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 Singaporean institutions have a stellar reputation for preserving and valuing historical documents.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.

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