In 1880, the British colonial government moved the capital of Selangor from Klang to Kuala Lumpur, leading to a rapid expansion of commercial activities in the city. This accelerated the migration of the Hokkien dialect group, known for their business acumen, to Kuala Lumpur. From 1883 to 1895, the Selangor government made extensive efforts to develop transportation. In 1886, the railway from Kuala Lumpur to Klang was officially opened. Railways connecting Kuala Lumpur to Rawang, Kuala Kubu Bharu, and Sungei Besi were gradually completed, boosting commercial activities in Selangor. In 1885, the Hokkiens in Kuala Lumpur established the Selangor Hokkien Association, further encouraging Hokkiens from other parts of Selangor to migrate to Kuala Lumpur.

The establishment dates of various Chinese clan associations in Kuala Lumpur indicate the timeline of different dialect groups and subgroups settling in the city. In the late 19th century, Kuala Lumpur was still predominantly populated by Hakka and Cantonese people. This necessitated other dialect groups to form larger communities through broader dialect connections to establish a foothold in Kuala Lumpur.

The Selangor Hokkien Association was established in 1885, with its headquarters initially located at No. 7 High Street. Later, a new building was erected at No. 41 Klyne Street. The history of the Selangor Hokkien Association records: “The Selangor Hokkien Association was established as early as 1885. Initially named the Hokkien Company, it was located at No. 7 High Street, Kuala Lumpur. The early pioneers hired teachers and set up a school to impart Chinese culture to the children of the community, and the building also served as a residence for the community members. As more members migrated, the community leaders collectively contributed land at No. 41 Klyne Street for a new building. The temple inside enshrined the deity Fazhugong, attracting numerous devotees.” Fazhugong is the most common deity worshipped in Engchoon, indicating that a significant proportion of the Hokkien subgroups within the association were from Engchoon.

Due to the concentrated settlement and successful business ventures of the Engchoon people, as well as their close ties with Engchoon communities outside Kuala Lumpur, there was a strong sense that without a formal organization, it would be difficult to maintain contact and unity among their fellow villagers. This would hinder efforts to solidify their existing business foundations and compete with other dialect groups. Initiated by leaders such as Chen Riqiang, Chen Pengxiang, Yan Panghu, Huang Zhongji, Hong Jincong, Chen Renyuan, Lin Bangling, Huang Zhenxiu, Lin Shiyin, Zheng Qingxian, Yang Lianxi, Zhang Xiqin, and others, the Kuala Lumpur Engchoon Association was finally established in 1924. It became the first geographically-based association among the Hokkien dialect groups in Kuala Lumpur.

It is noteworthy that many of these leaders of the Engchoon community were already successful businessmen in Kuala Lumpur at that time, possessing considerable economic strength. These pioneers were primarily involved in rubber trading, large estate ownership, cloth business, and some were also engaged in tin mining. Industrialist Huang Zhongji also began to rise in prominence in the Selangor region.

In its early days, the association temporarily used the second floor of Chen Riqiang’s Quan Feng Company on Fujian Street as its makeshift office. They immediately convened a meeting with fellow townsmen in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the establishment of the Engchoon Association. With strong support from the community, the Preparatory Committee was officially established on September 27, 1924. In spring 1925, the committee began fundraising for the construction of a permanent clubhouse. Within a few months, 112 donors contributed more than 100 dollars each, totaling 50,830 dollars in pledged funds. Including donations under 100 dollars, the total raised exceeded 53,000 dollars. In early March 1926, the Kuala Lumpur Engchoon Association held a meeting and decided to purchase three plots of land along the Klang River for building purposes.

On December 2, 1928, at 2:00 PM, the annual general meeting of the Kuala Lumpur Engchoon Association convened to elect the first board of directors for the year 1929 according to the association’s constitution. The key responsibilities of the board members were formally assigned as follows: