My Johor Stories and OCBC

 

On my Heritage Walks, I usually lead the group in a route to the city’s heritage quarter via the breezy Segget Walk, turn into Jalan Segget, pass through the archway into the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk to head towards the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum.

 

The front porch of the OCBC Bank Johor Bahru
remains an iconic feature in this building

Adjacent to the archway into the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk at Jalan Segget, stands one of the modern buildings in the heart of the city since the 1960’s that features a landmark porch. Over the years, this building has been renovated with its façade upgraded but this porch remains an iconic feature of the OCBC Bank in Johor Bahru.

 

Headquartered in Singapore, OCBC offers comprehensive banking services across ASEAN and China with a presence in New York, London and Sydney.

 

In my commentary during the Walk, I will point out to participants that the Overseas Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) is situated at one end of the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk while another bank, the HongKong & Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) stands at its opposite end.

 

Facade of the OCBC Bank
Johor Bahru at Jalan Segget

These established banking institutions have served generations of customers to this day, since its inception when the banks provided an essential service to overseas Chinese who worked hard to earn a living in order to send funds back to their homeland.

 

While hardworking Chinese provided for their families in China, many sinkek or new arrivals – whose hearts were still with their homeland – contributed funds in support of the revolutionaries’ cause to overthrow the Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty.

 

Recently, I was in front of the OCBC Bank again on a Heritage Walk with a group of Sun Yat Sen docents from Friends of the Museum, Singapore, and we captured a photo to the backdrop of the arch for the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk.

 

I did not know it then but I was back there again a few days later, this time to go into the OCBC Bank to meet with Regional Manager, Fiona Gan. My mission was to deliver a set of the trilogy of My Johor Stories to her, who will then convey my books to retired Bank Manager, Tan Ngiap Joo (TNJ) in Singapore.

 

Sending My Johor Stories books to Ramona
when we met at the DoubleTree by Hilton
Johor Bahru in February 2025

It all started last year when my cousin, Malcolm, in Sydney told me that he reconnected with his former colleague in OCBC Bank Sydney, Ramona Tan, and that she wanted to have a set of the trilogy of My Johor Stories.

 

He reminded me that Ramona’s family used to live opposite our grandfather’s house at Jalan Ngee Heng and that she and her sister studied in the Johor Bahru Convent school and were familiar with my sisters, cousins and I.

 

When Ramona got in touch with me, she told me that she was checking online for information on our school’s centenary celebration plans and that her sister, who still lived in Johor Bahru, confirmed that I was related to the people who lived opposite them at Jalan Ngee Heng.

 

It was good to meet with Ramona and
her husband on their visit to Johor Bahru

We exchanged a series of messages to arrange for my books to be sent to her in Victoria, Australia, and by December 2024, Ramona safely received my books.

 

In our message exchange, she mentioned names of some schoolmates and tried to hazard a guess if I was related to so-and-so just because we had the same surname.

 

No, I replied that I am certain that I was not related to any of them and urged her to read my story titled, We are OCBC, documented in Book One, My Johor Stories: True Tales, Real People, Rich Heritage.

 

In this piece published in my 2017 MPH Non-Fiction Bestseller, I used OCBC as the abbreviation for, Orang Cina Bukan Cina, to explain a bit about my parents and family heritage.

 

Inside the OCBC Bank Johor Bahru...

Then Ramona told me that after 20 years of living abroad, she planned to visit Johor Bahru for Chinese New Year in 2025. Meanwhile, she asked for another set of My Johor Stories books for a lady friend and I agreed to pass the books to her when we meet up here.

 

For her stay in Johor Bahru, Ramona said that she was booked into the DoubleTree by Hilton simply because it was built close to where she used to live on that same road.

 

I replied that I had a stay with the DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru ahead of its opening to the public to do a hotel review and was pleased to document the experience because – I agree – that it was really exciting to see how that familiar road was being developed.

 

Over hot brewed coffee, I met with Ramona at the hotel, who was back in Johor Bahru with her husband. I was pleased to let my cousin Malcolm know that I had a good chat with his former colleague in OCBC Sydney, reminiscing about the Jalan Ngee Heng neighbourhood, our school’s centenary celebration plans and of course, some stories documented in My Johor Stories.

 

I could not help but blushed when Ramona Enconniere (her husband is French) declared, “I think it’s wonderful that there is someone in Johor Bahru like you, who is so interested and willing to share their stories.”

 

Fiona Gan [Left] receiving the trilogy of
My Johor Stories on behalf of TNJ

Then recently in April, Ramona reached out again, this time to ask for a set of My Johor Stories for her (and my cousin’s) former General Manager at OCBC Sydney, TNJ who was now retired in Singapore.

 

She did very well to coordinate the arrangements for me to meet with Fiona Gan, Regional Manager based in OCBC Johor Bahru, to pass my books to her so that Fiona could personally deliver them to TNJ in Singapore.

 

Once again, there was a furious exchange of messages to connect me to Fiona Gan in Johor Bahru and a further exchange of messages between me and Fiona to arrange an appointment in her office.

 

So there I was again, walking along Jalan Segget to OCBC Bank that bright morning, not on a Heritage Walk but to meet with the Regional Manager in the bank.

 

This bank has been here for generations but I have never stepped inside. After all, there was no reason to do so but now I had a real mission – to send my books over.

 

On my Heritage Walks, I sometimes choose to walk along Jalan Ibrahim from the front of the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum to the Segget Walk and beyond.

 

This was an opportunity to share with participants, a little about the history and heritage of the original businesses that used to occupy the shops along this road.

 

Facade of the shop unit formerly
occupied by Everstrong on ground
level; The embossed logo on the
upper level of this building

When we passed the last block of two-storey shops located adjacent to the OCBC Bank, one of the shops that used to house Everstrong, was easily identified by its name in capital letters, emblazoned vertically on two stone pillars at the corridor in front of that shop.

 

I remember looking at the façade of this shop unit from the opposite side of the road and spotted a circular design embossed on the front wall of its upper floor.

 

From a distance, this design features a Chinese junk that closely resembled the logo of OCBC Bank. I was convinced that this shop unit was the original site of the bank and made a mental note to find out more.

 

As I climbed the stairs that led to the front entrance of OCBC Bank, I made it a point to say something about this to Fiona when I had an opportunity. So it was uncanny when Fiona was the one who brought up this particular matter and we both marveled that this same thing was on our minds.

 

The wall plaque inside OCBC Bank Johor
Bahru that records the bank's opening
on 20 July 1963 by Sultan Ismail of Johor

She immediately showed me a photo of the shop’s façade which she said was shot just that day because the bank was keen to preserve its logo designed on the concrete façade of that shop. Personally, I was pleased that this confirmed that it was in fact, the OCBC logo and that the bank was once operating in that space.

 

Fiona explained that she had been trying to get in touch with the property owners to discuss it but without success.

 

Once again, it was uncanny that she was speaking to me, one who was familiar with the property owners. I assured her that I will help to connect them to discuss about that logo and hopefully, reach an amicable solution to preserve that precious heritage for the bank. I was excited to learn that an OCBC Heritage Gallery was being curated… but more about this later.

 

I was pleased to present the trilogy of My Johor Stories to Fiona who received them on behalf of TNJ. When I wanted to capture a photo memento, she suggested that we go to the Private Banking lounge where we should get some shots of ourselves with a model of a Chinese junk – an icon of the bank’s brand – in the backdrop.

 

Fiona Gan [Right] presenting the
trilogy of My Johor Stories to
Tan Ngiap Joo in Singapore

After a pleasant chat with Fiona, I was ready to leave. And on my way out of the bank, she showed me the wall plaque that recorded the opening of this bank in 1963 by His Highness Sultan Ismail, the son of Sultan Sir Ibrahim.

 

As I slowly descended the iconic stairs and headed out into the bright sunshine, I mulled over how My Johor Stories connected with OCBC in so many ways.

 

A day later, Fiona personally delivered the trilogy of My Johor Stories to TNJ in Singapore and she kept her word by sending me a photograph proof of the book presentation to him.

 

“Delivered the books to Mr Tan yesterday. He likes the stories,” I read Fiona’s message that came with the photo of herself and TNJ, holding my books.

 

Thank you, cousin Malcolm and Ramona, for your support in promoting My Johor Stories and connecting me to Fiona, TNJ and the proud heritage of OCBC in Johor.

Rotary and OCBC provide back-to-school basics

The Rotary Club of Johor Centennial partnered with OCBC Taman Molek recently to equip underprivileged children in their neighbourhood with back-to-school essentials.

OCBC staff packing the items to be presented to the children

Some 88 school children from homes run by Puspanesam Welfare, Society of St Vincent De Paul, Cathedral of the Sacred Heart and Persatuan Penjagaan Kanak-kanak Miskin and Orang Tua Santhia Johor Baru, received gift packs with school uniforms, school shoes, backpacks, water tumblers and dictionaries, among other stationery items.

OCBC Taman Molek senior manager, Henry Chin, presented a cheque for RM10,000 to the Rotary Club of Johor Centennial club president, Reetha Mathewes, for the items for the children needed.

OCBC Taman Molek senior manager, Henry Chin [4th from
Right] presenting the cheqye for RM10,000 to Rotary Club
of Johor Centennial president, Reetha Mathewes [3rd from Left]

“OCBC is glad that we are able to help underprivileged students get these much needed items to start the new school term,” said Chin.

He joined about 30 bank staff and Rotarians who helped to pack the items and presented them to the children at a lunch event held at the Santhia Home in Plentong.

The children enjoyed a Marrybrown meal, and got to meet with their mascot.  They also had a pleasant surprise when popular Star Wars character, Darth Vader, made an appearance.

“The Rotary Club of Johor Centennial is honoured to partner with OCBC who has a Corporate Social Responsibility programme to give back to the community, with a focus on children’s welfare,” said Mathewes.

“Our club plans to work with OCBC again to organise more charity events on a larger scale, to give more to the children in the coming year,” she added.

A version of this was published in The Malaysian Insider on 6 Jan 2016

Transforming Jalan Tan Hiok Nee

In the Nheart of old Johor Baru, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee runs parallel to Jalan Ibrahim and Jalan Dhoby.

Visitors capture a photo memento of the arch at the
OCBC end of the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk

The OCBC Bank – the bank for Johor’s pioneer overseas Chinese – marks one end of the road while its opposite end faces HSBC – a bank with its roots in Hong Kong and Shanghai.  

Linked with a network of roads like Jalan Trus and Jalan Pahang, this area was once a thriving metropolis with banks, lawyers, offices and traders like coffee-shops, provision stores, fabric merchants, electrical appliance suppliers, dry-cleaners, stationers, barbers, hairdressers and other services.

This road was named after Teochew kangchu, Tan Hiok Nee (1827 – 1902), the leader of the Ngee Heng Kongsi of Johor.  

He was responsible for transforming this kongsi or society, from a quasi-military revolutionary brotherhood into an organisation of kangchu or river lords and revenue farmers for pepper and gambier, the first economic crops in Johor.  

Tan, a trusted friend of Sultan Abu Bakar, was appointed Major China of Johor, a governmental position created for him, as well as a member to the Council of State and was the first Chinese to receive the title of Dato’ Seri Paduka Mahkota Johor.

Road signs with brief info on
pioneer personality, Tan Hiok Nee

Over the years, many businesses on Jalan Tan Hiok Nee closed or moved to the suburbs and only a handful of traditional traders remain.  

When the Johor Baru Tiong-Hua Association vacated their premises here and moved to their new building in Taman Sri Tebrau, their property was refurbished and opened as the Johor Baru Chinese Heritage Museum.  

At its official opening in 2009, the then Johor Menteri Besar declared Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, a Heritage Walk.

At that time, the state administrative offices in the Sultan Ibrahim building was gradually shifting to Kota Iskandar and this contributed to a marked reduction of customers in city businesses.  

Between 2009 and 2014, the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk committee worked hard to organise a series of public cultural events on Saturday nights at the heritage walk.  The road was also closed to vehicular traffic in the evenings to encourage more people to come into the city to enjoy the street carnival activities.

Facade of the JB Chinese Heritage Museum
viewed from Jalan Ibrahim

When the Red House at No. 56 was restored to its former glory, this landmark building became a focal point on the heritage walk and a stage was set up in front to host a range of open-air shows.  Saturday night “live” shows included cultural performances in music and dance, theatre, martial and visual arts as well as events like a Teochew food festival.  

With a weekly programme of activities, Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk gradually transformed into a popular destination in the city for local and foreign visitors.

                          

For two consecutive years, 2012 (Dragon) and 2013 (Snake), Astro AEC channel picked Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk among other locations in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Malacca and Kuching to be featured in “live” TV countdowns for the lunar new year.  These TV broadcasts inevitably brought JB’s vibrant night scene to a nationwide audience.

Archway at the corner of
Jalan Trus and Jalan Tan Hiok Nee

In 2013, the Johor Baru City Council endorsed the plan to construct two arches at Jalan Tan Hiok Nee.  Built on both ends of the road, these arches designated this area with an identity as the city’s heritage quarter.  

The rising popularity of this area for tourists in search of a vintage and retro experience was a boon to established businesses here and they stepped up to match the interest in this heritage walk.

Visitors simply fell in love with the charm of Hiap Joo Bakery & Biscuit Factory, a family of traditional bakers established since 1919, and the taste of local brewed coffee and kaya toast at Kim Wah kopitiam as well as old-school Teochew noodles at Sang Heng kopitiam.  

There is a unique charm about old businesses like traditional kopitiam and bakery, noodle shops, a Shanghai laundry and clock repair services that continue to operate alongside cool new enterprises.

Chaiwalla & Co is a popular container cafe here

While chic salons like “Birth” and “My Little Corner” provide professional hairstyling, a container café was set up by Chaiwalla & Co at the edge of a parking lot.  

Beverly Bee Ang of “The Girl Next Door” fame, partnered with Cally Chin to open “Bev C,” a stylish boutique with a café upstairs.  

Not long after that, Maco Vintage Café opened to serve meals, coffee and cakes.  And then Eric Tan and his artist wife, Grace Lim, turned No. 52 into Art52Gallery.  

As trendy hairdressers, boutiques and chic cafes opened here, a new vitality slowly seeped into Jalan Tan Hiok Nee. 

The family who ran this Shanghai was serving
a host of loyal customers until recently

Since 2014, the cool vibe of JB’s heritage quarter was featured, not just in social media but in main-stream media as well as several airline in-fight magazines.  

This marked an exciting milestone for JB as the city shed its old image of just a border town and developed a fresh identity as a city with a vibrant attitude that visitors appreciate and are coming back for more.

Interesting new businesses that recently opened here include collectible doll-maker Evangelione, Eh He Art Cafe, a trendy coffeeshop with an art gallery and “Pockets,” a lifestyle concept store with meeting facilities.  

A café for Nyonya cuisine is on the ground level of the charming Red House while there’s coffee, pastries and wine at “Pace” and the Drum Café, as its name describes, is designed in the drum theme in honour of the 24 Festive Drums, a uniquely Johor art of drumming.

In 2015, the popularity of this area was further boosted when Petronas picked several sites for local artists to display their street art in their #tanahairku project.  

Thanks to young Johor entrepreneurs with the vision to start new businesses in repurposed old buildings, Johor Baru’s captivating heritage quarter is now among the most photographed and Instagram-med hipster destinations in the region. From what is happening here, the transformation of Jalan Tan Hiok Nee is far from over.

A version of this was published in TheIskandarian.com on 21 April 2016

Next exciting episode:         Preserving the soul of our city

Connecting with the family of Tan Hiok Nee

 

Teochew kangchu, Tan Hiok Nee (1827 – 1902), the leader of the Ngee Heng Kongsi of Johor, was such a significant personality in the pioneering era that a road in Johor Bahru’s heritage quarter was named after him.

 

Datin Patricia Lim [Seated Centre] with Derrick
Tan [Seated Right] John Ang, Steven, Suzanne
and Sheryl [Standing Left to Right]

Jalan Tan Hiok Nee is a road that runs parallel to Jalan Ibrahim and Jalan Dhoby. The OCBC Bank – the bank for Johor’s pioneer overseas Chinese – marks one end of the road while the opposite end of this road faces HSBC – a bank with its roots in Hong Kong and Shanghai.  

 

Tan was responsible for transforming this kongsi or society, from a quasi-military revolutionary brotherhood into an organisation of kangchu or river lords and revenue farmers for pepper and gambier, the first economic crops in Johor.  

 

A trusted friend of Sultan Abu Bakar, he was appointed Mejar Cina of Johor, a governmental position created for him, as well as a member to the Council of State to represent the Chinese community in Johor.

 

A road sign for Jalan Tan Hiok Nee
in the heritage quarter

When the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum was opened in 2009, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, one of the two roads that border this museum, was declared a Heritage Walk by the then Johor Menteri Besar.

 

In view of this, the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk committee was formed to organise and curate interesting weekend cultural events at the Heritage Walk.

 

As these weekend cultural events started to attract more visitors to the heritage quarter, the nearby streets gradually transformed into a hip and happening heritage destination that became popular with both local and foreign visitors.

 

To celebrate its identity as a significant heritage destination in the city, the Johor Baru City Council (MBJB) endorsed the Johor Bahru Tiong Hua (Chinese) Association’s plan to build two arches at opposite ends of the Tan Hiok Nee Heritage Walk.

 

Completed in 2013, the twin arches beautifully complimented the paved road while the charming heritage identity of this quarter, attracted self-motivated young people to start businesses here.

 

Holding up books on Tan Hiok Nee and his
family published for the Tan family

I first learnt about the Tan Hiok Nee Bicentennial Celebrations in June 2025 when Derrick Tan, a member in the fifth generation of Tan Hiok Nee’s family, reached out to me by email to My Johor Stories.

 

Through an email exchange, I soon discovered more about the plans for this Bicentennial Celebration to mark the birth of Mejar Cina Tan Hiok Nee in 1827.

 

Derrick introduced himself as part of the planning committee for the celebration planned to take place in the middle of 2027, in Tan’s hometown in China as well as in Johor Bahru and Singapore.

 

Datin Pat [Seated Left] looking at old photos
documented in the Tan family books

Derrick was helping to compile information to write a book about Tan Hiok Nee and launch it during the Bicentennial Celebration. To do this, he was reaching out to Datin Patricia Lim and me, in a quest for historical information about Tan’s life in Johor.

 

He was aware that Datin Pat (as she is fondly called) is the great-grand-daughter of Johor pioneer, Wong Ah Fook, and he even explained the link as to how he was also related to the Wong family by marriage.

 

As we know, Datin Pat is a historian by profession and she has authored a number of well-researched books on Johor as well as on Wong Ah Fook. Derrick told me he has her book on Wong Ah Fook and that his Aunt Florenz fondly remembers her.

 

Along with his email, Derrick attached the draft plans for my info and to share with Datin Pat. This outlined some of the exciting plans they have arranged to host in Singapore – which would be replicated in Johor Bahru, where possible.

 

Reference books on Tan Hiok Nee

In addition, he sought my help to connect with a group in Johor Bahru who could help with organizing the celebration plans here. This would include street decorations in the heritage quarter, a special curation of exhibits in the Chinese Heritage Museum as well as a tour of some historic places in Johor Bahru in a heritage walk or tour.

 

He also enquired about present-day Mejar Cina Dato David Wong, so I was pleased to provide Derrick with his contact details, that of the Johor Bahru Tiong Hua Association as well as the Teochew Association in Johor Bahru. I also shared with Datin Pat, the draft plans and all the details of my correspondence with Derrick.

 

After I heard from Derrick, I received separate message from John Ang, who introduced himself as a descendent of Mejar Cina Tan Hiok Nee, on his maternal side. He said that he was in charge of the Entertainment and Performances for the Bicentennial Celebration dinner party.

 

John had stumbled upon what I had documented in My Johor Stories about a musical drama that was performed as part of the Johor Arts Festival in 2011.

 

Titled, Bumi Berlantai Permata or The Bejewelled Land, this musical drama showcased a historical piece that featured prominent personalities in the pioneering era in Johor, that included a role as Tan Hiok Nee.

 

While this show was part of the annual Johor Arts Festival, it was so well received that in 2019, it was performed again as a Royal Command Performance on the occasion of the Johor Sultan’s official birthday/coronation day.

 

Recommended resource materials
for relevant information 

Organized by the Johor Society for the Performing Arts (JSPA), founded by Yap Siong Cheng and his wife, Suzie, the Johor Arts Festival was presented annually for 15 years. With the sudden passing due to illness, of Suzie in October 2019 and Yap in March 2021, the Johor Arts Festival came to an abrupt end.

 

I had to explain to John that this musical drama involved a whole cast and crew, and it was a challenge to unite them again for a performance. It was, however, not a dead end yet as I had an idea to get in touch with the director of this production.

 

Meanwhile in April 2025, I connected with Tan Ngiap Joo (TNJ), former General Manager of OCBC Sydney, who has since retired and lives in Singapore. He is familiar with my cousin, Malcolm, who worked with him in OCBC Sydney.

 

When my cousin talked to TNJ about My Johor Stories, he was keen to have his own set of the trilogy of my books. After he received my books, TNJ was in touch with me to chat about what he found interesting or amusing. In the course of our chit-chat, TNJ mentioned that he was a descendant of Tan Hiok Nee.

 

So when I told TNJ that recently, Derrick Tan and John Ang got in touch with me regarding the Bicentennial Celebrations for Tan Hiok Nee, he replied, “I know. They are my cousins!”

 

It was November 2025 when Derrick sent another email to let me know that he was in touch with the Chinese Associations in Johor Bahru and awaiting their confirmation of appointment to meet here.

 

He also proposed to meet with Datin Pat and I, during his visit to Johor Bahru on a particular date in December when they will meet with the Chinese Association people. On this visit, he would be accompanied by his wife, Sheryl and his cousin, John, who was part of the planning committee.

 

Closer to that date, he extended an invitation to Datin Pat and I to join them for lunch before the meet-up to talk about the celebration plans in Johor Bahru.

 

When we met at the restaurant, we were introduced to Derrick and John from the fifth generation while their niece, Suzanne Ng, was of the sixth generation in the Tan Hiok Nee family. Suzanne was accompanied by her husband, Steven.

 

They brought along books published by the Tan family on Tan Hiok Nee and his family, complete with old photographs that they had collected and compiled over the years.

 

As they turned the pages, Datin Pat, who grew up in Singapore, was familiar with some of the people and places that were in the photos and remembered some of their mutual relatives. As they discussed who’s who among their relatives, they figured out how Derrick and Datin Pat were related in the Wong Ah Fook family.

 

They were also curious about how Derrick and I may be related because Datin Pat and I have a shared family tree – albeit a bau bacang link – so I briefly explained our family ties, which I had documented briefly in, My Johor Stories 2: Interesting Places and Inspirational People.

 

The Tan family then shared about their planned celebrations, including publishing a book to commemorate this Bicentennial event. They were very pleased that the Johor Bahru Chinese Association made them feel very welcome and said that there were some 25 people in their meeting.

 

Issue of Heritage Asia magazine
dated Sept - Nov 2004

After lunch, we continued with a discussion with Datin Pat who was an appropriate source for information to fill in some gaps in the life of Tan Hiok Nee in Johor Bahru.

 

She introduced a number of books which the Tan family could use as reference resources on Tan Hiok Nee’s life, the early agricultural industry here as well as triad traditions in a bygone era.

 

Datin Pat also showed them an ancient map of Johor Bahru that indicated the area where the Teochew community had settled and the access to Sungai Segget, the wonder waterway that linked to the Johor Straits and Singapore.

 

Incidentally, a friend who was decluttering her house recently, gave me an old copy of Heritage Asia magazine dated September-November 2004, an issue which featured articles on Johor. [She was aware that this was of interest and value to me!]

 

When I looked closer, I read that the Guest Editor of this issue was none other than Datin Pat. When I showed this magazine to the Tan family, they responded with interest – especially as there was a feature on Tan Hiok Nee inside – and Datin Pat responded by saying that she has an extra copy which she will give to them.

 

The Tan family members learnt more about the 
life of Tan Hiok Nee in Johor, from Datin Pat

Derrick expressed his appreciation for my help in connecting them with the Johor Bahru Chinese Association and was pleased with the progress of their meet-up as well as for our time with Datin Pat.

 

While this may be the early stages of their plans for the Tan Hiok Nee Bicentennial Celebrations in Johor Bahru, I am deeply honoured to be part of this exciting event, scheduled for 2027.

 

On Saturday, December 20, John alerted me with his message that said: “Did you notice? The Chinese Sin Chew newspapers published an article about our visit. Thanks to your arrangements.” [I do not read Chinese so I was not aware of this.]  

 

Later I read the Google-translated English version of this article he sent me. I was pleased that the Johor Bahru Chinese Association had documented their meet-up and was ready to work in partnership with the Tan family to make the Tan Hiok Nee Bicentennial Celebrations in Johor Bahru, a meaningful and memorable event.