Ex-Zaobao journalist to help spur second largest clan group

Former Lianhe Zaobao associate editor Yee Kong Hwa is the new chief executive secretary at Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan, Singapore's second-largest Chinese clan association after Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan.

With Mr Yee on board, Poit Ip Huay Kuan president George Quek believes its secretariat would be strengthened, especially with Mr Yee's 40 years of experience in the media, and his good relations with and understanding of the Chinese community.

Mr Yee, 62, retired from Zaobao last May.

He joined the clan association, which represents some 4,000 members from eight Teochew districts in Guangdong, China, about a month ago.

He replaced Ms Lim Gek Hiang, who left at the end of last year.

"He also held senior management positions at the newspaper, so we will benefit from this as well," said Mr Quek, 58, chairman of the BreadTalk Group of bakeries, restaurants and foodcourts.

Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan celebrated its 85th anniversary last year, with events including an 11-day Teochew cultural festival and an art exhibition of works from Singapore Teochew collectors and artists.

An international Teochew youth conference was also organised and it attracted 1,500 young people from all over the world.

"We need a strong secretariat to organise and carry out our many activities from now, such as the second Teochew cultural festival to be held next year, which we want to host biennially now, and a Teochew entrepreneurs' award which we are planning to launch soon," said Mr Quek.

The secretariat's immediate task is to organise programmes for the association's youth group and student members who came from the eight Teochew districts in Guangdong to study here.

Mr Yee started his career as a reporter with the now-defunct Sin Chew Jit Poh in 1974.

"I will look into publications for the clan associations and organise cultural and educational programmes to promote the culture and heritage of the Teochews in Singapore," he said.

wengkam@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 13, 2015.
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