Participated in fundraising for

Xiamen University and Nanyang University

Xiamen University, the first university in Fujian Province, was established in 1919 by the initiative of Tan Kah Kee. The birth of Xiamen University was driven by Tan Kah Kee’s realization that Fujian Province, although with its population of ten million, did not have a university, not only lacking of specialized talent, even no place to cultivate secondary school teachers. This spurred his determination to establish Xiamen University, which he supported on his own for more than a decade. In 1937, when he could no longer bear the heavy financial burden required to run the university, he reluctantly handed it over to the Nationalist Government, and it became a national university.

During the planning phase of Xiamen University, Tan Kah Kee made three trips to Nanyang to seek support from wealthy Chinese merchants for the university but was unsuccessful. When Xiamen University faced a financial crisis, Tan Kah Kee sent its president, Lin Wenqing, on fundraising trips. During the fundraising in Nanyang, the Fujian community provided substantial support. Donations from the Selangor region in Kuala Lumpur were collected through the Selangor Hokkien Association.

A scene from Xiamen University, founded by Tan Kah Kee

Source: https://www.gaoxiaojob.com/announcement/detail/1315.html

In 1935, the Fujian Association accompanied Xiamen University President Lin Wenqing to Selangor for a fundraising campaign. Due to time constraints, they made a brief stop and entrusted Lai Teck Lok, Yap Long Heng, Sim Booi Hui, Huang Chongji, Hong Khai Tok, Yap Yong Chian, Tan Yam Guan, Wong Hoh Sian, Yeong Tiam Sow, and Hong Jin Chong to manage donation affairs in Selangor. These leaders of Kuala Lumpur’s Chinese community primarily came from the Selangor Hokkien Association. Among them, Huang Chongji, Tan Yam Guan, and Hong Jin Chong were also leaders of the Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Hoey Kuan. It is worth mentioning that this fundraising effort led by Lin Wenqing raised a total of 250,000 yuan for Xiamen University. The amount raised in Kuala Lumpur accounted for 13.37% of the total. In terms of personal donations, from 1935 to 1937, Huang Chongji and Ang Chin Chong each donated 5,000 yuan and 2,500 yuan respectively. Chen Zhenxiang, Zheng Buhua, and Yang Lianxi each donated 1,000 yuan. The Eng Choon community was the largest donor group from Kuala Lumpur’s Chinese community to Xiamen University at that time.

Huang Chongji

Source: Provided by Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Hoey Kuan

Chen Renyun

Source: Provided by Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Hoey Kuan

Ang Chin Chong

Source: Provided by Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Hoey Kuan

In addition to donating to Xiamen University, the leaders of the Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon community actively responded to Tan Kah Kee’s call to establish the first overseas Chinese-language tertiary institution, Nanyang University, in 1953. The Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Association became a member of Nanyang University and formed a subcommittee to encourage the local Chinese community to participate enthusiastically. Lin Bangling, in particular, was a strong supporter of Nanyang University.

The support from the Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Association for Xiamen University and Nanyang University was primarily due to the fact that these two universities were founded by Tan Kah Kee and Tan Lark Sye, two esteemed figures from Fujian, during their leadership of the Singapore Hokkien Association. During this period, the leaders of the Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Association also led the Selangor Hokkien Association. Additionally, most of the leaders of the Hokkien Associations in Singapore and Malaysia were business people, many of whom were involved in the rubber industry and had direct or indirect business dealings with Tan Kah Kee and Tan Lark Sye, who were prominent rubber merchants. Tan Lark Sye, in particular, had led the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and negotiated with the British government to stabilize rubber prices, earning high prestige among his peers. Given the connections in the association’s affairs, business dealings, and recognizing the significance of establishing universities for national education, the leaders of the Hokkien Associations naturally supported the fundraising campaigns initiated by Tan Kah Kee and Tan Lark Sye.

Lin Bangling

Source: Provided by Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Hoey Kuan

Nanyang University was built with the contributions of the Chinese community in Southeast Asia

Source:https://www.yan.sg/nanyangdaxuebiexingjiapo/

In addition to the donations made during the establishment of Xiamen University and Nanyang University, Eng Choon community members have also been involved in the founding of New Era College by Dong Jiao Zong, Tunku Abdul Rahman University by the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA), and the National University of Malaysia (UKM) by the government, after the independence of Malaya. Dr. Chua Wei Yan, who served as the Honorary Secretary-General of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Huazong) and Vice President of the Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Association, was a member of the board of directors of New Era College and the deputy convener of its Academic Advisory Committee.

Dr. Chua Wei Yan

Source: Provided by Kuala Lumpur Eng Choon Hoey Kuan

Additionally, Dr. Pan Yongzhong, the third president of New Era College, is a Eng Choon native. Dr. Cheong Lee Sze, former president of Tunku Abdul Rahman College and founding president of Tunku Abdul Rahman University, is also from Eng Choon community. For nearly a century, the Eng Choon community in Kuala Lumpur has made significant contributions to higher education, from the financial donations to leadership roles in educational institutions, it contributes in various forms at different generations and regions. Before independence, successful business people generously donated financially; after independence, they held significant positions in higher education institutions. This fully demonstrates the Eng Choon people’s continue emphasis on their children’s education after relocating from their ancestral homeland to Southeast Asia.