INDONESIA
Source: Indonesian Tourism (Azhari Setiawan)
Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago, stretching from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean. It is also home to the world's largest Buddhist Temple, the Borobudur Temple in Central Java, built in the 8th century. Around this time, the monks from the Tang Dynasty era would stop over on their pilgrimage to India.
Trading activities possibly started during the Ming Dynasty when the world's largest navy, commanded by Admiral Cheng Ho, came with his armada of ships, many carrying cargo to trade. Trickles of migration possibly started from there because a Chinese from Quanzhou was said to have become a leader on the island of Borneo. He was honored with a street in Brunei named after him.
Migration picked up momentum when the British seized control of Hong Kong and made it their network of colonies, including Malaya, Singapore, and parts of Borneo Island.
The Hokkien, an ethnic group from Fujian Province, were already there in large numbers before the Hinghwa arrived.
When the Hinghua arrived there, they settled mainly in Jakarta, Surabaya, Makassar, and Medan, where they each have an association and their respective temples.
The first Hin Ann Hwee Koan in Jakarta was established in 1940. All activities ceased during the Japanese war from 1942 to 1945. In 1965, it was again closed due to political unrest. It reopened again in 2000 and was officially reopened in 2009.
Nevertheless, the enterprising and very hardworking Hinghua eventually became very successful.
Yeow Hong Liong
(姚豐隆; 1874 - 1956)
Ban Hong Liong Company (万丰隆公司) (Makassar, Indonesia)
Source: Jason Ong & 童志军
From: Dongda Village Museum: Yeow Hong Leong & Company
Yeow Hong Liong (姚豐隆; 1874 - 1956), Ban Hong Liong Company (万丰隆公司) (Makassar, Indonesia). Yeow Hong Liong was a native of Jiangkou, Putian. His wife has a surname 'Chen' (陈), says Yao Bin (姚斌著), the writer of '魁山侨屋漫话'.
According to the Yeow Family Tree records, Ban Hong Liong Company (万丰隆公司) was founded by Yeow Hong Liong and Yeow Ban Hong.
They were among several other clan members who owned a mansion each with a large compound in Dong Yuan Village, Jiangkou Town, Putian (莆田江口镇东源村).
Yeow Hong Liong’s mansion is a landmark in the village today. It is also a state-protected attraction in Hanjiang. Yeow Ban Hong later set up his own company, Ban Hong Ltd. Co. (萬豐有限公司) in Surabaya (泗水).
After he passed on, he was survived by his two sons, Yeow Daode (姚道德; 1910-2001) and Yeow Tianxi (姚添喜; 1915-1981).
His grandson, Yeow Joo Hin (姚子興), was reputed to be the King of Tyres in the Nanyang. He is featured in the Malaysia section.
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Excerpts from Yao (2024, pp. 38-39 & p. 127)
Note: The hometown of the Yeow Clan is now a museum where many of the mansions in the village have been renovated and state-managed.
Lo Xiao Jia (盧孝嘉)
(1885 to 1969)
Lo Xiao Jia was born in Dong Yuan Village, Da Dong Cun, in Jiang Kou Zhen, Putian County, Fujian Province, China (东源村大东村江口镇莆田县福建省), where he worked as a farmer.
His wife, Mdm. Yeow Cha Li (姚姹娌; 1893 - 1968) was also born in the same county. They were blessed with 15 children.
His eldest son, Lo Sian Bie (盧善美), followed him to Indonesia, then known as the Dutch West Indies. Lo Junior worked in his father’s company and expanded it into selling and repairing bicycles and cars in Java, Sumatra, and Kalimantan, Indonesia.
He started to acquire properties in Indonesia, including a public swimming pool and a palm oil factory. He later progressed to real estate and stock exchange businesses that became his main business.
He was also a filial man who would send back money to support his extended family and the building of a temple and a family shrine in his hometown.
His eldest son was Dr. Lo Soen Tie (盧顺智), who was to carry on the family’s legacy of success in his own way, in the medical field.
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Note: Da Dong Cun is home to many mansions built by the overseas Yeow clan. The sprawling compound has become a museum after it was renovated. It stood as a testimony to the strong Chinese culture of filial piety, where children must return to their ancestral land.
Lo Sian Bie (盧善美; ca. 1911 - ?)
(Ban Sin Hin)
(Indonesia)
Lo Sian Bie was born around 1911 in Dong Yuan Village (东源村). He was the eldest son of Lo Xiao Jia. He followed his father to the Dutch West Indies. His wife was also a Hinghua from the same hometown. He is the second generation of the Lo Xiao Jia lineage.
Earlier, Lo Sian Bie started working in his father's company called “Ban Sin Hin”. The Lo family continued to expand the company in Indonesia, selling and repairing bicycles through their family-run shops in Java, Sumatra, and Kalimantan, Indonesia. Lo Sian Bie became the owner of several properties in Indonesia, including a public swimming pool/resort type and a palm oil factory. He became famous and wealthy in Indonesia. The Lo and the Yao families were two well-known Hinghua families in Indonesia.
In 1958, Lo Sian Bie left Indonesia for Hong Kong, where he first partnered with Tek Guan Co., which imported wood from Borneo. He then went on to start his own company, the Great Asia Impex Co., and expanded Ban Sin Hin to Hong Kong to do import and export. He later progressed to real estate and stock exchange businesses that became his main business.
He was generous with his several wives and 17 children. He supported them, including his siblings, through education. The eldest son is Dr. Lo Soen Tie (盧顺智).
Mr Lo Sian Bie was also a filial man who never forgot his hometown in Putian. He would send back money to support his extended family and the building of a temple and a family shrine in his hometown.
Dr. Lo Soen Tie (盧顺智) (Germany)
Dr. Lo Soen Tie (盧顺智) is the third generation of Lo Xiao Jia's lineage. He is also the eldest son of Lo Sian Bie.
Dr. Lo Soen Tie (盧顺智) was born in 1935 in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was there that he married his childhood sweetheart, Dr. Lim Giok Lian (林玉莲), also a Hinghua, born in 1938 in Jakarta. They had an interesting love story that began when both of them were members of a basketball team. Their cord of love could not be broken by the negative will of his father. They bided their time and continued courting until his father relented. This was when Dr. Lo had his Love in the net.
The pathway of Dr. Lo's journey in medicine was well-lit because his uncle, Lo Sian Xi, the younger brother of his father Lo Sian Bie, was already studying medicine in post-war Germany in 1957. At that time, many Indonesians sent their children to Europe and other countries for further studies.
It helped that the German Government was welcoming foreign students, life was affordable, and the universities were free. Lo Sian Xi seized the opportunity to accompany six other family members to study in Germany. They were the parents of Dr. Lo Ying-Ru ( Lo Soen Tie, Harry and Mdm.. Lim Giok Lian), uncle Lo Sian Xi, uncle Lo Sian Zhang, aunt Lo Yi Zhen (sister of Lo Sian Xi), Lo Hwa Ying, and cousin Zhen Su Shen. All boarded a cruise ship, Queen Victoria, to Europe.
Before they arrived in Hamburg in September 1957, they had stop-over at Colombo, Karachi, Mumbai, Alexandria, and finally arrived in Hamburg in September 1957. The classes at the university started the following month.
As Dr. Jacqueline Lo says, "Uncle Lo Sian Xi (Lo Sian Bie’s younger brother) had helped them to register. It was a difficult time as all the lectures were given in German. They studied the German language in the afternoons, taking private lessons. Both studied hard and became medical doctors in Germany."
Dr. Lo Soen Tie (盧顺智) ran a successful private medical practice in Hamburg, specializing in internal medicine and radiology until his retirement. His wife, Dr. Lim Giok Lian, became a medical doctor working as a geriatrician in old folk homes.
Together, they have three children. They are Dr. Lo Ying-Ru (firstborn), Dr. Lo Wei-Yih, David, and Dr. Lo Ping-Ru Nancy.
Dr. Lo Soen Tie's clinic was taken over by his son, Dr. David Lo. His youngest daughter, Dr. Nancy Lo, is a pharmacist living in London.
Dr. Lo Soen Tie and his wife, Dr. Lim Giok Lian, are now happily retired and are living in Hamburg, Germany. A loving couple indeed.
Dr Lo Ying-Ru, Jacqueline
(盧颖如医生)
(Germany)
(Head (Ret.) of WHO - Southeast Asia)
Dr Jacqueline Lo was the fourth generation of Hinghwa of pioneer Lo Xiaojia. However, Dr Jacqueline was born in Hamburg, Germany, where she later embarked on a very successful medical career to become a specialist in infectious diseases and public health. After more than 13 years as a clinician in Hamburg, Germany, she pursued her professional duties in Mexico, where she moved on to the World Health Organisation (WHO) from 1998 till now.
Since October 2017, Dr Lo has also Head of Mission and WHO Representative to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Singapore. The office is in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
She married Dr. Jean-Louis Excler from France, who is a vaccine expert. They both live in Kuala Lumpur.
Ong See Mie (王世美)
(ca. 1909 - 1990)
Sin Hiap Leong Company, Indonesia
Ong See Mie was a native of Jiangdou.
At the age of 9, he followed his father to Singapore, whose relatives had arrived earlier. They later migrated to Indonesia and Malaysia.
Ong See Mie went to Surabaya, Indonesia, and founded the Sin Hiap Leong Company, where he became a pioneer. According to his grandson, Daniel Ong Tjong Swie, he was good at social interaction and marketing.
He soon became very rich.
His philosophy was never to borrow money from banks, but if it is necessary, the debt must be repaid in the shortest possible time.
The logic behind this is "one must always be trustworthy".
Amidst his busy schedule in business, he still found time to take care of his children and grandchildren.
As Daniel says, "He was a very good family man".His grandson is Daniel Ong Tjong Swie (王宗瑞), and his granddaughter-in-law is Agnes Tee Tjhioe Lian (戴秋蓮).
Dr. Willy Ardian Renandya
(姚國忠博士)
Principal Lecturer,
National Institute of Education - English Language & Literature
Dr. Willy A. Renandya, the son of Jauw Boen Kwie (姚文貴), a second-generation Hinghua businessman who ran a small bicycle shop in Semarang, Indonesia, is an experienced language teacher educator with a rich multicultural background. Educated in both Indonesia and the United States, Dr. Renandya has cultivated a deep understanding of diverse educational contexts, which he brings to his extensive teaching career across Asia. He currently teaches language education courses in Singapore at institutions such as NIE-NTU, SUSS, and RELC, while also serving as a visiting professor at Chulalongkorn University and Wuhan University.
Known for his expertise in ELT, Dr. Renandya has delivered numerous keynote presentations at prestigious international ELT conferences, including AsiaTEFL, IATEFL, KOTESOL, SEAMEO RELC, and ThaiTESOL. His contributions to the field of second language education and acquisition are well-documented in his extensive publications, including Language Teaching Methodology: An Anthology of Current Practice (2002, Cambridge University Press) and Student-Centred Cooperative Learning (2019, Springer International).
In addition to his academic and professional achievements, Dr. Renandya maintains a vibrant online community for educators through his Teacher Voices forum on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/teachervoices/. This platform serves as a hub for teacher professional development, reflecting his ongoing commitment to fostering collaboration and growth within the global education community.
Ong Tjong Swie @ Daniel Indrawan
(王宗瑞) (Indonesia)
Daniel Ong is the grandson of Ong See Mie, a Hinghua pioneer in Surabaya, Indonesia. Daniel graduated with a BSc. from New York University, majoring in Banking & Finance and International Business, and an MBA from Golden Gate University.
Daniel had a fruitful life where he was a shareholder and director of an Indonesian bank, and Deputy Chairman in the Department of Banking, Finance & Insurance at the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce. He was the founder and CEO of Danes, a pharmaceutical company operating eleven skin clinics and one skin institute with his own patented formulas in clinical skin care. He is now in semi-retirement, but keeps himself busy doing financial investments.
A devoted Christian, he was blessed with three wonderful children. They are Dr. Olivia Ong Lee Wee, Dr. Andrew Ong Ming Liang, and Mr. William Ong Ming Chuan (CPA).
Dr. Olivia Ong Lee Wee (王莉瑋醫生)
(Australia)
Dr. Olivia Ong is the great-granddaughter of pioneer Ong See Mie. Her father is Mr. Daniel Ong Tjong Swie. She is a medical doctor who specializes in rehabilitation and is very experienced in pain management. She graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2004 and completed her specialist training in 2016. Her main interest is Neuropathic pain in Neurological Disorders.
She is fluent in Mandarin, English, and Bahasa Indonesia, and is currently practicing in Australia.
Source: Daniel Ong
William Ong Ming Chuan, CPA
(王明全会计师)
(Australia)
William Ong is a CPA currently practicing in Australia. He is the great-grandson of pioneer Ong See Mie. His father is Mr. Daniel Ong Tjong Swie.
With years of experience in the Financial Services Industry since 2009, William works in a Company (DPM) to assist Medical professionals (Clients) in a Broad area of Services, including Accounting, Business Services, Wealth Creation, and Taxation. He and his colleagues provide Medical Professionals with Financial Peace of mind.
Source: Daniel Ong
Source: Daniel Ong
Associate Professor, Dr. Andrew Ong Ming Liang
(王明亮, 副教授医学博士)
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Andrew Ong is the great-grandson of pioneer Ong See Mie. His father is Mr. Daniel Ong Tjong Swie. He is currently practicing in Singapore as the Clinical Associate Professor.
He is also the Consultant in Gastroenterology & Hepatology at Singapore General Hospital. He also specializes in Diagnostic and Therapeutic Endoscopy, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Motility Disorders, and General Hepatology. He also treats patients with Fatty Liver, Hepatitis, and Liver Cirrhosis.
He also holds academic appointments in the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, and the Duke-NUS Medical School. He also serves as the Program Director in the Singapore General Hospital Gastroenterology Senior Residency Program.
Bong A Lok (王亞祿; 1919 - 1978).
Great Eastern Bank (大東銀行)
(Indonesia)
Bong A Lok was a native of Putian, Jiangkou Guan Hou Yuan Li Cun (福建莆田江口觀後院里村).
He was among a very small group of Hinghua who dived straight into the world of commerce, where he not only became the pioneer of it, but also a very successful entrepreneur (Chen, 2003, p. 322).
He was also the Chairman of the Yecheng Chinese Association (耶城中華線會理事長) and Chairman, Da Dong Bank (大東銀行事長). The name of the bank is believed to be the name of his hometown in Jiangkou, Putian.
Together with his brothers, Bong A Gui (王亞桂) and Bong A Jin (王亞金) they became known as the pepper king in the Nanyang region. He also founded Tong Mei Ltd. Company (通美有限公司) to import a large number of bicycles and their parts to be sold to resellers in Jakarta, Indonesia.
He became successful in Indonesia and a natural leader of the Overseas Chinese community (同僑). He also became the Chairman of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce in Jakarta, Indonesia (前椰城中華總商會會長先賢), Chairman of the Chinese Business School, and Director of Yecheng Zhongshan Middle School (椰城中山中學校). He was also very generous in developing his hometown in Putian and to all his Hinghua compatriots outside China. He also contributed much to the development of the Hin Ann Association across the Nanyang.
Hence, when he passed on, the whole Chinese community was shocked into profound sadness.
Karen Carlotta
(Union Brasserie)
Source: Ong Lee Wha
Karen Carlotta (KC) has always been in love with cooking and baking since her early years. She decided to pursue the hobby as a career when she moved to Singapore and attended Shatec School of Pastry.
Her resume includes the Swiss Hotel at Stamford with mentor pastry chef Gael Etillard and the Laurent Bernard chocolate factory.
Karen was then executive pastry chef for Singapore’s famous One Rochester and One Twenty Six. She also won a Cocoa Barry Lenotre Paris Scholarship announced during the World Gourmet Summit 2008 in Singapore.
Now back in her hometown of Jakarta, KC is the brainchild behind Union Bakery, as a pastry chef- owner of Union Brasserie, an American brasserie with a twist at the prestigious Plaza Senayan courtyard (est 2011) Pondok Indah Street Gallery (est 2013) Union Deli Grand Indonesia (est 2014) in Jakarta, Indonesia among many other locations in Indonesia.
One of KC's original creations, the Union Red velvet, has a strong cult following that continues until today.
Liem Swie King
World Badminton Champion
Source: 華人百科
According to the 華人百科 (Chinese People Encyclopedia), Swie King was born in Indonesia in 1956. His father is Lin Tian Bao (林天宝) from Putian Xitian Wei Zhen hou huangcun (福建莆田西天尾镇后黄村) in Licheng District. In 1928, Senior Lin built his ancestor's home in Putian. Prof. Chen C. Y. affirmed that Liem Swie King's ancestry is in Putian, where their ancestor's mansion still stands.
He began his badminton career at the age of 15. He went on to win the All England Championship in 1978, 1979, and 1981.
After collecting all the best badminton trophies in the world's arena, he happily retired in 1988 to run a health spa in Jakarta. In 2009, he published a book aptly entitled "Panggil Aku King" or "Call me King".
Dong Yue Guan Temple, Medan
(东岳观印度尼西亚棉兰)
Source: 李永球