Talk-cock lunch

Saw See and I missed the last talk-cock gathering of ex-BHLBank cronies in June because we were away on a semi-pilgrimage holiday in Nepal. So when word came that the latest lunch session would be held this month, I made sure to keep our calendar clear. After all, how often do we really meet in person? Whatsapp and other social media may keep us connected, but nothing replaces face-to-face banter and the warmth of old friendships.

Let me be clear, these talk-cock sessions among us former Ban Hin Lee Bank staff have nothing to do with any large-scale reunions aimed at drawing in the masses. Far from it. We are simply a bunch of old colleagues from the mainland who enjoy catching up, though lately we’ve been joined by a small group of islanders as well. I suppose the fact that they are willing to cross the Penang Bridge says something about the lack of such opportunities on the island. For now, we mainlanders seem to be the ones keeping the BHLB flame alive. Hopefully, others will take the cue and start their own little circles too. The more, the merrier, in my opinion.

So, coming back to yesterday’s session, the turnout of 16 was heartening. Our surprise guest was Loo Ee, and it was a joy to see him back on his feet after a minor stroke had left his lower limbs a little weak. His mind, though, remains sharp, and he recognised everyone at the table.

Moments like these remind me why we keep showing up. It isn’t for anything grand, but for the simple comfort of old friends and familiar stories. As long as we can still sit around a table, trade jokes and laugh at ourselves, the BHLB spirit will carry on. And we're already looking forward to the next one. Two months from now, maybe?

The Gang of 16 comprised (standing, left to right) Swee Phew, Soo Chin, Fook Chin, Pak Chun, Hock Seng, Seong Lye, Soon Huat, Chong Chia, Yuen Chee, Khye Wye and I, and (seated, left to right) Heng Boo, Kay Liang, Loo Ee, Seak Chin and Saw See

ITD again, 24 years later

Over the past 24 years, there have been five or six reunions of the former staff of the now-defunct Ban Hin Lee Bank. I can’t quite recall the exact number, but every time, the gatherings drew at least 200 ex-colleagues, led by the bank's former directors and senior management. Each reunion has been a joyful affair, filled with laughter, nostalgia, and camaraderie. The most recent of these large-scale reunions took place in August 2023, which would have marked the bank’s 88th anniversary.

This month, however, there was a different sort of reunion—one exclusively for the former inmates of the Information Technology Division. I use the term "inmates" lightheartedly, of course! As luck would have it, I found myself right in the midst of this nostalgic gathering. The Systems and Quality Control Department, of which I was a proud member, was part of the IT Division, and there was no way I could miss this chance to reconnect with old friends and colleagues. In fact, I even skipped my nephew’s wedding eve function to attend the IT Division Reunion at the Mercure Hotel in Tanjong Bungah.

By the last count, nearly 90 former colleagues were present, some accompanied by their spouses, and a few travelling from as far afield as Singapore and Australia to attend. The evening was filled with vibrant conversations as we reminisced about the good old days, exchanged updates on our lives—everyone had grown older but perhaps not very much wiser, and relived fond memories. The event culminated in the inevitable group photographs—an enduring tradition at such reunions, capturing the spirit of togetherness that still binds us all despite all the years apart. Thank you to Ho Sin Kheong and the rest of the organising team!

I brought along some copies of my book on Ban Hin Lee Bank, Ten Thousand Prosperities, and gave away a copy as a lucky draw prize.

Noisy fellas

We were creating ruckus at the restaurant but were pretty oblivious to the fact. When a bunch of old colleagues get together, regardless of whether it had only been two months since the last lunch meet-up or whether we continue to be in touch almost daily via social media, it is an occasion to be jolly and talk in person as if we haven't seen one another for years! So it was such when 18 of us from our Ban Hin Lee Bank days met for lunch at a restaurant in Chai Leng Park. 

We should have created enough din to bring an attap house down and luckily, the restaurant's was a sturdy brick house. Nevertheless, the noise we created in the establishment had their other diners looking uncomfortably in our direction as they finished their food as quickly as possible before disappearing. But we didn't care, of course. And neither did the restaurant's proprietor care. If fact, he even helped us to take our group picture at the end of the meal. Or maybe, he wanted to get rid of us as quickly as possible? Doesn't matter, we all had a spiffy good time....

Seated, left to right: Kay Liang, Hoing Wah, Yuen Chee, Heng Boo and Fook Chin; first row: Kok Hun, Siak Chin, Khye Wai, myself, Saw See and Kok Kheong; second row: Seong Lye, Hock Seng, Chong Chia, Soon Huat, Soo Chin, Pak Chun and Swee Piew

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Early minutes

Something intriguing happened recently. On the 29th of July, Stephen Yeap Leong Huat, grandson of the once-richest and most notable Penangite, Towkay Yeap Chor Ee,  presented his grandfather's private papers to the National University of Singapore (NUS). While I admired his decision, this choice puzzled me. Why donate them to an institution in Singapore and not Malaysia, where Yeap Chor Ee had built his business empire? Born in Fukien, China, in 1868, he emigrated to the nanyang in 1885. The Chop Ban Hin Lee that he set up in 1890 was the beginning of his empire, and the Ban Hin Lee (萬興利) nomenclature, meaning Ten Thousand Prosperities, carried him through the rest of his life. With Penang as his main base, he dealt in sugar initially. By the time he died in Penang in 1952, he was known chiefly as a banker. Not many individuals could claim to have owned a bank successfully, but he did. There is, therefore, no dispute that Yeap Chor Ee lived his life as a Malayan. So why are the Yeap Chor Ee private papers now in Singapore hands? Aren't Malaysian institutions committed to preserving our own history? Big question mark, indeed. 

On reflection, it was a clever and astute move by Stephen Yeap. Singaporean institutions have a stellar reputation for preserving and valuing historical documents. Unlike in Malaysia, where such treasures might not receive the same attention, Singapore ensures these records are meticulously cared for and made widely accessible to researchers and the general public. For instance, the National Library of Singapore has done an exemplary job of digitising old newspapers from the region, making them readily available online. So, it was likely that NUS would treat the Yeap Chor Ee private papers with the same level of dedication. Stephen Yeap’s decision, in hindsight, thus seemed perfectly sound. 

What was even more astonishing for me was the speed of subsequent developments. Just three weeks later, I learnt that NUS had already digitised the collection, making the entire set of Yeap Chor Ee private papers available online. This is impressive, considering the usual slow pace of such processes.

During the research for my book, Ten Thousand Prosperities, which documented the history of Ban Hin Lee Bank (萬興利銀行), I was given physical access to several boxes of old files and documents. I found a register recording Board meeting minutes from the late 1960s onwards but never came across anything from the earlier years. I suspected an early register once existed, but with no one then able to confirm its whereabouts, I had to let it go. So, I’m thrilled now that these early minutes have resurfaced and are now digitised for all to see. My only regret is that I was unable to see the early Board minutes sooner.

With these documents now online, I’ve been able to compare the actual minutes with the information I gathered elsewhere about the bank's early years. I’m pleased to say that about 95 to 98 percent of what I wrote was accurate enough. It’s a relief to know that my research efforts stood up so well. 

The book, Ten Thousand Prosperities, can be purchased online from this link. click here.

Note: As far as I know, the term towkay (pronounced as thhau-keh) is of Penang Hokkien origin, meaning "big boss" or "proprietor." It signified not only the person's wealth and success but also their status and influence in the community. A towkay was often seen as a leader or benefactor who provided employment, supported social causes and contributed to the overall development of the local Chinese community. Yeap Chor Ee certainly qualified as such.

#YeapChorEe #SingaporeArchives #PenangHistory #NUS #10000Prosperities #TenThousandProsperities #BanHinLeeBank

Another reunion coming up!

This is an old picture from the 1990s, taken after Ban Hin Lee Bank had moved from downtown Beach Street to the multi-storey building on Northam Road. The podium block had four storeys, with the entire third level occupied by the Information Technology Department. From this floor, the view overlooking the main road and the old mansions on the opposite side was outstanding...we were positioned high enough to get an elevated view as life (and the traffic) passed by below us. I was with the Systems and Quality Control Department at the time, which took up about a third of the overall floor space. My unit was responsible for reviewing the bank's operations manuals and coordinating the implementation of new services that required practical testing of the computer systems. This was one of the very few photos we took back then. It’s quite blurry and fuzzy, and I can barely make out the faces of some of my former colleagues.

But never mind, there’ll be a chance for us to take fresh pictures, nearly three decades later, when we meet at the Mercure Hotel in Tanjong Bungah on the 9th of November for an Ex-BHL ITD Gathering. That’s what they’re calling it. The organising committee told me they've managed to compile a list of more than 150 people who worked in the ITD Division over the years. For the past month or two, they’ve been hard at work reaching out to all these former colleagues, encouraging them to join the gathering. The latest update is that 77 of us will be attending the dinner. A few are bringing their spouses. Not a bad turnout, really, considering that the bank ceased to exist 24 years ago and everyone had gone their separate ways. But for this reunion, we even have someone making the trip from Singapore! It’ll be great to meet again…

Beach Street, Penang

I found these two old pictures of Beach Street from the Internet, with this imposing white building dominating the background. The first was supposedly in the 1930s (although I suspect could be more of the 1940s) while the second was from 1974. How I wish time could have stood still where this building was concerned...

Unimpressed

What is real and what is fake? Netflix's 3 Body Problem had a brilliant portrayal of the Cultural Revolution which enveloped China for many years from 1966, but beyond that, the eight-episode series felt damp. I forced myself to finish watching the first episode but I doubt that I'll be watching the rest of the series. 

Zodiac coinboxes

Pages 46 and 47 of my book, Ten Thousand Prosperities

With this being our Chinese New Year festive period, my thoughts go back to those distant years when I was still with Ban Hin Lee Bank: that home-grown bank in Penang which transformed into everyone's preferred banking institution from the 1970s till the end of the 1990s. What possibly set the bank onto this journey to be so popular with their customers was the series of golden coinboxes. Alongside these cherished coinboxes, the printing of angpow, or red packets, for free distribution also contributed to the bank's allure, but that's a story for another time.

In my 2021 book, Ten Thousand Prosperities, I expressed the belief that the most enduring gift ever produced by Ban Hin Lee Bank was its series of coinboxes. These coinboxes played a pivotal role in fostering a culture of saving among customers, significantly contributing to the healthy growth of savings accounts. This happened approximately five or six years after the bank had introduced savings accounts into its banking services.

The first coinbox was shaped after the bank's iconic building in Beach Street and it remained etched in memory as a symbol of the institution's prominence. Interestingly, the concept initially faced resistance from the directors. However, witnessing the remarkable success of other banks implementing similar initiatives, they eventually embraced the idea. The angular design of the coinbox exuded an aura of strength and reliability, qualities that were particularly valued during the early 1970s as the bank started its journey of reinvention. 

In 1977, the year that I joined Ban Hin Lee Bank, a series of coinboxes based on the Chinese zodiac signs was introduced. For every year for the next 12 years, there was a new coinbox in the shape of the Chinese zodiac animal for that particular year. A plastics company was commissioned to produce the first of these – a horse’s head – which were given to savings account holders in early 1978, as the Year of the Horse began. The coinbox was very well received and in the years that followed, the bank increased orders to meet demand. 

Towards the end of 1982, there was a cultural dilemma as Chinese New Year approached. How would the bank respond to the Year of the Pig? The pig was considered unclean by Muslims and it was unthinkable to offer them a pig coinbox. The solution was to make two coinboxes in 1983: a pig coinbox to continue the logic of the series, and a bear coinbox for any account holder who would prefer that instead. 

Account holders and staff alike recall how every year, in the first fortnight of distribution, scores of people would wait patiently outside branch premises to open a new savings account and be eligible for a coinbox. Even though staff were mobilised from other departments to assist with this, those at the savings account department often worked well into the night to finish processing the day’s account opening forms, only to come back the following day to face a fresh crowd of people. But the surprising thing was that while they moaned in private among themselves, they took pride in the annually increasing savings account deposit levels.

Today, these Chinese zodiac coinboxes are collectors’ items. With the series ending in 1989, the bank turned to other designs and shapes to keep the momentum of coinboxes going but although the subsequent coinboxes were multi-coloured and appealing in many ways, there was no repeat of the fervour that had greeted the Chinese zodiac series.

 

Lunch with banking friends

We spent two full hours with former colleagues from our Ban Hin Lee Bank days at lunch today (22 Nov 2023) in Butterworth. Always a special time whenever we are able to meet, and today was no different. In the picture with us were Fook Chin, Khye Wai, Hiong Wah, Han Meng, Soon Eam, Seak Chin, Kok Hun, Heng Boo, Yuen Chee and Swee Phew.

Remembering Ban Hin Lee Bank

𝐁𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 or 𝗕𝗛𝗟 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 was Penang's own homegrown bank. This year would have marked its very significant 88th anniversary as a corporatised entity but unfortunately, it ceased to exist on 30 June 2000, having been taken over by Southern Bank which in turn was swallowed by the CIMB Group in 2006.

 

Farewell to three friends

The last three weeks have been kind of a mixed emotional for me. No doubt I have been satisfactorily busy and my time had been well occupied with scheduled activities, but there had been unwelcomed and unexpected events as well. And what can be more unwelcomed than news of people passing away: people that I've known for quite a while, more than 40 or 50 years.

On 19 August, our very much anticipated Ban Hin Lee Bank reunion dinner was held at a major hotel in George Town. When my wife and I stepped out from the lift, we had heard loud laughter from the end of the corridor. "That must be Lean Hin," we told ourselves. His laughter was unmistakable to us, we had heard it so many times before, during our work days and even during those years when we were no longer part of the BHLBank family, it had to be him. But when we arrived at the foyer where people were mixing and registering themselves, Lean Hin was no-where to be seen. The registration list didn't even have his name; so he couldn't be present at the reunion. But how strange it was to hear a laughter so distinct that it sounded so much like him. And it wasn't me alone who thought that. My wife had felt it too.

The next day, word filtered through our grapevine that Lean Hin had passed away from a heart ailment. He had been feeling poorly and hospitalised for more than a month. However, nobody outside his immediate family circle was aware of this. We were all shocked but perhaps no-one felt more shocked that my wife and I.

We had known Lean Hin since 1983. He was a fellow Old Free, a member of The Old Frees' Association, but many years my junior. We never met in the Free School. My wife was working in the bank's Bukit Mertajam branch and Lean Hin had  joined the staff as a clerk in that year. Friendly and personable, he eventually ended his career in BHLBank as the branch manager in Kamunting. This was at the point when the bank was taken over by Southern Bank. Later, he worked at the Penang Turf Club for a number of years. He would have been 60 years old in 2023.

There was another surprise three days later. A friend told me that his uncle - his father's brother - had passed away on the 23rd morning, aged 92 years old. I had known Chong Kee Kian for a very long time. Sometime in the  late 1970s, he had dropped into Hooi Lye Association in Kimberley Street on a Sunday afternoon. He had heard about the Penang Chess Association having our chess playing sessions there and was eager to have some social games with us.

I saw him coming in and looking at many of the players but no-one paid him any attention. Myself being curious about him, I struck up a conversation and before long we were exchanging pieces on the chess board. And that was the start of a friendship that lasted decades. It turned out later that Kee Kian was also an Old Free. While playing chess was a hobby for him, his real passion was ballroom dancing When he celebrated one of his milestone anniversaries, he invited my wife and I to their anniversary dinner at a major heritage hotel and he and his wife practically spent the whole evening oozing their way around and across the floor. The perfect partner for one another, I had observed then.

After the Covid-19 pandemic set in, his health took a turn for the worse. But then, he was already almost turning 90-years -old. Warded many times in intensive care, I learnt, and each time recovering sufficiently. But he was no longer strong enough to venture out on his own. I can't quite remember the last time he went to an OFA annual dinner but we greeted one another like old friends do.

Last Tuesday, I received a message from Chee Wooi to tell me that his father had passed away that morning. This one too, I also couldn't believe the information. Saw Boo Pheng dead at 71? I never knew he was sick, let alone dying! I took me some time to fathom it but it had to be true as the information had come from his son. But what had happened? Sick for some time, relapse of an old illness after a seven-year reprieve. Darn it!

The last time I had been in touch with Boo Pheng was in 2020. We had been messaging one another and had promised to meet for a cup of coffee, which never happened because of the pandemic. We never got in touch after that but strangely enough in the last week or so, I suddenly thought about him. His name sprang to mind. I should get in touch with him, the thought in my head swirled around. How or why it did that to me is quite a mystery but it happened. Unexplainable.

Anyway, Boo Pheng and I go back a long way. We met in May or June of 1972, at Han Chiang Primary School. Playing chess. He playing for the Technical Institute team, me for the Penang Free School team. Our schools had met in one of the preliminary rounds and we were playing on the second board. Strangers to one another but by the end of the game, a friendship had been struck. 

A friendship that took us through the decades. In 1989, fate brought us together to collaborate on writing a beginner's book on chess with yet another friend. The publishers wanted a book in Bahasa Malaysia and Boo Pheng was there to help with the translation. That he was a teacher and also a chess player helped to smoothen the translation because he knew what I wanted. So my original script was in English and he duly translated it into Bahasa Malaysia. Catur, the book was called. Funnily enough, when the publishers later wanted an English Language version of the book, I could not find my original manuscript and I had to translate the contents from Bahasa Malaysia back into English.

But away from chess, he and I had one more thing in common: durian. I remember in the 1990s, he would telephone to ask me to join him on a durian hunt around the fruit stalls of Balik Pulau and Paya Terubong during the durian season. For me to travel all the way from Bukit Mertajam to meet in Paya Terubong already tells people how durian-mad both of us were. Our durian adventure lasted for only three or four years when finally, I grew tired of driving all the way out.

So there it is, three stories that I had to get off my chest. Glad to have known you guys: Lean Hin, Kee Kian and Boo Pheng. Rest in peace, forever.

#Friendship #Loss #Remembrance #EmotionalJourney #InMemoriam

Friends (朋友)

The occasion was the Ban Hin Lee Bank reunion dinner at the Eastern & Oriental Hotel on 19 August 2023, which had brought together about 250 former staff. As the vast majority of us hadn't seen one another for at least five years, this particular Alan Tam song, Friends (朋友), brought back unforgettable memories of the best times we had in the bank.

As usual, we had to have Lee Soo Hock sing this signature song. He was an aspiring singer in the 1990s and jokingly - we had worked in the same ATM Centre - I told him then that if he ever turned professional, I would apply to be his manager.

Well, it turned out that he did earn himself a recording contract and had appeared semi-professionally on television but by then, I was planning to leave the banking industry and looking elsewhere for my career change. However, managing a singer was no longer within my list of things-to-do. Soo Hock went on to conclude his career in CIMB Bank, retiring very recently. By the way, he sang two songs on our reunion night. There's also Shanghai Beach featured here in this video.

By the way, I also made a third video recording of Teik Kean singing his ever popular version of The Room at the Top of the Stairs but I was struggling with a problem with my mobile phone and can't find it any more. So, Teik Kean, if you are reading this, my apologies for being unable to upload it to YouTube for everyone's enjoyment.

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?

Meal in Nibong Tebal

This year is going to be the year of re-unions for me. Come this third of May, some of my old friends from the PFS Class of 1970/72 will be meeting up at the E&O Hotel for lunch. I'm hoping to see about 18 or 19 of us at this gathering. Then in August, there'll be this reunion of some 200-plus former colleagues from Ban Hin Lee Bank at the same hotel as well. What will really close the year for me will be The Old Frees' Association's Centenary annual dinner on the 21st of October. I don't know how many will attend, but it will sure be grand. But first, last Thursday, a batch of my former colleagues met up in Nibong Tebal for a meal. Great year for meet and eat, I tell you!

Timeless friendships

Well, it's time to get ready for the exBHLBankers' latest get-together or reunion in August! I can't quite remember how many times we have had our big reunions since Ban Hin Lee Bank (or BHL Bank) was taken over in 2001 but in my opinion, they are just not often enough. Thus, every big reunion should be treated by everyone of our old colleagues as opportunities to renew our old friendships. As many as possible should try to attend. And it is no laughing matter that we are still largely atuned to one another after all this time. It struck me, when I first posted about this reunion on my facebook, that if Ban Hin Lee Bank were still around today, the establishment would be 88 years old. 2023 would have been an auspicious year for a now non-existent bank. So here we are, we shall celebrate the 88th anniversary of a non-existent bank come this August 2023. 😄

Venue: Macalister Ballroom, E&O Hotel

Highlights: Buffet dinner Lucky draw Table draw Door gift

Cost of dinner: RM150 nett per pax, as charged by the hotel.

Good news! We pay only RM100 nett per pax. Everyone, including spouse, gets a RM50 subsidy. Those who were of messenger level in the bank will be fully subsidised (but they need to register and confirm their attendance).

Registration is by payment: 1. Pay to Johnny Phun Chye Jin (CIMB Acct No: 7022955638) 2. Send a a copy of the transfer to Johnny (016.4404066) by WhatsApp. Include your name, especially if your bank account name is different from your facebook name, and your last branch in BHLB.

Early Birds registration with payment: 

The first 50 registrations will receive an early bird gift. We will go by payment order.

Please spread the news and encourage your friends to participate to make this a success!

Exchanging keys

From the 17 September 1935 copy of the Pinang Gazette and Straits Chronicle, an old defunct newspaper from Penang, comes this story about that old Penang millionaire, Yeap Chor Ee. I believe this story could have been timed to coincide with the date of Ban Hin Lee Bank's incorporation as a limited company. Same year, same month, same day. Previously, it was a private community bank operating as a sole-proprietorship with all the personal risks shouldered solely by the owner. To me, the section on his banking business made the most interesting reading. The rest of Yeap Chor Ee's history is more or less widely known but that little snippet of him exchanging safe keys with his son, Lean Seng, in Kuala Lumpur, well, that was quiet something new to learn! Happy reading....

ROMANTIC CAREER OF MR YEAP CHOR EE

The announcement that Messrs Ban Hin Lee and Co, the well-known bankers of Beach Street, Penang, intend converting the business into a limited liability company marks another milestone in the romantic career of its sole proprietor at the present time, Mr Yeap Chor ee, now easily Penang's wealthiest citizen. Truly Mr Yeap Chor Ee's rise from poverty to affluence is one of the romances of Penang, one of the romances of the Chinese in Malaya. There have been other figures almost as romantic as him, Foo Choo Choon, the Tin King, for instance, but whereas Foo Choo Choon ended his days in comparative penury, nothing like that sort is likely to occur to Mr Yeap Chor Ee who has laid the foundations of his prosperity on solid structures. Today he is the recognised Sugar King; the biggest landed proprietor of Penang, deals largely in tin and has a banking business as safe as the Rock of Gibraltar.

OF HUMBLE BIRTH

Mr Yeap Chor Ee is a man of humble birth. A native of Fukien, he came to Malaya about 50 years ago, when Malaya was still jungle and entirely undeveloped. About 32 years ago he settled in Penang and owned a small barber's shop. That barber's shop gave way to other small businesses. Some time between 1890 and 1900 he started to deal in the brown sugar trade and from that time he has never looked back. The main industry in Province wellesley was then sugar planting, no fewer than four mills being in operation. From 1900 to 1910 Mr Yeap Chor Ee confined his attention to white sugar. Then came the rubber boom, and sugar plantations were turned into rubber estates. One dollar shares in the sugar plantations became ten dollar shares in rubber estates. That meant the end of the sugar industry in Province Wellesley. Later Mr Yeap Chor Ee turned his energies to tapioca and other trades, extending the scope of his activities and increasing his wealth.

THE BANKING BUSINESS

We are not quite certain when Mr Yeap Chor Ee started his banking business, known as Ban Hin Lee; but it is now well-known throughout Malaya. Mr Yeap Chor Ee has always controlled the Penang business which is regarded as the head office, while the Singapore business has been in charge of a son. Several years ago Mr Yeap Chor Ee, in the course of a case in the Police Court, revealed how carefully he conducts his business. Mr Yeap Chor Ee occasionally used to visit the Singapore Branch. When he did that he notified his son at Singapore. The son had to leave Singapore by the night mail just as the father left Penang. They met at Kuala Lumpur for the purpose of exchanging the keys of the safes. Mr Yeap Chor Ee took the Singapore keys with him, while his son had to continue to Penang with the Penang keys. The same process was repeated when Mr Yeap Chor Ee was on his way back to Penang. That was, of course, several years ago, before Mr Yeap Chor Ee's other sons began to help him in the firm. Now, they all work at his banking firm.

THE TOUCH OF MIDAS

In recent years Mr Yeap Chor Ee's wealth has accumulated with such strides that he has become known as the Chinese with the touch of Midas - everything he touches turns to gold. A couple of years ago, before the Tin Control Scheme came into operation, Mr Yeap had bought a great deal of tin, which he stored up until better prices set in. Tin went up and he made an enormous of profit. About a year ago he bought Homestead, Northam Road, the most palatial residence in Penang, on which Mr Lim Chin Guan, then in his hey-day, spent a fortune. Mr Yeap Chor Ee obtained it "for a song." Today he is easily the richest man in Penang, and his fortune is expanding with a vengeance. He donated $10,000 to the Penang Jubilee Fund.

Mr Yeap Chor Ee is one of the most careful and frugal men, and that is the main reason why he has amassed such a great fortune; unlike Foo Choo Choon, who spent his money with a lavish hand. In spite of his colossal wealth Mr Yeap Chor Ee still remains the humble individual who prefers a ricksha to a car, a plain white tunic suit to palm beach. One other fact about this remarkable man is that he does not know a word of English and transacts most of his business through interpreters.

First reunion of the year

I was invited to join some friends from the PFS Class of 1971 for dinner last night on the island. Had a whale of a time renewing my acquaintance with the whole lot of them! Made some new friends too. Plus, there was the bonus of meeting up with a few former colleagues from my Straits Echo and Ban Hin Lee Bank days. Khoo Boo Teik and Balakrishnan gave interesting reminiscences about their time at Penang Free School but the spotlight belonged to Lim Guan Eng. Of course, he mentioned the recent General Election but he also talked about the setting up of the Penang Digital Library during his tenure as the Chief Minister here. To cap the occasion, I was asked by the host, Cheah Cheng Hye, to lead the Old Farts, I mean, the Old Frees through singing the School Rally. No decent Old Free would want to be seen with a copy of the lyrics and thankfully, none was required. I must have had led the singing with a lot of gusto because soon afterwards, someone suggested that I take up the microphone for a bit of karaoke session. Horrors! Not my cup-of-tea.

Incidentally during the after-dinner camaraderie session, Cheng Hye was mentioning Boo Kooi's point about we all belonging to the May 13th era. I reminded him not to forget that two years earlier in 1967, there was this hartal in Penang. He hadn't forgotten it, Cheng Hye said. In fact, he opened up to say that he was almost killed during the curfew period. At the tender age of 13, he was selling pineapples near the Sia Boey market after school hours. At the height of the hartal, he was rounded up and jailed for violating curfew. Seeing that he was a mere boy, he was released the next morning and given a curfew pass to allow him to return home. "I was terrified and kept holding up the pass above my head until I reached home," he recalled. 

In my opinion, the hartal shook Penang far greater than the May 13th incident. Initially meant to be a peaceful attempt, led by the Labour Party under Lim Kean Siew, to protest the devaluation of the old Malayan dollar and the rising inflation, thugs and gangsters emerged in great force to create havoc on the island. The City Council buses were singled out for stoning and mobs attempted to overturn them. The Police were unprepared for the violence and the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) were called in to maintain the curfew.  

Now, just a little explanation how I ended up with this bunch of fellas from the Class of 1971. Agewise, I should belong with most of them. We had started our Standard One in one of the various primary schools in 1961 - I was at Westlands Primary - but because I landed in an express class in Standard Two, meaning I jumped to Standard Four in 1963, I ended my education a year ahead of them. But as I said, we are all generally of the same age despite me being one year their senior in the Free School. The marvel of last night's dinner was that I met two persons who were with me in the same Standard 1E class and therefore they counted as among my oldest of friends. Can you imagine that?

Cheng Hye bought five copies of Let the Aisles Proclaim from me in 2016. I simply had to give him a copy of Ten Thousand Prosperities this time.

Remembering Ban Hin Lee Bank

𝐁𝐚𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐤 or 𝗕𝗛𝗟 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 was Penang's own homegrown bank which was swallowed up by Southern Bank as part of a financial industry-wide consolidation process in 2000. Southern Bank was in turn taken over by CIMB Bank in 2006. The question is, could BHL Bank had survived by itself within its own niche market into the 21st Century? Was consolidation necessary in the first place?

 

80th anniversary (1): Japanese invasion

Today marks the 80th anniversary of a very significant event in Malaysia's history. At 00:30 (that is, 30 minutes past midnight) on the eighth of December 1941, Japan launched their offensive on the Malayan peninsula. This was the beginning of almost four full years of hellish dark days of the Japanese Occupation from December 1941 till their surrender in September 1945.

Despite my misgivings about Wikipedia, I must say that when it comes to describing the events of the Second World War, there is a lot of detailed information. From Wikipedia, therefore, I shall quote extensively to describe the fateful day when the Japanese landed in Kelantan. Earlier, they had sailed from southern Indo-China and their fleet of warships dropped anchor 3km from the coast. 

The ships were carrying approximately 5,200 troops of the Takumi Detachment (Major-General Takumi Hiroshi, aboard Awazisan Maru). Most of these troops were veterans of the war in China. (Wikipedia)

The invasion began with a bombardment at around 00:30 local time in Malaya on 08 December. (The Japanese carrier planes flying toward Pearl Harbour were still about 50 minutes away; the attack on Pearl Harbour started at 07:48 local time in Hawai'i on 07 December.) The loading of landing craft began almost as soon as the transports dropped anchor. Rough seas and strong winds hampered the operation and a number of smaller craft capsized. Several Japanese soldiers drowned. Despite these difficulties, by 00:45 the first wave of landing craft was heading for the beach in four lines. (Wikipedia)

The Dogra Regiment immediately opened fire on the invasion force with artillery and machine guns. The first and second waves of Japanese soldiers were pinned down by the intense fire from the Dogra's pillboxes and trenches but after vicious hand-to-hand fighting a breach was made in the defences on the south bank of the Pengkalan Chepa river estuary. On the northern bank the Japanese were pinned down on an island where dawn found them trapped in the open. Allied aircraft began attacking the invasion fleet and the soldiers trapped on the island. Japanese casualties in the first and second waves were heavy. The Japanese managed to get off the beach only after the two pill box positions and supporting trenches were destroyed. Despite their heavy resistance, the Dogras were forced to retreat to their defences. Reinforcements were brought forward to support the Dogras. At 10:30, the British forces attempted to retake the lost beaches. The fighting was heavy with both sides suffering more casualties. Some progress was made but the British forces were unable to close the breach. In the afternoon, a second attack went in but failed again to close the breach. (Wikipedia)

The Japanese claimed that the landings at Kota Bharu were some of the most violent of the whole Malayan Campaign. It was estimated that they suffered an estimated 300 killed and 500 wounded. (Wikipedia)

By comparison, the Japanese met with little resistance when they landed at Patani and Singora (now Songkhla) during the early hours of 08 December. The Thai garrison immediately occupied positions alongside the roads leading down to Malaya, but were brushed aside into positions which the main Japanese advance could ignore. The Thais suffered only a total of 57 casualties in Patani and Singora. The fighting ceased at noon when orders for an armistice was received from Bangkok. (Wikipedia) This lent credence to the oft-repeated story that Japan had secret discussions with the Thai Prime Minister, Plaek Phibunsongkhram, to allow the Japanese military free passage through Thailand. 

Phibun also granted Japan permission to use Thailand as a base of operations to invade neighbouring Malaya. Within hours after the armistice came into effect, squadrons of Japanese aircraft had flown into Songkla airfield from Indochina, allowing them to carry out air raids on strategic bases in Malaya and Singapore from a shorter distance. (Wikipedia) The Japanese troops that landed in southern Thailand were the ones that bicycled down the west coast of Malaya towards Singapore and in the process, overran the air defences in Penang, but more of that in a later story.

Together with this amphibious assault on Kelantan and the bombing raids on Pearl Harbour in Hawai'i, 17 Japanese bomber aircraft also carried out dawn air raids on Singapore at 04:00 on the same day. I wrote in my book, Ten Thousand Prosperities: the Story of Ban Hin Lee Bank, that although the targets were military airfields, the naval base and Keppel Harbour, some wayward bombs landed on Raffles Place and elsewhere in the city. One bomb hit a street opposite the Ban Hin Lee Bank branch in Singapore and many surrounding buildings were reduced to rubble. The bank building was, however, completely untouched. That the Japanese aircraft had breached British defence lines shook public confidence. Rumours swirled and people started hoarding food and moving out to the countryside.

Apart from the landings on Malaya's east coast, 08 December 1941 was also noted as the day that Japanese enemy aircraft had flown over Penang island and mainland for the first time.  The Malayan Tribune reported that the island had its air raid warning at seven o'clock in the morning when eight planes flew over George Town in a southerly direction. Reuters reported that there were no casualties except on the mainland where bombs were dropped. The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser said that 14 Japanese planes dived on the aerodrome and clubhouse in Penang at about 5pm on 09 December and machine-gunned both severely. Again, there were no casualties on the island. Over at Butterworth, many Japanese planes had engaged RAF fighters.

>> NEXT (Part 2) >>

TO BE CONTINUED....

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.