In 1869, the British colonial government in Singapore began to bring established Chinese leaders as unofficial members into the new Legislative Council formed two years ago. Following the successful dissolution of the secrete societies, in January 1890 the government further set up the Chinese Advisory Board, to help coordinate Chinese social rituals, ceremonies, welfare and other relevant legislative matters. The Board made twelve appointments with 5 from the Hokkien communities, 4 Teochiews, 2 Cantonese, and 1 Hailams. Among the first appointed were Tan Jiak Kim and Seah Lian Seah.
The Penang Chinese Advisory Board was set up in March the same year. The Board consisted of twelve members, representing 4 major dialect groups. Koh Boo Ann represented the Teochiews.
What did the specific matters these Advisory Boards deal with in those years? Song Ong Siang’s book reported several, including the following.
(1) In 1895, the Board protested against the decision of the colonial government regarding the huge amount of the Military Contribution demanded;
(2) In 1903, the Board argued for better accommodation for the quarantined coolies;
(3) In 1908, the Board was entrusted to supervise the work of the removal of graves from the Cantonese burial grounds in Tanjong Pagar.
In Penang in August 1890, Koh Boo Ann asked the Government to exempt Chinese Coolies from paying postage on letters they were receiving from home.
Comparatively, Rangoon Chinese were not given the same level of attention until much later. This is because in Colonial Burma, Chinese had always been outnumbered by Indians. In 1885, Burma even became a province of British rule in India, and the colonial government did not attach importance to the local problems in the Chinese community. It was only after the revolutionary ferment poured in at the turn of the 20th Century and after the Qing government hastily set up a consulate in 1909 [*], that the colonial government set up the Chinese Advisory Board patterned after the Singapore and Penang boards. Rangoon Chinese were mainly either Hokkien or Cantonese and therefore the Board members were only appointed from leaders of these two dialect groups.
A report of the Nanyang Siang Pau [**] revealed that a busy engagement of the Advisory Board in Rangoon during the period of intense strife between the imperial royalists and revolutionists was probably in conciliation proceedings with the colonial government on expelling undesirable characters from the community.
Grandfather Yeo Cheow Kaw was appointed a member of the Advisory Board in 1924. He was joined by Lee Ai Yain and Chan Chor Khine who were then already in the Legislative Council, and Kong Beng Chong, who was elected into the Legislative Council soon after.
[*] The Qing government established a consulate in Singapore in 1877, more than 20 years earlier.
[**] In the 1926 newspaper, the reporter was quoted at great length happenings a decade ago, before publishing the current list of representatives of the incumbent Advisory Board. Noted incidentally was an earlier reference to the Board revealing its advisory roles to the Rangoon police.
2016.05.18
© 2017 仰索
Grandfather Yeo Cheow Kaw was appointed a member of the Advisory Board in 1924. He was joined by Lee Ai Yain and Chan Chor Khine who were then already in the Legislative Council, and Kong Beng Chong, who was elected into the Legislative Council soon after.
[*] The Qing government established a consulate in Singapore in 1877, more than 20 years earlier.
[**] In the 1926 newspaper, the reporter was quoted at great length happenings a decade ago, before publishing the current list of representatives of the incumbent Advisory Board. Noted incidentally was an earlier reference to the Board revealing its advisory roles to the Rangoon police.
2016.05.18
© 2017 仰索