairman, Standing Committee of the Chinese Chairman, Building Reconstruction Committee, and led the Nationalist Party Eighth Division, Sitiawan Branch. reconstruction of the school. Edited and published 1,000 copies of Nan Hwa High School Reconstruction Souvenir Magazine. Appointed a member of the Hokkien Economic Planning and Development Council. (The aim of the Council was to promote 19471947 Re-elected Chairman of School Board of Nan Hwa High the economic development of Fujian Province.) School.

th 19411941 Elected Honorary Vice-Chairman of Pei Ching Primary School Sent his eldest son, Jianque, and 17 son, Jianshi (author), to in . China via a ship from Singapore. Wrote his Memoirs, his first, a summary of 50 years of his life. Bought 125 acres of rubber land in Betong, Thailand. 19481948 Elected Vice-Chairman of Nan Hwa High School; was its 19421942 Took refuge in Betong with his fifth son, Kean Par, after trustee for 20 years. the Japanese occupied Sitiawan on March 7. Later moved to Singapore, taking refuge with his fourth son, Kean Hor. Became a member of the Singapore Ong Kongsi. Returned to Sitiawan on June 11. Received a Thai resident permit.

王 叔 金 Appendices A-17 1950-51 Elected Chairman of the Manjung Branch of the Malayan 19571957 Completed his second memoirs - My Memoirs - 50 Years of Chinese Association (MCA). In charge of fundraising for Reminiscence, a 350-page document. construction of its premises and its establishment. Edited and published two magazines for the Association. 19601960 Sitiawan Chinese Maternity Hospital was renamed Sitiawan Maternity Hospital to reflect the ethnic mix in the local 19501950 Received a Malayan resident permit on January 30. community it was servicing.

19511951 Set up, with Saw Cheng Chor, Ping Min Free School in Lumut. 1960-611960-61 Published his 50,000-word diary, in Dindings High School Elected Chairman of the School Board and served in that 1961 Memorial Magazine, detailing the 213 days he spent position for six years. Edited and published two magazines for to raise fund to set up the senior and high school sections of the school. Dindings High School in Lumut.

19541954 Established Dindings High School in Lumut. Elected Chairman 19621962 Resigned from all public positions at the age of 78. Published and served in that position for five years; and Chairman of his 1962 Memoirs, which was then distributed to his children Fundraising Commitee and trustee (served till 1962). Edited and descendants. and published two magazines for the school. Nan Hwa High School and Dindings High School were converted to S.M.J.K. Nan Hwa and S.M.J.K. Dindings, 1956 Resigned from the Board and all positions of Nan Hwa High 1956 respectively. School on January 3 after he and another member were suspended for a year by a meeting of donors - by the slimmest 1963 of majority - from the Board. The suspension followed his 1963 Awarded a Justice of Peace by the demand for a thorough investigation into the principal’s expulsion of 12 students who had protested against an affair the 19641964 Awarded the Kesatria Mangku Negara (KMN) by the Yang Di- principal had with a female teacher. On January 5, he placed a Pertuan Agung of (King of Malaysia). notice of his resignation in two newspapers, Sin Chew Jit Poh Passed away on May 31 in his home in Sitiawan. He was and Kwong Wah Jit Poh. On January 12, he placed a notice in approaching 80. the newspapers to thank the community for their support and contributions to education and charity. 19651965 Local residents established the Ong Seok Kim Memorial Education Fund to honour his memory and to promote his great thoughts and spirit.

A-18 Biography of Ong Seok Kim 王 叔 金