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| GOH
LIAN was born in 1881 in the Eng Choon Teck Huay province,
Hokkien, China. At the tender age of eight in 1889, he came to Malaya with
his father and fifth brother, Ah Chai in a Chinese merchant junk. In Malaya
he did odd jobs and in his early teens, he became an enterprising cloth
vendor. He was known as the kelentong man. Carrying his load, bales of
cloth on his shoulders, he would move around villages vending his wares
with a 'kelentong' in hand.
, With hard work and positive thinking, he was able to wade through thick and thin and finally at the age of 20 won the heart of a local born Chinese Peranakan beauty, Lee Jee Neo. They were blessed with two children, Goh Cheng Leong and Goh Thiam Leong. With a good sense of public relation cum responsibility, he won a contract to supply burnt bricks for a rail road construction from Alor Gajah to Malacca from the British then. He had a kiln of his own and business was good. , Goh Lian was still indebted to his uncle, an opium smoker then. His uncle had stopped working and was then living in comfort from Goh Lian's wealth. The only concrete building in Pantai Belimbing was then built. News reached China and his mother came to Malaya with a young girl, Ah Gek, who was supposed to be the house maid. She was really not intended to be the maid but to be married to Goh Lian as a second wife. They were married with strong protest from his wife, Lee Jee Neo. His brother went back to China and lost contact. m Lee Jee Neo shifted out from the house in protest and stayed in a wooden shack about 100 meters away. Jee Ma as the second wife was known to me, bore a daughter and four sons. They were Ko Botak, Goh Teck Leong, Goh Joo Leong, Goh Swee Leong and Goh Peng Leong. Ko Botak (her nick name) was married to Mr. Soh Eng Siong and had a son named Ah Leng. She died due to complications during clild birth (her second child) the baby was still-born. Both of Goh Lian's parents died and buried in Pantai Belimbing Malacca. m Business recession crept in during the First World War. Business was at a stand still. Chettiars loan debts doubled. A row of 18 shop lots in Kubu Malacca were taken over by Chettiars due to accumulated unpaid loans. Goh Lian was down. He died in 1936 without much property left. Goh Lian was buried in Pantai Belimbing too. m His first son, Goh Cheng Leong had to bear the responsibility in supporting his mother, second mother and his siblings. Many sad events were told to me by Goh Cheng Leong, my father. His most difficult times were during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya. My father did his part as a responsible son and big brother to his parents and siblings. He supported and brought them up to what they were without any asking whatsoever. I am proud of my father. May his soul rests in peace. |
