WHAT’S in a name? Plenty apparently as local history buff painstakingly traces the man behind the name of Kuala Lumpur’s famed Chow Kit Road.
“Siapa Sebenarnya Loke Chow Kit: Asal Usul Chow Kit Road?”
Jalan Chow Kit hari ini terkenal dengan suasana pasar yang sibuk dan sinonim dengan lambakan pendatang asing serta lagu ikonik Sudirman, Chow Kit Road.
Tapi korang tahu tak siapa sebenarnya Chow Kit ni? pic.twitter.com/TyjCft7kGr
— Azizul Farhan (@AzizulFarhan2) January 29, 2025
Aside from being the subject of a classic song by the late Sudirman Arshad, author Azizul Farhan (@AzizulFarhan2) traces on the the history of the man born Loke Chow Kit in 1864 in Penang Island on the X platform.
What did the son of immigrants hailing from Guangdong, China, accomplish to have a street named after him?
The story begins with Chow Kit having completed his studies at the prestigious Penang Free School found work in German construction firm – Katz Brothers.
He then made the switch to Huttenbach & Co where he became its Kuala Lumpur branch supervisor. This was a pinnacle moment in his career as it brought Chow Kit to the city which was to be the foundation of his success.
It was in Kuala Lumpur that Chow Kit met Loke Yew – an established businessman, considered to be a tycoon of his era.
Loke Yew immediately recognised Chow Kit’s huge potential – an individual blessed with great management skills as well as being highly efficient and dedicated. This was when Loke Yew put Chow Kit in charge of his estates in Pahang, Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
Chow Kit was also involved in the tin mining as well as opium trade which was then legal under colonial rule.
In 1905, Chow Kit had accumulated enough capital and business experience working under Loke Yew decided to branch out on his own by establishing Chow Kit & Co.
This was Kuala Lumpur’s first shopping centre offering daily necessities, stationery and even automobiles and motorcycles!
The company’s headquarters was housed in a building at the junction of Holland and Clarke streets (now Jalan Mahkamah Persekutuan and Jalan Mahkamah). The structure was a combination of Chinese and European architecture and symbolised Chow Kit’s success.
In 1903, Chow Kit began construction of Rumah Tangsi – a mansion named after its location. It would feature both local and European elements in its façade.
Initially, Rumah Tangsi was the Chow Kit family’s residential home.
But it didn’t remain a private residence for long as it was taken over by the Empire Hotel Company in 1909 and changed to become a hostelry.
It was renamed Peninsular Hotel in 1919 and became an important landmark in fast developing Kuala Lumpur.
In 1973, the building was acquired by the Architects Association of Malaysia (PAM) which used it as its HQ for several decades. In 2012, the mansion was recognised as a National Heritage Site and underwent a two-year refurbishment period.
Today, Rumah Tangsi stands as a proud monument to the Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) Heritage Building Rehabilitation project and serves as a multi-purpose event space.
It has become an official venue for diplomatic events and recently hosted the meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Singapore counterpart Lawrence Wong.
Aside from his contribution to the city’s architecture, Chow Kit was bestowed the title of “Justice of the Peace”, making him the first Malaysian of Chinese descent to receive the award.
As ‘JP’, Chow Kit was entrusted with solving various communal issues, highlighting his influence among city dwellers.
As an interesting footnote, it was also pointed out that Chow Kit was the first person in Kuala Lumpur to have a telephone in his home, underlining his prominent status.
Alas, Chow Kit’s career as an entrepreneur was short-lived as he succumbed to lung cancer on Aug 29, 1918. He was just 54.
Chow Kit’s passing left a huge void in the business community. The tycoon who left behind two widows and 13 children from those marriages was laid to rest in his place of birth of Penang at the Mount Erskine cemetery.
But Chow Kit’s heritage lives on in the street bearing his name which is the heartbeat of Kuala Lumpur.
The poster contended that Chow Kit is proof that with hard work, a clear vision and good contacts can translate into huge commercial success even though he came from moderate circumstances.
Such is the legacy of a young Penangite who built a business empire as well as making many contributions to society.
The post has already generated 758.2K views, leaving many netizens enlightened on the origins of Jalan Chow Kit. Malaysians would do well to remember such success stories from the past as it is a beacon going forward. – Feb 4, 2025
Main image credit: Already phased out mini buses picking up passengers at Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur in 1993; malaysia.time.tunnel/Instagram
