Leong Tat Chee
Leong Tat Chee | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1910 |
| Died | October 9, 1972 |
| NSA member | Southeast Asia 1958 - 1964 Malaysia 1964 |
| ABM | Asia 1964 - 1972 |
Leong Tat Chee (1910 - October 9, 1972) was a Chinese-Malaysian Bahá’í who assisted with the establishment of Bahá’í administration in Southeast Asia, serving as a National Spiritual Assembly and Auxiliary Board member.
Biography[edit]
Chee was born in 1910 and was of Chinese descent. He lived in Malacca and served as an official for a society which was a federation for followers of Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. He was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith by Khodadad and Shirin Fozdar in 1955 and declared after reading the Writings himself. He helped establish the Local Spiritual Assembly of Malacca that year.[1]
In 1958 Chee was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Southeast Asia and served on the body until 1964, attending the First International Convention in 1963 and casting a vote in the establishment of the Universal House of Justice. In 1964 the Southeast Asia Assembly was disbanded with independent Assemblies being formed for the countries it was responsible for and Chee was elected to the first independent National Spiritual Assembly of Malaysia, but was also appointed as an Auxiliary Board member for Asia that year. He donated his home to the Malaysia Assembly to serve as a National Bahá’í Centre after it was formed.[2]
In 1965 Chee accompanied Yankee Leong on a travel teaching trip visiting Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. During the trip he studied Mandarin and began assisting with translation of Bahá’í literature into the language. In 1969 the Universal House of Justice requested that the Malaysian Bahá’í community assist Singapore in efforts to establish a National Spiritual Assembly and Chee pioneered to Singapore with his wife. His efforts contributed to five Local Spiritual Assemblies being in existence in Singapore by 1971. Ill health forced him to return to Malaysia shortly before the establishment of the independent National Spiritual Assembly of Singapore in 1972.[2]
Chee continued to serve as Auxiliary Board member as his health failed, maintaining a prolific correspondence, and served until his passing in October, 1972. The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after his passing:
DEEPLY GRIEVED NEWS PASSING SINCERE PROMOTER CAUSE LEONG TAT CHEE HIS DEVOTED LABOURS INCLUDING SERVICES AS MEMBER AUXILIARY BOARD WILL LONG BE REMEMBERED STOP HANDS JOIN HOUSE IN CONVEYING RELATIVES FRIENDS LOVING SYMPATHY ASSURANCE FERVENT PRAYERS SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL.[2]
References[edit]
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 527. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1976). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 15 (1968-1973), Pg(s) 528. View as PDF.
