MELAKA: The granddaughter of Johor’s pioneering entrepreneur Wong Ah Fook will deliver a talk at Malaysia’s oldest functioning place of worship, the Cheng Hoon Teng Temple, located along Jalan Tokong here.
Vivienne Tan is scheduled to speak on "Cheng Hoon Teng Temple Navigating Regime Change: The Teng Choo Era 1824–1915" on July 8.
Her talk will examine how the Chinese community in Melaka responded to the abolition of the Kapitan system under British colonial rule by establishing the “Teng Choo” (temple committee) system at the temple.
The session will highlight how this governance model helped preserve communal unity, sustain Chinese self-governance and safeguard cultural as well as social rights during a time of significant political change.
Tan, who is the author of "Tan Kim Seng: A Biography", has an extensive background in historical research and community leadership.
She is also the wife of Tan Kim Seng’s descendant, a noted 19th-century Singaporean philanthropist.
A former board member of the National Museum of Singapore (2006–2016), Tan will draw on her family heritage and academic expertise to guide the audience through the historical importance of the Teng Choo system and how Cheng Hoon Teng Temple served as both a spiritual and organisational pillar for Melaka’s Chinese community during a century of regime transition.
Admission to the talk is free.
