BHLBank's 88th anniversary

A few months ago, word got out that there would be a reunion of the former staff of Ban Hin Lee Bank (short form: BHLB or BHLBank) in August this year. An organising committee had been formed and through our facebook page, everyone with connections to the old bank were invited to sign themselves up for the occasion. 

Of course, I was among the very first ones to pay up for myself and Saw See. There was no way that we were going to miss this reunion of the old Ban Hin Lee Bank family and in fact, we hadn't missed any of the previous reunions. It has been far too long since we all got together to relive the good ol' days. And according to Khoo Khay Seang, the organising chairman, the last reunion was held five years ago in 2018. Time certainly had flown; all of us, five years older! 

The attendees were initially capped at 200 because of concerns over the capacity at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel but because of the rush of the last-minute sign-ups, there were eventually almost 250 names on the dinner list. I dare say if the list had remained open till the reunion's eve, we could have had 300 to 400 people signed up! 

Of course, topping the guests were the former directors of the bank and here, we had Goh Eng Toon, Stephen Yeap Leong Huat and Yeap Lam Yang stepping out of the lifts to much attention around. People were really very happy to see this trio and their families. Neoh Choo Kean was also present but unfortunately, not Tan Kuan Hai. Among the oldest among the former colleagues was Khoo Boo Hean, now 92 or 93-years old.

Coincidentally, this function could have also marked the 88th anniversary of Ban Hin Lee Bank, if it were to still exist. The bank was established in 1935: the date of incorporation was 17 September 1935 although the actual start of operations was on 01 November 1935. But by 30 June 2000, Ban Hin Lee Bank had ceased to exist, swallowed by Southern Bank, and thus became one of the casualties of a national corporate merger exercise pushed by the Government of Malaysia. Very few of the locally-incorporated financial institutions were spared the cull. 

How about a closer look at this remarkably crazy group of people?