Chapter 2: A Chew Clansman Comes To Kampong Kepayang, Malaya

A tin mine in Sungai Raia district where Kampong Kepayang is located. 

 The Kinta Valley was the place to go to in the 19^th century where migrants could earn a living, make a small fortune and possibly return wealthy to one’s home country.

The tin industry was concentrated in the Kinta Valley, the largest producer of tin in the world. It required an inexhaustible supply of able bodied men to mine for the mineral. Several mining townships dotted the landscape of the valley at that point in time such as Papan and Gopeng.  

One such migrant was a Hokkien Chinaman named Chew Si Pian. He came to Malaya towards the later part of the 19th century to work in the mining settlement of Kampong Kepayang.

Like all migrant workers he worked hard scrimped and saved. After some years he succeeded. He opened a tin mine and started a tin business called Ban Chin Hoe Tin Ore Shop.

Chew Si Pian started Ban Chin Hoe Tin Ore Shop in this corner shop in Kg Kepayang

For the many migrants that succeeded they employed relatives or persons from their native village to manage the money matters eg food, mining tools and the such.

When his business had expanded he made a decision to send for a clansman from the old village to come and help him. The person was Chew Boon Juan. 

From China to Kampong Kepayang.

Chew Boon Juan was born in 1875 in Heng’nga village in the district of Tongan, Fujian province, China. He was the second son of a business man cum Taoist priest who offered prayers for the dead at funerals.

His father died when he was 16 years old and he had to earn a living together with his brothers helping the farmers and fisherman in the fishing village.

From Tongan, China to Kg Kepayang Malaya

In 1892 when he was 17 he received an invitation from his paternal uncle Chew Si Pian to come over to Malaya to assist him. Boon Juan accepted and came to Kg Kepayang.

Being a "sinke" or a new migrant from China, he worked as a cook and later held the responsibility of purchasing goods.

 When Boon Juan had settled into his work Chew Si Pian decided returned to China for a visit.

 While in China as he was travelling from his village to Amoy the boat that he was in capsized. Shaken by the incident he changed his mind about returning to Malaya as he had to travel several weeks by boat.

As Si Pian was advanced in age he offered to sell half his business to Boon Juan with the condition that he look after not just his business but also his son who owned the other half of the business.

However the son was a spendthrift frequently pestering Boon Juan for money. He soon got into serious debt and had to sell his shares to Boon Juan thus making him the sole proprietor.

End

Next..Boon Juan as sole proprietor expands