Kee Kim Swee (or Kee Kim Sui, also known as Kee Abdullah after he embraced Islam) was one of the prominent and important Chinese nationality (Hainanese) who settled in Tawau, Sabah. He was appointed as the first custom examiner and revenue collector by the British North Borneo (Chartered) Company in Tawau, 1894. A year later, Tawau development was entrusted to his hands by British Administration, he became the first Pengulu or Orang Kaya (OKK) in Tawau, Sabah. Tawau (also known as Tanjung) became a modern town under Kee Kim Swee's lead who engineered Tawau into a business and commercial area in the early 1900s.[1]
After he died, his son OKK Kee Abu Bakar became his successor as the Penghulu.
Early life and career
He was born in 1863. Little was known about his biological mother. He had a step parent known by the name Kipas.In 1883, at the age of 20 years old, the courteous and respected Agent of the Company in Brunei, Kapitan Kee Kim Swee was appointed as Datuk Temenggung over the Chinese community by Sultan Abdul Momin[2].
In 1885, while on a trading journey with his father to Sandakan, their Tongkang encountered a mishaps and capsized at the Marudu Bay. His father of Hainanese origin died in the incident and was buried in a Chinese cemetery in the district of Kudat, Sabah. Kee Kim Swee survived and were rescued by villagers, he settled in the residence of a Suluk man named Dato Husin until his recovery.
In 1894, Kee Kim Swee was recruited by the British North Borneo Chartered Company as a custom examiner and revenue collector in Tawau. One of his many tasks was to collect a one dollar poll tax from the residents. His unique ability to converse in Arabic and Jawi literate, served as a link between the native and Chinese groups with the government. Thus, he was often called upon for his view and provide representation.[3]
Family
He embraced Islam when he married a Mindanao girl of Sulu Parang Tapol, Jumaatiah Ame Maidin and later changed his name into Kee Abdullah. His marriage with Jumaatiah gave him 18 children, 13 boys and 5 girls.His children with Jumaatiah Ame Maidin :
- Kee Sulaiman (1897–1977)
- Kee Othman (1898–1970)
- OKK Kee Abu Bakar (1899–1953)
- Kee Abdul Aziz (unknown)
- Child name not recorded
- Kee Aishah (1906–1985)
- Kee Sidek (1909–1945)
- Kee Hatifah (1910–1969)
- Kee Ali (1913–1975)
- Kee A. Kamaruddin (1915-unknown)
- Kee A. Omar (1916–1931)
- Child name not recorded
- Kee Abdul Jalil (1919–1990)
- Kee Dzawiyah (1920–1921)
His early marriage with a Chinese woman from Kudat gave them 3 children, 2 boys and 1 girl. Both of his sons went back to China while the girl changed her surname into Chin by marriage.
References
- ^ Bernama [1], "The Star", Thursday September 25, 2008
- ^ Sabah State Archive, "The North Borneo Herald" 1st July 1883.
- ^ Chung, Nicholas. "Under the Borneo Sun : A Tawau Story". Natural History Publication Borneo, 2005. ISBN 9838121088 ; 9838121088
