薛武院与战前新加坡华人社会 = SEE BOO IH (XUE WUYUAN) AND THE SINGAPORE CHINESE COMMUNITY BEFORE THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Abstract

See Boo Ih (薛武院 Xue Wuyuan, 1873-1940) was a Chinese community leader in Singapore during the first half of the 20th century. He held several leadership positions in organisations such as the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Ho San Kong Hoey (禾山公会） and Chinese Commercial Bank. His involvement in community and social activities brought positive impacts to the Singapore Chinese community. However, till date, See Boo Ih has not been studied in depth by academia. Therefore, by adopting a historical research approach, this thesis aims to investigate his roles in the Singapore Chinese community and his contributions towards Singapore during the first half of the 20th century. This thesis is divided into three sections. The first section gives an introduction to See Boo Ih’s life and his contributions towards education. See was born in 1873 in Xiamen city, Fujian province. He arrived in Singapore at the age of 32 and started a trading business With his uncle. In 1909, See became the rqjresentative of the Hokkien community in the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce. He then rose to become the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Chamber between 1925 and 1930. At the same time, See also held the chairmanship of Ho San Kong Hoey, a clan association. This was the period when he clearly displayed his leadership qualities. Apart from participating in the organisations' activities, See , as a member of various schools' board of directors, also contributed greatly to the schools by donating as well as promoting their developments. The second section then discusses See's significance in Singapore history from two aspects: his leadership role in 1) the Singapore Chinese Chamber of commerce and 2) Ho San Kong Hoey. During his leadership period in the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce, See played an important role in maintaining the peace and stability of the Chinese community. He fought for the rights and interests of the Chinese community, helped merchants to resolve the problems they faced in their business, and fostered the development of the Chamber. See's contributions towards Ho San Kong Hoey can also be seen from the successful results of him reforming the association, bonding its members together, and setting up a clubhouse. Lastly, the third section explores See's relationship with China and the British Colonial Government in Singapore. Having to leave China in his adulthood, See's large involvements in China's affairs was not surprising; he was mainly involved in donation drives, contributing and raising funds for disaster victims. In addition, as a member of the British Colonial Government's Chinese Advisory Board, See helped facilitate communications between the Chinese community and the colonial government. Through his interaction with the government, he was able to sought interests for the Chinese community. Hence, his relationship with the colonial government was deemed as an effort to seek mutual benefits.