Chan Koon Cheng 曾混清

Chan Koon Cheng, JP
Courtesy: Dexter Y.P. Koh

Chan Koon Cheng was born in 1869 and educated at the Government Free School. Chan Koon Cheng was born to an old Straits Chinese family, where he can trace his lineage in a direct line for eight generations. In 1671, his ancestor who first came from China and settled in Malacca was Chan Pian Long who was a Chin Su. Chan Koon Cheng's grandfather, Chan Hong Luan was a lessee of the government spirit and opium farms in Malacca. While his father Chan Eng Hock was a tapioca planter.

In 1885, Chan Koon Cheng worked with Messrs Kim Guan & Co. as a shipping and goods clerk. He was also an agent for the Blue Funnel Liners (Alfred Holts' steamer). Two years later he was promoted to assistant agent and in 1888 acting agent. In 1889 he was made manager of the company and was transferred to Kuala Lumpur. However, he remained for only 10 months and had to resign due to ill-health. In 1891 he joined the SS Sappho as Chief Clerk, but shortly four years he resigned and commenced rubber plantation in partnership with Tan Chay Yan at a 60 acres land in Bukit Lintang (Kandang and Ayer Molek). In 1897 he planted 40 acres on his own estate at Bukit Duyong. Being established himself into plantation business, Chan Koon Cheng was also a manager for Messrs Guan Hup & Co, a post he held since 1895 until relinquished in 1900. In 1901, he commenced in planting 3,000 acres at Kemendor, Bukit Senggeh, Selandar, Kesang and Rim, and known as Kesang-Rim Rubber &Tapioca Estate and by the year 1906 he had the whole estate planted with tapioca and interplanted with rubber. By that time, he was a famous tapioca and rubber planter in Malacca. However, the estate was sold shortly afterwards.

Chan Koong Cheng had considerable houses and lands in Singapore, Selangor, Ngeri Sembilan and Malacca. He had five sons, three daughters and one adopted son. His sons were Yeo Chiang Hoe@Chan Soo Chin (died in 1935), Chan Soo Khim, Chan Soo Ann and Chan Soo What, daughters were Chan Eak Jin, Chan Eak Hin and Chan Eak Sheng. His only brother, Chan Koon Chiang lived at 137 Jonker Street died on 4 November 1908 at the age of 43 years. Chan Koon Cheng was a Municipal Commissioner in 1905 and Justice of Peace in 1906. He was a trustee of the Pulok Samah Burial Ground, a Visiting Justice of Malacca Prisons and a Licensing Justice under the Liquors Ordinance 1907. In 1911 Chan Koon Cheng was appointed to become the Adviser to the Malacca Plantations Limited. In 1912, together with E Kong Guan, Tan Chay Yan, Chan Cheng Siew and others they proposed the establishment of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce for Malacca and subsequently Chan Koon Cheng was elected as the President. In 1908, Chan Koon Cheng donated a sum of $10,000 to build a bridge for public use. He died on 26 October 1912 at the Paul Krudger Lodge, Klebang Besar, Malacca at the age of 44 years.  In order to honour Chan Koon Cheng’s contributions, a road was named after him in Malacca.

References:
Lee, K.H. & Chow, M.S. (1997). Biographical Dictionary of Chinese in Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur: Pelanduk Publications. (p. 5)
Wright, A. (1907). Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources. London: Lloyd's Greater Britain Publishing Co. Ltd. (p. 843)
The Straits Times, 10 November 1908, Page 6
The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser (1884-1942), 29 October 1912, Page 6
The Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, 31 October 1912, Page 283
Malaya Tribune, 23 June 1928, Page 8
The Straits Times, 25 August 1935, Page 5

Chan Kim Boon 曾锦文

CHAN KIM BOON 曾锦文

Chan Kim Boon was a famous, writer, poet, novelist, translator, and had profound knowledge in Chinese literature and mythology. He was well versed in English, Chinese and Malay. Born in Penang in 1851 to Chan Yong Chuan. His father was a merchant at Padang, Sumatra, who later moved to Penang. Chan Kim Boon was first educated at the Penang Free School, and later enrolled to the Foochow Naval School in China. In 1867 he became an assistant tutor in mathematics and from 1867 to 1871 he studied military intelligence but refused to become an army officer due to his ill-health. 

Chan Kim Boon was a book-keeper and cashier at Messrs Donaldson & Burkinshaw Co. Amongst his students at the naval school were Admiral Yin, Commander of the South Squadron of Guandong, Admirah Sah, the Rear Admirals Liu and Lin, Sir Chih-Chen Lo Feng Luh 罗丰禄, former Chinese Ambassador in London. 

In January 1872, he left Foochow and returned to Penang on a visit to his widowed mother in Foochow, In March 1872, a month before the Dutch-Acheh War, he joined a Singapore legal firm, Aitken & Rodyk (later known as Aitken & Co and thereafter Donaldson & Burkinshaw). Chan Kim Boon was best known for his excellent work in translating several Chinese legendary works into Malay language, this tedious work was written in series and claimed to be the earliest Chinese – Malay translations. His books were popular among the Straits Chinese who cannot read Chinese.

Chan Kim Boon in Singapore

Chan Kim Boon used a pen name in all his writings, where he named himself after a cemetery, Batu Gantong (Hanging Stone) in his writing. He had four sons, two daughters and six grandchildren. When he died in 1920 in Singapore, his body was sent to Batu Gantong Cemetery, Penang for burial. Chan Kim Boon was a member of the Celestial Reasoning Society, Chinese Philomathic Society and Lee Cheng Yan Club.