Chan Sow Lin's legacy to establishing modern KL

Entrepreneur and philanthropist: Chan Sow Lin was one of the most famous tin tycoons of Kuala Lumpur. He was known as the Father of Iron Works.

THE name Chan Sow Lin is likely to ring a bell among Kuala Lumpur folk, thanks to the LRT interchange station named after the icon.

Chan Sow Lin was regarded as one of modern Kuala Lumpur’s founding fathers.

He was a successful entrepreneur and a respected philanthropist.

Apart from his large-scale mining business, he was known as the Father of Iron Works as he was the first Chinese to establish a foundry in Selangor.

His is one of those rags-to-riches tale, of a man who worked his way to a good life through determination, bravery and intelligence.

Born to a poor family in the Panyu district, Guangdong province, China in 1845, Chan migrated to Malaya when he was only 16.

Jalan Chan Sow Lin and its side lanes is an industrial zone in Kuala Lumpur, built opposite the old airport in Sungai Besi. It is named after the tin tycoon to commemorate his contributions to the iron works industry.

He came at a time when Kuala Lumpur was recovering from fights between dialect groups and mining activities were getting back on track.

He worked as a tin miner and it did not take him too long to accumulate sufficient capital to open his own tin mine in Taiping.

During that period, Chan was also known for his efforts in restoring peace after the Larut War that broke out between the Si Yap and Chung Loong groups.

He was willing to be held captive to prove his sincerity in being a mediator between the two groups and his intervention led to the parties putting aside their differences in order to encourage economic growth in the area.

In Taiping, he came to know another famous businessman, Loke Yew.

In 1883, the two moved to Selangor, where the economy was also affected by the war.

Southgate Plaza is a new attraction in Jalan Chan Sow Lin.

The Selangor government thus leased tin mines at low remunerations to promote economic development.

The two individuals became pioneers in the Selangor General Farm and were known as the largest tin mine owners then.

By 1893, Chan had rented two huge mines in Serdang and Sungai Besi from Loke Yew as well as several mines in Simpah, Sungai Puteh, Kuala Kubu, Setapak, Kepong and Petaling from the government.

According to records at the Chan Clan Association, Chan was the first Chinese to establish an iron foundry in Selangor, which was located in Jalan Ampang.

His company, Chop Mee Lee, gained a good reputation for the high quality tools and machinery they produced mainly for tin mining. He also brought in technicians from Guangzhou to do the job.

The success of Chop Mee Lee also spawned the establishment of other foundries.

Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad’s (National Printer) premises has been here for decades, making it a landmark in Jalan Chan Sow Lin industrial area.

When the local government made the land next to the old airport an industrial zone, they named it after him to commemorate his contribution in opening up the new industry.

In 1902, the British government appointed him as the first Chinese member of the Selangor state council, filling the place vacated by Kapitan Yap Kwan Seng who passed away.

The British had abolished the Kapitan system and adopted the state council system at the time. Chan being appointed for the role also made him equivalent to the sixth Kapitan.

He co-founded Tong Shin Hospital, Confucius High School, Chan Clan Temple, Jishangtang Charity Hall and Victoria Institution.

He was also the president of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce and trustee of Sin Sze Si Ya Temple’s assets.

In 1906, the Viceroy of Guangdong awarded him a medal for his efforts in promoting the Chinese culture, knowledge and technology.

Chan, who had four sons, died in 1927.

The road named after the man, Jalan Chan Sow Lin, which is nestled between the Sungai Besi airport and Pudu, still has its charm, especially among foodies, although it is located in an industrial zone.

The Chan Sow Lin steamed fish head restaurant is so famous that its imitations have sprouted in various places around the city.

Another main draw is the Indian mixed-rice stalls near Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad’s (National Printer) premises.

The other stalls and restaurants, in spite of their simple set-ups, attract discerning diners from near and far as the old-timers cook up good food reminiscent of times past.

One of the stall owners said the area was so notorious for triad activities before the 1970s that even taxi drivers shied away from it.

“However, the gangsters did not really disturb us men on the street and their activities sort of fizzled out after that,” he said.

Another old-timer, who also declined being named, lamented that cement factories that moved into the area in recent years had drastically worsened the air and road quality there.

“It seems no one remembers that this area was actually meant for automobile factories.

“Cement trucks use this road at least 200 times every day! I have to pour water onto the road every few hours or else the place will be filled with dust. I am running a food business here, so this is really a headache,” he said.

Nevertheless, these old-timers still remain on Jalan Chan Sow Lin even though many others have moved elsewhere when the local council wiped out the squatter zone over the past 10 years.