Cheah Kee Ee

CHEAH KEE EE, JP

Cheah Kee Ee was born in 1867 in Penang, and was a relative to Cheah Choon Yew. He was a well-known miner and planter in Penang and Perak, and a member of the Federal Chamber of Mines, Ipoh. 

Cheah Kee Ee and Dr R.M. Connolly were business partners in the Tin Trust Limited. His company was also an agent of Ipoh Marble & Lime Works Syndicate Ltd. He also owned large coconut plantation estates at Bagan Datoh, and was the proprietor of the infamous Ban Kee Wine & Spirit Distilleries

Cheah Kee Ee who was English educated, was best known for his vocal stand against polygamy marriage among Chinese community, in which making him unpopular among his people of older generation. He was in the committee of the Chinese Widows' and Orphans Institution, Perak during the when Chung Thye Phin was the President. 

In 1924, he was the Chairman of the Straits Chinese British Association of Penang. However in the same year too he was defeated to J. Crabb-Watt in an election for the seat in the Penang Association of Municipal Commission. In 1926, he was appointed as a committee member in preparing the Straits Settlements Chinese Marriage Report to be presented before the Governor of Straits Settlements, Sir Laurence Guillemard. 

Cheah Kee Ee married Lee Keong Onn and lived at the family residence, Morningside at Burmah Road, Penang. His daughter Cheah Swee Hoon was married to Dr Lim Chwee Leong (1891 – 1957) son of Lim Cheng Sah, where one of their prominent sons, Lim Chong Eu was later the second Chief Minister of Penang. While his nephew, Dr Cheah Poh Cheng was the first holder of Cheah Kongsi Scholarship, where he received a degree in Licentiate of Medicine and Surgery from the King Edward VII Medical School, Singapore. Cheah Kee Ee's another daughter, Cheah Keng Hoon was married to Ong Swee Hoon.