永定会馆简史(中英)
永定会馆是旅居东南亚的永定同乡最早的社团。二十世纪初,南来的永定邑人日增,鉴于缺乏联络中心,永定先贤于是萌发设立同乡会的意愿。在先贤胡必育,胡秀容,张滋楼,胡星阶等推动下,1916年12月26日,召开旅新永定同乡全体大会,即席决定组织永定会馆,同时购置尼路一店屋为会所。1918年3月14日,注册获政府批准,会馆宣告成立。
成立后,会馆广招会员,并积极筹募会所基金。在众乡亲的支持下,于1919年购置大坡新桥路361号为新会所,1922年正式开幕。成立之初,会馆为南洋各地永定同乡的总会。
1942年,日军攻占新加坡,会务随即停顿。因同乡大多失业,会馆顿时变成难民收容所。1945年,新加坡光复不久,便召开同乡大会,公推胡蛟为会长,负责领导会务,重新登记会员,同时筹集款项,将为会所修葺一新。
1946年,<永定会刊> 创刊,是南洋社团中率先出版刊物的组织。因刊物涉及抨击时政,于1947年11月停刊。
1951年成立互助会,发挥同乡间的互助精神。1970年代,设立“奖贷学金委员”,积极辅助同乡子弟。1975年起,颁发奖贷助学金。
因会员日增,会所不敷应用,1973年3月,在胡浪漫会长的发动下,积极筹购新会所,获得新马同乡的热烈响应。同年,购得加东区德明巷19号三层楼屋宇为新会所,并迁入办公。后因政府不批准该楼设置会馆,便在1980年另购大坡尼路128,130,132号楼屋为会所。经过一番修葺,1985年正式迁入尼路132号现址办公。
1985年8月24日,首次主办“星马永定同乡恳亲会”,获得马来西亚霹雳州及槟城的永定乡亲踊跃参加。同年组织乒乓球队,组团到各地参加友谊赛。
1987年,分发敬老渡岁金。1988年10月21日,庆祝成立70周年纪念庆典,广邀各地同乡参与其盛,并出版特刊以资纪念。
1990年代,会馆极立推动会务,举办恳亲敬老美食,同乡欢乐游等活动。2000年,《永定会刊》创刊,有效地报道会务情况及乡情。
永定会馆是客属总会及福德祠绿野亭公会属下的团体会员。
出版物:
· 《永定会刊》(1946年创刊)
· 新加坡永定会馆70周年纪念特刊 (1988年)
· 《永定会刊》(2000年起)
活 动:
· 分发敬老度岁金
每年分发敬老度岁金,以示敬老尊贤。
· 颁发大中小学奖学金
每年春祭时,颁发大中小学奖学金给品学兼优的会员子女。
· 春秋二祭
每年春秋二祭,会员齐聚丰永大三邑祠举行祭拜先贤活动。当晚举行联欢宴会招待会员和乡亲。
· 乡亲联谊
除组团参加历界世界客属恳亲大会以及星马永定同乡恳亲会外,也曾组团访问马来西亚,澳门,香港,台湾及中国等地的同乡,并多次接待海外同乡团体的到访。
· 举办家乡美食
每年举办一次家乡美食招待老人,并以红包,发糕等物相赠。
成立年份:1918年 会员人数:410名
The Eng Teng Association of Singapore is the earliest clan association set up by Yong Ding county clansmen residing in Southeast Asia. In the early 20th century, as more Yong Ding immigrants moved to Singapore, there arose a common desire to form an association to act as a focal point and a base to keep in touch with fellow clansmen. The prime-movers were Hu Bi Yu, Ju Xiu Rong, Zhang Zi Lou and Hu Xing Jie. Initiated by them, fellow clansmen held a general meeting on 26 December 1916 and it was resolved that an Association be formed based on geographical tie. Concurrently, a shophouse at Neil Road was purchased as our premises. On 14 March 1918, its application for registration was approved by the government and the association was officially set up.
The Association then started a drive to recruit members and to raise a building fund. With strong support from fellow clansmen, the Association bought No 361 New Bridge Road as the new premises in 1919. The premises was officially opened in 1922. Initially, the Association was the general association for Eng Teng clansmen in Southeast Asia.
All operations came to a halt during the Japanese Occupation. The premises became a refugee camp to accommodate unemployed clansmen. After the war in 1945, a general meeting was soon called and elected Aw Kow (Hu Jiao) as the president. He was responsible for reviving the Association through a member re-registration campaign, and raising funds to renovate the premises.
In 1946, the first issue of the Eng Teng Monthly was published. The Association was the forerunner of clan associations in Southeast Asia which had their own publications. However, the Monthly ceased publication in November 1947 for publishing commentaries on current affairs and anti-establishment articles.
The Association formed a mutual aid section in 1951 and a scholarship and study loan committee in the 1970s. Since 1975, scholarships, study loans and bursaries have been given out to deserving members and their children.
As more people joined as members, the premises became inadequate and so in March 1970, under the leadership of our president Hu Lang Man, a building fund-raising campaign was launched. It received good response from fellow clansmen in Singapore and Malaysia. In the same year, the Association bought a three-storeyed house at No 19 Dunman Lane in the Katong area as the new premises. As approval was not granted by the Government for it to be used as premises of an association, in 1980 the Association bought shophouses at No 128, 130 and 132, Neil Road as premises. The Association moved to the present premises at No 132 Neil Road in 1985.
On 24 August 1985, the Association hosted the first Singapore and Malaysia Eng Teng clansmen convention. The fellow clansmen from Perak and Penang were particularly enthusiastic and many of them came to attend the convention. At the same time, the Association organized a table tennis team which went on a tour to many places in Malaysia to have friendly matches with its counterparts.
In 1987, the Association started distributing Lunar New Year hongbao. On 21 October 1988, the Association celebrated its 70th anniversary, which was attended by many overseas delegates. A souvenir magazine was published to commemorate the event.
In the 1990s, the Association further enhanced the operations. Activities such as special banquets in honour of senior citizens and sightseeing tours are organized regularly. In 2000, the inaugural issue of the Eng Teng Bulletin was published to update clansmen about the Association’s activities and news on home villages.
The Association is a corporate member of the Nanyang Khek Community Guild and the Hok Tek Chi Loke Yah Teng Association.
Publications:
– Eng Teng Monthly (1946 first issue)
– 70th Anniversary souvenir magazine (1988)
– Eng Teng Bulletin (2000)
Activities:
Lunar New Year hongbao – Each year it distributes hongbaos to senior citizens to express its respect for the elderly.
Scholarships – During the Spring sacrificial offering, primary, secondary, and tertiary scholarships are given to members’ children who excel in both studies and conduct.
Spring and Autumn sacrificial offerings – During the Spring and Autumn festivals, ancestral worships are performed at the Fong Yun Thai (Feng Yong Da) ancestral temple. A banquet is held in the evening for members and their families.
Clan ties – The Association has participated regularly in all Hakka international conventions as well as the Singapore and Malaysia Eng Teng clansmen conventions. The Association has also formed delegations to visit fellow Yong Ding associations in other countries such as Malaysia, Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China. The Association has also regularly received delegations from overseas.
Food Fairs – Annual food fair is held to entertain the elders with hometown delicacies. Hongbao and fagao are distributed to them.
Date of founding: 1918 Members: 410