Ng Boon Bee, I know who he is. So does most Malaysians. He was a former Malaysian badminton great.
What about Ng Boo Bee? Err .. Ng who?
This was the guy who physically constructed half of Taiping town and co-founded the first local Chinese school while being Perak’s first de facto Finance Minister. During his funeral procession everything shut down, and his body was kept in state for two months as officials came over from Britain to pay their last respects.
“People like him single-handedly built this country,” says Briant Coomber (in the documentary); Coomber is the husband of Penny Ng, who is Boo Bee’s great-granddaughter.
Unlike in the West where a town’s founders are honoured, all that remains of Ng is a tomb overgrown with lallang and chorused by crickets. That, and a modest side road in town.
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Hmmm… Funny how I found this article while googling for my great-granduncle.
Ng Boo Bee, owner of Penang Bazaar, is husband to my great grandmother Ewe Keoh Neoh. My father’s grandaunty.
Penang Bazaar is the centre of bargain stalls in downtown George Town. It is located opposite Mydin store along Penang Road. It was started in 1904-1905 and was built by Ewe Hock Chye (Ewe Keoh Neoh Elder brother)soon after bought over by Ng Boo Bee.
Ng Boo Bee, who came to Malaya as a penniless lad, made his fortune in the tin mines of Taiping. He decided to build the Penang Bazaar as a way to help his fellow Hokkien people, so that they can have a headstart upon arriving in Penang. Although Penang Bazaar was initially started to help the Hokkien immigrants, eventually he opened it to everybody. At that time, rent was collected on a daily basis, and it was only about 15 or 20 cents a day. According to Penny, although some books mentioned that the Penang Bazaar once housed a theatre, it was never used as one.
After Penang Bazaar became successful, it attracted others from opening similar bazaars, including the Piccadilly Bazaar, which was located behind it.
During its haydays, Penang Bazaar was an upmarket shopping place. You can buy crystalware there. Even Elizabeth Arden cosmetics were sold there. My friend’s mother even bought a kimono at the Penang Bazaar. Tenants at Penang Bazaar who became successful moved on to open their own shops at Campbell Street.
Initially, Penang Bazaar was just one storey. 20-30 years after it was built, the upstairs were added. It initially housed a coffee shop. After the Second World War, it became the Broadway Cafe. Then in the 70s-80’s, it housed Yuyi Departmental Store, which sold goods from China. Today, the upstairs houses a Chinese Medical Hall.
The Penang Bazaar celebrated its 100th anniversay in 2006.
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