Yankee Leong
Yankee Leong | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 19, 1899 |
| Declared | December 1953 Seremban, Malaya |
| Died | June 17, 1986 |
| Nationality | Malaysian |
| NSA member | Southeast Asia 1958 - ???? Malaysia 1964 - 1965 |
| ABM | Asia 1965 - 1968 |
| Counsellor | Southeast Asia 1968 - 1980 Asia 1980 - 1985 |
| Parent(s) | Yan Kuen and Kong Shih |
| Relatives | Koon Tai, Tai Tai, Pek Yong, Yoon Kim, Chin Siew |
Yankee Leong (c. November 19, 1899 - June 17, 1986) was the first individual to declare his belief in Bahá’u’lláh in Malaya and worked tirelessly to help the faith grow in the region. As an Auxiliary Board Member for Malaysia, Yankee Leong first visited Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan in 1965. In 1968 he and Dr. Chellie Sundram were appointed as the first members of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Malaysia.[1][2][3][4]
Biography[edit]
Yankee Leong was born to a poor immigrant family in Malaya, which is part of Malaysia. His parents were Yan Kuen and Kong Shih and he had two sisters, the eldest sister was named Koon Tai, followed by Tai Tai. Next was his elder brother, Pek Yong. After Yankee came two more brothers, Yoon Kim, and Chin Siew. It is recorded that he was born "In the tenth moon of the Year of the Pig at the close of the last century". This is most likely October or November of 1899. Records also indicate a Yan Pat was born on November 19, 1899 to Yankee's mother, Kong Shih, it is presumed this record is the birth of Yankee Leong.
When he was young Yankee was adopted by a Mr. Choo due to his own families poverty. Mr. Choo gave Yankee the name Kee. The name Yankee came from a cross between Kee, a given name and Yan, his family name. In traditional Chinese the family name precedes the given name, becoming Yan Kee Leong, and later Yankee.
In December 1953 Bahá'í pioneer Shirin Fozdar enlisted Yankee's help in organizing a teaching tour of Malaya,[5] and it was during this tour Yankee declared, on December 19, 1953 in Seremban. He made it his priority to establish Local Spiritual Assemblies in Seremban, Malacca Town, and Kuala Lumpur. He also wrote many letters introducing his friends to the Faith, and taught with great enthusiasm.
Leong was very successful in teaching the Faith to the aboriginal people in the Malayan jungles and was invited in 1960 to teach in Brunei and Sarawak by Dr. John Fozdar and Minoo Fozdar. Through Leong and with the help of his translator Philip Suning the faith began to grow in Sarawak.
References[edit]
- ↑ Manisegaran, A. (2003). Jewel Among Nations - An account of the early days of the Bahá’í Faith in West Malaysia. Malaysia: Splendour Publications. ISBN 983-51419-0-9.
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: checksum (help) - ↑ Hassall, Graham (1998), Bahá'í Faith in Hong Kong, retrieved July 21, 2016
- ↑ Ong, Henry (1979). Uncle Yankee. California: Ong Publications.
- ↑ Ong, Rose (2001). A Journey with Uncle Yankee. ISBN 983-40647-0-5.
- ↑ https://bahai.works/index.php?title=File:MBN_Vol9_Issue4.pdf&page=10
