The Lau Mansion of Sibu : Security Guard

My mother's uncle, Lau Heng Chiew was the son of her grandfather's first cousin. He came to Sibu to help out his first cousin, Lau Kah Tii, who was made the community leader of the Foochows. Headman Lau Kah Tii built a huge mansion in 1924 and he had a few rubber estates to run. His estates were called "Factory No.1", "Factory No.2". There were six "factories" Thus as chief of the security unit, he had quite a lot to do.




At the height of the rubber prices, the Foochows prospered and my maternal grand uncle was fortunate to be able to call for reinforcement from China. Many relatives came Sibu to tap rubber for him. And grand uncle Heng Chiew as head of the security was able to full fill his role quite well. He was a very strict man and got everyone on their toes. Besides he carried a gun too.

Family Group Photo on the main staircase of the Lau Mansion, Ensurai.

The fact that he carried a gun, got all the young children rather scared and they would keep very quiet whenever he appeared. The gun also protected the property and rubber sheets which were ready for sale.

My mother, who was born in 1926 grew up surrounded by rubber tappers and smoke houses and she remembers the wealth that rubber brought in. However there were days when rubber lost its prices and the Japanese Occupation did cause a great deal of impoverishment, as all wars do.

She remembered the tight security of those days and the discipline given out by all the adults to the children.

"Whenever the adults were around, especially  Uncle Kah Tii and uncle Heng Chiew, none of us dared to even laugh. We were all as quiet as mice."

Grand Uncle Heng Chiew left his son Yung Chiong behind in Nang Chong where he later served as a headmaster of Tiing Nang Primary School, which was founded by my maternal grandfather. He was with the school for many years until after the Japanese Occupation. He later became a full time rubber tapper and a businessman with his very capable sons in Sibu.