The Ban Hin Lee Bank building

The stately Ban Hin Lee Bank building in George Town, Penang, was built by Yeap Chor Ee soon after the bank's incorporation in 1935. It is still standing today at the corner of Beach Street and China Street Ghaut but it now belongs to the CIMB Group. The reason is because Ban Hin Lee Bank was absorbed into Southern Bank in 2001 and later, Southern Bank was taken over by the CIMB Group in 2006. 

This was how the bank building looked like in 1939, a year after its completion. It was already a very imposing white structure at the edge of the European sector of Beach Street. The book, Ten Thousand Prosperities, described how Yeap Chor Ee had moved his bank from further up the road at Number 86, to this location at Number 43. As his influence grew, it became part of his general strategy to move his concerns in the Chinese quarter to as close as possible to the European sector. Practically at their doorstep to tell them that they could do business with him. It took decades for him to make this happen.

The bank building in 1985, when Ban Hin Lee Bank was supposed to be celebrating its 50th anniversary. But it was not to be as in October of that year, tragedy struck in the death of the bank's executive director, Jimmy Yeap.

The bank building in 2014. By then, ownership had transitioned from Ban Hin Lee Bank to Southern Bank and finally, to the CIMB Group. This picture was taken on a Sunday when one of the Occupy Beach Street events was taking place.

The bank building today. Still as stately as before but probably possessing less warmth.

This 2021 would have been Ban Hin Lee Bank's 86th anniversary year. It was formally registered as a company on 17th Sept 1935 although its banking operations only commenced on 1st Nov 1935. Only the memories remain for the faithful customers and those who had ever worked there through the decades. For an important slice of Penang's banking history, this hardcover book tells all. Ten Thousand Prosperities can be purchased online from Entrepot Publishing.