Fortitude: The Life And Times Of Heah Joo Seang

Fortitude is the biography of rubber magnate Heah Joo Seang, a Straits-born man of Malaya whose life was touched by drama and tragedy. His wealth, power and influence were immeasurable, and his good works can be seen even today in his beloved Penang, yet nothing had been written about this man who was the darling of the local press in his day – until Pamela Ong began to take an interest in the history of Penang. This led her to write two biographies, the first of her father Dr Ong Chong Keng, and the second, that of Dato Onn bin Ja’afar.

Like them, Heah Joo Seang was involved in the post-colonial politics of Malaya. He believed that Straits-born Chinese like himself would be better off under British rule than independent Malaya with special rights to Malays. Controversy dogged Heah throughout his life. Whether as a patron, an antagonist to the Japanese during World War II, a rubber magnate, or a politician, he assessed the risks and took them on. He was chivalrous, intelligent and energetic, and adhered doggedly to high standards. But of all his qualities, the one that stood out for the author is Heah Joo Seang’s fortitude, his determination to learn from experience and emerge stronger.

Publisher: Straits Times Press Pte. Ltd.

Hardback

2014

ISBN: 9789814342704