The Cathay building at 2 Handy Road was once Singapore’s tallest skyscraper. Standing at 83.5m, it was a spectacle in the 1930s; built with a hotel and equipped with the first air-conditioned cinema in Singapore.
Many would have heard of Loke Wan Tho and Loke Yew, who were associated with the Cathay organisation. However, relatively few know about Loke Cheng Kim.
Cheng Kim was a woman involved in movies and film while working in the Cathay organisation but her contributions go beyond entertainment. It was her charitable acts and advocacy for woman’s welfare that made a difference to many lives, and has been a quiet driving force behind many non-profit organisations in Singapore.
Cheng Kim was born in 1895 in Penang, into a middle class Chinese family. At a young age, her mother, Soon Kui Sim, felt that education should be a priority for her daughter; therefore, Cheng Kim was sent to school, which was unusual at that time. Madam Soon had a positive influence on Cheng Kim and this influence eventually defined who Cheng Kim would become.
In 1914, Cheng Kim married Loke Yew, a prominent businessman in Malaya and had three children. Loke Wan Tho, founder of the Cathay Organisation and a prominent philanthropist, was their son. The marriage was short-lived as Loke Yew passed away in 1917. Cheng Kim, a widow, had to take care of her three children.
Because of her strong-will and character, which was influenced by her mother, she managed to overcome the pain of losing her husband at a young age and took up the heavy responsibility of bringing up three children as a widow. In addition, she was able to carve out a career despite such adversity and help the less fortunate.
When World War 2 broke out, the situation around the world was gloomy and bleak. Cheng Kim chose to contribute money and time to help raise funds for the war effort. Together with her son, Wan Tho, they donated $1000, a huge sum then, for six seats during the “Buy A Bomber” drive. This drive was conducted during a movie screening in their cinema. In addition, she also personally donated 2,000 pounds for the war effort. Though war still broke out and Singapore did fall to the Japanese, her contributions should not be overlooked, as she hoped that her actions would help prevent the war from affecting people in Singapore.
Throughout the years, Cheng Kim rendered assistance to several organisations and relief funds. She has made donations to the Singapore Flood Relief Fund, the Bukit Ho Swee Fire National Relief Fund, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and the Singapore Olympic Sports Council to send the first batch of the Singapore Team for the First Asian Games. On top of that, Cheng Kim is also an active supporter of the theatre culture in Singapore.
Cheng Kim was an individual who did not mind involving herself personally to help other people in need. She was the president of Singapore’s Chinese Ladies’ Association and also president of the Volunteer Worker’s association during the 1950s. She helped promote women’s welfare and other charity events in Singapore. For example, she would personally support activities like a food and fun fair event organised by the Young Women’s Christian Association.
A firm believer in education, Cheng Kim helped promising students further their studies through the Loke Cheng Kim Foundation scholarship. This foundation was established in hopes to advance an individual’s education so as to improve the lives of Singaporeans. Since the foundation’s inception in 1968, many have benefited from the scholarship.
Besides creating a foundation for education, Cheng Kim also contributed directly to educational institutions. The gymnasium in St. Margaret’s Secondary School was constructed with donations from Cheng Kim. In 1965, she donated a collection of rare books to the National Library and in 1972, she donated money and books to establish the Loke Wan Tho library in memory of her son who passed away in an accident.
Besides her commitment to education, Cheng Kim also helped the sick and destitute in Singapore. She donated money to control the spread of tuberculosis, raised funds for the blind and the Singapore Anti-Narcotics Association. She even gave money to a family of seven who were forced to make a home in an abandoned pillbox.
Cheng Kim lived a long life, passing away in 1981 at the age of 86. Even though she faced great adversity in her life, her conviction to help people never wavered.
By Ng Jian Cheng
