The Peranakan Association Singapore -TPAS

The history of The Peranakan Association Singapore goes back to its origins when as the Straits Chinese British Association (SCBA) it was formed on 17 August 1900 with Mr Tan Jiak Kim as its first president. One of its original objectives was "to afford facilities for the discussion of all questions relating to the social and moral welfare" of the community. The Association attracted the leading lights of Peranakan society and it did not take long before a branch of the SCBA was established in October of the same year in Malacca, the land of the forefathers of the members. On 31 August 1931 the SCBA petitioned the Governor Sir Cecil Clementi for the appointment of a Chinese member to the Executive Council which request though not immediately acceded to, did eventually lead to the appointment of SCBA member Mr Wee Swee Teow to the Executive Council in 1933. The Petition was jointly signed by Sir Lim Han Hoe, Mr Heah Joo Seang and Sir Tun Tan Cheng Lock as Presidents of the SCBA Singapore, SCBA Penang and SCBA Malacca respectively. In it they also called for the Nomination of one elected representative from each of their associations to the Legislative Council. With the emergence of Singapore as an independent state the name of the SCBA Singapore was changed to the Singapore Chinese Peranakan Association on 11 December 1964 before finally becoming The Peranakan Association on 23 February 1966. The Membership of The Peranakan Association has risen from 342 in 1993 to over 2,100 today. Since the first Baba Nyonya Convention was held in Penang in 1988, the annual event hosted in rotation by member associations in the Federation of Peranakan Associations has been a highlight of Association’s calendar. Finally, a history of the present-day Peranakan Association will not be complete without paying tribute to our late Honorary Life President, Mr T W Ong whose dedication to and love of the Association has enabled it to thrive during his term of office from 1950 to 1991. Dr George Tay took over the helm from 1990 until 1996. Mr Lee Kip Lee was president from 1996-2010, followed by Mr Peter Wee (2010-2018), and Mr Colin Chee (2018-2022). Ms Genevieve Peggy Jeff is the current president and also the first nyonya president of the Association.