Simanggang or Sri Aman

The latest Foochow Event is in Sri Aman in the last few days. Thousands of Foochows came for the Foochow Association Anniversary. The guests were given FREE meals in certain shops in Sri Aman. That was a real treat from the Simanggang Foochow Association. Well Done SFA!!

My friend Law Vun Ngee has shared many photos on his fb and with some photos I could write a post on Simanggang or Sri Aman for you.






My mother's cousin, a daughter of Headman lau Kah Tii, Lau Hung Ing married Tang Yew Tung at a tender age because the two saw each other before they were match made. Teacher Tang was engaged as a teacher for the new settlement of Ensurai by Grand Uncle Lau Kah Tii.

A very loving relationship was formed which turned into a very good marriage. Although Teacher Tang was very poor and also sickly, he was a good man. Together they had 7 sons and 2 daughters. Having 9 children was fairly normal in those days. although my grand uncle was extremely wealthy, my aunt never received a single cent as a daughter after she got married. Her dowry which she brought to her husband was a decent 10 acres of rubber garden in Tui Hoo, next to Hiong Ga (or Fragrant Uncle), which in those days, was very grand indeed. Even by today's standards, 10 acres of land is a gargantuan dowry. This helped the couple to raise their children until they were adults and able to earn a living.

Tang Chok Ching, the eldest moved to Simanggang to do business and Chok Lik became a Headmaster in the same town in the 50's. From that time onwards my aunt was in better financial position. Two other sons, Chok Tiing and Chok Ming went to teach in Miri and stayed on.

The Foochows traditionally distributed their landed property to their sons (and their eldest grandson) only if they died without leaving a will. They would never leave any property to their daughters or children of their daughters.

Only some in the olden days left some property to their daughters.

My mum has a great sense of justice and she has always been rather vocal about property rights of children. She felt extremely sad when her cousins and her siblings and herself were not able to inherit property from their parents. If she had lived in China she would have carried a red flag and cried "Down with chauvinism!!"

I am glad that she has brought us up to believe that we girls are equal to boys and that we too should inherit properties belonging to our parents.

Hoover Hotel. Photo by Borneo Tip

Taiwan / Alishan HotelNo. 123 Council Road,95000 Sri AmanTel : 083-322497Fax : 083-321167
My late cousin Tang Chok Ching owned the Alisan Hotel in Sri Aman for many years until he passed away.Today the Alisan Hotel is also called Taiwan Hotel. My Aunt Lau Hung Ing lived to a very riped old age, surrounded by loving children and grand children. I remember her as a loving, gentle,soft spoken, Christian Foochow lady, who never allow her Bible to be out of sight in her bed room. She had a grateful heart!! Today many of her children and grand children continue to serve God in many different ways, in Miri, Sibu ,Simanggang , Kuching, and Singapore. This is the small link between Simanggang and the Second Foochow Headman, Lau Kah Tii.