Quah Chin Lai Explained

Quah Chin Lai
Birth Date:	1892 11, df=yes
Birth Place:	China, Fujian
Death Place:	Singapore
Occupation:	Businessman
Spouses:	Wen Ke Niang (Chinese:溫刻娘, Wēn Kèniáng) and Yeo Peck Gim (Chinese:姚碧吟, Yáo Bìyín)

Quah Chin Lai (Kwa Chin Lai, Khua Chin Lai,) (26 November 1892 – 23 December 1990) was a Singapore metal and machinery hardware tycoon and philanthropist.

Early life

Quah was born in Fujian, China in 1892. When young, Quah would travel all over his township and neighboring counties to sell toys and wares. His interest in metal ware started when he was an apprentice for a blacksmith and made a career and business in blacksmithing.^[1]

Business and career

In 1916, Quah travel to Singapore and founded Hiap Leong Kee which specialised in hardware construction equipment. During the Second World War, Hiap Leong Kee was seized by the Japanese and Quah escaped to Malaysia and hid in the plantations. After the Japanese surrendered, Quah resumed Hiap Leong Kee and imported European and American products. Within a few years, Hiap Leong Kee was reestablished as a leading company by Quah

.In 1947 his company could supply complete range of building machinery, equipments and shipping parts.

• Construction and building of Nanyang University in 1955.
• Founded the Nanyang Kuah Si Association in Singapore in 1954.^{[2] [3] [4]}
• Pioneer founders of the Singapore Metal & Machinery Association in 1935.^{[5] [6] [7]}
• Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce representing a member of the Singapore Trade Mission Delegation to China in 1956^[8]
• Honorary member of Ee Hoe Hean^{[9] [10]}
• Honorary member of Goh Loo Club^[11]
• Honorary member of Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan^{[12] [13]}
• Honorary member of Singapore Ann Kway Association^{[14] [15]}
• Director of United Overseas Bank^{[16] [17] [18] [19]}
• Director of The Chinese High School (Singapore) (Now known as Hwa Chong Schools namely Hwa Chong Institution, Hwa Chong International and Hwa Chong Junior College) in 1950s to 1960s.^[20]
• Director of Nanyang Girls' High School^[21]

Family

• Quah married Ms. Wen Ke Niang in the year 1901, in China and together they have 6 sons and 3 daughters.
• In the year 1928, Quah married Yeo Peck Gim in Singapore as his second wife and together they have 2 sons and 4 daughters.

Legacy

In recognition of Quah's contributions to society he was commemorated as follows:

• In 1999 in the book that documents Beihong in Southeast Asia (悲鸿在星洲), Quah was mention for his heroic effort rescuing Xu Beihong when the Japanese Empire invaded Singapore.^{[22] [23]}
• In 2012, Quah Chin Lai was listed as among the Prominent Figures of the World Fujian Communities publication recounts the lives of some 150 Hokkien Singaporeans and records their achievements and contributions to Singapore over the past 200 years. It will be launched in November this year.^{[24] [25]}
• In 2015, World Scientific published a book about "Tan Lark Sye: Advocator And Founder Of Nanyang University" for Quah was mention for his contribution to Nanyang University.^[26]
• In 2019, Quah was listed in the Singapore Biographical Database.^[27] The database presents an interface that allows users to search individual prominent Singapore Chinese personalities and displays a social network of interpersonal connections and affiliations between them. Apart from biographical information. Quah was listed in the first phase of this project focuses on 200 prominent Singapore Chinese personalities to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the founding of modern Singapore in 2019.^{[28] [29]}

Notes and References

1. https://singaporeclanfoundation-my.sharepoint.com/personal/clanmagazine_sfcca_sg/_layouts/15/onedrive.aspx?id=%2Fpersonal%2Fclanmagazine%5Fsfcca%5Fsg%2FDocuments%2F宗乡总会%2F源%2Fyuan143%2Epdf&parent=%2Fpersonal%2Fclanmagazine%5Fsfcca%5Fsg%2FDocumen
2. Web site: Kuah Association . 5 June 2022 . Kuahassn.org.
3. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
4. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
5. Web site: SMMA Official Website . 5 June 2022 . Smma.org.
6. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
7. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
8. Web site: TAN KAH KEE WITH KWA CHIN-LAI, A MEMBER OF THE SINGAPORE... . 5 June 2022 . Nas.gov.sg.
9. Web site: 怡和轩 - Ehc . 2022-06-28 . 2020-01-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200126213655/http://www.eehoehean.org/ . dead .
10. Web site: Khim . Chow Chai . LibGuides: Index to famous historical figures of Singaporean Chinese: K . 5 June 2022 . Libguides.nus.edu.sg.
11. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
12. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
13. Web site: 春风化雨·润物无声——福建会馆与本地教育发展的新发现 | 早报 . www.zaobao.com.sg.
14. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
15. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
16. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
17. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
18. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
19. Web site: NewspaperSG - Terms and Conditions . 5 June 2022 . Eresources.nlb.gov.sg.
20. NUS Libraries NUS Libraries
21. NUS Libraries NUS Libraries
22. Web site: /$1悲鸿在星洲 /资料搜集, 编著欧阳兴义. Beihong zai Xing Zhou /ziliao sou ji, bian zhu Ouyang Xingyi. – National Library. www.nlb.gov.sg.
23. Web site: 《悲鸿在星洲》再版 | 早报. www.zaobao.com.sg.
24. Web site: Shi jie Fujian ming ren lu. Xinjiapo pian / [bian wei zhu ren Fang Baicheng, Du Nanfa].世界福建名人录. 新加坡篇 / [编委主任方百成, 杜南发].]. National Library Board. Singapore. eservice.nlb.gov.sg.
25. Web site: Published Books – Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan.
26. Book: Tan Lark Sye. Chu Meng. Ong. Hoon Yong. Lim. Lai Yang. Ng. October 29, 2014. 10.1142/9423. 978-981-4641-49-4 .
27. Web site: Singapore Biographical Database.
28. Web site: Singapore Biographical Database Name List- Index 124.
29. Web site: Official launch of The Singapore Biographical Database (SBDB) of Chinese personalities.