Thursday, 12 May 2011
Kee Kim Swee - Kee family of Tawau
Kee family gathers for Hari Raya
BERNAMA
TAWAU: The first gathering of the Kees, a large family synonymous with Tawau, will be held at the Tawau community hall here on Oct 4.
The Kee family were descendants of Chinese national Kee Kim Swee, who embraced Islam using the name Kee Abdullah, and became the first civil servant in Tawau in 1894.
Many descendants of Kee Abdullah rose to prominence, including Sabah state Secretary Datuk K.Y. Mustafa and Assistant Finance Minister Datuk Tawfiq Datuk Abu Bakar Titingan, who is also the assemblyman for Apas.
Tawau district chief OKK Kee Mohd Ayub Kee Abu Bakar was a great-grandson of Kee Abdullah. His father, Kee Abu Bakar, was Tawau's first district chief.
Gathering chairman Kee Hamid Kee Sulaiman said the event was aimed at giving the Kee family the opportunity to meet.
He was hopeful that all descendants of the family would return to attend the historic occasion. -- Bernama
Posted by ßårßieMey ßåße at 05:38
Kee Kim Swee ( moyang aku )
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
Posted by ßårßieMey ßåße at 05:31
Kee family to hold first gathering in Tawau
TAWAU: The first gathering of the Kee family, a namesake synonymous with Tawau, will be held at the Tawau community hall on October 4.
The Kee family are descendants of Chinese national Kee Kim Swee who embraced Islam with the name Kee Abdullah and became the first civil servant (tax collector) in Tawau in 1894.
One year later, Kee was given the responsibility to develop the Tanjung area, the present site of Tawau town.
Many descendants of Kee rose to prominence including Sabah State Secretary Datuk K.Y. Mustafa and Assistant Finance Minister Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titinga.
Tawau district chief O.K.K. Kee Mohd Ayub Kee Abu Bakar was Kee’s great grandson. His father Kee Abu Bakar was Tawau’s first district chief.
The Kee clan reunion chairman Kee Hamid Kee Sulaiman said the event during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations was aimed at giving members of the Kee family an opportunity to unite and make up for lost time.
He was hopeful that descendants of the clan would attend the occasion. Bernama
Posted by ßårßieMey ßåße at 05:30
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
TAG ARCHIVES: BUKU KELUARGA KEE
PERPUSTAKAAN NEGERI SABAH CAWANGAN BANDAR SRI INDAH TAWAU
Posted by ßårßieMey ßåße at 01:57
2,000 sanak saudara Kee hadiri perhimpunan Jejak Kasih 9th October, 2008
Posted by ßårßieMey ßåße at 01:53
Lebih 3,000 Keluarga Kee Hadiri 'Perhimpunan Jejak Kasih Keluarga
TAWAU, 4 April -- Lebih 3,000 anggota keluarga keturunan Kee dari seluruh Sabah malah di Semenanjung dijangka menghadiri program "Perhimpunan Jejak Kasih Keluarga" yang akan diadakan pada September ini.
Pengerusi program berkenaan Kee Hamid Kee Sulaiman berkata perhimpunan itu dirancang untuk mempertemukan kembali seluruh anggota keluarga serta keturunan keluarga terbabit bagi mengeratkan lagi tali silaturahim sesama mereka.
Nama keluarga Kee berasal daripada nama Kee Kim Swee juga dikenali sebagai Kee Abdullah, yang merupakan pegawai kerajaan pertama yang dilantik kerajaan British di daerah Tawau pada 1894.
Menurut Kee Hamid nama Kee Kim Swee amat sinonim dengan bandar Tawau kerana Kee bersama penghulu pertama di Tawau, Pua Ado - seorang lelaki berketurunan Bugis Wajo - adalah pengasas kewujudan kawasan Tanjong (bandar Tawau) sekarang.
Perhimpunan itu bakal diisi dengan pelbagai aktiviti termasuk pameran sejarah dan warisan keluarga Kee dan sejarah bandar Tawau, persembahan, cabutan tiket bertuah penyampaian cenderahati untuk warga emas berusia 65 tahun ke atas, yang berasal daripada keturunan keluarga berkenaan.
Katanya sempena perhimpunan yang dinaungi Pembantu Menteri Kewangan Sabah yang juga Anggota Dewan Undangan Negeri (Adun) Apas, Datuk Tawfiq Abu Bakar Titingan itu, keluarga Kee akan menggunakan warna tema ungu.
"Meskipun masih ramai yang berada di Tawau, tidak sedikit waris keturunan keluarga Kee ini yang menetap di merata tempat termasuk di seluruh Sabah, Semenanjung dan di luar negara," katanya dalam satu kenyataan di sini hari ini.
Dalam hal berkaitan, Kee Hamid berharap program itu dapat menarik lebih ramai waris keturunan keluarga terbabit untuk menghadirinya.
Posted by ßårßieMey ßåße at 01:51