MR. LEE WEE NAM, alias Eng How, was better known as Wee Nam Ia. The title Ia, which is used by the Teochews to designate a man of high position, indicate Mr. Lee's status in his community. He was in fact, the most distinguished among the Teochews in Singapore.
Mr. Lee was born in 1881 in a humble family in Theng Hai District, Kwangtung province. His mother died when he was young and he was only sixteen when he told his father that he wish to venture out to Singapore to seek his fortune.
When the Sze Hai Tong Banking and Insurance Co., Ltd. was established by some prominent Teochew merchants (among whom were Messrs. Ng Song Teng, Liaw Chia Heng, Na Kim Seng, Yeo Lee Chiang, and Tan Teck Joon) he was attached to the Bank as a broker upon the recommendation of Mr. Liaw Chia Heng.
In 1913 he found himself in the post of manager. Finally, in 1932, he succeeded Mr. Liaw Chia Heng as Chairman and Managing Director.
Mr. Lee had taken a full share of the burden of community affairs. He was Vice-President and President of the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the year 1927-1928, and 1929-1930 respectively. He had been President and Vice-President of the Teo Chew Point Ip Huay Kwan, for eighteen years, 1930-1948, and has been Vice-President of the Ngee Ann Kongsi since 1920. When the Malayan Teochew Association was founded in 1933 he became its first President. He was also the first President of the Kwangtung Hui Kuan, Singapore. He was one of the founders of the Ngee Ann Girls' School in Singapore.
He was served on the Committee of the Chinese High School and the Nan Hwa Girls' School. In 1929 he assisted in the raising of funds for famine relief in Honan, Hunan, and Kangsu. During the Sino-Japanese War he was Chairman of the Teochew Section of the China Relief Fund and helped in the sale of Liberty Bounds for China. The Singapore Government had appointed him a member of the Chinese Advisory Board, the Po Leung Kuk, and St. John's Island Visiting Committee.
When the Japanese Army occupied Singapore, Mr. Lee was thrown into jail. The Japanese tortured him and threatened to kill him. Eventually his captors released him as they found that he was an upright man and that the threats of death would in no way deter him from the stand he took.
This article is reproduced with the permission of Nanyang Technological Library, Chinese Overseas Collection.