Founder

Establishment of Penang Cheah Ancestral Temple.

Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi (FKA, Cheah Si Hock Haw Kong Kongsi) was formed in 1810 by the Cheah clansmen of Sek Tong Village, Hai Teng Kuan,District of Sam Tor, Cheang Chew Prefecture, Fukien Province, who have settled down overseas and together with their descendants in Penang, they later, constructed the present magnificent clan ancestral temple. The meeting hall was built in the year 1918 and renovated in 1932. The clansmen in Penang were either descendants of Toh Beng and Toh Kee, (and) besides striving hard to accumulate personal wealth, they did not forget the worshipping of their two patron deities, Hock Haw Kong which they brought along from Liu She An Temple in their village. At the same time they did not forget to explore means to integrate their fellow clansmen for purpose of mutual assistance and self-defence.

Initially, they purchased a landed property at T.S. 20 Georgetown in the name of “Jee Oui Hock How Kong” on May 25, 1810. The pioneer leaders at that time were Seahning Conghow, Cheah Oh Soye, Cheah Kay and Cheah Gnow Sooe, On 2nd July, 1828, Cheah Chengin, Cheah Lye Eam and Cheah (Tai) Pang, Trustees for “Cheah Kay Hock How Kong”, purchased the site of the present ancestral temple. The Kongsi served as conveyor of traditional patriarchal clan rules in order to promote a rational social order of mutuality and harmony among the Cheah clansmen.

In 1858, under the leadership of Cheah Chow Phan, Cheah Teow Koh and Cheah Phaik Ee, the clansmen successfully unite to erect the ancestral temple at a cost of $12,367.00 from fund of clansmen from China and the balance from the pioneers memners. The temple was completed in 1873 and it was then called Chong Tek Tong Cheah Kay Beow.

In 1891, Cheah Oon Heap officially registered the Cheah Kongsi with the Registrar of Societies and the Board of Trustees was formed from 14 members from the ten sections namely Sai Suah, Chooi Thau, Eh Boey, Tcheng Kow, Ow Kow, Ho Boey, Teng Tang Kheh, Eh Tang Kheh, Eh Choo and Thaw Theah to handle its affairs.

In 1912, the Board of Trustees chaired by Cheah Choo Ewe successfully acquired the Cheah Sek Tong Family Cemetery and thenceforth the Sek Tong Cheah clansmen have their own family cemetery.

In 1917, Sek Tong Cheah Si Eok Chye School mooted by Cheah Soo Tuan and other trustees was opened until 1945.After the second world war, the authorities said that the premise was not suitable and the Kongsi instead decided to give scholarships and financial aids to the children of Sek Tong Cheah clan to study in Chinese and English Government Schools in the State of Penang.

In the past there were several prominent trustees who had served the Kongsi diligently, like Cheah Choo Yew, Cheah Cheang Lim,Cheah Phee Cheok,Cheah Tek Thye and Cheah Teik Soon.

In 2000, the Rules and Regulations of Cheah Kongsi was amended and the number of Trustees have been increased to 20, two each from each sections (Kark Thau). The Kongsi continues the many practices of clan laws, religion, education and welfare work as enshrined in its Rules and Regulations.

It keeps up with the traditional system of nominating 4 Trustees each with Khoo, Yeoh, Lim and Tan Kongsi (known as the five big clan kongsis in early Penang) to sit on the Board of Trustees of Hokkien Kongsi, Penang. Besides, Cheah Kongsi together with the Khoo clans and Yeoh clans, whose villages are at the foot of Sam Quaye Hill (San Kuai Ning) formed the Sam Quaye Tong Kongsee to settle any disputes, if any, among themselves amicably and also to strengthen their relationship formed since the 19th century until today.

Cheah Kongsi has been nominating their trustees to represent their kongsi on the respective Boards of Trustees Victoria Green, Penang, Sam Toh Bean Lok Keok and Kong Hock Keong Temple, an apex religious organization. This helps in maintaining the good relationship and inter-segmental interactions among the leaders of the Chinese society since the olden days.

The Seh Tek Tong Cheah Kongsi, established in 1810, is one of the oldest Kongsi in Penang. With the esteemed status and experience of their past clansmen of Sek Tong Seah clan in vitalizing themselves with the solid historical past, it is believed that their new generations of clansmen would be in a better position to explore much wider into the cultural aspects and also to work with other clan societies in achieving a wider social network.

On 1st April 2011, the Kongsi was registered and known as SEH TEK TONG CHEAH KONGSI.