【Soon Hong Kongsi】
Soon Hong Kongsi of Soon Hong Street (the current Main Bazaar), Bak Kow Kongsi of Bak Kow Street (Carpenter Street) and Chiang Heng Kongsi of Chiang Heng Street (Gambier Street) were the three major Teochew organisations of early Kuching. The three companies jointly managed the Hiang Tian Siang Ti Temple. The presence of many major businesses on Soon Hong Street made fundraising easy for Soon Hong Kongsi, which came to accumulate ample funds for buying properties and financing community projects. As the other two kongsi dwindled and eventually dissolved, the dual responsibility of running the temple and managing Teochew affairs fell solely to Soon Hong Kongsi.
To comply with the Societies Order passed by the Sarawak Government, Soon Hong Kongsi was registered as a Teochew representative society in 1914. Two years later, it established the Min Teck School to provide higher learning for the Chinese community at the time. In 1921, certain Teochew founded the Teo Khiaw Gong Suo (潮侨公所) to address what they saw as Soon Hong Kongsi’s inadequacy to represent the Teochew people as a whole. The new society was based at No. 1 Main Bazaar, in a property that belonged to Soon Hong Kongsi. In 1933, Soon Hong Kongsi formally became the Teo Khiaw Association (潮侨公会); the Teo Khiaw Gong Suo was accordingly renamed Teo Khiaw Club (潮侨俱乐部) to avoid confusion.
In 1937, as part of a push to unify the nomenclature of various Teochew organisations, the Teo Khiaw Association adopted its current name of Kuching Teochew Association.
For more information: www.kuchingteochew.com/
【Dato Sri Wee Kheng Chiang】
Wee Kheng Chiang was of Kinmen Hockien ancestry and while born in Kuching, he was sent back to Kinmen during his childhood. He returned to Kuching when he was 15 years old and continued his education at the St Thomas mission school. He then worked as a clerk with the British Borneo Company (慕娘公司) and also as a civil servant. He joined the Sarawak Steamship Company (砂拉越轮船公司) and was highly regarded by Ong Tiang Swee, eventually marrying Ong’s eldest daughter, Ong Siew Eng (王秀英).
In 1921, Wee Kheng Chiang started his own business and over the next 10 years he founded more than 10 other companies. His business interests were diverse and included the establishment of banks in Kuching and Singapore. The globally famous United Overseas Bank (大华银行) was one of Wee’s more well known establishments, and the shop No.1 Main Bazaar is the base camp of Wee Kheng Chiang Company. In the business world, he was referred to as the ‘Uncrowned King of Sarawak’. Not only was he successful in his personal and family business, he also helped to nurture many Kinmen entrepreneurs. He also played important roles in promoting education and looking after the welfare of the people. He was bestowed the honourable title of “Commander of the Star of Sarawak” by the third Rajah in 1941. And he was also awarded the Panglima Negara Bintang Sarawak by the first governor of Sarawak making him the first Chinese with a “Datuk” title. The accomplished leader passed away in Kuching in 1978.
顺丰公司
早年古晋有三大潮属组织，即顺丰街（海唇街）的顺丰公司、木扣街（亚答街）的木扣公司以及长兴街（甘蜜街）的长兴公司，三大公司共管潮州人的玄天上帝庙。由于顺丰街较多钜商大贾，募捐轻而易举，久而久之有余资置产业、办公益，其他二公司相形见绌，日久瓦解后剩下顺丰公司独当一面，主持上帝庙一切事务。至此，顺丰公司便成了早期潮州人的主要组织了。
1914年，砂拉越政府颁布社团法令，顺丰公司正式注册，成为代表潮属人士的公共机构。1916年，顺丰公司创办民德学校，成为当时华社的高等学府。1921年，潮属人士认为顺丰公司的组织条件要在各方面代表全体潮州人似乎名义不全，因此又组织了“潮侨公所”，所址设在海唇街一号，也即是顺丰公司的店产中。到了1933年，顺丰公司完成了历史使命，改称“潮侨公会”；原有的“潮侨公所”也同时改名为“潮侨俱乐部”，以免混淆。
1937年，配合各地潮属同乡组织划一名称，潮侨公会再改名“潮州公会”，也即是今日之古晋潮州公会。
拿督斯里黄庆昌先生
黄庆昌祖籍福建金门，在古晋出生，幼年时曾经被送返金门，到了15岁再回到古晋，并在圣多玛教会学校完成教育，曾经在英资慕娘公司担任文员，也曾经担任公务员，而后在砂拉越轮船公司上班，结识王长水并深得器重，还迎娶了王氏的长女王秀英为妻。
1921年，黄庆昌独资创业，往后10年更接连创办不下10家公司，业务多元化，包括在古晋和新加坡都创办了银行，目前闻名全球的大华银行正是黄氏所创办，而海唇街门牌1号的店铺就是黄庆昌公司的大本营。黄庆昌被誉为“商场上的无冕皇帝”，不但个人和家族事业成功，还带出多位金门企业家；在教育和公益方面，他也为善不落人后，因此在1941年被第三代拉者封赐“砂拉越之星”勋衔；在1964年也是第一位荣获拿督勋衔的华人。1978年，黄庆昌在古晋逝世。
